the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Michèle Mianza, founder of 2mk Healthcare (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Startup Story
Technology has become a real gamechanger in the world of healthcare, providing those in need with access to medical advice and healthcare professionals via apps and digital platforms. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, entrepreneur Michèle Mianza, founder of 2mk Healthcare empowers people to manage their health journeys using technology.
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Mimi Shodeinde
Miminat Designs, a groundbreaking interior architecture and design business reimagining form and function
Mimi Shodeinde is a British Nigerian artist, designer and entrepreneur, born and raised in London, Mimi’s passion for art was developed at a young age. Winning awards for her artwork she went on to complete her degree in Interior Architecture at Edinburgh. She has worked and collaborated on a wide range of projects both nationally and internationally, from interior architectural projects, furniture design, lighting and product design spanning The UK, Europe, The Middle East and West Africa. Mimi’s drafting and painting skills together with her artist’s eye allow her to break down the relationship between form and function where art and design intersect. She draws on her diverse influences and background to manipulate the use of space through both form and placement defying categorization. Her style is fluid, sophisticated and functional but seeks to imbue each project with a personality of its own.
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Sam Shepard as Chuck Yaeger in The Right Stuff. Photograph: Ronald Grant Archive
From the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
The Lionesses of Africa has a user community of over 1.1 million inspirational African Female Entrepreneurs owning and running businesses from all countries of Africa, from SME’s to large multinationals, employing thousands…and across all industries. We even have an ever growing membership in the Diaspora such as the US - currently above 100,000.
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Emma Isaacs
Book Review
Winging It by entrepreneur and author Emma Isaacs is a powerful call for women everywhere to forget perfectionism and start winging it. Emma forgot to draw up her life plan. She doesn’t have a list of five-year goals, and she doesn’t believe in work-life balance. Yet somehow she’s managed to found a multimillion-dollar global organization, become a highly sought-after speaker and media commentator, and be recognized as a prominent voice in women’s leadership―all while raising six young children. So how does she do it all? She dives in headfirst and wings it.
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by Lizl Naude
She asks politely, “How is business?” Maybe you think you care when you ask, but ironically this could arguably be one of the most insensitive questions to ask an entrepreneur. I look at her and in a matter of seconds all my entrepreneurial challenges flash before my eyes. I smile and say, “Business is great! Thanks for asking!”
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by Tatenda Rungisa
The year 2020 has been filled with a lot of uncertainties, low productivity levels and time loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic which hit the whole world at large. Most businesses dwindled and some only survived by grace. In all this, it meant business owners, entrepreneurs, and employees as well, have worked tirelessly throughout the year to ensure they survive. That said and done, it is a few days to end 2020 and start on a new slate, and it is only proper for every entrepreneur to unplug and take time for self-care.
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by Lori Milner
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… Including you.”
– Anne Lamott
If you asked me what fuels my soul and brings me to my happy place – it’s travel. It isn’t just about arriving at the destination but everything that comes before it. The planning, the research and getting immersed in the culture. In the beginning of 2020, my husband and I had a very exciting trip planned to Italy in June to celebrate a cousin’s wedding in Florence. The kids were going to stay with their granny for the week; any parents reading this – you can understand the added bonus! I was dreaming about cooking courses, writing in Italian coffee shops on cobble stone pavements – you get the picture!
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by Tlholo Mabelane
Do entrepreneurs fail because they are discouraged, or are they discouraged because they fail? Well, for many of us when we embark on our journeys towards our goals and dreams we go in with what feels like a healthy sense of sober understanding that it will be an all-encompassing journey. We expect to have challenging days, we don’t anticipate a silver spoon feeding, and are ready to put in the work. We hold a posture of possibility and we do what we can as best as we can.
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Zamaswazi Mfisi, founder, Indilang (South Africa)
Chrissa Amuah, founder of AMWA Designs (UK/Ghana)
Get ready for the long haul!…
Chrissa Amuah, founder of AMWA Designs (UK/Ghana)
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Catherine Mahugu, founder of Chiswara (Kenya)
Catherine Mahugu, founder of Chiswara (Kenya)
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Xoliswa Hlongwane, founder of XO Collection (South Africa)
Put those building blocks in place!
Xoliswa Hlongwane, founder of XO Collection (South Africa)
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Startup Story
For travellers who want to visit Cape Verde for vacations or business, help is at hand thanks to the team at Resermar Reservas Online, the country’s first online integrated booking platform co-founded by Leidimara Ramos. This one-stop-shop platform assists not only visitors, but also those smaller suppliers on Cape Verde who want to connect with potential new customers.
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Jamie Kern Lima
Book Review
In Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable, Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics, shares the wild but true story of how a once struggling waitress turned her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation. She eventually sold the company for over a billion dollars and became the first female CEO of a brand in L’Oréal’s 100+ year history.
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Sibongile Mtsabe, founder of Sibocali Traders (South Africa)
Startup Story
Getting access to good, affordable and nutritious food that can also help in addressing obesity, diabetes and malnutrition is a challenge for many communities in South Africa. For entrepreneur Sibongile Mtsabe, founder of Sibocali Traders, that challenge provided the inspiration for the launch of her agriprocessing business.
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Lesego Mathate, founder of Nena (South Africa)
Impact Partner Content - Absa
The problem of absenteeism of girls in South Africa’s schools due to the lack of sanitary pads is still a real challenge in the country. It is a challenge that inspired entrepreneur Lesego Mathate to start her business Nena in order to address. Her brand of hygienic and affordable sanitary pads is now retailing through major supermarket chains in the country, empowering women and girls to take control of their menstrual health and hygiene.
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Dr. Dorcas Muthoni
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
OpenBusiness Africa, a business transforming African enterprises through technology
Dr. Dorcas Muthoni is an entrepreneur, computer scientist, and founder of OpenBusiness Africa and OPENWORLD. She started her software business at the age of 24 and today it employs 50 people. She is greatly passionate about the transformation of African enterprises through technology. Dorcas is also the founder of the regional organization AfChix, a mentorship and capacity building initiative for women in computing across Africa. Globally, she has been involved and honored in technology leadership by the Internet Society (ISOC) as an Internet Hall Of Fame Global Connector, World Economic Forum (WEF) as a Young Global Leader (YGL), AnitaB Institute as a Change Agent Award Winner and the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Spain as an Honoris Causa.
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Chule Gobodo
Lioness Launch
Chule Gobodo, the Love Activist, creates digital content for the purpose of creating shared healing experiences. Whether it's through her newly launched web series Conversations with a Love Activist, contributing to podcasts, important conversations, and speaking on topics and tools around self-love, self-care, and personal growth, Chule tells personal stories that heal.
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From the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
The title picture this weekend is of the Peters’ Globe (℅ Graphic). The ‘normal’ globe inflates the sizes of regions as they move further from the equator. Since much of the developing world lies near the equator, these countries appear smaller and less significant. On Peters' globe, areas of equal size on the globe are also equally sized on the map - so poorer, less powerful nations are now restored to their rightful proportions. GO AFRICA!
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by Gabriella Von Ille
At Lifa, we spend a lot of time on media training and presentation coaching for our clients. Since lockdown began and Skype, Teams and Zoom became our new best friends, we have received numerous requests for advice on how to come across in the best possible way when “on-camera but remote”.
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