Quote of the Day by Fulufhelo Ramulifho

April 17, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Fulufhelo Ramulifho (L) founder of Careers For A Powerful You — **Fulufhelo Ramulifho** (L) founder of Careers For A Powerful You

"Dare to begin. Start small and anything is possible if you dare to do great things."

- Fulufhelo Ramulifho is the founder of Careers For A Powerful You (c4U) in South Africa, a goals-based career guidance academy on a mission to support high school learners’ ambitions using career guidance training, mentoring and coaching. Prior to starting her own business this Accounting graduate worked for KPMG as a forensic investigator and as a management consultant for an international consulting firm. Her passion for creating change and developing young people led to the launch C4U in 2013.

Understanding the Changing HR Environment for Entrepreneurs

April 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Some industry commentators call the Human Resources function in any business the last bastion of bureaucracy and it is seen in its traditional role – the department that merely hires and fires the staff needed to do the jobs. However, today the HR role should be seen differently.

Ubuntu – I am because you are

April 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

People produce and people consume. Businesses are because of people – it is a commercialized form of Ubuntu. One cannot exist without the other.

Clients not paying? What are your options?

April 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

You probably know them all… the “eager beaver” client; the “overly persistent” client; the “difficult” client; the “know-it-all” client; the “nice-to-have cooperative” client. Be your preference in client as it may…. the worst client of them all is the “bad payer” or “late payer” or “no pay at all” client.

Learning how to say NO in life and business

April 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

How many times have you said yes or committed to something and later regretted it? And then find yourself looking for every excuse in the book to get out of said commitment. If this resonates with you, then read on…

Shift into Rich: Navigate the 9 Roadblocks to Small Business Success by Diana Lidstone

April 16, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Despite the fact that more Canadian women are starting small businesses than ever before, a whopping 79% of them earn less than $22K a year; Statistics Canada reports that fewer than 5% earn more than $100K annually. For business mentor Diana Lidstone, author of Shift into Rich: Navigate the 9 Roadblocks to Small Business Success, this just isn’t good enough.

Judith Msonthi, a Malawian entrepreneur leveraging her talents as an MC and presenter to create a business

April 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Judith Msonthi, founder of Judie Emcee (Malawi) — **Judith Msonthi**, founder of Judie Emcee (Malawi)

Every successful event needs a great Master of Ceremonies to keep things moving according to schedule and importantly to keep audiences engaged. In Malawi, one of the most popular MCs currently is Judith Msonthi, founder of Judie Emcee, bringing her unique style and personality to enliven any event.

Phanice Shamalla, a Kenyan entrepreneur with a passion for helping people to become healthier in their lives

April 15, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Phanice Shamalla, founder of Iris Management (Kenya) — **Phanice Shamalla**, founder of Iris Management (Kenya)

For many people, staying fit and healthy is a real challenge and often requires a combination of specialist help, advice and access to resources, to make those essential healthy living choices. Iris Management, the business venture of health and wellbeing entrepreneur, Phanice Shamalla, is working hard to change mindsets and make it easier for people to think and live healthier lives.

Quote of the Day from Angela Dick

April 12, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Angela Dick, co-founder and CEO of Transman (South Africa) — **Angela Dick**, co-founder and CEO of Transman (South Africa)

“As women, we need to take charge, we need to get rid of emotions in other places and act rationally”

- Angela Dick is the co-founder and CEO of Transman the largest privately owned, temporary-employment service provider in South Africa. This one-time schoolteacher, who was the SA Business Women’s Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006, has grown her company’s revenue from a mere R85 000 back in 1983 to well over half a billion rand today. Angela was recently elected the first woman president and chairperson of Board of Directors of The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (Seifsa).

Entrepreneur Advice from Tarina Du Plessis: You just have to believe in yourself

April 11, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Tarina Du Plessis, founder of SkyRidge Business Solutions (Namibia) — **Tarina Du Plessis**, founder of SkyRidge Business Solutions (Namibia)

You just have to belief in yourself....

"If you do what you love, you will never have to work another day in your life because when you do what you love, it's not working, it's thriving! Follow your dreams, because if you don't, you will end up working for someone who did. Believe in yourself. Paint that portrait, bake that cake, cut that hair, knit that blanket, why? Because you can! You just have to have belief in yourself!"

- Tarina Du Plessis is the founder of SkyRidge Business Solutions in Namibia, a company that specializes in Financial, Marketing and Business Consulting Services for startup business clients. Tarina offers a wide range of specialist services, from the moment a client has a business idea right through to the moment when that business opens its doors, as well as ongoing support. She launched her business at the age of 19 right after finishing her advanced diploma in Financial, Marketing and Business Management. Tarina is passionate about helping other people in Namibia make their dreams of owning a successful business come true.

