Varsha Parbhoo, a South African entrepreneur empowering other women entrepreneurs to find their financial and personal power

March 3, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Varsha Parbhoo, founder of Finance 360 (South Africa) — **Varsha Parbhoo**, founder of Finance 360 (South Africa)

For so many women, real socio-economic independence can only be obtained when financial freedom is achieved. But that freedom is only gained through knowing how to manage finances and make them work for you, in life and particularly in business. That’s where entrepreneur and finance expert Varsha Parbhoo, founder of Finance 360, comes in. She teaches women entrepreneurs to know their numbers and to use that critical financial information to ensure business sustainability.

Zamaswazi Mfusi, a South African entrepreneur creating beautiful, indigenous content to engage and inspire young children

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Zamaswazi Mfisi, founder of Indilang (South Africa) — **Zamaswazi Mfisi**, founder of Indilang (South Africa)

When children are young and their thirst for learning is strong, it’s important that they are exposed to great content that entertains, stretches their minds and enhances their knowledge. For entrepreneur Zamaswazi Mfisi, ensuring children can experience world-class content that reflects their own culture and languages is what drives her passion and her business, Indilang.

Women entrepreneurs from the African Diaspora set to celebrate International Women’s Day at a special Lioness Lean In event in London

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

On the morning of Friday 8 March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, women entrepreneurs from Africa and the Diaspora will gather together in London for the first Lioness Lean In event of the year in the UK. The event, which promises to be an inspirational morning of sharing, inspiring and connecting, is being cohosted by Hogan Lovells at their spectacular Holborn offices in the city. It is the latest in the series of popular Lioness Lean In networking events which have been hosted by Lionesses of Africa for the past four years across the African continent, linking women entrepreneurs with important new markets. And it promises to be another great occasion!

LIONESS LAUNCH: Sapelle launches a new value-added service for design focused SMEs to connect with global consumers

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Sapelle, the global fashion and lifestyle brand that empowers African creative producers and manufacturers to access global retail and wholesale markets, is making real waves this month. It is launching a new value-added wholesale service that will provide great opportunities for design focused SMEs to get their products to the right consumers in the right markets.

Essential Read: Chillpreneur - The New Rules for Creating Success, Freedom, and Abundance on Your Terms by Denise Duffield Thomas

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

For all those who are feeling burned out by their businesses, or sick of the 'hustle and grind' culture of their industry, then Denise Duffield Thomas, author of Chillpreneur thinks there's a better way! She suggests it’s time to get over your perfectionism and embrace the flow of the Chillpreneur.

A Persuasion Tool to Get Alignment

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho

You’ve been told that the most effective speech or presentation is focused on the audience. Here’s a tool to help you do that. The result is that your audience feels alignment with you and is more likely to accept your message. The tool is called Feel Know Do.

Know Your Business

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Aleshia van der Ploeg, Director, VDP Legal Consulting

Do you know your business? I mean, do you REALLY know your business? Do you know what your finances look like or does your accountant simply handle that? Do you know what money is coming in or going out every month and are you actually making a profit? Do you know what contracts you have entered into, what the actual terms are and how long they are valid for? Are your tax returns up to date or do you assume your accountant is responsible for that too?

100 LIONESSES: Aïssa Dione, Revivalist of Ancient Weaving Craftsmanship

March 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Aissa Dione, founder of Aissa Dione Tissus, Senegal — **Aissa Dione**, founder of Aissa Dione Tissus, Senegal

Senegalese entrepreneur and textile designer, Aissa Dione, has made it her lifelong mission to revive her country’s ailing textile industry, and in the process, create products that are highly desirable the world over.

Rethabile Phoofolo, a Lesotho entrepreneur with a passion for helping companies with their customer insights

February 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Rethabile Phoofolo, founder of 360 Communications (Pty) Ltd (Lesotho) — **Rethabile Phoofolo**, founder of 360 Communications (Pty) Ltd (Lesotho)

Every successful company knows that it’s essential to have great customer insights backed up by solid research data in order to stay ahead of the market. And in Lesotho, that’s where 360 Communications (Pty) Ltd comes in, headed by Rethabile Phoofolo, an entrepreneur on a mission to turn great data into valuable market information for her customers.

