We all know that life happens and challenges are inevitable. Some of the challenges you will have control over and others you won’t. The ultimate test to life's challenges is how you react.
Read more100 LIONESSES: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu the creative force behind soleRebels, Africa's fastest growing footwear brand
Watch this fascinating interview with Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder and ceo of soleRebels, as she talks about how she has led her Ethiopian business to become the fastest growing African shoe brand, now taking the world by storm.
Read moreMimi Kalinda, a South African entrepreneur empowering fellow Africans through the power of storytelling
Mimi Kalinda, founder of Africommunications Group (South Africa)
Shaping the African continent’s positive narrative and opening up the minds of others around the globe to see its full potential, requires making connections with people at a human level. And, there is no better way of achieving this than through the sharing of stories and experiences. Entrepreneur Mimi Kalinda and her company Africommunications Group are both on a mission to harness the power of storytelling to change perceptions of this amazing continent.
Read moreChule Gobodo, a South African film-maker connecting consumers and brands through visual storytelling
Chule Gobodo, co-founder of Brainbow Conscious Creatives (South Africa)
They say everyone has a unique story to tell, but often people, businesses and brands find it hard to get that story told in a way that is engaging. But one woman entrepreneur is on a mission to change all that. Chule Gobodo, co-founder of Brainbow Conscious Creatives, is showing clients how to powerfully connect their brands with their consumers using storytelling through film.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Stella Langat: Be ready to embrace opportunities
Stella Langat, co-founder of Double Dee's (Kenya)
Embrace opportunities....
"... be ready to embrace opportunities that will propel you a step further to fulfilling your entrepreneurial dream. And those opportunities sometimes come in the form of a disappointment or failure - for instance, an investor who says no might be the best person to approach as a mentor to help you make improvements on your business plan."
- Stella Langat is the co-founder of Double Dee's in Kenya, a company that produces elegant lingerie pieces for the busty Kenyan woman. Stella, who is presently studying economics at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs in the U.S., plans to return to Kenya after completing her degree. Together with her three women business partners she plans to open a lingerie store in the capital city of Nairobi. It will be the first such store in the country.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Olajumoke Adenowo
Olajumoke Adenowo, founder of AD Consulting, Nigeria
"Our organisations are not just situated at locations – these locations are our host communities, and we must invest in them… give back to them. This is even more important for an African female entrepreneur because, as females, we are nurturers and it is our responsibility to raise the next generation,”
- Olajumoke Adenowo, founder of AD Consulting, is a Nigerian Architect, Speaker, Radio Host, Philantropist and Author. CNN has described her as “Africa’s Starchitect”. She has been featured in the World’s foremost Architectural Journal; Architectural Record and has spoken on several platforms including the Global Women’s Forum and Harvard Business School (African Business Club). Olajumoke also hosts a Syndicated Radio show on Leadership called “Voice of Change”.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Bilikiss Adebiyi: Get networking
Get networking....
"Network! Network! Network! I cannot stress the importance of networking. It is very vital to growing yourself and your business."
- Bilikiss Adebiyi is a Nigerian entrepreneur and innovator, and founder and CEO of WeCyclers. This Lagos-based company is focused on giving low-income communities in developing countries a chance to capture value from waste and clean up their neighborhoods through an incentive-based recycling program. Bilikiss holds an MBA from MIT and a Masters degree from Vanderbilt University. She is a 2013 Echoing Green Fellow and WeCyclers were a Sustainia100 Company Award winner in 2014.
Read moreParis gets an injection of vibrant South African design and artisan craft
Paris is set for an injection of vibrant South African design and artisan craft. As of June 14th, Parisians will get to experience some of South Africa's very best artisan design products with 40 exciting brands being hosted by the iconic Le BHV Marais department store in the heart of 'the City of Lights'. Featured brands include the likes of Yswara, Henriette Botha, Crystal Birch, Ardmore, Thalia Strates, Maxhosa, Ashanti Design and Vogel, to name but a few.
Read moreNominate the most inspiring women in tech in South Africa
The Kingdom of the Netherlands has launched Inspiring Fifty South Africa with an open call for nominations for inspiring women entrepreneurs in South Africa working in the different spheres of the technology and innovation sector. Inspiring Fifty is a Dutch based non-profit organisation that showcases inspiring female role models in the technology industry in the Netherlands, France, Europe and the Nordics.
Read moreShamila Ramjawan, a South African entrepreneur finding solutions to affordable menstrual management for girls
Shamila Ramjawan, co-founder of Famram Solutions (South Africa)
Famram Solutions is a high impact business helping girls and women globally to enjoy life, restore dignity, whilst offering an affordable solution to health care, especially menstruation matters and women’s health.
Read moreESSENTIAL READ: More Balls Than Most by Lara Morgan
Lara Morgan
An unorthodox, happily married business woman who has sold a company for £20 million, shares the sometimes outrageous highs and lows during the development of Pacific Direct. Lara Morgan’s book, ‘More Balls Than Most’ shares down-to-earth hints, tips and anecdotes to ensure the reader is guaranteed to take away valued information to apply to their own company.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Winnifred Selby: Motivation must come from within, not from others
Winnifred Selby, co-founder of Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative
Draw inspiration and courage from your own dreams and passions....
"There were so many friends who laughed when they heard about the bamboo bike idea. Some people will definitely discourage you, but one thing I've realised in life is that you have to be focused. People never understand your journey because it is not theirs to understand."
