Quote of the Day by Mariana Agness Francisco Eria

February 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

"Our product is made with nothing but passion, love and dedication."

- Mariana Agness Francisco Eria, founder of House Of Agness (Mozambique)

Entrepreneur Advice from Claudia Castellanos Roques: Believe you can do it

February 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Claudia Castellanos Roques, co-founder Black Mamba (Swaziland) — **Claudia Castellanos Roques**, co-founder Black Mamba (Swaziland)

Believe you can do it…

“Be tenacious, resilient, and persevere. Prepare yourself, thoroughly. Study as much as you can - as a woman, I believe you must be twice as prepared and knowledgeable as a man. And preparation gives you confidence, and you must believe you can do it and you will do it. As an entrepreneur you will face so many people who will try to deter you and tell you that you won't make it, but believing in yourself and being knowledgeable about what you do will help you overcome the many obstacles in the way.”

- Claudia Castellanos Roques is the co-founder of Black Mamba, a fair trade brand of gourmet chilli products from the Kingdom of Swaziland made with organically grown ingredients and no artificial flavours or preservatives. The range includes chilli sauces, pestos, and chutneys. Black Mamba partners with a local NGO called Guba that trains small farmers in organic farming. Black Mamba then buys at negotiated prices all the organic produce grown by these farmers to manufacture their products. Products are currently exported to South Africa, the UK, Germany and Australia.

Create your inner entrepreneur survival kit

February 4, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Tania Reid, Chief Experience Officer, Ithemba Office Solutions

We recently came up with an idea to create a ‘morning after’ survival kit, to help conference attendees recover from a team-building event the night before. So there were SUPER C sweets (to replenish the vitamins lost) and Orbit chewing gum (to help them stick with the programme) and it got me thinking that if there was an entrepreneur survival kit, what kind of things would I want in it?

Build Your Dream Network by J Kelly Hoey

February 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

In Build Your Dream Network, acclaimed business columnist and networking expert J. Kelly Hoey offers a fresh new approach to mastering the timeworn skill of networking in a world where everyone is posting, liking, and friending fast and furiously, but many are failing to leverage their connections successfully.

Phindi Msomi, a South African entrepreneur with a passion for helping employees to become more effective at work

February 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Phindi Msomi, founder of Olwazini Consulting Services (South Africa) — **Phindi Msomi,** founder of Olwazini Consulting Services (South Africa)

Creating a working environment where employees can thrive and excel is a challenge for many companies and organisations. For South African company, Olwazini Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd, founded by Phindi Msomi, this represented a key business opportunity.

The fabulous hat of a change agent

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Leigh Ann Gowland, founder of Employee Driven Change

Entrepreneurs wear a variety of interchangeable hats every day. Business owner, customer service, sales, marketing and finance are only a few. Imagine if while juggling all the hats of an entrepreneur a new hat is introduced; the change agent hat.

Mobile First: What Consumers Want in 2018

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Lynette Hundermark, managing director of Useful & Beautiful

Never under-estimate just how fiercely personal your mobile device is. It may be hard to believe, but it’s 7 years since the explosion of the smartphone market, and with the increased availability of low cost smartphones there is now a phone in almost everyone’s hands. But…before we can start talking about any trend, as marketers we need to understand that mobile starts with an understanding of how fiercely personal this device is. It has become more of an appendage rather than a device.

Entrepreneur Advice from Tracey Gilmore: Overcome your doubts

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Overcome your doubts…

“When I feel self-doubt creeping in I consciously try to remain open and in the moment and if that doesn’t work I practice self-talk and reflect on positive past experiences that made me feel comforted and secure. It is these feelings that help brace my vulnerabilities.”

- Tracey Gilmore is the co-founder of The Clothing Bank, a high impact social enterprise on a mission to upskill and empower unemployed people in South Africa. Her work enables other women to not only learn the craft of entrepreneurship, but also to grow in self esteem and confidence. Tracey started her career in Deloitte, PWC and SAP before moving to Woolworths in the position of Head of Finance in South Africa. She is a chartered accountant and has been widely recognized as an outstanding business leader and social entrepreneur in South Africa.

Quote of the Day by Tumi Moitse

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

“Align yourself with female orientated incubation programmes to build your confidence.”

- Tumi Moitse, founder of BlakSaffron Boutique (South Africa)

Kickstart your financial freedom in 2018!

