The myth of passion

July 21, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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

The word ‘passion’ has become a huge buzzword lately. Experts sharing their tips on how to discover your calling, your passion, your purpose for being on this planet. What I have found is that this is starting to become a destructive word. It creates this huge sense of fear – ‘what if I am not doing the thing I meant to be doing?’ It makes the present moment insignificant, it’s this thing we need to get through in order to get to the next more important moment because maybe we’ll discover it then. It has the ability to create huge self-doubt because the word passion indicates there is ONE thing we should be doing and that we should instantly know what that thing is.

100 Lionesses: Bernie de Le Cuona, a renowned purveyor of luxury textiles building a truly global brand

July 21, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Bernie de Le Cuona, founder of de Le Cuona — **Bernie de Le Cuona**, founder of de Le Cuona

It was a love of linen and an attention to detail that first fired Bernie de Le Cuona’s desire to create beautiful fabrics. Today, her company and brand, de Le Cuona, is a renowned purveyor of luxury textiles for interiors with a 25-year history. The company sources the finest fibres from around the world to create exquisitely understated linen, wool paisley, velvet, silk, cashmere and alpaca.

Solar Sister wins 2019 Keeling Curve Prize for Energy Access

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Solar Sister, the company that has spent the last decade helping bring clean energy to rural homes in Africa, and founded by Katherine Lucey its CEO, has now earned global recognition courtesy of an international award for projects and organizations dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar Sister is one of two winners of the 2019 Keeling Curve Prize for energy access, an honor that comes with $25,000 that the nonprofit plans to use to continue supporting local, female entrepreneurs with clean energy businesses in Africa.

Bloomingdale’s and The Lion King collaborate with Africa’s women entrepreneurs on new Pop-Up retail shop

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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Iconic US retailer Bloomingdale’s has launched the latest rendition of The Carousel Bloomingdale’s: Style Kingdom. From July 11th – September 2nd. The Carousel, a rotating pop-up shop driven by culturally relevant themes with a dynamic merchandise mix hand-selected by guest curators, guides shoppers to discover something new with each visit. This time around Florence Kasumba, the German-Ugandan actress who plays the role of Shenzi the hyena, in the upcoming film Disney’s The Lion King, serves as guest curator. She has tapped into her love of African fashion to identify select items that capture the spirit of the savanna. Leading African women entrepreneur brands such as Ghana’s luxury accessory brand AAKS, founded by Akosua Afriyie-Kumi; Swaziland’s accessory and homeware brand Khokho, founded by Philippa Thorne, Zinhle Vilakati and Sepna Shah; and South African luxury homeware brand, Carrol Boyes, founded by the designer herself.

LIONESS LAUNCH: South African entrepreneur, Sizalobuhle Helen Dube, launches new skills development programmes for aspiring mechanics

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Skills development in the automotive and mechanics sectors in South Africa is greatly needed in order to create sustainable economic opportunities for people. The Knowledge is Your K.E.Y Academy, otherwise known as KiYK, founded by entrepreneur Sizalobuhle Helen Dube in Pretoria, South Africa, is launching some exciting new skills development and training programmes.

Michelle Adelman, an entrepreneur in Botswana building a powerful business to find innovative solutions to food security in Africa

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Michelle Adelman, founder of Accite Holdings (Botswana)

One of the biggest challenges facing the African continent is ensuring a strong agricultural sector that can assure future food security, and that challenge requires innovative entrepreneurs to come to the table with ideas. One such entrepreneur is Michelle Adelman, founder of Accite Holdings in Botswana, who is harnessing the power of technology combined with sustainable business and investment models to create fast growing solutions to meet the need for fresh produce and alternative sources of protein.

Eki Okubanjo, a Nigerian fashionpreneur building a successful fashion and kidswear business that is winning fans locally and globally

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Eki Okubanjo, founder of Eki Oris Fashion Company (Nigeria)

Building a successful brand in the fashion industry can be tough. But for Nigerian entrepreneur Eki Okubanjo, founder of Eki Oris Fashion Company, she is proof positive that it is possible by knowing your customers and their needs. Today, Eki is creating beautiful and practical clothing for both her discerning and chic women customers, and also their kids who want to look just as good.

My Hall of Mentors: Lessons learned along a journey of success by Ntsiki Mkhize

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

For author and social entrepreneur Ntsiki Mkhize, success is a journey we're all on and it looks different from moment to moment for each of us. In her new book, My Hall of Mentors, she shares her experience of understanding that the best way to learn, grow and succeed as entrepreneurs is to look at those who've gone before us and ask those who currently find themselves where we want to be. Then apply their lessons to our lives.