Kirsty Savides, a South African entrepreneur turning her passion for music into a great learning tool for children

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Kirsty Savides, founder of Wriggle and Rhyme (South Africa) — **Kirsty Savides**, founder of Wriggle and Rhyme (South Africa)

Children instinctively love music, but one South African entrepreneur is harnessing the power of music to give children’s brains a full workout. Wriggle and Rhyme, the brainchild of Kirsty Savides, is a business teaching children to embrace music and movement as part of their development.

The importance of self care in our lives as entrepreneurs

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Dhlamini

Reflecting on this reminded me of the importance of intentionally setting an inclusive framework as I put together the pieces (people, places and projects) that I would like to include in my life in 2019.

Essential Read: The Pipeline Guide - How to Transform a Product Idea into Success by Rinat Keinan

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

If you have a product idea and want to start a new business or you just want to significantly increase revenue and expand into new areas of activity, The Pipeline Guide by Rinat Keinan can help you do exactly that. The Pipeline Guide is an 8 action item guide, based on many years of marketing experience in global industries and working with startups.

Identifying Roles to set effective Goals

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Claire Holden, Empowerment Coach

How many hats do you wear? How many roles do you fill? As an entrepreneur you’re a business owner and likely a finance manager, marketing director, accounts receivable clerk and operations manager too. Many of you will also be a wife, mother, daughter, sibling, team or group member, friend, volunteer…. The list goes on! The risk is that we spread ourselves so thin trying to be all things to all people, that we fail to prioritise the things that are most important to us personally and to our businesses. So, how do we change this? How do we cultivate a life where we clearly articulate our goals and set clear action plans in place for success?

Entrepreneurship and friendship

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Claudia Castellanos, ceo, Black Mamba Chilli

I believe most entrepreneurs agree on the fact that we could have chosen something easier to do in life (in fact I am convinced most of us are masochistic). From the sheer excitement of closing a great deal, to the doom of realizing you don’t have enough cash flow to pay salaries for your employees in a given month, being an entrepreneur is an eternal roller coaster. The levels of stress and anxiety can become intolerable some times. And those are the times when you need to be reminded that everything will be OK and that all your effort and hard work will pay off eventually.

Here are your 3 easy-to-apply sales tips for the week

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Karen Wessels, founder of SnappSales and VA Connect

Sales really does get such a negative reputation sometimes, and I get it - most of us have a bit of a skewed understanding when it comes to sales, so we would rather steer clear than truly harness our sales powers.

Quote of the Day from Jazeera Suwani

February 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Jazeera Suwani, founder Say it with Chocolate (Kenya) — **Jazeera Suwani**, founder Say it with Chocolate (Kenya)

Just try!...

"You won't know if it will work unless you try, and if you try then there is hope for it to work."

Jazeera Suwani, founder of Say it with Chocolate (Kenya)

Quote of the Day by Magda Wierzycka

February 18, 2019 Melanie Hawken

“If you work hard and prioritise, there is absolutely no limit to what you can achieve.”

Magda Wierzycka, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sygnia Asset Management (South Africa)

Johannesburg’s women entrepreneurs kickstart 2019 with a powerful Lean In in Sandton

February 16, 2019 Melanie Hawken

What better way to start the year than with a great Lioness Lean In event for women entrepreneurs, and the first event in what will be an exciting programme for 2019 took place in Johannesburg on Friday 8 February. Over 100 women business builders came together to share, inspire and connect at the impact partner host venue for the event, the Volkswagen SA headquarters in Sandton.

Dieketseng Mangope, a South African wedding planner making clients’ dreams come true

February 16, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Dieketseng Mangope, founder of Grace Wedding Supplies (South Africa) — **Dieketseng Mangope**, founder of Grace Wedding Supplies (South Africa)

As everyone knows, one of the most stressful occasions can be a wedding. There are huge expectations, big dreams to fulfill, and everyone is emotional. That’s where great wedding planners and specialists come in. For one South African entrepreneur, Dieketseng Mangope, founder of By Grace Wedding Supplies, other people’s big days are where she comes to the rescue and takes all the stress away with her specialist wedding supply and event management services.

Keren Pybus, an entrepreneur with a vision to demonstrate that ethical manufacturing can be done at scale in Africa

February 16, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Ethical Apparel Africa is a company co-founded by Keren Pybus based in Ghana and Benin, working with international brands who are interested in growing a manufacturing base in Africa with a positive social and environmental impact.