the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Michelle Mone
The perfect blend of business and drama, My Fight to the Top by leading UK entrepreneur, Michelle Mone, is a unique, heart-rending autobiography that has mass appeal, whether the reader wants to learn how to get ahead in business, or simply learn how to keep it together through life's challenges.
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Gwendolyne Gosselin, founder of Mathilde & Co. (South Africa)
Resourcefulness is a key trait needed by most entrepreneurs, and in the case of Gwendolyne Gosselin, founder of Mathilde & Co., that translated into learning how to sew. Today her unique brand of children’s clothing and toys, all made from Shweshwe fabrics, is winning fans at home and abroad. Importantly, it is also helping to change lives closer to home in her local community.
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Marie-Noelle Elissac-Foy, founder of The Talent Factory (Mauritius)
In the world of communications and brand positioning, getting the right advice and specialist help is key. In Mauritius, that’s where The Talent Factory comes in, led by one of the industry’s key exponents, founder Marie-Noelle Elissac-Foy.
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In my last post we spoke of the importance of outsourcing your marketing function. You can find the article here to refresh your memory. I have a tendency to lump marketing and sales together. And yes, I do understand how very different the two are! However, for me, the one cannot work without the other. In order to have great sales deals you need to have a converting marketing campaign, therefore sales and marketing go hand-in-hand.
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Valerie Nyamwaya, founder of Afrivazi Limited (Kenya)
There's no better way to live life....
- Valerie Nyamwaya is the founder of Afrivazi Limited in Kenya, a fashion line and offers fashionable ‘Made in Kenya’ clothing and apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and children from local designers under their various brand names. Valerie’s love for fashion inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree specializing in Clothing, Textile and Interior Design at Egerton University. The dream was realized further when she decided to become an entrepreneur, committed to revolutionizing the fashion industry in Africa.
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Tammy Frazer, founder of Frazer Parfum
- Tammy Frazer founded Cape-Town-based Frazer Parfum in 2008 creating organic and natural perfume products, all handcrafted in collaboration with local artists. Tammy is part of a growing new generation of African women entrepreneurs transforming quality local raw materials into world-class African luxury products.
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Damilola Solesi, founder of Smids Animation Studios, Nigeria
- Damilola Solesi is founder and CEO of Smids Animation Studios based in Lagos, Nigeria specialising in computer animation, motion graphics and visual effects. Damilola's passion for animation dates back to her childhood when she used to dream about producing her own cartoons. Today, her work fuses the richness of African stories with the latest world-class animation techniques.
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Adenike 'Nike' Ogunlesi, founder of Ruff 'n' Tumble (Nigeria)
A sense of clarity and focus is always a great help to entrepreneurs....
- Adenike 'Nike' Ogunlesi is the founder of Ruff 'n' Tumble a leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of designer children's clothing in Nigeria. Nike started out modestly in 1996 selling the clothes she made from the boot of her car and in bazaars. Today, Ruff 'n' Tumble is an instantly recognisable brand in Nigeria and has a reputation for being one of the top manufacturers of children's clothing throughout West Africa. Ruff 'n' Tumble successfully caters to the unique fashion sense of today’s youngsters, from new born to age 16, happily mixing indigenous lifestyle trends with an international appeal.
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Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi, founder of the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre, Nigeria
- Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi is founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre a Nigerian NGO working to empower girls and women socially and economically, using information and communication technologies. Oreoluwa is a 2014 Vital Voices Lead Fellow, 2013 Ashoka fellow and a recipient of the Anita Borg Change Agent Award for her commitment to issues of women in computing in Nigeria.
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Recruiting the right people is always tricky. Referrals are the way to go....
- Carrol Boyes is an iconic South African designer who has built a global brand. She founded Carrol Boyes (Pty) Ltd in 1991 combining her artistic flair and talent in sculpture with her jewellery experience to create an extensive range of distinctive homeware, giftware, flatware and table top products. Today, her company designs and manufactures a meticulously crafted product range of well over 1000 items and sells over a million items every year. Products are always imbued with Carrol's trademark artistic flair and finesse. The brand is available through her 35 branded shops in South Africa and in over 30 other countries around the world.
