On your journey to wealth, you have decided to take the jump or the first step and that is already gutsy. It takes a certain kind of mindset to decide that you want a better life for yourself or family, and all that is necessary now is to get going! But wait....there are many things to consider.
Read moreESSENTIAL READ: Real Tales of a Mompreneur - True Stories of Babies, Business and Balance by Kendra Garcia
Kendra Garcia
There is an art to attempting to balance the challenging demands of motherhood and career, and it only gets more strenuous for those mothers who decide to take the risk and bank on their business idea. The demands and pressure of that lifestyle are extremely difficult to understand without actually experiencing it. In her new book, Real Tales of a Mompreneur, author and business coach Kendra Garcia tells it like it is.
Read moreOwn your Positive Headspace
The world of an entrepreneur is a daily emotional roller coaster ride. When we don’t get the deal we wanted or wished we had said something different in a meeting, we tend to focus on the negative and ‘should have’s’. Here are some tried and tested steps I incorporate into my daily routine to stay focused on the positive.
Read moreNigeria’s Chioma Ukonu, co-founder of Recycle Points takes 2nd place at the Chivas Venture Competition in Los Angeles
Nigeria’s Chioma Ukonu, co-founder and COO of Recycle Points (Nigeria)
Earlier this year, The Venture, a global competition staged by Chivas Regal, was launched with a mission to find promising, up-and-coming startups that also have a positive impact on the world. After a rigorous voting and pitching process involving inspirational social entrepreneurs from 32 countries, the grand final has just taken place in Los Angeles and Nigeria’s Chioma Ukonu, co-founder and COO of Recycle Points has scooped 2nd place and a prize of US$ 200,000.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Judith Owigar: Do not stop
Do not stop....
"Dream big, start small, start now. Just because you're not where you want to be does not mean you should give up. As long as you do not stop you will progress. I think this journey has developed some courage that I never thought I had within me."
- Judith Owigar is a coder, blogger and technologist; and the co-founder of Akirachix, a revolution for African women and technology. This social entrepreneur who uses technology as a tool to empower youth and young women, believes that exposure, education and use of technology can change the world. Through Akirachix she sought to increase the number of women who create technological solutions and in effect change the perception of technology by women. Judith is currently an ICT Advisor to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Deola Sagoe: Celebrate your cultural roots to build globally competitive products
Deola Sagoe, haute couture fashion designer from Nigeria, on 'African Spirit'
African designers need to celebrate their cultural roots and fashion history in order to become globally competitive….
“When I started out, it was with a certain philosophy, because at that time it wasn’t cool to look African. Africa wasn’t on the map as it is now. … There was nothing really happening in terms of African fashion going global, or Africans being able to make a business of African fashion outside of the shore of Africa. So I went into it, sort of, to prove a point and to say ‘Listen. We can do this. We can add value.’ And to also bring the attention of the world to our own native abilities.”
- Deola Sagoe, leading lady of African fashion, is a haute couture fashion designer from Ondo State in Nigeria. Deola has been at the cutting edge of high fashion since 1989 and became the first black woman to present a collection at AltaRoma, Rome’s celebrated fashion week, back in 2004. Her "globally appealing" style has earned her an enviable clientèle that ranges from Africa's first ladies, to society girls like Lydia Hearst, top model Alek Wek, and famous personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Sandra Idossou
Sandra Idossou, founder of The ServiceMag (Rwanda)
"I am a strong believer in Africa's potential and a great advocate of all things 'African'."
- Sandra Idossou is the founder of The ServiceMag in Rwanda, an insightful, colourful magazine in English, French and Kinyarwanda, with a 5000 copy print run and a dynamic online version. Sandra has a solid and diversified experience of more than 13 years in the hospitality industry as a trainer in 32 hotels [from 2-5 stars] in 25 countries in Africa. She is the author of the book titled “The Customer Care Handbook” and a weekly columnist on raising awareness on Customer Service in the Rwandan “The New Times”.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Jacqueline Rogers: You need to adapt
Jacqueline Rogers, founder of Label of Love (South Africa)
You have to be open to adapting....
".... you might have one plan in your head but your journey or business might have another plan for you. You need to adapt to where your business and journey goes. And just never, never, never give up. I still have to push and work hard to keep my business alive and push to the next level, and most of the time it's not easy, so its important to realize that. But when you hard work and effort comes together, it makes all the pain and sweat worthwhile. And ask for help, ask anyone and everyone that can help you - put yourself out there and talk about your business - you never know who might hear you or your story."
- Jacqueline Rogers is the founder of Label of Love, a South African company that designs feminine comfortable maternity wear. Jacqueline is on a mission to create the most beautiful clothes that make any mum-to-be feel special during this important time in their lives, whilst at the same time designing each garment to be comfortable, practical and long-lasting.
Read more100 Lionesses: Tabitha Karanja’s Keroche Foundation growing a new generation of young entrepreneurs
Tabitha Karanja, CEO of the groundbreaking Kenyan Keroche Breweries empire, has a vision for the empowerment of a new generation of young entrepreneurs in her country. The Keroche Foundation Young Entrepreneurs Mentorship Program is one of the tangible ways she is fulfilling that vision.
Read moreEssential Read: Regroup - The How-To of Never Giving Up by Jaunique Sealey
Jaunique Sealey
Real, relatable and raw - an unflinching look at what it takes to live life on your own terms. Written in the words of a savvy best friend and packed full of emotion-stirring moments, Regroup is the entertaining and uplifting read that we all need in these days of uncertainty.