- Winnifred Selby was just 17 years old when she co-founded Afrocentric Bamboo, a company that manufactures and markets bicycles made from bamboo under the brand Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative. Her company produces bikes that are both eco-friendly and affordable – US$100 for the local market – and made for the high terrain and rough roads of rural Ghana. Winnifred was selected as a finalist in the 2014 Edition of the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Juliana Rotich
Julian Rotich
“There is a link between increasing connectivity and GDP. If you increase broadband by 10%, it corresponds to 1,163% increase in GDP. Investment in connectivity is worthwhile. We've only got 15.6% penetration of the internet in Africa – there is so much more to do.”
- Juliana Rotich is a technologist, strategic advisor, and entrepreneur. Juliana serves as an advisor to the councils of BASF, Risk Cooperative, Africa Technology Ventures (ATV) and the Lemelson Foundation. She is a trustee of Bankinter Foundation for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Spain, board member of Digital Impact Alliance and the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board. She is Co-founder of BRCK Inc, a hardware and services technology company based in Nairobi, Kenya. Her personal mission is to make things, fix problems and help others and she is a champion for internet connectivity and works to support entrepreneurs to scale their work and impact.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Liz Atukunda & Bunda Anne Katende: Just start!
Liz Atukunda & Bunda Anne Katende, founders of BIIKA (Uganda)
Just start!...
"Don’t wait for approval from someone else. Allow yourselves the opportunity to be vulnerable - after all, it’s a vulnerable place where you make something and launch it in public, not knowing if people will buy it or not, or if people will approve of it or not, or if your venture will be a continuous labor of love. So, just allow yourselves to be vulnerable and do it - from that place, wondrous things are born."
- Liz Atukunda & Bunda Anne Katende, founders of BIIKA, a brand that celebrates Africa Rising by harnessing local creative talent and materials to create its uniquely Ugandan range of authentic handbags and accessories. Liz is a lawyer and a banker with a great appreciation for beautiful things. Bunda is a childcare specialist who runs a preschool in Kampala and is also a mother of three beautiful children.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Divine Ndhlukula: Keep investing in your business
Divine Ndhlukula, founder of SECURICO Security Services (Zimbabwe)
Keep investing in your business and watch it grow....
"I always say there is no easy road to anywhere worth going. One's got to apply themselves. One's got to put in that extra effort. One's got to have the discipline to be able to say: Look, I've made a bit of money, invest back the money into the business so that it grows.”
- Divine Ndhlukula founded SECURICO Security Services from humble beginnings in Zimbabwe in 1998. Divine identified a need in the market for a quality oriented security company and she has driven SECURICO to become the market leader in Zimbabwe. She has tackled a previously male-dominated industry head on and her business success story is nothing short of remarkable - marking her as one of Africa's most tenacious and inspiring women entrepreneurs.
Read moreLunice Johnston, a South African communications professional with a passion for guiding her clients on their own business journeys in the public domain
Lunice Johnston, founder of Lunice Johnston Communications (South Africa)
Navigating the often over saturated world of business messaging and communications can present a challenge to companies and organisations, both large and small. But Lunice Johnston, founder of the specialist communications company that bears her name, has the solutions and 25 years of experience to match.
Read moreMy past life resurrected
In my past life, as I like to call it, I was a project management consultant, mostly for banks. There’s a lot I miss about that life. For a while after I started my business, I did not want to miss it too much, in case I got sucked back in. I’m over it now.
Read moreHow I survived the first 3 years as a startup in the tech industry
It has definitely been among the three most difficult years of my life, but certainly the most fulfilling. A few weeks ago I reached the second milestone in my company’s career – the 3 year anniversary (the first milestone was reaching 1000 days in business). Like any major milestone in one’s life, such as a relationship anniversary or child’s birthday, this felt no different – in some ways it felt like it was literally yesterday that I clicked submit on the company registration CIPC’s site, and at other times it feels as if I’ve been running a company for at least five times as long.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Rianke Chapman: Define your standards and your values
Rianke Chapman, founder of Tutor For The Future (South Africa)
Define your standards and your values....
"If you are about to start a business, it is important to define your standards and your values very early on. When challenges arise, it is important to not compromise on what you believe in and the quality of the product or service that you offer. Be consistent in your character and in the way that you do business. Have integrity and respect others. Get to know yourself better because there may be times when the only source of motivations comes from within. It is important to think positively, because the battle to overcome is first won in the mind."
- Rianke Chapman is the founder of Tutor For The Future in South Africa, a company that creates interactive learning material and runs programs to help learners strengthen the foundation of their education. Rianke's content and programs focus primarily on Maths and caters to school learners from Gr 4 to Gr 7, with programmes implemented in various needy communities and rural areas. This educational developer and entrepreneur cares for each and every learner she empowers and is passionate about ensuring a successful future for them.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Yudhika Sujanani
Yudhika Sujanani, founder of HoliCow Deli and inspiring South African foodie entrepreneur
"Keep a really open mind because life has its own plans for you."
- Yudhika Sujanani is an inspiring South African foodie entrepreneur with many strings to her bow including restauranteur, celebrity TV chef, blogger and author. Yudhika is best-known for her designer heels and signature curry dishes. Her passion for food and zest for life has seen her launch the Holi Cow Deli & Coffeeshop, author two recipe books, launch a spice range, and start the highly acclaimed 'Curry Club'. Yudhika also finds time to work for the UN World Food Programme as its hunger advocate in southern Africa.
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