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Sonia Mugabo, founder of Sonia Mugabo (SM), Rwanda
- Sonia Mugabo is the founder of Sonia Mugabo (SM), Rwanda , a fashion brand established in 2013. It was born out of Sonia’s strong interest in design; and the desire to tap into the existing local artisan talent to make high quality men and womenswear. Sonia Mugabo develops 2 collections each year, and all year round makes bespoke items for its clientele. A pioneer of Rwanda’s fashion industry; Sonia is setting the standard for Rwandan fashion in global and local markets.
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One of my favourite authors is Derek Sivers, he started the company CD Baby as a passion project which was later sold to iTunes for over 20 million dollars! He released a book called ‘Anything you want: 40 lessons for a new kind of entrepreneur’. I have shared the most useful excerpt which has made me think differently about how I run my company, Beyond the Dress, enjoy!
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Jenna Clifford
Jenna Clifford is a world-renowned jewellery designer, known for her unique designs and superlative craftsmanship. Established in 1992, her company has steadily grown its clientele and improved its profile to institute itself as a powerful force in the jewellery industry. Her bold and dramatic designs are sought after by some of the most recognised business icons and celebrities from around the world. Today, Jenna Clifford Designs employs around 60 people, including some of the finest jewellery artisans and craftsmen in South Africa.
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Lalita Anousha Purbho-Junggee, founder of Nineteen Fifty Design & Print Co Ltd (Mauritius)
Many companies are being encouraged to consider the environmental impacts of their businesses, but for entrepreneur Lalita Anousha Purbho-Junggee, founder of Nineteen Fifty Design & Print Co Ltd, she is going one better. Her Sakili up-cycled bag brand is turning billboard advertising and textile waste into multi-purpose bags for her clients.
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Dounia Tamri-Loeper, founder of Dounia Home (Morocco)
It’s often said that lighting makes a space or a room come alive, and for design entrepreneur Dounia Tamri-Loeper, founder of Dounia Home, lighting is her inspiration. She is creating beautiful, statement lighting pieces that not only celebrate the centuries-old techniques and designs that are uniquely Moroccan, but is elevating them to a whole new level.
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Susie Moore
One third of Americans turn their talents, hobbies and interests into a lucrative side hustle, a small business that generates income and maximizes a passion. In her new book, How a Side Hustle Can Change Your Life. What If It Does Work Out? author Susie Moore shares her experiences, expert advice and guidance on how others can do the same.
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As a business owner, you need to ensure your business runs smoothly and you need to mitigate your personal and business risk. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself in business.
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Ever wondered what your day would look like if you could focus only on the things you love doing and what you’re really good at? If you have quite a structured day then most probably you fit in about 2 hours of marketing each day. This is to help build the business brand, increase your social media footprint and to navigate potential clients through the first part of your sales funnel.
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Mo Abudu, founder and Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife TV
- Mo Abudu is founder and Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife TV, Africa's first and fastest growing black entertainment and lifestyle network. This Nigerian media entrepreneur and talk show host is the first African woman to launch a Pan-African TV channel. The channel currently on DSTV Channel 165, as well as in the UK on the TalkTalk platform, providing premium, original and home-grown programming to its ever increasing viewership. She has received many awards in recognition of her outstanding work in media and her services to humanity, and was most recently honoured with an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Babcock University.
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Memuna Williams, founder of Avantgarde Translations
Trust your instincts....
- Memuna Williams is the founder of Avantgarde Translations, providing professional translation, interpreting and related language services, in major world languages, to businesses and to government entities around the world from their offices in the United States, Canada and Africa. Memuna has more than 16 years of experience in the translation industry as a freelancer and in-house translator and manager of multilingual projects for top U.S. and Canadian companies. She has been certified by the American Translators Association and has an MBA.
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