Pam Snyman, a doyenne of South Africa’s real estate industry

January 31, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Pam Snyman, founder of REDZetc (South Africa)

Startup Story

The real estate sector in South Africa is one that is highly competitive, and to build a business that has longevity and importantly a trusted reputation, requires a long and hard road to be travelled. Pam Snyman, founder of REDZetc has done just that, and today she is duly recognized as one of the true doyennes of the real estate sector in the country and on the continent. Not only that, she continues to innovate and to make real and lasting contributions to the future of the sector.

Abai Schulze, Africa’s champion of economic empowerment for artisans

January 31, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

ZAAF, a luxury handcrafted leather and accessories brand creating economic opportunities for Africa’s artisans

Abai Schulze is the Founder and Creative Director of ZAAF, a collection of premium leather goods and accessories handcrafted by artisans across Africa. Her life journey has taken her from an orphanage in Addis Ababa to the United States and the rest of the world. Abai is committed to using her academic background in economics and fine arts from her alma mater George Washington University to create unique and practical expressions of beauty. Abai founded ZAAF in 2014 with the goal of creating economic empowerment to African artisans and a new perspective and standard of global luxury. Her vision is to create unique products people love and want to buy, as this is the most sustainable of approaching economic development.

Your why, your purpose, your vision

January 31, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By the Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

According to the FT (here), there is “a new corporate currency, and it is a composite of three factors: purpose, why [the company] does what it does; culture, what staff experience; and brand, its reputation. The era of non-financial data transparency and advanced stakeholder capitalism is upon us. Corporate stakeholders, from employees and customers to board members, investors, partners and regulators, are calling for greater disclosure of information related to the “four P’s”: people, profit, planet and purpose. All corporations must prepare for a future in which details of their work in these areas are open to all.”

Silungile Mokoena, a South African fashion designer creating much needed manufacturing jobs

January 31, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Silungile Mokoena, founder of Sluvin Designs (South Africa)

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Silungile Mokoena is the passion-driven founder and CEO of Sluvin Designs a fashion house based in the city of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The business was established in 1999 and now employs 6 full time employees and up to 10 part-time employees, contributing to the growth of the sector in the city. It also outsources some of the company’s accessory production to more than 15 women who specialize in beadwork and work from the comfort of their homes mainly in rural areas.

Keep the beat, keep your passion, keep your vision in the groove!

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Mbalenhle Ndaba

Is there a future in blaming your past for your present? You are now aware of the past and its experiences, it is time for you not to ignore the past so you cannot repeat it, and it is time to incorporate push with stillness

Three Lessons Learnt - My life from Corporate to Business Owner of a Franchised Store

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Teboho Seretlo

A little bit about me. I have worked for more than 25 years in corporates since 1989. These included Unilever, SAB, The Coca Cola Company, Momentum and finally Nedbank. I held various positions from being a technical trainee going through the brilliant graduate programmes of these illustrious companies. These positions offered me very well-rounded general management skills, from logistics, financial management, project management, human resources as well as transformation/B-BBEE.

Nanny Trouble

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Phindile Ndlovu–Tapula

Moms - Let’s talk nanny trouble! In the midst of a global pandemic, most of our children are home as schools remain closed. This means we have to get help because for most of us, we are back in the office. I, for one, had to get our nanny back.

5 Tips to financially survive Janu-worry

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Kathryn Main - Money Savvy Kids

We all know the month of January is filled with countless unavoidable worries of the financial kind. Others may feel it more than others, but we all feel it non-the-less. We make lunch boxes for the first time in weeks, we carpool to work, and we stop buying coffee at that gourmet coffee shop on the way to work and instead make it ourselves. Basically, we go into level 1 of survival mode when it comes to our finances due to the crunch we feel.

Quote of the Day by Bella Ikeme

January 25, 2021 Melanie Hawken

“It is my desire that partnership and collaborations are made between our home-grown African brands and more established foreign brands”

Bella Ikeme, founder, ASPIRE Luxury Magazine (Nigeria)

Entrepreneur Advice from Monica Musonda / Start small and keep learning

January 25, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Monica Musonda, founder, Java Foods (Zambia)

Start small and keep learning!…

“It will be hard, not all pieces will be in place, but believe in yourself and your passion and START!.”