What is holding you back? Your mind is your super computer

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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by Madelaine Gomes (MsC.D)

Many of us are going through our day without even thinking about our mindset or the thoughts that we are entertaining and how these thoughts affect the results that we are creating. 90% of our thoughts a day are spent on past experiences, and only 10% of our thoughts a day is being spent on the actual now and tomorrow! Our thoughts are the most powerful tool and determine the direction and all outcomes of our lives.

Entrepreneur Advice from Brigette Mashile: Make your business hours work for you and your clients

July 10, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko (South Africa) — **Brigette Mashile,** founder of Roka Roko (South Africa)

Make your business hours work for you and your clients…

“When I started this business I tried to adhere to the rules of 9 to 5. It’s a lie. A whole scam. Your business hours are the ones that work in your business for you and your clients.”

Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko (South Africa)

The Purposed CEO - A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs — by Latasha WOP Williams

July 7, 2019 Melanie Hawken

In her new book, The Purposed CEO - A Guide for Women Entrepreneurs, author Latasha WOP Williams brings together the insights, personal experiences, and advice from a diverse range of women CEOs from all business sectors who have been there and got the proverbial T Shirt.

Conny Oberrauter, a South African entrepreneur inspiring others to create their own beauty products

July 7, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Conny Oberrauter, founder of The Cosmetics Chef (South Africa)

If you have ever wondered what it takes to create your own beauty products that work just for your skin type and needs, then wonder no more. Entrepreneur Conny Oberrauter, or The Cosmetics Chef as she is better known, is taking her expert skills and knowledge in formulation and helping people to create their own high quality and effective beauty products at a fraction of the cost.

Cape Town plays host to another inspirational Lioness Lean In event for the Mother City’s women entrepreneurs

July 7, 2019 Melanie Hawken

On a chilly 5 July morning, over 100 women entrepreneurs gathered in Woodstock in Cape Town, South Africa, for the first Lioness Lean In event of 2019, once again co-hosted in partnership with Volkswagen South Africa. It was a morning of inspirational story sharing, great networking, and importantly new business connection making.

Juanita Haasbroek, a South African entrepreneur building a natural beauty brand inspired by Hemp Oil

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

As more and more people are looking to natural beauty and wellness brands to find solutions to skin problems, traditional healing ingredients are coming to the fore. For South African entrepreneur, Juanita Haasbroek, founder of Hemp at Heart, she looked to the power of Hemp Oil and CBD Oil for inspiration and healing properties for her skincare range.

LIONESS LAUNCH: New brand of proudly South African traditional peanut butters launched by Eden All Natural Butters

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Lovers of peanut butter in South Africa are in for a real treat this month as local company, Eden All Natural Butters, founded by entrepreneur Debbie Ncube, is extending beyond its traditional peanut butter and into an exciting new range of taste sensations.

4 Ways you can begin cultivating a happier mindset

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Saajidah Esat

Happiness is a way of thinking and feeling, a way of seeing your world, and the positive meaning you choose to give to the circumstances and situations in your life. Happiness is a mindset. And for most people happiness is not ready-made. After all, research shows that in the determination of a person’s level of happiness, genetics counts for about 50%, 10% is determined by your circumstances, and 40% is controlled by your thoughts, actions and behaviours. Although we may not be able to change our genetics, we can take 100% responsibility for the meaning we give to the circumstances and situations in our life as well as the thoughts and behaviours we practice on a daily basis.

When agony follows ecstasy

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Clare Appleyard, founder of Katannuta Diamonds

Figures flew before my eyes as my fingers tapped away busily on the calculator. Exchange rate. Tap tap tap. VAT. Tap tap. Supplier costs. Tap tap tap. A number settled on the screen and I looked at it with confusion. “That can’t be right”, I thought, as a mild sense of unease washed over me. Picking up the calculator, I ran the numbers again, more slowly this time. The same number came up. “Third time lucky” I whispered to myself as I hit the keys with deliberate intent. No change!

Navigating the Creative Entrepreneurship Realm

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Tatenda Kanengoni

In the past two decades, the perception of creative entrepreneurship has shifted, refreshingly so. We live in an exciting time when policy makers are starting to value how creative enterprises can contribute meaningfully to economies, and more than ever creatives have an opportunity to soar.

100 LIONESSES: Ebonylife TV’s founder, Mo Abudu, named chair of 47th International Emmy Awards Gala

June 29, 2019 Melanie Hawken

EbonyLife TV founder Mo Abudu has been announced as the Chair of the 47th International Emmy Awards Gala scheduled for November 25, 2019, in New York. The announcement was made on Tuesday, June 18, via Emmys Instagram handle as they shared a photo of the Nigerian media mogul.