Wilma Cavaleiro, an Angolan woman entrepreneur creating an app for hair and beauty businesses

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Wilma Cavaleiro, founder of KUJINGA (Angola)

Startup Story

Ask any beauty or hair salon owner or freelance stylist about the biggest challenges facing the successful running of their businesses and they will tell you that interacting with potential customers in the digital environment is one of them. In Angola, Wilma Cavaleiro, founder of app management company KUJINGA, has the solution.

UK Start-Up Night! Africa - London set to showcase 14 high-growth women entrepreneurs to investors

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Cover Story

Getting access to global markets and access to finance are two of the biggest challenges facing Africa’s growth-focused women entrepreneurs. The 2nd UK Start-Up Night! Africa showcase event, taking place in London on 16 January 2020, looks to create a solution. The UK government, in partnership with Lionesses of Africa (a 1 million strong community of African women entrepreneurs), will be hosting this impact driven event.

Ana Maria Panait, an entrepreneur in South Africa creating raw vegan chocolate for conscious consumers

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Ana Maria Panait, founder of Rrraw (South Africa)

Startup Story

Chocolate lovers will know that there is nothing quite like the taste and aroma of cacao in its purest form, and its health properties are well documented. Now, vegan consumers, as well as chocolate afficionados in South Africa, can experience the fabulous taste of Rrraw, a new vegan, organic and sugar free chocolate brand, founded by entrepreneur Ana Maria Panait, that is exciting tastebuds.

Show up to your fun side

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

I was swimming with my kids yesterday and my 4-year-old daughter innocently said to me ‘Mommy, come and have fun with me’. I looked at her and thought ‘Ok, how do you do that?’ I asked her ‘Show me what fun is’ (because I didn’t want to be the boring mom and admit I didn’t know how). So, we jumped into the pool together holding hands, she pretended to be a mermaid and I had to be a princess. Really simple imagination games.

What is awaiting me in this new decade?

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, founder of Picketfence Life

Necessary endings! In my previous blog I wrote about the time of endings. In a business this happens all too often. Usually it is out with the old, in with the new, or a new strategy for growth or another line for the shelves, and the one not so good must make space for a more client friendly one. Yet many of us as businesspeople have to end good things as well.

100 LIONESSES: Teta Isibo, creative designer reinventing traditional crafts in Rwanda

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Teta Isibo is the founder and creative force behind Inzuki Designs a young Rwandan brand specializing in jewelry, accessories and interior decor. Teta's creations are hand-made using local craft skills and materials - she works with numerous local women's cooperatives to create vibrant, quality pieces. With no background in fashion or business, Teta quit her job as an urban planner in Kigali to launch Inzuki, which means 'bees' in the local language. This has grown into a popular Rwandan brand with a boutique located in the Heart of Kigali City. Teta is now targeting international markets including the rest of Africa, Europe, Asia and North America through distributors and an online store.

Entrepreneur Advice from Tania Tome: Don’t be afraid

January 10, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Tania Tome, founder of Ecokaya (Mozambique) — **Tania Tome,** founder of Ecokaya (Mozambique)

Don’t be afraid….

“Don’t be afraid to be afraid, have the courage to face fear, and jump - there are lots of great things that happen when we decide to take risks. Take small steps and actions, instead of waiting for the right moment, you only make this walk learning by doing.”

Tania Tome, founder of Ecokaya (Mozambique)

Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

January 10, 2020 Melanie Hawken

“… for the first two to three years you have to be ready to have an equal measure of pain and joy with a strong tilt towards pain for most of the first 18 months."

Abai Schulze, founder of ZAAF (Ethiopia)

Entrepreneur Advice from Adetutu Adekunle: Learn the ropes well

January 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Adetutu Adekunle, founder Bibi’s GrillHouse and Bibi’s Cottage Catering (Nigeria)

Learn the ropes well….

“Believe in yourself. Know you can do it, learn the ropes of your business. You need it to succeed. Be dogged and consistent.”