Monica Musonda, founder, Java Foods (Zambia)

Michelle Hammond, a woman entrepreneur fusing her Ghanaian culture with modern accessory design

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Michelle Hammond, founder of Ruahh (Ghana/USA)

Startup Story

Often the inspiration to launch a creative brand is drawn from an entrepreneur’s heritage and cultural influences. In the case of Michelle Hammond and her accessories brand, Ruahh, her Ghanaian heritage has provided a rich source of inspiration and symbolism that she is rightly proud of. Today, Michelle’s customers can experience that sense of belonging she feels through her vibrant accessories.

Dr Ola Brown, an impact driven entrepreneur changing Africa’s healthcare narrative

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Company, investing across Africa’s healthcare and wellness value chain.

Dr Ola Brown is the founder of the Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Company (FDHIC). The Group invests and operates across the healthcare and wellness value chain in hospital/clinic construction & refurbishment, diagnostics and equipment, health facility management, pharmaceutical retail, drug manufacturing, air ambulance services & logistics and consulting/healthcare technology.

We Should All Be Millionaires: A Woman’s Guide to Earning More, Building Wealth, and Gaining Economic Power By Rachel Rodgers

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Rachel Rodgers, founder of Hello Seven, and the author of We Should All Be Millionaires, is on a mission to coach women to scale their businesses and their lives to seven figures, and she says it’s time for real change to happen. While ninety percent of the world’s millionaires are men, only ten percent are women, making it difficult for women to wield the economic power that will create lasting equality.

Liz Creates, a South African creative entrepreneur on a mission to help clients find their brand voice

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Liz Creates, founder of Ostara Studio (South Africa)

Startup Story

Every business wants to stand out in the crowd, to reach potential customers with their product and service offerings, and to make their brands resonate in the marketplace. In South Africa, that’s where Ostara Studio, founded by Liz Creates, comes to the rescue, bringing a wealth of specialist expertise in strategic brand communications and design.

Noushinah Ganey, a South African entrepreneur passionate about wellness and aesthetics

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Noushinah Ganey, founder of Cowey Park Pharmacy & Skin Time Aesthetic Clinic (South Africa)

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Noushinah Ganey is the Founder and Managing Director of Cowey Park Pharmacy and Skin Time Aesthetic Clinic. She has been a part of the Aesthetic industry for 18 years and the pharmaceutical industry for 5 years. She has been interviewed on many radio platforms and been a TV personality for 2 years hosting a weekly lifestyle show targeted at females. Noushinah was also recently selected to participate as a panelist for an International Cosmeceutical Company.

Can you see the way forward from within?

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

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by the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept

Kaizen is Japanese for ‘continuous improvement’, literally Kai (change) Zen (good) and has a great following amongst the business community in Japan for whom large scale, sudden and ‘disruptive’ moves are not often encouraged. Kaizen allows them to adapt and grow their businesses over time to keep ahead of the competition. It should be pointed out that ‘Over time’ is a little different in Japan where nine of the oldest companies in the world sit.

Time wasted can never be regained

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thobile Nyawo

Invest time now and not tomorrow. The saying that “time and tide wait for no man” means different things to different people. To some, it is precious and important while to many others, it is common and available when the need arises. The right essence of time is really in the doing and not in the waiting. A time spent in doing something worthwhile always comes back fruitfully. What cannot be allocated time is indeed not worth doing. Certainly, a person who invests time reading and writing is expected to acquire sound knowledge and writing skills. Time is life. He who wastes time has not only wasted life but has also injured eternity. A person who wastes time in doing nothing will eventually end up being nothing. There is no two ways about that.

The New Normal

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Manini Mbongwa

The year 2020 brought about a lot of changes worldwide. Not only did we have to be cooped up in our homes and separated from our loved ones, but some people also lost their love in the fight against COVID-19. People also lost their jobs which meant that they also had to lose their assets like houses and cars, even worse kids had to be taken out of schools not only because of COVID-19 but because parents could not afford to pay school fees anymore.

Making Lemonade

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Marjon Meyer

When life throws you lemons, make lemonade! We’ve all heard this before, but I had a magnificent enlightenment to make this cliché my slogan for the crazy times we all live in. A dear friend living in Dubai visited us some time ago and presented me with a lemon tree as a gift. The fruits this tree bears is a precious gift!

Fundamentals of WhatsApp Updated Privacy Policy

January 23, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lufuno Khorommbi

Why are people receiving messages from WhatsApp informing them to agree to the updated privacy policy terms and conditions? What is happening? Facebook has made changes to the current WhatsApp privacy policy to introduce amongst others the integration of three platforms: WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.