Cate Olifant, an award winning South African paint manufacturing entrepreneur

March 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Cate Olifant, founder & CEO of Akani Paints (South Africa)

Startup Story

Paint is big business, something Cate Olifant, founder and CEO of Akani Paints (Pty) Ltd in South Africa, knows all about. Her manufacturing business, launched in 2015, focuses on producing water based paint for commercial and industrial markets. Today, the business employs 8 permanent staff members, many from local townships. Cate has been recognised for her business acumen with the Business Achiever Award 2018 for Emerging Entrepreneur by the Limpopo Business Women's Association of South Africa. She has more than 15 years of business experience as a former contractor.

Emelia Maliti-Ntshwe, a South African entrepreneur manufacturing and retailing unique furniture

March 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Emelia Maliti-Ntshwe, owner of Hands of Ru Haus Interiors (South Africa)

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Emelia Maliti-Ntshwe is a South African entrepreneur and the owner of Hands of Ru Haus Interiors, otherwise known as Ru Haus Furniture Manufacturers, which she launched in 2016. The business has a factory in Mahikeng and showroom in Hartbeesport. Emelia has a background in communications having studied for her BA Communications and Masters Of Business Administration (MBA) In Leadership And Human Resource. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, she ventured into the field of training in Internal Communications, Public Relations, and Leadership Skills, extending her passion for Women And Youth empowerment. She gives talks to graduate and post-graduate students at Universities, Women In Government Departments, and the youth within her community. Emelia also volunteers serving as Chair on the Mahikeng Campus Alumni Support Committee Of The North West University (NWU). She has been recognised with many accolades for her work over the years including being the winner of the prestigious NWU Alumni Awards In Business Leadership 2019, and the winner in Productivity South Africa’s Regional Awards 2019 For Best Emerging Sector: Manufacturing, for her company Hands Of Ru Furniture Manufacturers.

Renchia Droganis, an entrepreneur turning passion into purpose in South Africa

March 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Africology, an ethical beauty brand harnessing nature’s healing power without harming the planet.

Built on the principles of kindness, generosity of spirit and gratitude, Renchia Droganis’ career journey has always been deeply personal – steeped in sincerity, healing and hope. And as a family business that’s been mindfully nurtured and grown alongside her four children, Africology beautifully mirrors this path. Ever since she can remember, Renchia has always known that she’s been called to heal, and one of the most moving chapters in her journey saw her helping victims of South Africa’s turbulent past overcome their deep-seated pain and suffering through therapy and self-empowerment.

Too Big For Your Boots: How I Built a 7-figure Brand as a Young Entrepreneur with No Startup Funds and No Experience by Liv Conlon

March 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

As a then 16-year-old with no start-up funds, no experience, and no track record, Liv Conlon, author of Too Big For Your Boots, built a multi-million-pound business & multi-award winning personal brand in her teens. She also won the coveted UK Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, has interviewed some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs on her podcast. To top it all, she was invited to dinner with the Prime Minister, all before the age of 21.

The Why, What, and How of Building Your Personal Brand

March 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

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by Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho

I am sure you have noticed more and more personal brands popping up and business leaders finding creative and innovative ways to position themselves and their companies. You may be shaking your head at this trend and wondering why you should jump on the band wagon and invest in building your personal brand in the first place…. Indulge me a little, as I demystify the WHY, WHAT and HOW of Building Your Personal Brand…. I promise it will be worth the read.

A Simple Guide to Effective Market Research for Your Startup

March 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Farida Yahya

For any business to succeed, especially a new one making its way into the market, it must be armed with accurate and detailed information. After all, “Knowledge is power!” With the knowledge gleaned from the market research, it provides the entrepreneur with a wealth of information about prospective and existing customers, the competition, and the industry in general. It allows you to determine the feasibility of a business before committing your resources to the venture.

How to become the chief architect of your life

March 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” - Jim Rohn

If you had to design your ideal day from the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep - what does that look like? Some things to consider...

COVID-19 Impact on the Guarding Industry

March 12, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Ntsoaki Sibiya

The coronavirus pandemic is the most challenging situation the security industry has faced. The pandemic has caused an extraordinary degree of business and economic disruption, from local communities to global supply chains—and that’s before you get to the health scare itself and its impacts on families and businesses. The virus has had an impact on the fundamentals of society and security is both becoming critically important and disposable at the same time.

Respond with Confidence: The Business Owner’s Blueprint for Handling Difficult Situations by Nancy Ganzekaufer

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Business coach Nancy Ganzekaufer, author of the new book Respond with Confidence: The Business Owner’s Blueprint for Handling Difficult Situations, believes that if your words have ever worked against you, you are not alone. She says the words you choose can make or break a situation. And the way you use your words (and your body language) can either help or hurt your business relationships. She knows this firsthand. That’s why in her new book she is on a mission to share the secrets to responding to any scenario in business effectively and with confidence.

Judy Maina, a Kenyan entrepreneur manufacturing bespoke leather goods

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Judy Maina, founder Siafu Leather (Kenya)

Startup Story

There is something rewarding in creating a bespoke product for a customer, especially when that product has been handcrafted using the finest raw materials. Siafu Leather, fouded by Judy Maina in Kenya, is doing just that, and her customers are loving the end results.

Kátia Agy, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating edible bouquets for every celebration

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Kátia Agy, founder of The Food Lounge Mz (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Kátia Agy, known as a singer and TV presenter, is also the founder of Food Lounge Mz. The business is focused on making edible bouquets using fresh fruits and chocolates. For the past 7 years, this business has been the main source of income for Kátia, and now also her three employees. Creating a new business concept to present to people in their daily lives has been a constant challenge, but creativity and focus have been winners in such a competitive market! The Food Lounge Mz now has its sights on growth and becoming the largest chocolate maker in Mozambique.