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Sylvia Walker, author of SmartWoman

I am not a great believer in New Year’s resolutions, as they generally tend to be forgotten within a week or so! But what each new year does bring us, is a time of reflection, and from a financial point of view, a desire to perhaps improve ourselves over the next twelve months.

Wezi Moyo, a Malawian serial entrepreneur growing multiple businesses and a reputation for success

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Wezi Moyo, founder of Benequity Consultancy and Hillside Lodge (Malawi) — **Wezi Moyo**, founder of Benequity Consultancy and Hillside Lodge (Malawi)

In Malawi, many women entrepreneurs have not just one business, but several, working on the philosophy that it is better to both spread business risk and increase the chances of success. Wezi Moyo, founder of Benequity Consultancy and Hillside Lodge, is one such woman, demonstrating that it is indeed possible to be a successful serial entrepreneur in the country.

Quote of the Day by Tracey Gilmore

January 29, 2018 Melanie Hawken

“Learn to trust your instincts and quieten the fear.”

- Tracey Gilmore, co-founder of The Clothing Bank (South Africa)

Entrepreneur Advice from Emma Maame Efua Tandoh: Keep at it every day

January 29, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Emma Maame Efua Tandoh, founder of Love Ankara (Ghana) — **Emma Maame Efua Tandoh**, founder of Love Ankara (Ghana)

Keep at it every day…

“You will make some mistakes, but heck, start, go ahead and begin that dream and keep at it every day. Play up your strengths and use them to your advantage and whatever you feel you're not good at, hire someone who is great at it and keep going.”

- Emma Maame Efua Tandoh is the founder of Love Ankara in Ghana, a brand that is re-defining what authentic African fabric stands for. Emma is passionate about building a footwear and accessories brand that seeks to promote authentic African prints, empower women and preserve local textile industries. Love Ankara shoes and accessories are worn by powerful, outspoken, daring and empowered women the world over.

We are always Becoming….

January 28, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Nokubonga Mbanga, founder of Self Insights

Every January magazines (online and hard copies) have an article about the new year it usually reads: “New year, New You/Me”. So, naturally I am thinking about what I think this year should achieve, aka: New Year’s resolutions….

The holiday season has come and gone, it sucked and now what?

January 28, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Paula Quinsee, Relationship Expert and Author

December can either have a positive (or negative) impact on relationships but what can you do if the holiday season hasn’t gone so well on that front? Relationships are a constant challenge. No matter who you are, or who your partner is, for relationships to work, both parties need to put in some good effort to keep them going, and to keep both partners engaged, interested, and happy.

Power Up: How Smart Women Win in the New Economy by Magdalena Yesil

January 27, 2018 Melanie Hawken

With empowering insights to help women entrepreneurs navigate the narrowest corridors of sexism, tech-industry pioneer Magdalena Yesil shares on-the-ground business advice that is as powerful as any MBA, in her new book Power-UP.

Sonia Paiva, a Swaziland serial entrepreneur making an impact in the agribusiness and food processing sectors in her country

January 27, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Sonia Paiva, founder of Woman Farmer Foundation & Eswatini Kitchen (Swaziland) — **Sonia Paiva**, founder of Woman Farmer Foundation & Eswatini Kitchen (Swaziland)

Building one business is tough enough, but creating and running two successful, high impact businesses that both positively impact on society and the lives of those working in the agricultural sector is impressive. Sonia Paiva, founder of the Woman Farmer Foundation & Eswatini Kitchen (Pty) Ltd is proof positive that it can be done.

Nancy Munderu, a Kenyan entrepreneur turning her passion for travel into the foundation of a successful business

January 27, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Nancy Munderu, founder of Travel Shore Africa (Kenya) — **Nancy Munderu**, founder of Travel Shore Africa (Kenya)

For many people, organising their corporate and personal travel arrangements can be a real chore, and often a logistical nightmare. That’s where specialist travel agencies come in to help make the process easier. Nancy Munderu, founder of Travel Shore Africa, is making it her personal mission to help people better navigate their travel arrangements.

DON’T BE DECAF! 5 Steps to living your colourful truth in a grey cardboard cut-out world

January 27, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Don’t be Decaf. Don’t water yourself down so that you don’t offend others. Don’t act in a way that is out of integrity with who you are, just so that you can “fit in”. People can spot a fake a mile away. And I don’t mean a good Louis Vuitton knock-off bag, here. I mean a fake person.