On a beautiful and warm morning in Maseru, Lesotho on Friday 16th November, 60 leading women entrepreneurs gathered together at the Avani Hotel and Leisure Resort for a morning of inspiration and business networking at the final Lioness Lean in event of the year in the country. And what a morning it was! Co-hosted by Lionesses of Africa and Standard Lesotho Bank, the event aimed to inspire and connect women entrepreneurs from Maseru for greater business success.
Read moreHands off my Sundays
by Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko
I don’t work on Sundays. No wait, I don’t do anything on Sundays! And this seems to boggle a lot of minds. People have numerous reasons why I should see them on Sunday. It’s fascinating. I have thus far taught my body to refuse all when I wake, I can literally spend the entire day (10 hours) in bed reading, eating and watching things on the laptop. Lazy right? Yep, yep, yep. But I have my reasons - give me a chance to explain.
Read moreFollow Her Lead by Claudette Nahum & Nangula Shejavali
Nangula Shejavali & Claudette Nahum
Namibia has no shortage of dynamic women with the ability, brains and willpower to bring about positive change to their organizations, their communities, and the world. Yet, when we question why women remain underrepresented in positions of leadership, a common and untrue response is, “We can’t find ‘good’ women.” In their new book, Follow Her Lead, authors and entrepreneurs Claudette Nahum & Nangula Shejavali, look to set the story straight.
Read moreRecruiting and Retaining a Winning Team
by Kulani Shiluvane, Founder and Chief Consultant at Shiluvah
What are the key driving forces behind your business? Is it your product? Your service offering? Is it your price offering on your product or services? NO! What drives your business and the real success behind your organization is your TEAM. Therefore, if you want a growing and successful business, a business that is profitable and thriving, it is crucial that you have the right team driving your business. So, how do you go about recruiting and retaining a winning team?
Read moreQuote of the Day by Mariéme Jamme
Mariéme Jamme, founder of iamtheCODE (Senegal/UK)
“Coding is a 21st century skill and every young girl growing up today in our society should have access to it."
Mariéme Jamme, founder of iamtheCODE (Senegal/UK)
Read moreCindy Maleombho-Codo, an entrepreneur from Cote d’Ivoire helping women-owned businesses stand out from the crowd
Cindy Maleombho-Codo, founder of Indoka Creative (Cote d’Ivoire)
In today’s highly competitive and crowded marketplaces, it can be difficult to get your business and brand noticed in Africa. But help is at hand. Cindy Maleombho-Codo, founder of Indoka Creative, knows just what it takes to get your brand and products seen, and importantly, to connect them to those all important customers.
Read moreAwards and Accolades: Lynette Hundermark, founder of Useful & Beautiful, recognized as the most inspirational Female Rolemodel in Tech
Lynette Hundermark, founder of Useful & Beautiful (South Africa)
This year’s Southern Africa Startup Awards have just been judged for South Africa, and the prestigious Female Rolemodel in Tech award in the country has been given to Lynette Hundermark, founder of specialist mobile solutions consultancy, Useful & Beautiful.
Read moreLIONESS LAUNCH: Professional Parts launches easy, cost effective vehicle service kits
Professional Parts (Pty) Ltd opened its doors in February 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa with the aim of providing their customers with affordable genuine and quality aftermarket vehicle parts. The founder and CEO, Verena Koch has over 16 years’ experience in the automotive industry and has contributed to many OEM’s such as Volvo Car South Africa, KIA Motors SA and General Motors SA. She identified the need for a “one part number, one purchase with all the basic parts” required to service a vehicle.
Read moreThe Freedom Plan by Natalie Sisson
Natalie Sisson
If you have ever wondered how to Redesign Your Business To Earn More, Work Less And Be Free, then author Natalie Sisson has the answer. In The Freedom Plan book she shows you how to reclaim your time, streamline your business, and be more profitable while living your ideal lifestyle and feeling on purpose!
