The Margaret Hirsch 2018 Regional Women in Business Achiever of the Year Awards Evening took place at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng, South Africa on 2 November. This prestigious event saw over 500 people, including top entrepreneurs and business women from around Gauteng attending the event to see who would be announced as the Regional and Branch winners. The event was co-sponsored by GRUNDIG, one of Hirsch's Homestore's most valued suppliers. Guest Speaker at the event was Melanie Hawken, the founder and CEO of Lionesses of Africa and a Champion of Africa’s Women Entrepreneurs.
Read more100 Lionesses: Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, founder of Ethiopian homegrown coffee brand Garden of Coffee, launches the brand in China
Entrepreneur Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu is on a mission, to encourage consumers around the world to taste hand-roasted Ethiopian coffee. Her company, Garden of Coffee, produces a brand that uses artisanal methods to source, process, roast, and package Ethiopia’s legendary beans. This month sees the brand venturing into an exciting and potentially vast new market, China, traditionally a tea loving market but one whose taste buds are now developing a love for coffee.
Read moreImperfect Courage: Live a Life of Purpose by Leaving Comfort and Going Scared by Jessica Honegger
Jessica Honegger
In her book Imperfect Courage, Jessica Honegger, founder of the popular fair trade jewelry brand Noonday Collection, shares her story of starting the rapidly growing business that impacts over 4,500 artisans in vulnerable communities across the globe. She invites readers on a journey of transformation, challenging them to trade their comfort zones for a life of impact and adventure.
Read moreWe should be chasers in business
by Phindile Ndlovu, Founder and Director of Bhekizenzo Foundation
There are so many things I witness every day on my way to work. I see the same people rushing to work late. I see school children excited and almost dancing their way to school transport services. I also see ladies fixing their make up in vehicles by the robots. What struck my attention was when I saw two different sets of people - the sellers and the beggars in the streets.
Read moreGrow Your Brain
by Laura Camacho, PhD
Did you know that your brain is constantly rewiring itself? That’s what neuroplasticity is all about. Use this knowledge to grow your brain! Psychologist and researcher Dr. Carol Dweck coined the “growth versus fixed mindset” framework more than 10 years ago. This concept allows you to train your brain to be a better problem solver by adapting more of a growth mindset.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Zainab Ashadu: Organic growth is what you want
Zainab Ashadu, founder of Zashadu Bags, Nigeria
100 Lionesses: Divine Ndhlukula celebrates the 20th anniversary of Securico in Zimbabwe
hZimbabwe’s multi-award winning security industry market leader, Securico, founded by Divine Ndhlukula, celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, a real milestone in the company’s history. Speaking at the company’s special anniversary celebrations at its Harare headquarters, Divine said: “The last 20 years have been very exciting for me, for all of us and for our clients and our families. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary and 20 years of quality and excellence, we are also unveiling our new look.”
Read moreVictorine SARR, a tenacious entrepreneur building an organic beauty brand for women of colour in Senegal
Victorine Sarr, founder of Lyvv Cosmetics (Senegal)
For many women, putting a splash of colour onto their lips gives an instant feeling of confidence and glamour. In Senegal, one woman entrepreneur is building a proudly African beauty brand that is creating beautiful organic lipsticks specially designed for women of colour. Victorine Sarr, founder of Lyvv Cosmetics, is making women feel and look good, whilst also being kind to the environment.
Read moreLIONESS COLAB: Dounia Home X AphroChic
Dounia Home & AphroChic wanted to bring something special to the world, a lighting collection that is a true marriage between form, function and craftsmanship. The Amur collection, inspired, designed and handcrafted in the ancient city of Amur Akush, today known as Marrakech.
Read moreThe Suitcase Entrepreneur by Natalie Sisson
Natalie Sisson
In her No #1 Bestseller, The Suitcase Entrepreneur, author Natalie Sisson teaches you how to package your skills to earn enough money to work and live anywhere, build a profitable online business you love, and live life according to your rules. If you’ve always thought that running a profitable business from your laptop, and having the freedom to do what you want when you want was just a pipe dream, then think again.
Read moreThembe Khumalo, a Zimbabwean entrepreneur helping small businesses to grow their brands through great communication.
