Entrepreneur Advice from Tsholofelo Tshetlo: Believe in yourself

January 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Tsholofelo Tshetlo, founder of Afrophik (South Africa) — **Tsholofelo Tshetlo**, founder of Afrophik (South Africa)

Believe in yourself....

"Believe in yourself, believe in your work, focus on where you want to see your business, no matter the challenges."

- Tsholofelo Tshetlo is the founder of Afrophik in South Africa, a company that manufactures upcycled handbags from various types of leather and paper reclaimed from outdated retail shop catalogues. Tsholofelo's products are are not only eco-friendly, but also unique and most of the manufacturing is done by hand. She is currently working alone, but has a goal to expand her business and train more women.

Quote of the Day by Kofo Akinkugbe

January 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Kofo Akinkugbe, founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd (Nigeria) — Kofo Akinkugbe, founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd (Nigeria)

"Start with the end in mind and work towards it."

- Kofo Akinkugbe is recognised globally for her entrepreneurial success story and strong business track record. She is founder & CEO of SecureID Nigeria Ltd a market leader in smart card technology and digital security in Africa. SecureID is a world-class manufacturing facility with the only smart card production plant in West Africa and one of only six on the continent. In January 2015 the company commissioned a new state-of-the-art EMV-certified smartcard manufacturing plant – the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company serves 16 countries across Africa and is fully certified by VISA, Verve and MasterCard. In 2012, Kofo won the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Mature Business Award.

Fée Halsted's Ardmore Ceramics exhibits its vibrant and unique ceramic art in Miami

January 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Fée Halsted, founder of Ardmore Ceramics — **Fée Halsted**, founder of Ardmore Ceramics

Fée Halsted flew to Miami this week for the opening of Pascoe and Company's Ardmore Ceramics Exhibition hosted by the Ocean Reef Art League. The exhibition has received a great response with tremendous enthusiasm for Ardmore and its artists. The new Pascoe and Company Gallery offers the largest selection of Ardmore in the United States.

Wacy Zacarias, a Mozambican entrepreneur on a mission to put African textiles on the global map

January 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Wacy Zacarias, founder of Karingana Wa Karingana Textiles (Mozambique) — **Wacy Zacarias**, founder of Karingana Wa Karingana Textiles (Mozambique)

A passion to see more textiles designed by Africans, produced by Africans, and consumed by the world, led Mozambican entrepreneur Wacy Zacarias to launch her exciting company, Karingana Wa Karingana Textiles.

Tsholofelo Tshetlo, a South African entrepreneur with a talent for transforming trash into beautiful accessories and decorative items

January 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Unearthing the beautiful in things that others discard is a real creative gift, and one that entrepreneur Tsholofelo Tshetlo, founder of Afrophik, has in large quantities. Her unique eye for possibilities and detail has resulted in some of the most inventive ‘must-have’ accessories and decor items on the market.

Essential Read: All In: How Women Entrepreneurs Can Think Bigger, Build Sustainable Businesses, and Change the World by Stephanie Breedlove

January 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Stephanie Breedlove, entrepreneur & author — **Stephanie Breedlove**, entrepreneur & author

Stephanie Breedlove took a leap of faith, left the corporate world, and answered the call of entrepreneurship. Over the next few years she built a thriving business while simultaneously raising two young children, eventually selling her start-up for more than $50 million. In All In: How Women Entrepreneurs Can Think Bigger, Build Sustainable Businesses, and Change the World, Breedlove tells you how she did it.

#BizTrends2017: Top five mobile trends to help you plan for 2017

January 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

This is not another "year of the mobile" trends piece - that ship sailed five years ago. If you do not have a mobile presence then you really should not be playing in the digital space, because now in 2017, it is not a matter of digital vs mobile or marketing vs digital - your consumer is connected, whether you like it or not, and is partaking in an omnichannel world.

Why not swap business services to grow?

