the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
From the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
Continuing our look at Pitch Books we again break them down into bite-sized chunks… Last week we looked at what grabs the attention of any potential Investor: The Problem, The Solution, and The Competition.
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Sector In Focus | Food & Drink
There is a real buzz in consumer markets about niche food and drinks brands that celebrate the provenance of where products are made, celebrating local ingredients and craftsmanship. At Lionesses of Africa, we shine a spotlight on 30 leading women entrepreneurs in Africa who are capturing consumer imagination and making a real impact, through their businesses, their innovation, their products and craftsmanship, and their passion for what they do.
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Mylene Bosch, founder of iCALC Training Academy (South Africa)
Lioness Launch
The need for skilled engineers in South Africa has never been greater, but getting access to the specialist training and skills development in a range of engineering disciplines can be challenging for many. The iCALC Training Academy, founded by Mylene Bosch, is about to change all that with the launch of its new virtual, digital online platform for trainee engineers.
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Impact Partner Content: Absa | by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors, Absa
In this series of four articles by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors at Absa, he will unpack the three most topical renewable energy technologies and conclude the series with a view on the technologies which are changing the future state of the industry.
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Sarah Collins, founder of Wonderbag (South Africa)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Wonderbag, a revolutionary product empowering Africa’s women, one home at a time.
Sarah Collins is an impact driven entrepreneur whose company manufactures, sells and subsidizes a revolutionary cooking product known as the Wonderbag. A Wonderbag is based on the oldest technology in the world – heat retention cooking. These non-electric bags are made up of lab tested chipped foam that is housed in colourful, African-inspired printed fabrics with a drawstring at the top to retain the heat. This simple but ingenious product allows for food to be brought to the boil by conventional cooking methods and once put into the Wonderbag will continue to cook the food for up to 12 hours.
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Zuwaira Ikharo Shuaib, founder of Amal Botanicals Baby Care (Nigeria)
Startup Story
When you are a mother to triplets, you have first hand knowledge of just what babies need when it comes to natural skincare, and that is certainly the case with Zuwaira Ikharo Shuaib, founder of Amal Botanicals Baby Care. She has a big vision to be a leading natural baby skincare brand in Africa.
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Tshegofatso Dludla, founder of RoboSTEAM Train (South Africa)
Startup Story
In a world where technology is changing so many aspects of our daily lives, it is so important that children get the opportunity to grasp and embrace maths and science at an early age. Tshegofatso Dludla, founder of RoboSTEAM Train in South Africa, is making a huge difference to the lives of underprivileged children in the country by making robotics and coding fun and accessible.
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Sherry Deutschmann
Book Review
If you want to see the concept of transformational leadership through empathy in action, then look no further than Sherry Deutschmann’s book, Lunch with Lucy: Maximize Profits by Investing in Your People. This is a very personal book by someone who knows just how important employees are to the success of any business. She has a fascinating and unique business model to share with readers that will transform not only the way we think about our people, but how we embrace them as the genuine drivers of our business success.
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by Usha Maharaj, Speaker, Coach, Facilitator
Asking for help at work, at home, in any area of our lives is tough. But asking for help could be the game-changer that you need in order to reduce the stress, make more time available, and lessen the burden you’re carrying.
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by Kelebogile Makhafola
A crisis presents challenges that provoke a sense of community within brands and organisations. Tough times push brands to reinforce the value and refuge in belonging. This article explores how you as a business owner, marketer and leader can reassure your customers, employees, and followers of the benefits of belonging to your eco-system.
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by Lelemba Phiri, Enygma Ventures Operating Partner and Fund Manager
Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the importance of mental health was being highlighted and the crisis has amplified its importance even further. As business owners and investors, we are not exempt from the compounding effects of poor mental health if we do not take the time to understand these issues and how they can negatively impact us, our businesses and families.
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Every year, the first week in August is a time of reflective celebration for me. I celebrate the choices I made and the mistakes I didn’t. I take this time to exhale and be proud of my story.
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by Catia Mondlane, Founder Estética & Cosméticos
When I decided to open a natural cosmetics firm, I was aware that I really had to study and understand at all levels what I was getting myself into. Merely absorbing what people say or think about a certain product they’ve used or had previous unpleasant experiences with wouldn’t get me as far as I wanted. Without discarding how important those were and how they could influence the business’s progression, I really needed to deepen many aspects of each market to bring the ideal visionary concept to life.
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by Dr Ashika Pillay
Most of us are in some way pre-occupied, occupied, or think often about physical fitness, exercise, keeping fit, eating well (even though we may not really..). The physical side of fitness, strength, vitality, and resources - yes? Have you ever wondered if you are looking at, and working on the other aspects of your life with respect to building strength and vitality? What about the mental, emotional, spiritual dimensions as an example?
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Faraja Nyalandu, founder Shule Direct (Tanzania)
Faraja Nyalandu, founder Shule Direct (Tanzania)
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Maria Baryamujura, Founder and CEO of COBATI (Uganda)
Harness your talent!…
Maria Baryamujura, Founder and CEO of COBATI (Uganda)
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Mellisa Mazingi, Managing Director, Gone Rural Swaziland (Eswatini)
Mellisa Mazingi, Managing Director, Gone Rural Swaziland (Eswatini)
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Tlangelani Nkuna, founder, Placement Junxion (South Africa)
Stay true to yourself!…
Tlangelani Nkuna, founder, Placement Junxion (South Africa)
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by Mandisa Makubalo, Unlimited Experiences
Every business leader agrees that INNOVATION is important, yet they cannot agree on what it means? It has become a rather confusing buzzword which has been positioned in a very complex way as it comes in many flavours.
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Dana Mroueh, founder of MonChoco (Côte d’Ivoire)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Meet MonChoco, a proudly Ivorian chocolate brand, reflecting the country’s exceptional terroir.
Côte d’Ivoire is renowned for the quality of its cocoa beans, but up until now, the world has not had the opportunity to widely celebrate those beans in the finest of chocolate forms. But that is rapidly changing as artisan chocolatier Dana Mroueh and her company, MonChoco, are producing a very special raw chocolate brand and range of products that is exciting taste buds in the country.
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