ESSENTIAL READ: Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder by Reshma Saujani

March 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

In her new book, Brave, Not Perfect, inspired by her popular TED talk, New York Times bestselling author Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, empowers women to embrace imperfection and bravery in their business and personal lives. Imagine if you lived without the fear of not being good enough. If you didn't care how your life looked on Instagram, or worry about what total strangers thought of you. Imagine if you could let go of the guilt, and stop beating yourself up for tiny mistakes. What if, in every decision you faced, you took the bolder path?

Eswatini’s women entrepreneurs Lean In for greater business success with Lionesses of Africa and Standard Bank

March 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Eswatini has a growing environment for women entrepreneurs to realize their business building ambitions. So, it was good to see over 100 of the country’s leading women entrepreneurs gathering at the Royal Villas for the first Lioness Lean In event to be held in the country on 21 March. The event aimed to give women entrepreneurs in the country the opportunity to share their business building stories, inspire one another, and connect for greater business success.

Zoe Dlamini-Sas, an entrepreneur from eSwatini now sharing knowledge of African culture in the Netherlands

March 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Zoe Dlamini-Sas, founder of Zoe Zulu Productions — **Zoe Dlamini-Sas**, founder of Zoe Zulu Productions

In such a global economic environment with countries that are increasingly multi-cultural, it is important to learn more about the different cultures that create such dynamic cities and communities. For entrepreneur Zoe Dlamini-Sas, her inspiration for starting her business, Zoe Zulu Productions, came from her passion for African culture and teaching others in Europe about the traditions that make Africa so unique.

Leah Kitoloh, a South African entrepreneur making a positive impact on the business journeys of her clients

March 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Leah Kitoloh, founder of LeahK Pty Ltd (South Africa) — **Leah Kitoloh**, founder of LeahK Pty Ltd (South Africa)

For a country’s economy to grow, it requires the development and harnessing of skills on the part of the population to fulfill their potential and make meaningful contributions to society and the economy. For South African entrepreneur, Leah Kitoloh, founder of specialist business consultancy, LeahK Pty Ltd, that was the starting point for building a niche business model.

LIONESS LAUNCH: Gugu Intimates introduces the first skin coloured underwear brand in Africa

March 24, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Gugu Nkabinde, founder of Gugu Intimates (South Africa) — **Gugu Nkabinde**, founder of Gugu Intimates (South Africa)

Gugu Intimates introduces the FIRST skin coloured underwear brand in Africa specialising in affordable luxury undergarments to match your skin tone (across 5 shades). Founded by entrepreneur Gugu Nkabinde, Gugu Intimates aims to create beautiful underwear in nude shades more representative of the African skin palette.

Lessons from doing a TEDx talk: Part 1

March 23, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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

I am a professional speaker/trainer/teacher who does talks and workshops to a corporate audience for a living. So when the opportunity to do a TEDx Women talk came along, I was thrilled. Firstly, it’s been on my bucket list for over 10 years and secondly, I was sure having this public speaking background would make the process that much easier. Quite the contrary! It was the most amazing 8 weeks for me, I have not been pushed out of my comfort zone and beyond for a long time. It tested me on every level and the process has been my greatest reward.

Fellow travellers and their influence on your wealth

March 23, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, founder of PicketFence Life

On our journey through life we meet an array of interesting people. Some fascinating and others unique. We learn a great deal about ourselves on how we interact with these personalities. In our financial wealth world we often find that our behavior reflects some typical personality and behavioral patterns.

Creating a marketing strategy that enhances your business

March 22, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Tatenda Rungisa, Human Resources Practitioner and co-founder of Twin Connect Solutions

For a business to be competitive, what is mainly required is a good strategy, a practical road map, and a sustainable marketing strategy. When trying to penetrate a certain industry sector, it’s essential to make a mark and become sustainable. One way to ensure this is to engage as many clients as possible in the business through effective marketing, by ensuring customer service is top notch, and being able to retain those customers for the long term. So how does one achieve all this? The answer can be found in creating a well defined and aligned marketing strategy.

Quote of the Day by Deborah Hartung

March 21, 2019 Melanie Hawken

“Your self-esteem is the reputation you have with yourself. Make sure it’s a good one!”

Deborah Hartung, founder of Pivot PeopleTech (South Africa)

Quote of the Day by Tabitha Karanja

March 20, 2019 Melanie Hawken

"For me the customer is always king. They are and always will be my number one priority.”