January 14, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Have you thought about swapping business services to grow your business? Some people call it bartering, trading or exchanging – it’s all the same thing. If you’re like me, you’re good at what you know and terrible at everything else. When you’ve got a limited budget or you’re keeping your costs as low as possible, you tend to do more for yourself than you should.

8 Ways to ensure 2017 is a success

January 13, 2017 Melanie Hawken

As the New Year kicks in, it's important to take time to reflect on the past year and all it has held. This includes both the highs and the lows, and an assessment of how far we have come (so we know how much further still to go). The reason why this is important is so that we can plan better for 2017. As they say "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” By reflecting on both the highs and lows, we can gain valuable insights and feedback for ourselves to help guide us going forward. Here's why....

What are your New Year’s Sales Resolutions?

January 13, 2017 Melanie Hawken

A new year is upon us and like most entrepreneurs I’m really excited for what it has in store for us. A new start, a fresh beginning for many startups. Let’s be resolved to make this the best entrepreneurial year yet! What are your New Year’s Sales resolutions? Have you spent time working out a strategy, putting an action plan in motion, formulating ideas on how you’re going to grow your business this year?

Entrepreneur Advice from Abai Schulze: Execution is the stuff of success

January 12, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Abai Schulze, founder of ZAAF, Ethiopia — **Abai Schulze**, founder of ZAAF, Ethiopia

Execution is the stuff of success...

"I would advise them to double-down on execution. Move with good data but, by all means, move and move quickly. Execution is the stuff of success – passion is just one of the ingredients."

- Abai Schulze is founder of the creative, new Afro-luxe brand ZAAF who create handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. Abai, born in a remote village in Ethiopia, has had a truly remarkable life journey. Her journey has taken her from an orphanage in Addis Ababa to the United States where she was raised, and back to Ethiopia. Today, she passionately uses her background in economics and fine arts to create unique and practical expressions of beauty, and to open avenues of opportunity for talented artisans in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. Her designs draw upon precious cultural relics and allow them renewed expression through fresh, uplifting and modern designs.

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

January 11, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Jennifer Riria, Group Chief Executive of Kenya Women Holding — **Dr. Jennifer Riria**, Group Chief Executive of **Kenya Women Holding**

"Women disproportionately face financial access barriers that prevent them from participating in the economy and from improving their lives."

- Dr. Jennifer Riria is the Group CEO of Kenya Women Holding and one of Africa's leading women entrepreneurs who has always been on a mission to transform the lives of women and their families in her native Kenya. She is distinguished as a microfinance banker and practitioner, researcher and gender specialist. She has served in many leadership roles for which she has been recognized locally and internationally. In 2013 she was awarded the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the year, East Africa 2013, and subsequently, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014, at which point she was admitted to EY’s Global Hall of Fame.

Entrepreneur Advice from Martie Cronje: Believe and trust in yourself

January 11, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Martie Cronje, founder of Complete VA (South Africa) — **Martie Cronje**, founder of Complete VA (South Africa)

Believe and trust in yourself....

"Believe and trust in yourself and your business, remain positive, set goals and continue to work hard to achieve them. Never be afraid to make that call or connection - you never know where it might lead (after all, what's the worst that can happen...?). Always aspire to deliver service of excellence."

- Martie Cronje is the founder of Complete VA in South Africa, a company offering Virtual Assistant services to small and medium sized companies. Martie brings over 26 years of administration skills and experience across a wide range of industries to her company. She is passionate about making a difference to her clients and to use her previously gained skills and experience to their advantage, to boost their productivity and efficiency.

Entrepreneur Advice from Yolanda Sing: You need to be resilient

January 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Yolanda Sing, founder of Chloe Consultants — **Yolanda Sing**, founder of Chloe Consultants

You need to be resilient....

"It is not easy! You need to have faith, resilience and a very strong desire."

- Yolanda Sing is the founder of Chloe Consultants, a company offering an experiential-learning course that uses interaction between horses and people to create awareness and provide a platform for positive feedback right from ‘the horse’s mouth’. This programme offers coaching, facilitation and mentoring services to executives, business leaders and functional heads regarding the requirements to succeed as an executive in today’s business world. Yolanda has successfully conducted trainings in UK, Dubai and South Africa, for clients like Coca Cola, South African Reserve Bank, Volkswagen, Harley Davidson, to name a few. She holds an international qualification of Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator and has worked as a senior executive with various large companies worldwide.