Michelle Adelman, a sustainable technology-led agriculture and food security champion

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Accite Holdings, delivering environmentally and socially responsible food security models to Africa

Accite Holdings LLC is a boutique business development and mission-driven investment firm focused on technology-led agriculture and food security projects in growth markets, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. Accite’s investment philosophy brings together proven technologies with a world-class team and localized business models to create pioneering businesses. For the past nine years, Accite has focused on developing socially responsible agriculture and food businesses including fresh produce and plant-based protein. Accite has operations in Botswana, South Africa, Mauritius and Kenya and continuing to grow into east and west Africa. By deploying technology and products that protect the environment and building businesses with local youth leaders at the forefront, Accite’s approach is anchored to 11 of the 17 Millennium Sustainable Development Goals.

Embrace Curiosity…

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept

“No one can label you a failure when what you are trying to do is audacious. Botching something easy is a failure. Failing in an attempt to achieve something huge is just courageous.”

…as stated by the fabulous Anne Boden, who against all the odds founded Starling Bank in the UK. Read Melanie’s review of her book here and indeed we too wrote around her book in our Blog entitled ‘Dreaming with Ambition’ here, (so clearly we are fans!). But that one message above from her book ‘Banking On It: How I Disrupted an Industry’, is interesting because great leaders do not worry so much about being labelled (Elon Musk, for example, would stay under the duvet if labels concerned him!). What is noticeable is that they encourage their employees, their teams to reach for the sky, to go for the huge, not because they are relaxed about risk, (in fact they respect risk, never fear it), but exactly because this encourages far greater results for their employees and for their businesses.

Rethinking Development in Africa

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Shatho Babitse

The relationship between African women and the economy is a strange paradox globally. Women work two-thirds of the working hours and produce more than half of the food, but only earn 10% of the total income, have less than 2% of the land, and receive less than 5% bank loans.

1 choice + 2 simple words is all it takes to be successful

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

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By Lori Milner

“All overnight success takes about 10 years.” — Jeff Bezos

When you think about success, often it feels like it will come from one game changing decision or one significant event. Someone is finally going discover your talents or give you your big break. The problem with this way of thinking is that you are putting your happiness in the control of someone else’s hands, you are leaving your life up to external factors. When you keep waiting for things outside your influence to drive your sense of accomplishment, it tends to leave you despondent and feeling out of control. You are always future focused and this is where anxiety breeds so it’s definitely not a good strategy.

First Meetings

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie

**“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.” — Maya Angelou**

Life is busy, and days pass by in a flash. Often, I reach the end of the day wondering what the heck happened! It is the most disorienting feeling to know that one has been not just busy, but frantically consumed by activity, and yet we are unable to account for our time and we have made no progress on our own goals.

Woman, arise!

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Nandi Odri Usher

An unapologetic and unstoppable force, a yet to be discovered by the world gem, a game changer, Miss Fidelia Obonetse Masomosomo is a 30 year old beautiful young lady from the village of Mochudi here in Botswana. A young lady on a journey of recovery, re-discovery and re-building her life, her dreams and her purpose. In a world full of players, Miss Fidelia has shown to be a game changer; playing by her rules, running her own race.

Lesego Seloane and Dinah Kgeledi, two South African entrepreneurs turning a passion for botany and horticulture into a thriving landscaping business

February 28, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lesego Seloane & Dinah Kgeledi, co-founders, Ronewa Creations (South Africa)

Impact Partner Content - Absa

Lesego Seloane and Dinah Kgeledi are co-founders of Ronewa Creations Ltd (Pty) in South Africa. This is a family business between a niece and her aunt, respectively. Lesego has a background in Botany, having completed her studies in Biochemistry and Botany at the University of Johannesburg. While Dinah has a background in the corporate world, working in the IT field using her Diploma in IT. She worked for various companies before resigning from her corporate career to fully pursue landscaping as her passion. Once Lesego completed her studies at university, she went into landscaping and Dinah followed too, having studied a few courses in landscaping design and horticulture. The passion they have for plants comes from Lesego’ s gran, Dinah's Mother, who has an eclectic small garden in Soweto. So the two have always seen her tend to her garden over the years and been inspired by her work. They are passionate about creating beautiful spaces for their clients.

Chinwe Ohajuruka, an award-winning Nigerian impact-driven green architect

February 21, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Comprehensive Design Services, an innovation-focused organization building climate resilience through architecture

Chinwe Ohajuruka is a Green Architect and Project Manager who is an ardent advocate for sustainability in the built environment. She is the CEO of Comprehensive Design Services (CDS), an innovation-focused organisation that stresses the importance of building Climate Resilience as a basis of all projects. She is successfully able to work globally through teamwork, technology and travel. In addition to her extensive architectural experience, Chinwe is a green building trainer and coach. Chinwe has worked on several award-winning projects in the United States & Nigeria. She was the 2015 Sub-Saharan African Laureate for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards in France. Chinwe holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. She has also attained four Accreditations from the US, UK and South Africa Green Building Councils.

Do What You Love, Love What You Do: The Empowering Secrets to Turn Your Passion Into Profit by Holly Tucker

February 21, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Holly Tucker MBE, co-founder of notonthehighstreet and creator of Holly & Co, is on a mission to change business forever, and in her new book Do What You Love, Love What You Do, she is on her way to doing just that. Having inspired over 100,000 entrepreneurs and identified the keys to their success, Holly now wants to help anyone build a business doing what they love, leading to a happier and more fulfilled life.