Start Your Business on a Ramen Noodle Budget: 12 Lessons on Becoming a Young Entrepreneur When You are Broke! by Felecia Hatcher

July 13, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Author Felecia Hatcher believes that you don't need millions of dollars to get your business idea off the ground, but you do need to START, with what you have and where you probably are financially - on a Ramen Noodle budget! And that philosophy is the basis of her new book Start Your Business on a Ramen Noodle Budget: 12 Lessons on Becoming a Young Entrepreneur When You Are Broke!

Zeinab Abdallah, a Mozambican entrepreneur making world-class beauty therapy treatments more accessible

July 13, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Zeinab Abdallah, founder of Qimari Estética (Mozambique) — **Zeinab Abdallah**, founder of Qimari Estética (Mozambique)

Everyone wants to look and feel good, and also to boost their confidence, and in Mozambique, one woman entrepreneur is on a mission to help her clients achieve all of these goals. Zeinab Abdallah, founder of Qimari Estética, is creating a world-class service in a relaxing environment in the heart of Maputo, providing the opportunity for clients to find those precious Zen moments.

Know thy market, know thy self

July 12, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Evashnee Naidu, founder of enablED

How important is it to identify your target market? The old adage of create a product and customers will come has definitely gone out the door. In today’s world we are exposed to products, brands and services with a global reach. No more are we limited to what is within our radius, no more do we have to be brand loyal. Yes there are brands that have established themselves, but how often have we seen a fall from grace by big brands, and how easy was the consumer switch.

Lesotho gets ready to inspire and connect women entrepreneurs in the country at the Lioness Lean In event

July 11, 2018 Melanie Hawken

On the morning of 12 July, women entrepreneurs from across Lesotho will gather together in Maseru to be inspired and to connect with their fellow women business and brand builders at the latest Lioness Lean In breakfast in the country. And it promises to be a great occasion!

Nathalie Gambah Kpante, a passionate entrepreneur helping to build a high impact cacao value chain in Togo

July 10, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Nathalie Gambah Kpante, co-founder of ChocoTogo (Togo) — **Nathalie Gambah Kpante**, co-founder of ChocoTogo (Togo)

In Togo, where 100% of the cacao production has historically been exported, one company is looking to change that narrative and bring new economic hope to the country. ChocoTogo, an inspirational company led by entrepreneur Nathalie Gambah Kpante, is proving that a bean to bar chocolate producing philosophy can bring economic hope and prosperity to a country.

Are you an achiever or a competitor?

July 10, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Marjón Meyer

Recently, I’ve talked with many delegates, friends and family about the differences between being an achiever or a competitor. It might seem, at first glance, like the two are very similar. However, there is a huge difference!

Kimberly & Priscilla Addison, two sisters pioneering bean to bar chocolate production in Ghana

July 9, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Kimberly and Priscilla Addison, co-founders of '57 Chocolate (Ghana) — **Kimberly and Priscilla Addison**, co-founders of '57 Chocolate (Ghana)

On a mission to show the world that quality chocolate can be produced in Ghana where some of the finest cacao beans grow, sisters Kimberly and Priscilla Addison created ’57 Chocolate. This growing business and brand is inspiring not only a generation of aspirant future chocolatiers in the country, but also the tastebuds of the world’s chocolate lovers.

Lessons learned after year one in business

July 9, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Phildile Ndlovu, founder of Bhekizenzo Foundation

I was about to complete my degree when I realized that I had no idea what to do with it. I was applying for jobs frantically and I was not getting called back for interviews. So, instead of entering a state of panic, I went back to my core and rekindled my passion for social justice which has been a common thread in everything I have been involved in. Social justice and bringing social change has always been a passion. Being in a leadership academy, I just knew I had to start something and not wait to be employed in order to change lives.

The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and How To Thrive In Spite of It - by Valerie Young

July 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Learn to take ownership of your success, overcome self-doubt, and banish the thought patterns that undermine your ability to feel—and act—as bright and capable as others already know you are with this award-winning book by Valerie Young.

Meet Africa’s game-changing women chocolatiers making a real impact on the continent’s cacao value chain

July 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Chocolate - who doesn’t love it? Today the world consumes more than 4.5 million tonnes of cacao beans each year, and global retail sales of chocolate topped 98 billion U.S. dollars in 2016. Did you know that 70% of the world’s cacao is grown in Africa, yet Africa produces less than 1% of the world's chocolate? The chocolate we know and love to eat is produced elsewhere in the world using Africa’s raw ingredients. This contradiction and lost economic opportunity has not gone unnoticed by a new generation of women chocolatiers across Africa who are launching great new chocolate brands and products. Their skill, passion and entrepreneurial spirit will hopefully in the near future give rise to exciting new African chocolate brands that will go global.