Quote of the Day by Rapelang Rabana

January 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Rapelang Rabana, founder of Rekindle Learning (South Africa) — **Rapelang Rabana**, founder of Rekindle Learning (South Africa)

"Time pushes everything forward. No stunning success and no sorrowful failure lasts forever. Absolutely everything comes to pass."

- Rapelang Rabana is a South African technology entrepreneur and founder of Rekindle Learning, a company looking to improve education in Africa by turning people’s compulsion to check their phones into an opportunity to learn. Rapelang is a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum, was chosen by Forbes as one of Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs, and listed on the ‘O Power List’ by The Oprah Magazine.

Entrepreneur Advice from Ntombenhle Khathwane: Find your unique space

January 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Ntombenhle Khathwane, founder of AfroBotanics (South Africa) — **Ntombenhle Khathwane**, founder of AfroBotanics (South Africa)

Find your unique space....

"there are business basics that should guide you in deciding to do a business, such as, start a business that is unique and not solving a problem the same way another business is, it will be difficult to break into a crowded market place even if you are very passionate about that business sector."

- Ntombenhle Khathwane is the founder of AfroBotanics in South Africa, a company passionately redefining the beauty narrative to say there isn’t, and can never be, one standard of beauty and each person must strive to embrace and show off that which makes them different. Five years ago Khathwane decided to start manufacturing hair-care products to specifically treat African hair – using natural botanical extracts from indigenous plants such as aloe vera. Today her range of 10 products can be found across the hundreds of retail stores of Game, Clicks and Pick n Pay.

Quote of the Day by Cathy O’Clery

January 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

"In a few years people won’t be talking about ‘African design’, they will be talking about Senegalese design, Kenyan design or Malian design. There are so many interesting things coming out of Africa and I hope soon people won’t be referring to the whole continent – 54 countries – as one design style."

- Cathy O’Clery is the co-founder and creative director of Platform Creative Agency, overseeing the creative output of the agency including developing creative and marketing, conceptualising campaign and visual production. With a wealth of experience as editor, design director and stylist, Cathy is renowned for her visual acumen, creative and content direction. In her role as curator of 100% Design South Africa, she brings expertise and skill to the bear ensuring the show is fresh, future-forward and of an exceptional standard every single year.

Kofo Akinkugbe’s SecureID launches new SIM Card manufacturing line in Nigeria

January 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

SecureID Limited, founded by one of Africa’s leading women entrepreneurs, Kofo Akinkugbe, has commissioned a SIM Card manufacturing line to support the needs of Nigeria’s rapidly growing mobile telecoms sector. Launched in 2005, SecureID is an independent, privately owned company located in Lagos, Nigeria that manufactures banking and telecom cards with mag stripe and chip encoding. This new manufacturing line ensures SecureID will continue to lead the way in delivering ‘innovative and first to market’ card technology and solutions.

New Lioness Lean In Breakfast event schedule announced for 2017 in South Africa

January 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Following an amazing series of events held last year in South Africa, the new programme of inspirational monthly Lioness Lean In Breakfast events has just been announced, again powered by Standard Bank in the country. The programme will see events taking place in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Limpopo and Pretoria, and hosted at a variety of venues including the SB Incubator in Rosebank, the new SB Incubator in Pretoria, and Workshop 17 in Cape Town, amongst others.

Martie Cronje, a South African entrepreneur helping other SMEs to grow and thrive by providing virtual assistant support

January 8, 2017 Melanie Hawken

For many startups and SMEs, one of the key challenges is getting access to the right administrative support when needed, without having to bring full time staff on board in the early days when budgets are tight. Complete VA is a new South African company with a solution. Entrepreneur Martie Cronje is offering a specialist virtual assistant service to all those that need that little extra support.