the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Moyosola Kara
In celebration of International Women’s day this month, I spoke to 7 women holding senior positions in the Tech industry while concurrently running thriving side businesses and (or) social enterprises despite their incredibly demanding schedules.
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Judy Piatkus
Book Review
Ahead Of Her Time: How A One Woman Startup Became A Global Publishing Brand is the inspiring memoir of female entrepreneur Judy Piatkus, who acquired the book series that inspired the global #1 Netflix hit, Bridgerton. She founded her business, Piatkus Books, in her spare bedroom back in 1979. Determined to empower women’s voices as a single-mother with a child with learning disabilities at a time when being a self-made, female entrepreneur was rare, Judy defied expectations. Through her determination, Judy influenced, shaped, and gave rise to the cultural and professional perception of personal growth and mind, body spirit publishing.
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Samukelisiwe Moralo
Lioness Launch
A South African black-owned small business since 2015, Pristine Home Interiors has had a singular goal since its inception; to create signature and statement pieces and spaces. Each design in its showroom has been personally selected by the company’s boutique team with the South African lifestyle and aesthetic in mind. Founder Samukelisiwe Moralo, together with her co-founders Sthembile Ndaba and Sphamandla Ndaba have carefully curated a selection of designs that reflect their incredible country and way of life. Pristine Home Interiors is launching its new showroom based in the trendy design district of Kramerville in South Africa, with an Interior Design service that offers custom made furniture at a reasonable price.
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Itumeleng Tshikalaha, founder of 132 Art Gallery (South Africa)
Startup Story
If you have ever visited an art gallery in Africa, you will know that there is a vibrant and growing art scene on the continent and one that is exciting art collectors both at home and abroad. In South Africa, the 132 Art Gallery, founded by entrepreneur Itumeleng Tshikalaha, aims to promote the work of talented established and emerging African artists to discerning collectors.
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Impact Partner Content - Absa
Everyone loves to take a vacation during the year, but often when the time comes to stop work and take a trip, funds can be in short supply. In South Africa, entrepreneur Millicent Motsoeri, co-founder of Heita Ngamla Holidays, has created a vehicle for customers to pre-pay for their vacations over time, making them more accessible to everyone.
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Startup Story
Girl Spectrum is a non-profit organization movement founded by Nicole Natasha Magerman. Nicole founded Girl Spectrum at the age of 25 running it as a labour of love and devotion for gender equality. Girl Spectrum was founded in 2021 and has a world scale vision of creating awareness around not only women empowerment but also building confidence in our women of today. "Self-Care is Health Care", believes Nicole Magerman. As she says, “Feminists, women activists, let us gather here and conquer!”
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Christine Khasinah-Odero, founder of Supamamas (Kenya)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Every mum and mum-to-be knows how important it is to learn as much as possible about being a parent and caring for those precious little ones. Seeing a gap in the market for a focused online and event platform that would bring the best information, networking and support for mums in Kenya, led to entrepreneur Christine Khasinah Odero creating Supamamas, a destination of choice for discerning mums.
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By the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
March 10th was a big day in Europe. On that day the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulations came into force, requiring “…investment funds to show how sustainability risks are incorporated into their investment decisions. This applies not only to fund managers, financial advisers and many other regulated firms in the EU, but also to non-EU [finance] managers marketing into the EU.”
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By Angelique Adcock & Dr Alison Hofer
Yes, let’s talk about YOU. The minute you were born, your life in this world began and things and people around you changed to accommodate and support you. As you grew up and started taking responsibility for yourself you started to recognize who you are and what drives you and what makes you happy.
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by Emily Kandanga
There’s a reason why most fitness and health goals turn into pure and utter nothingness in a matter of a few weeks, especially this time of year. Sure, change is hard, but it’s also not acceptable to pigeon hole your goals before they even start with magical quick fix mindsets that leave you worse off than ever before.
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By Jess Mostert
Boy! It really doesn’t take much thought or consideration to identify 2020 as a STINKER of a year. In fact, at first thought and at a glance, it is probably the WORST year most of us have ever experienced. There is no denying that it has been filled with loss, devastation, and broken moments (maybe even days, weeks or months). The hardest loss faced by far too many people would be that of loved ones: friends and family gone far too soon. It is difficult to see the beauty in anything with that amount of pain. Overcoming loss of that magnitude takes great courage, but the grieving process often offers us the beauty of reflection; reflecting on a life lived, a person loved, memories shared and lessons learned.
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by Lizl Naude
2021 is underway and it couldn’t have arrived sooner and come as a lifeline for most, as we all struggled to make sense of 2020. Just imagine we didn’t have TIME. Or imagine that we didn’t measure time in years and it just kept on going - an on-going year that never ended!!!
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By the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
“If knowledge is power, knowing what you don't know is wisdom.”, so wrote Adam Grant, the renowned professor of psychology at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in his new book, “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know,”. One of the basic frustrations he has is that: Too many people in the world listen to opinions that make them feel good, instead of ideas that make them think harder.
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Chantal Potgieter
Lioness Launch
Themba Travel, founded by entrepreneur Chantal Potgieter, designs and offers transformational tours to give guests an authentic South African experience. The company offers tours in Cultural, Conservation, and Volunteering within South Africa, and is intentional in what it wants visitors to see and experience as it takes time in crafting our tours. The company is launching The Beautiful Mix tour, a combination of three main experiences (Cultural, Community, and Conservation) This 12 day, 11-night tour is designed to give guests a taste of the diverse culture, connect them with local community projects, and experience a Safari within a wildlife conservation area. It is also a great opportunity to explore the best of cosmopolitan Cape Town in the south and the best of the north in Johannesburg.
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Amanda Obidike, founder of STEMi Makers Africa (Nigeria)
Startup Story
The impact that STEM can make in the lives of young people, particularly women and girls, on the African continent cannot be underestimated. STEMi Makers Africa, founded by Amanda Obidike, addresses the existing leaky unemployment pipeline, the underrepresentation of young women and girls in STEM. and the fragmented education system by training teachers and students in STEM Education.
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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.
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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.
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Renchia Droganis
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.
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Liv Conlon
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.
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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.
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