the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko (South Africa)
Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko (South Africa)
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Cecilia Mnisi, founder of MMJ Interpretation Services (South Africa)
Don't let fear stop you....
- Cecilia Mnisi is the founder of MMJ Interpretation Services, a Gauteng-based Interpreting and Translation Company in South Africa. The company specializes in Interpreting, Translation, Transcriptions, Recordings and Minute taking. Cecilia graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in 2002 and is a qualified Legal Interpreter and Translator. She registered the business in 2011 and operated on a part-time basis until she resigned from her full time job in 2014 to pursue the business full-time. Cecilia has attended the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship and is accredited as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) through WE Connect International in South Africa.
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Vasie Seweramulu, co-founder of Safeguard Hygiene and Safety (South Africa)
Perseverance always pays off….
- Vasie Seweramulu is the co-founder of Safeguard Hygiene and Safety, a South African company that manufactures and distributes household and industrial cleaning detergents, including bio enzymatic, locally produced, eco-friendly products. Vasie, a former school principal, joined forces with two of her family members and launched the business in October 2015. Their products are targeted at the retail and hospitality industries in South Africa and across the African continent. Read Vasie's startup story.
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Adèle Dejak, founder of Adele Dejak (Kenya)
Never give up…
- Adèle Dejak is the founder of Adele Dejak in Kenya, a brand that creates luxury handmade fashion jewellery and 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. More about Adèle.
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Hazel Aggrey-Orleans, founder of Eki Orleans
Silk has long been synonymous with the notion of luxury, and for fashionpreneur Hazel Aggrey-Orleans, founder of Eki Orleans, this was the inspirational starting point for her business. Today, this exciting luxury fashion and fabric brand celebrates the luxurious quality of silk, creating clothing and fabric collections that bring African design to life.
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Nira Sklair Photography (South Africa)
Some people have to wait a lifetime to find their real purpose in life, one that harnesses their innate talents. For talented photographer, Nira Sklair, that time came after the age of 50 when life presented the opportunity for her to finally pursue her real passion and turn it into an encore business.
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Marlene Wagman Geller
Dorothy Parker observed, “It’s a man’s world”, yet the women entrepreneurs and game-changers profiled in Marlene Wagman Geller’s book, Women Who Launch would beg to differ. This collection of inspirational stories and biographies of game-changing women is a testimony to women empowerment in the world.
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by Eldari Visser, Managing Director, Picketfence.Life
As part of a tribe of amazing Lionesses I know you will love this story which fits in perfect with many common journeys we share. When we embark on an exciting journey through the jungle or the bush we start off with excitement, anticipation, happiness and all those emotions that sends endorphins to our body. We also start with a good dose of fear.
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by Lori Milner: author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress
Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, shares the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure book — a compilation of tools, tactics, and habits from 130+ of the world’s top performers. From iconic entrepreneurs to elite athletes, from artists to billionaire investors, their short profiles can help you answer life’s most challenging questions, achieve extraordinary results, and transform your life.
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Mignionette Fair, founder of Edita Services (South Africa)
Mignionette Fair, founder of Edita Services (South Africa)
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Shingai Nyagweta, founder of KuNa Kids
Persistence pays off....
- Shingai Nyagweta is the founder of KuNa Kids a South African children’s clothing company that embraces the uniquely local shweshwe fabrics. Shingai's children’s clothing range is bright and bold with a distinctive African twist. Read Shingai's startup story.
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Pam Golding
This past week saw the end of an era in South Africa as one of the country’s pioneering women entrepreneurs passed away. Pam Golding, founder and Life President of the Pam Golding Property Group, was an extraordinary example of how to beat gender stereotypes and build a global business and brand from the bottom up. She died on Tuesday at her home Wittebomen in Constantia, Cape Town. She was 89 years old.
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How many of us struggle on a daily basis to organize their lives and businesses efficiently, removing the extraneous clutter that holds us back from achieving goals and full potential? Well, help is at hand from entrepreneur Londeka Mlawuza, founder of LV & Co, the organizing specialists.
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Realizing that the South African consumer is far more educated in the field of enzyme, bacterial and green cleaning products than just a few years ago, entrepreneur Vasie Seweramulu and two of her fellow women entrepreneurs, created Safeguard Hygiene and Safety.
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Top L-R: Margaret Hirsch, Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Mimi Shodeinde, Eva Sonaike, Afua Dabanka, Bernie de la Cuona. Bottom L-R: Kim Addison, Adele Dejak, Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, Swaady Martin, Brenda Wilkinson, Hazel Aggrey Orleans
Getting access to important new markets and networks is key for women entrepreneurs who are building global brands in Africa and the Diaspora. So on the evening of 26 April, Lionesses of Africa in partnership with Standard Bank Wealth International, will be bringing Start-up Night! Africa to London. The event aims to showcase a number of exciting women owned businesses and brands from across the African continent and from the Diaspora in London, that are ones to watch globally in 2018 and beyond.
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Nathalie Molina Nino
For women entrepreneurs (and any woman launching a startup from scratch), Leapfrog - The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs by Nathalie Molina Nino is a smart, snappy guide that presents 50 proven ways to leapfrog over road blocks to growth and success.
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by Karen Wessels, cofounder of VA Connect and cofounder of SnappSales
In a mentoring session today with my top mentor, he made an interesting observation. He said that one of the things he has observed is my ‘can do’ attitude. This got me thinking about our general attitude towards business amongst women entrepreneurs.
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When is the right time to involve your kids in your business?... Today was the first official day of ‘work’, for my two daughters, both aged under 12. I gave them instructions to the tasks that I needed done, which were mostly the cleaning of tuna cans for our Toona Can product. After I explained the task I went over to my desk and attended to some emails. After a while I heard some bickering between the two of them. They were struggling to divide the work and defining roles. I heard the eldest, Chelsea, (in a highly irritated voice) say: “It’s impossible to work with you Kirsten!” And she walked off! I had to chuckle!
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Dr Laura Camacho, founder of Mixonian Institute
Dr Laura Camacho, founder of Mixonian Institute
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Monica Musonda, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods (Zambia)
Monica's top advice....
- Monica Musonda founder and Chief Executive Officer of Java Foods, a food processing company based in Zambia. Monica's vision is to revolutionize the eating habits of the youth market by offering them affordable and nutritious food options made from local products. Monica is a dual-qualified English solicitor and Zambian advocate with over 15 years of experience in legal practice and corporate management, including being corporate counsel at the International Finance Corporation and for Aliko Dangote of Dangote Industries Limited. Read Monica's 100 Lionesses profile here.
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