Chiinga Musonda and Lynn Musonda Phiri, two pioneering Zambian entrepreneurs putting the country on the global chocolate map

July 6, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Chiinga Musonda, co-founder of Savanna Premium Chocolate (Zambia) — **Chiinga Musonda**, co-founder of Savanna Premium Chocolate (Zambia)

Passion is one of the key ingredients to building any successful business and brand. And, in the world of artisan chocolate making, it is one of the Savanna Premium Chocolate brand’s strongest assets, thanks to founders Chiinga Musonda and Lynna Musonda Phiri.

Selassie Atadika, a Ghanaian artisan chocolatier creating a luxury truffle range celebrating Africa’s unique flavours and stories

July 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Selassie Atadika, founder of Midunu Chocolates (Ghana) — **Selassie Atadika**, founder of Midunu Chocolates (Ghana)

Who doesn’t like truffles? Those wonderful, lovingly handcrafted chocolates that melt on the tongue with evocatively scented centres that tease the tastebuds. One company taking the truffle to whole new levels is entrepreneur and chocolatier, Selassie Atadika, founder of Midunu Chocolates in Ghana.

A reluctant entrepreneur

July 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

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by Zainab Ashadu, Founder and Creative Director of Zashadu (Nigeria)

I dislike fads, for their transience and the sheep-like behaviour it induces in people. Furthermore, my ego is involved in this dislike, for no matter how I love and have loved a thing, should it become a trend, I drop it with immediacy and harbour an almost hatred for the trend. It is for this reason that I failed to identify with the term Entrepreneur.

LIONESS CoLAB: AAKS X UNHCR

July 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

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AAKS in Ghana and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees joined forces for a home décor project titled ‘Weaving for Change’. The collaboration to produce a range of beautifully handcrafted lamps and light fittings reflects the preservation of a time honoured Malian weaving technique of the Tuareg community from Northern Mali, who are living as refugees in Burkina Faso. Behind every handcrafted lamp you will find a cultural identity of the Tuareg.

Íris Munguambe, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating events to make her client’s wedding dreams come true

July 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Iris Munguambe, founder of Mariée Boutique Lda (Mozambique) — **Iris Munguambe**, founder of Mariée Boutique Lda (Mozambique)

Mariée Boutique Lda is a specialist event and wedding planning company, founded by passionate entrepreneur Iris Munguambe in Mozambique. It is rapidly building a reputation for creating beautiful events for its clients, all with that personal touch and a great attention to detail. This is a company inspired each day to make clients’ special days truly memorable.

Understand the power of the collective

July 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, Managing Director, Picketfence.Life

Daily we get bombarded with information on almost everything the human mind can think of. One central and very real aspect of our existence is that we all need money in any way possible to exist. Without the power to buy any goods and food, let alone shelters, we have to resort to caveman tricks… and who wants to do that in this day and age of going forward faster than ever?

Busy is a decision

July 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner, author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress

“Busy is a decision.” Is a well-known quote by renowned graphic designer and author, Debbie Millaman. Here’s why: Of the many, many excuses people use to rationalise why they can’t do something, the excuse “I am too busy” is not only the most inauthentic, it is also the laziest.

Dana Mroueh, an artisan chocolatier celebrating the quality of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire through her wonderful raw chocolate brand

July 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco (Côte d’Ivoire) — **Dana Mroueh**, founder of MonChoco (Côte d’Ivoire)

Côte d’Ivoire is renowned for the quality of its cocoa beans, but up until now, the world has not had the opportunity to widely celebrate those beans in the finest of chocolate forms. But that is rapidly changing as Ivorian artisan chocolatier Dana Mroueh and her company, MonChoco, are producing a very special raw chocolate brand and range of products that is exciting taste buds in the country.

Oluwafemi Oyedipe, a Nigerian chocolatier bringing a proudly African bean-to-bar approach to chocolate making in her country

July 3, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Oluwafemi Oyedipe, founder of LoshesChocolate (Nigeria) — **Oluwafemi Oyedipe**, founder of LoshesChocolate (Nigeria)

Across Africa, more and more women entrepreneurs are becoming aware of the need to add value locally when it comes to making world class chocolate using Africa’s abundent cocoa resources. One entrepreneur in Nigeria who is part of this vanguard of African women chocolatiers, Oluwafemi Oyedipe, founder of LoshesChocolate, is doing just that with her bean-to-bar philosophy of chocolate making.

IN FOCUS: Celebrating Africa's women food and drink entrepreneurs

July 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Every month at Lionesses of Africa, we showcase a particular industry sector where Africa’s women entrepreneurs are making a real impact, through their businesses, their innovation, their products, services and craftsmanship, and their passion for what they do. This month (July), we are turning our attention to the women who are changing the face of the food and drink industry in Africa, and creating new products, building new brands, and launching exciting food/drinks retail concepts in the process.

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