Read moreLaurettah Sibanda, an entrepreneur in Botswana building a successful construction and real estate development company
Laurettah Sibanda, founder of Atlantis Construction Group and Developments (Botswana)
The world of building and construction is a tough one to break into, but one entrepreneur in Botswana is doing just that. Laurettah Sibanda, founder of Atlantis Construction Group and Developments (Pty) Ltd, is building a reputation for quality project delivery and a great approach to service.
Read moreOwn your Memories
by Lori Milner, author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress
At this point in the year, we are gobsmacked that it’s November and repeatedly tell ourselves how the year has flown. But when we create days that are memorable, they seem to stick longer in our mind and it feels like time slows down just a little bit.
Read moreBeing the boss you have always wanted: Entrepreneurs and leadership
by Kulani Shiluvane, Founder and Chief Consultant at Shiluvah
The decision to take on the entrepreneurial journey carries with it a number of novelties – the biggest (well at least for me) has been becoming your own boss, and hopefully at some stage somebody else’s boss. This means taking into consideration the kind of boss you want to be and more importantly, how your boss characteristics will impact the culture of the company as a whole, and how that culture will determine the health (both financial and otherwise) of your company and its people.
Read moreThe trendiest thread
by Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko
The world follows the US and UK for everything…literally everything. Maybe it’s because these places monopolize our media? It’s tougher to find out what is happening in Malawi than in Los Angeles. And see how far Los Angeles is compared to Malawi and to us? In fashion as well, retailers do their research in the UK and US first; then the rest of Europe. We are one season behind, so we are well set up for this follow-on game. But I can tell you that South Africans, just like Africans, have their own preferences. We take some of the trends, leave some, and make others in our own way. This is a list of what I have noticed this year making clothes for South African ladies.
Read moreEntrepreneur Advice from Christelle Kwizera: Listen to our inner voice
Christelle Kwizera, founder of Water Access Rwanda (WARwanda)
Listen to our inner voice....
"My biggest piece of advice is to listen to our inner voice and do what we think is good for us. As women we tend to hear others over ourselves, but in the end during our hard times we only have ourselves left. So make sure you are not being misguided by others or letting other people's comments reduce your self-esteem. One more thing is to surround yourself with other succesful women and to find role models without necessarily trying to fit into a masculine mould."
Christelle Kwizera, founder of Water Access Rwanda (South Africa)
Read moreSouth Africa’s women entrepreneurs get a high-powered start to the Lioness Lean In event in Centurion
At the final Lioness Lean In event of the year for South Africa, women entrepreneurs were given a unique opportunity to let off some steam and experience the thrill of adrenaline pumping, high-speed advanced driving, courtesy of impact partners Volkswagen. It was a great way of starting the morning’s programme with something a little different.
Read moreMavis Nduchwa, a serial, impact driven agripreneur in Botswana empowering local farmers to be the solution to hunger and poverty
Mavis Nduchwa, founder of Chabana Farms (Botswana)
A growing interest from consumers in knowing where their food comes from, how it is produced, and who is producing it, inspired serial agripreneur Mavis Nduchwa, founder of Chabana Farms, to create a solution. Today, her endeavours in agribusiness are making a real difference to people and lives all along the value chain.
Read moreMichelle Smith, a South African entrepreneur creating the perfect gifting service for all occasions
Michelle Smith, founder of Woven Bark Studios (South Africa)
If you have ever struggled to find the perfect, personalized gift for your corporate clients or loved ones, then help is at hand. Michelle Smith, founder of Woven Bark Studios, is creating beautiful, thoughtfully curated gift boxes and gifting experiences that leave lasting feel-good memories. The added bonus is that each of the gift products is sourced from local artisans in South Africa, creating business opportunities that really make a difference to other entrepreneurs’ lives.
Read moreAwards and Accolades: Margaret Hirsch 2018 Women in Business Awards recognize South Africa’s leading women entrepreneurs
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.
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