Thembe Khumalo, founder of Brandbuilder (Zimbabwe)
Behind every successful business is a great brand that connects products and services to those all important customers. But building a great brand takes hard work and specialist expertise, and in Zimbabwe, that’s where Thembe Khumalo and her company Brandbuilder come in. They bring 20 years of specialist expertise to any client brief and make the process of brand building a whole lot easier.
Read moreOwn your Anxiety
by Lori Milner, author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress
The equation, ANXIETY = Uncertainty x Powerlessness, comes from Chip Conley’s insightful book ‘Emotional Equations’. Chip believes that the product of what you don’t know (uncertainty) and what you can’t control (powerlessness) creates the emotional condition of anxiety, which is greater than the sum of its parts.
Read moreAre you an Ant Queen?
by Eldari Visser, founder of PicketFence Life
The wonderful, crazy city buzz is a place that energizes most of us, whether it’s New York, London, Milan, or Jozi, and many more cities in Africa. High tempo, people doing their things, and life goes on and on and on… Very much similar to an ant city.
Read moreQuote of the Day by Eva Muraya
Eva Muraya, founder and CEO of Brand Strategy and Design (Kenya)
“Who is going to feed Africa? Who will ensure Africans are educated? Across the board, the entrepreneurs are the ones carrying this continent to the next season.”
Eva Muraya, founder and CEO of Brand Strategy and Design (Kenya)
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Hend El Sherbini: Trust your gut
Hend El Sherbini, CEO of Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH) (Egypt)
Trust your gut….
"Don’t listen to what people are saying, because they’re probably jealous. You have to have a lot of self-confidence…. You’re not a second-rate citizen. Trust your gut.”
Hend El Sherbini, founder & CEO of Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH) (Egypt)
Read moreBenji Coetzee and Empty Trips scoop a number of exciting awards for their innovation
(L) Benji Coetzee, founder & ceo of Empty Trips (South Africa)
Awards and Accolades
This is an exciting time for South African entrepreneur Benji Coetzee and her company Empty Trips, which is on a mission to make cargo transportation more eco and cost efficient. The company has just received some valued recognition through a number of exciting global awards.
Read moreNtsoaki Kortjass, a South African entrepreneur putting the security of others at the heart of her business
Ntsoaki Kortjass, founder of Tsoabelo Security Solutions (South Africa)
For many companies and individuals alike, security is a key concern and one that needs addressing by experienced professionals. In South Africa, one woman entrepreneur is building a business that brings peace of mind together with a highly experienced approach to risk management. Ntsoaki Kortjass, founder of Tsoabelo Security Solutions, is putting people and property first, and building a reputation for great service at the same time.
Read moreBotswana’s leading women entrepreneurs gathered to inspire and connect at the Lioness Lean In event in Gaborone
As part of the year-long rollout of Lionesses of Africa’s tour of the African continent with its Lioness Lean In Breakfast events, October 19th saw the latest event coming to Gaborone. Co-hosted by Stanbic Bank, this unique event aimed to showcase the game-changing women entrepreneurs who have built some of the country’s most successful businesses, and to inspire a new generation of young women entrepreneurs who aspire to follow in their footsteps.
Read moreAfrican City Guide, the story of three friends, Megan Bowren, Eva Shuman, and Frances van Hasselt, whose love of travel led them to create the African City Guide
Megan Bowren, Eva Shuman, and Frances van Hasselt, co-founders of African City Guide
It can be daunting for even the most experienced traveller to visit a new city on the African continent without practical knowledge or experience of what to expect on the ground. That’s where the African City Guide comes in. The brainchild of three enterprising entrepreneurs and passionate travellers, Megan Bowren, Eva Shuman, and Frances van Hasselt, their website is packed with information and recommendations provided by travelers who have been there and done it!
Read more6 Tips for Top Customer Engagement on Mobile from the 2018 PriceCheck Awards
by Lynette Hundermark, co-founder of Useful & Beautiful
Speaking at this year’s annual PriceCheck Awards Ceremony, CEO Kevin Tucker noted that the Tech and E-commerce Awards are more important than ever before. He said that while 2018 has been a tough year for retail, it’s an industry with massive potential for growth.
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