Tabitha Karanja, founder of Keroche Breweries (Kenya)

Eswatini’s women entrepreneurs get ready to experience their first Lioness Lean In event in the country

March 19, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 6.34.21 PM.png

This week, on Thursday 21 March, the hugely popular Lioness Lean In events are heading to Eswatini for the first time, giving women entrepreneurs in the country the opportunity to share their business building stories, inspire one another, and connect for greater business success. The Lioness Lean In Eswatini events are being hosted in partnership with Standard Bank. True to the bank’s Brand Philosophy in the country - “Eswatini is our Home, We Drive Her Growth” - Standard Bank is encouraging the leading women entrepreneurs in its network to connect with fellow women in business from the Lionesses of Africa community at this first Lioness Lean In event to be held at the Royal Villas.

Celebrating Africa’s Women Entrepreneur Changemakers in South Africa to commemorate International Women’s Day

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Screen Shot 2019-03-17 at 2.06.20 PM.jpg

As International Women’s Day celebrations finally came to a close, Lionesses of Africa and Facebook collaborated on a very special Changemakers Breakfast event in Hyde Park, Johannesburg on the morning of 11 March. The event brought together around 100 leading women entrepreneurs from the city to network and to hear from inspirational fellow women business and brand builders. The highlight of the morning was hearing from Carolyn Everson, Facebook’s Vice President of Global Marketing Solutions, who flew into the city as a very special guest speaker for the morning. It was a truly inspirational, change-making morning for everyone there.

Bitania Amare, an entrepreneur in Ethiopia helping her clients to keep their businesses and finances in good order

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Bitania Amare, founder of Orbit Consulting PLC (Ethiopia) — **Bitania Amare**, founder of Orbit Consulting PLC (Ethiopia)

Every successful business needs great advice and support in order to be sustainable and to grow. In Ethiopia, that’s where specialist consulting firm Orbit Consulting PLC, founded by local entrepreneur Bitania Amare, comes in.

Ncheta Dasilva, a Nigerian entrepreneur creating an exciting global activewear brand that is both eye-catching and sustainable

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Ncheta Dasilva, founder of Zola Eve — **Ncheta Dasilva**, founder of Zola Eve

The rapidly growing activewear market is constantly looking for new clothing that is not only practical and beautiful, but also increasingly more sustainable. Zola Eve, an exciting activewear brand inspired by Africa and created by entrepreneur Ncheta Dasilva, harnesses her Nigerian heritage to produce a memorable, eco-driven clothing range.

LIONESS LAUNCH: Star Reflexion launches its new range of bespoke leather boots

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

South African leather accessory manufacturing brand, Star Reflexion, founded by entrepreneur Olaotse Disipi, launches its new range of bespoke leather knee-high boots this month, made to fit the shape and size of any customer’s legs.

Essential Read: Heart and Hustle - Use your passion. Build your brand. Achieve your dreams. By Patricia Bright

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

In her new book, Heart and Hustle, author, vlogger and award winning content creator, Patricia Bright, shows her readers how to hustle in business and in life in order to achieve personal goals and ambitions. And she brings all her personal experience, practical tips, and advice to the table.

No balance? Welcome to the tired mommies club!

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu

Last week, I attended the Facebook and Lionesses of Africa International Women’s Day event in Johannesburg on 8 March. I started having small conversations with the ladies attending and quickly realized that around five of the ladies I spoke with had new born babies, just like me. We ended up exchanging nanny tips, we talked abut our hectic schedules, and shared how these days we hardly get time to put on lipstick.

Wake up earlier - you’ll never say ‘I don’t have time to’... ever again

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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

Achievers around the world swear by the motto – ‘success is a sunrise away’.

Not everyone can wake up early. Our gadget-filled world has given us enough distractions to keep us awake even when we are in bed. And some of us do that because, after a hectic day, night is the only ‘me-time’ we get. However, there is an increasing awareness of the benefits of rising at 5am. High achievers all over the world find that waking up before the sun has a personal bonus – it gives them an edge in the cut-throat environment that they face as the day sets in.

The Patent Pickle

March 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Seno Namwandi

Intellectual Property has various types of rights under its umbrella. Patents tend to be on the far spectrum of strictness and have one of the highest returns on investment for companies through licensing agreements. On the other end of the spectrum are trade secrets, which are governed by contractual agreements, these tend to be more fluid in nature and therefore more difficult to protect, control and manage.

S'onqoba Vuba, a South African entrepreneur on a mission to help SMEs to grow by leveraging the gig economy

March 10, 2019 Melanie Hawken

For so many entrepreneurs, one of the biggest challenges is scaling and sustaining a business, and often expertise advice and practical support is needed to help them take it to the next level. That’s where Perpetu8 comes in, the niche, SME focused consulting firm created by entrepreneur S’onqoba Vuba.