Read moreLindiwe Mafavuneh, a Botswana based entrepreneur on a mission to help companies to manage their risk and maximize their investments
Lindiwe Mafavuneh, founder of LCM Capital (Botswana)
Every company and organization needs to manage its risk profile whilst at the same time maximizing its ability to drive business success, but it’s a fine balancing act. For many, specilalist help and advice is needed to get that balance right, and that’s where LCM Capital has found its niche, thanks to founder Lindiwe Mafavuneh.
Read moreIn the footsteps of the Caesars
Every year in July I travel, but this time I won’t be, so allow me to do so vicariously through nostalgia of a past sojourn’s images etched colourfully in my mind. Though I traversed the breadth of Italy, it is Rome’s smells and spirited tales that beckon to be revealed and re-explored and I find myself willingly teleported to strange yet familiar sounds from my history books and daily business Latin phrases.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Rapelang Rabana
Rapelang Rabana, founder of ReKindle Learning and co-founder of Yeigo Communications
"...to improve and support innovation in Africa, the single most powerful thing to do is to deliver quality broadband internet to the majority of Africans. That, I think, will do a lot more than any 'Ministry of Innovation,' than any innovation fund, or any kind of innovation vehicle that we can think of....Access to information and communication is the most empowering thing we can do to support innovation. It opens doors for greater innovation in farming, education, health, and financial services."
- Rapelang Rabana is an internationally recognized technology entrepreneur, a thought leader and business speaker. She is the founder of Rekindle Learning, a learning technology company, and previously co-founded Yeigo Communications, South Africa's first free VoIP mobile services provider. In 2012 Rapelang was named on Oprah Magazine's O Power List; in 2013 she was listed on Forbes's 30 under 30 list for best entrepreneurs of Africa, and in 2014 she was named one of the Entrepreneurs of the World by the World Entrepreneurship Forum.
Read moreBecome a master asker!
In general, people like to mind their own business…excuse the pun. But I will tell you something about small town people…they love to help! We live in a society where we are trained to be self-sufficient and independent. Although it has merits, is it all that healthy?
Read moreWhy not be the first?
I watched the movie Hidden Figures recently and there is a scene in the movie where the character goes to court to fight to be able to attend a school she cannot go to. When asked why she was doing it, she told the judge that because it had never been done, she would have to be the first.
Read moreAwards and Accolades: 5 Young Women Entrepreneurs Recognized by the Keroche Foundation Young Entrepreneurs Mentorship Programme
The Keroche Foundation Young Entrepreneurs Mentorship Program is one of the tangible ways that leading Kenyan entrepreneur, Tabitha Karanja, founder of Keroche Breweries, is fulfilling her vision of empowering a new generation of young entrepreneurs in her country. Five young women entrepreneurs have just been recognized for their business building activities in the second cohort to graduate from the program.
Read more100 Lionesses: Nigerian entrepreneur Mo Abudu, founder of Ebony Life TV, honored with journalism award
Mo Abudu, founder of Ebony Life TV (Nigeria)
This week, on 6th July 2017, the 4th Women in Journalism Conference takes place, honoring the outstanding work done by women in their own individual fields in the media sector. Nigerian game-changing media entrepreneur, Mo Abudu, founder of Ebony Life TV, is to be recognized for her work in changing the media landscape in Africa.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Caryn Formby
Caryn Formby, founder of Power Plastics, South Africa
"The starting point for entrepreneurship is for aspiring entrepreneurs to adopt a 'can do' attitude within existing companies. There are so many of us with opportunities within our current jobs.”
- Caryn Formby is founder and CEO of Power Plastics a South African company that joins, welds, shapes, sews and seals various plastic materials to fabricate high quality and cost effective end products. The company is well known for its plastic pool-covers and Caryn is passionate about child safety around pools. She is the driving force behind TopStep, the home of pool safety – an educational platform for all things relating to child drowning prevention. In November 2014, Caryn was an awardee at the prestigious global IWEC (International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge) ceremony held in Stockholm.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Nikki Davies: Believe in yourself
Nikki Davies, co-founder of Orchard Baby and Toddler Foods (South Africa)
Believe in yourself....
"Just keep on believing in yourself and don’t take no for an answer. Pursue your dream and pursue your customers. Don’t ever let them down."
- Nikki Davies is the co-founder of Orchard Baby and Toddler Foods, a South African company that produces convenient yet healthy baby and toddler food from 100 percent natural ingredients, seasoned with fresh herbs and spices, with no preservatives. When Nikki, a teacher at the time, began cooking meals for babies at her school parents loved the taste profile and convenience of these meals that this service very quickly turned into a thriving business. Today, Nikki distributes nearly 6000 jars of this convenient real baby food each month.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Kendi Sapepa: Get the ball rolling
Kendi Sapepa, founder of Barbara McKenzie (South Africa)
Get the ball rolling....
"There is no perfect time to start. Just do it. Don't wait for anything, just get the ball rolling."
- Kendi Sapepa is the founder of Barbara McKenzie in South Africa, a Johannesburg-based clothing brand that provides classic-inspired yet modern and fashion-forward clothing for stylish and fashionable women, through offering: consulting for bespoke orders, seasonal ready-to-wear collections, and styling service. Established in 2013, Barbara McKenzie has been catering for all women of all ages, races, shapes and sizes, all over the country.
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