the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
L-R: Evelyn Namara, Audrey Cheng, Melissa Bime
The prestigious Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, the international business plan competition created in 2006 to identify, support and encourage projects by women entrepreneurs, has just announced their finalists for Africa for 2018.
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Bianca Hansen, co-founder of Toast Ale SA (South Africa)
When you think about beer making, bread as a key ingredient doesn’t automatically come to mind. But Toast Ale SA, co-founded by Bianca Hansen, is different, using surplus bread from bakeries as the foundation for brewing this delicious beer.
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I have wondered many times, if I am ever in the position to choose an expedition guide for a trip, who would it be? The likes of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Vin Diesel, Bear Grylls, or the steady hand of a game ranger? The most obvious question is ultimately who will die for me? Yes, it is that serious?
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Gaceri Kirimi, co-founder of Destello Laundry Cleaning Services (Kenya)
- Gaceri Kirimi, co-founder of Destello Laundry Cleaning Services (Kenya)
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Roxanne Edson, founder of Hidden Halos (South Africa)
Take a deep breath and persevere....
- Roxanne Edson is the founder of Hidden Halos, a South African non-profit organisation doing work around foster care advocacy and support and Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, as well as exit strategies for children currently in the State’s child welfare system. Roxanne has an educational background in Psychology, Criminology and Foundation Phase Education. She has also become extremely knowledgeable in Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and is passionate about creating awareness of this disorder.
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Liesl Esau, founder of HSE Matters (South Africa)
Every company needs to ensure their workplace is safe and their employees are trained in best practice health, safety and environmental compliance, and that’s where Liesl Esau comes in. Her company HSE Matters is helping companies to get it right.
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by Leigh Ann Gowland, founder of Employee Driven Change
Have you ever considered the gifts you’ve gained while following your dreams? Despite the sometimes difficult journey as an entrepreneur we remain focused and inspired on creating successful businesses. Lessons from our journey provide personal growth to tackle the challenges of developing a business but also recognition of milestones achieved along the way.
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by Lori Milner: author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress
Forget what the glossy adverts are saying. Your number one essential is not whatever the media decides is this season’s must-have. Your number one essential is something deep within you. Your number one essential is your confidence.
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by Karen Wessels, co-founder of SnappSales and VA Connect
There’s an age old expression that goes “Laughter is the best medicine”. You’ve probably heard this expression a hundred times, if not more, in your lifetime. I enjoy a mischievous sense of humour and I get a great kick out of laughing. If you know me or have been in my company for more than 5 minutes, you’ll experience exactly what I mean.
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Divine Ndhlukula, founder of SECURICO Security Services (Zimbabwe)
Tara Fela-Durotoye, founder & ceo, House of Tara (Nigeria)
Go with your passion when deciding what business to launch....
- Tara Fela-Durotoye is a Nigerian-born lawyer turned Africa's leading beauty and makeup entrepreneur. She started House of Tara at the age of 20 from her living room whilst an undergraduate at university back in 1998. She's since gone on to launch Nigeria's first ever bridal directory in 1999, and in 2004 she opened the country's leading beauty academy. Today House of Tara has 19 studios in 11 states starting a chain reaction that has produced over 3,500 makeup artists. It has also empowered over 4000 young women in tertiary institutions with the Tara Orekelewa beauty representatives' initiative that makes them financially independent, improves their self esteem while building their marketing and entrepreneurial skills.
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Sarah Robb O’Hagan
In every challenging situation, personal or professional, individuals face the pressure to play it safe and conform to the accepted norms. But doing so comes with heavy costs: passions stifled, talents ignored, and opportunities squelched. The bolder choice is to embrace what author and entrepreneur Sarah Robb O’Hagan calls Extreme You: to confidently bring all that is distinctive and relevant about yourself to everything you do. Inspiring, surprising, and practical, her new book Extreme You is her training program for becoming the best version of yourself.
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Goeun Bae, founder of Little Pine Tree (South Africa)
Social entrepreneurs are driven to make a difference in the world, and in the case of Goeun Bae, her inspiration came from working with unemployed women in South Africa. Her social enterprise, Little Pine Tree, is giving new economic opportunities and skills to Johannesburg’s unemployed women, making their lives better through economic independence.
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Every now and then, one lucky, deserving entrepreneur gets their ‘big break’ and with it, the opportunity to go into business with a major corporate. Unfortunately, some are so blinded by their ‘success’ that they don’t properly consider what this new venture may actually entail.
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Katy Valentine, founder of Katy Valentine Collection (South Africa)
Jewellery is such a personal thing, and often those buying pieces to wear or to give as gifts are inspired by the stories behind each unique piece, or by the cultures they reflect. The Katy Valentine Collection, a business and brand named after its creator, uniquely takes its inspiration from Africa and India, but with a contemporary design aesthetic.
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Jess Binns, founder of Hector & Bailey (South Africa)
- Jess Binns, founder of Hector & Bailey (South Africa)
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Celebrating Africa's game-changing Tech And digital women entrepreneurs
This February at Lionesses of Africa, we shine a spotlight on Africa’s pioneering women tech and digital entrepreneurs who are making a real impact, through their businesses, their innovation, their products and services, and their passion for what they do. These truly innovative women pioneers are building unique, high impact businesses and shaking up the pan-African and global tech world at the same time through their efforts.
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Shamila Ramjawan, co-founder of Famram Solutions (South Africa)
- Shamila Ramjawan, co-founder of Famram Solutions (South Africa)
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Adèle Dejak, founder of Adèle Dejak (Kenya)
Have a good business plan....
- Adèle Dejak is the founder of Adele Dejak in Kenya, a brand that creates handmade fashion accessories for the modern, sophisticated and multidimensional woman. Inspired by African shapes, textures and traditional techniques, Adèle’s cutting-edge pieces sit perfectly between artefact and high fashion statement designs. Adèle cut her teeth in the world of typographic design in England and Italy before moving to Nairobi in 2005 and turning her attention to accessories design. She found herself intrigued by the natural beauty of horn and began to experiment with techniques of creating unique shapes and fashioned pieces. Her Nigerian roots began to merge perfectly with European influences and she set out on her never-ending quest for that essential artefact that allows you to express your own style.
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by Eldari Visser, managing director of Picketfence.Life
We all get excited about any journey be it a holiday, a trip to family or that big jump into the entrepreneurial space. We have established the journey and the destination, we feel motivated. So what must we still sort out? Your head!
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