Quote of the Day by Johanna Mukoki

April 11, 2017 Melanie Hawken

"I am an entrepreneur. I was born a free spirit and I cannot think of any other way to work or live."

- Johanna Mukoki is co-founder and group CEO of Travel With Flair Travel, a leading black owned travel management company with over 18 years in the industry, 17 branches across South Africa and a team of over 750 skilled professionals. Johanna has accumulated numerous accolades including being named Emerging South African Entrepreneur of the Year at the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Awards in 2012.

Celebrating the fine art of custom shirt making with five8ths in Johannesburg

April 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Liz Kading, founder of five8ths (South Africa) — **Liz Kading**, founder of five8ths (South Africa)

The fine art of custom shirt making is being celebrated once again thanks to a talented woman entrepreneur who is bringing her love of tailoring and passion for slow fashion and traditional craftsmanship to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Entrepreneur Advice from Chantelle Beukes: Persist and collaborate

April 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Chantelle Beukes, founder of La Fede (South Africa) — **Chantelle Beukes**, founder of La Fede (South Africa)

Persist and collaborate....

"There is never a better day than today to start. Collaboration over Competition. And lastly, you may get a hundred "No's" but all you need is one 'Yes'."

- Chantelle Beukes is the founder of La Fede in South Africa, creating handcrafted heirloom toys. This 'Maker' and Mompreneur started La Fede in November 2014, after her 12 year career in the corporate world ended abruptly when the company she worked for shut it's doors. With the meagre capital at her disposal she decided to purchase a few meters of fabric and a small straight stitch sewing machine. Out of these negative circumstances La Fede, which means 'Faith' in Italian, was born literally as a leap of faith. Today, Chantelle is successfully producing a range of unique handcrafted toys that inspire imaginative play for kids.

Quote of the Day by Jennifer Riria

April 10, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Jennifer Riria, group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding — **Jennifer Riria**, group chief executive of Kenya Women Holding

“There are many poor people in Africa and the majority of them are women. We chose to work with women because they are the mainstay of the economy. We want women to transform the way the world works for them and their families. You cannot transform it for them but you can build their capacity to transform their own lives. That is what is sustainable.”

- 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.

Dare To Dream Bigger: The 'Inside Work' Handbook For Entrepreneurs And Passionate World-Changers by Clare Jose

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Clare Jose, author of Dare to Dream Bigger — **Clare Jose**, author of Dare to Dream Bigger

You know that feeling of getting excited about a great idea that could make a real difference in the world, but you get stuck believing that little voice at 3am that tells you all the reasons why you can't do it? So you don’t. Even though you know that on your 90th birthday you'll wish you had? Or maybe you're trying hard, doing everything the experts tell you to, but it's just not bringing you results? You're secretly ready to give up, feeling like a failure? Clare Jose, author of Dare to Dream Bigger, believes it doesn’t have to be that way.

Margaret Hirsch announces the winners of the Hirsch’s Woman In Business Achiever of the Year Awards in the Western Cape

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

The prestigious annual Hirsch Women in Business Awards Gala Evening in the Western Cape for 2017 took place on Friday 7 April at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, and as usual, was a star studded affair. The theme was old Hollywood and top business women from around the Western Cape dressed the part! Over 300 people attended the event, which was co-sponsored by Hisense, one of Hirsch’s top suppliers. Robyn Hey, Past president of the Cape Town Chapter of the Business Women’s Association of South Africa was the Guest Speaker at the event, and complimented Margaret and Hirsch’s for their initiative for holding the event.

How Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Can Be a Pathway to Success

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Screen Shot 2017-04-09 at 2.30.47 PM.jpg

As every entrepreneur would agree, we are a special breed of people who have the courage to turn our passions into businesses and make our dreams a reality.

The Chutzpah of a Liberty Lioness

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Starting a business is for the brave. It takes courage, optimizing on resources and having a big personality. We all know that a business that makes it is a reflection of who the entrepreneur is.

Tarina Du Plessis, the Namibian entrepreneur with an A-Z support system for small businesses

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

For many business startups, the list of things that need to be done and put in place to ensure a good foundation can be daunting. But entrepreneur Tarina Du Plessis, founder of SkyRidge Business Solutions, is on a mission to make it simpler. She is there to walk each step of the journey with her clients, making it less stressful and very much solution oriented.

Chantelle Beukes, a South African toymaker telling stories and stimulating imagination through her handcrafted work

April 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

La Fede, which means ‘faith’ in Italian, is a handcrafted heirloom toy company with a difference, as each individually created piece is inspired by a character or a story. The company, created by South African entrepreneur, Chantelle Beukes, is on a mission to bring a smile to young children’s faces as they harness the power of their imaginations to play with the beautiful, quirky toys she makes.