Adetutu Adekunle, founder of Bibi’s GrillHouse and Bibi’s Cottage Catering (Nigeria)

Entrepreneur Advice from Lilly Alfonso: Stay focused on your dream

January 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Lilly Alfonso, founder of Lilly Alfonso fashion label, Malawi — **Lilly Alfonso**, founder of Lilly Alfonso fashion label, Malawi

It's not easy, but stay focused on your dream....

“It’s not an easy road. You will get people who will disappoint you… but you need to stay focused on your dream. We all learn and become better through our mistakes and challenges.”

Lilly Alfonso, founder of Lilly Alfonso (Malawi)

Quote of the Day by Teta Isibo

January 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

"Sometimes you just have to take the leap, start with whatever you have and use it resourcefully."

Teta Isibo, founder of Inzuki (Rwanda)

Quote of the Day by Rebecca Enonchong

January 7, 2020 Melanie Hawken

“Just knowing that other people are in your situation and are making it through is great support. I think that this is how you build out the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa, one person at a time supporting others.”

Rebecca Enonchong, founder of AppsTech (Cameroon)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda: Learn by doing

January 7, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder and CEO of Java Foods (Zambia) — **Monica Musonda**, founder and CEO of Java Foods (Zambia)

It's often best for entrepreneurs to learn by doing....

“I think you have got to learn by doing. You may not have all the answers, you may not know the size of the market, you may not know how much the competition is selling. But if you get into the business, do your initial groundwork as much as you can – but get in there and then start gathering your own data.”

Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods (Zambia)

Quote of the Day by Eldari Visser

January 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

“Every road that is worth traveling on will bring its own set of challenges”

Eldari Visser, founder of Picketfence Life (South Africa)

Entrepreneur Advice from Brenda Katwesigye: Focus on your product

January 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Brenda Katwesigye, founder of Wazi Vision, Uganda — **Brenda Katwesigye**, founder of Wazi Vision, Uganda

Focus on the product....

"A lot of questions will come up about how you make money. But if you focus on creating a quality product that people will use to solve real life challenges, there will always be opportunities to monetize your solution."

Brenda Katwesigye, founder of Wazi Vision (Uganda)

9 Angolan women entrepreneurs making their mark in the country

January 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Country Feature

Angola is increasingly becoming an exciting place to do business, as regional and international visitors are finding out for themselves. In particular, the country is seeing a growth in entrepreneurship, with some interesting growth businesses emerging and catching the attention of the global and regional marketplace. The country’s business environment is changing and a new spirit of enterprise is being driven by a new generation of women entrepreneurs who are making their mark and building exciting and diverse businesses that are poised to grow.

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, the ecopreneur saving Uganda’s gorillas with her high impact coffee brand

January 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Gorilla Conservation Coffee (Uganda)

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

A new generation of environmentally conscious women entrepreneurs on the African continent, or ecopreneurs as they are better known, are making a real and tangible difference by building socially and environmentally conscious, impact driven businesses. Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, founder of Gorilla Conservation Coffee in Uganda, is one such woman.

Georgina Angélica, an Angolan entrepreneur turning a passion for early years education into a business

January 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Georgina Angélica, specialist education and professional development consultant (Angola)

Startup Story

For Georgina Angélica, her business motto is: “Cada necessidade um recurso”, which translates as, “For every need, a resource”. In her specialist education and professional development consultancy, she lives by that motto, providing courses and workshops for local educators to meet all needs.

Chasing the Bright Side: Embrace Optimism, Activate Your Purpose, and Write Your Own Story by Jess Ekstrom

January 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Social entrepreneur and author Jess Ekstrom believes that success is not born out of skill, school, where we’re from, who we know, or how well we did in our exams at school or college. In her new book, Chasing the Bright Side, Jess Ekstrom shares her own inspirational story of how optimism helped her overcome multiple challenges, and the dynamic ways her mind-set propelled her as an entrepreneur, international speaker, and philanthropist.

Claudia Phantshi, a South African entrepreneur creating memorable travel experiences for her clients

January 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Claudia Phantshi, founder of Pathfinder Travel Consultancy (South Africa)

Startup Story

Whether planning a business trip or a vacation, it always pays to have a specialist travel planner to help organize the ultimate experience. In South Africa, Claudia Phantshi, founder of Pathfinder Travel Consultancy, is doing just that.