the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Chiinga Musonda, co-founder of Savanna Premium Chocolate (Zambia)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Savanna Premium Chocolate, a bean-to-bar brand putting Zambia on the global chocolate map
Passion is one of the key ingredients to building any successful business and brand. And, in the world of artisan chocolate making, it is one of the Savanna Premium Chocolate brand’s strongest assets, thanks to founders Chiinga Musonda and Lynna Musonda Phiri.
Read more
Thokozile Mangwiro, founder, Nilotiqa (South Africa)
Impact Partner Content - Absa
It is in growing her own natural hair for the past 15 years that Thokozile Mangwiro found her inspiration to create a natural hair care product line. After going to several salons and an endless search of locally produced products that truly work for afro natural hair, it was clear that there was a HUGE gap in the market for professionally formulated products for natural hair. Thokozile, like many other women, struggled with extremely dry hair. This, and the lack of knowledge, led to intense research and experimentation with natural ingredients such as Shea butter and avocado oil for skin and hair. After several years of research, formulations and product testing, Thokozile launched Nilotiqa, a line of products that are proudly made from organic and naturally formed ingredients to deeply moisturize and nourish natural hair.
Read more
by Dalinka von Marées
While on a run a few days ago, I realized with a renewed jolt that I’d been running on autopilot – and that that was very much a reflection of how I frequently go about my days, weeks and months. My brain disconnects from the “rest of me” and embarks on one of its jaunts into multi-streaming: the simultaneous processing of information, conversations, to-dos, reviews, plans, actions…like an endless stream of Matrix-like numbers, figures and letters running across my mind’s eye.
Read more
Mayra Pereira, founder, Gaia EES Consulting (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Many companies are now actively thinking about sustainability in their businesses and in Mozambique, impact driven entrepreneur Mayra Pereira, founder of Gaia EES Consulting, is helping them to make the move towards more sustainable action.
Read more
Jodi Fittinghoff, co-owner, Jodam Manufacturers (South Africa)
Startup Story
Companies looking for customized bags manufactured to the highest standards and produced locally in South Africa know that Jodam Manufacturers, founded by Jodi Fittinghoff, is the place to go. Operating for 35 years, the business has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that produces the highest quality bags with innovative design and creativity at their heart.
Read more
Lioness Launch
South African children’s skincare brand, Raising Uhuru, came into existence when a young and curious first-time mom, Minky Mokapela, was faced with the challenge of her baby’s terrible eczema. The baby’s skin would get so dry that it would develop scabs that would lift and flake off creating a considerable level of discomfort for her, and the only effective products contained steroids. Thanks to her curiosity, Minky began to research natural ways to treat her daughter’s skin after finding out that long term use of steroids had adverse effects. She knew that mother nature definitely had an answer. Using natural oils and butters such as Cocoa butter, Shea butter and Jojoba oil, she created the Raising Uhuru children’s skincare range that is beneficial for all skin types and complexions.
Read more
Miri Rodriguez
Book Review
Written by the award-winning storyteller Miri Rodriguez at Microsoft, Brand Storytelling: Put Customers At The Heart Of Your Brand Story is an actionable guide that goes beyond content strategy. Instead, it demonstrates how to leverage brand storytelling in the marketing mix to strengthen brand engagement and achieve long-term growth, with advice from brands like Expedia, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Adobe and Google.
Read more
By the Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
‘Doing right’ means different things to different people, but in business it is absolutely essential and represents your core values. The above photo showing the impact that UZURI K&Y, the Rwandan business founded by entrepreneurs Kevine Kagirimpundu and Ysolde Shimwe, has had on so many lives as a perfect example of this. So, “What are the core values of your business?” could have been the title this week…
Read more
Indrani Govender, founder, Ricinz Construction (South Africa)
Impact Partner Content - Absa
Indrani Govender is the founder and owner of Ricinz Construction, a business established in 2010 in South Africa which today employs 20 people. The single mother of two boys, Indrani is an award winning entrepreneur recognized for her business and the number of jobs she has created in the community. Her passion is to uplift women and youth and ensure a better life for those who have given up on life. She now strives to create wealth for all her employees.
Read more
Mavis Nduchwa, Founder and CEO, Kalahari Honey (Botswana)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Kalahari Honey, changing the world sustainably, one bee at a time
Mavis Nduchwa is the Founder and CEO of Kalahari Honey, a honey aggregator from Botswana whose mission is to build sustainable communities using bees. Founded in 2015 the company uses beekeeping as a tool to mitigate human and wildlife conflict by training and supplying rural farmers with beehives. Kalahari Honey creates jobs for more than 500 families and counting. Mavis is a former BBC Food Chain 2019 Judge, UN SDG We Empower Awardee 2020, and a 2020 African Business Hero.
Read more
by Charmel Flemming
As I moved gently into 2021, I was extremely aware of the negativity surrounding the impact 2020 would have on us. It was, by all accounts an unprecedented year! My husband and I each run our own businesses from home. We have two daughters aged four and seven. 2020 encouraged us to work smarter and brought us closer as our family shared the same space 24/7, for months at a time. I am by nature, a life-loving entrepreneur, with a positive outlook on life and all the possibilities open to us, just waiting to be grasped and explored.
Read more
By Emily Kandanga
We are a sum of all of our habits. Habits run our lives. Who we are and what we can accomplish are largely dependent on our daily routines and behaviours. You are either getting better and working towards becoming your best self or you’re moving in the opposite direction.
Read more
by Kathryn Main
2021 is the best time to become savvy with your money. We learnt the hard financial lessons last year and now it is time to use those lessons to build a better financial future.
Read more
By Catia Mondlane
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed us in a very uncertain situation, in almost everything and in our daily lives. But the tricky part of this whole situation is having governments that are working to keep their citizens safe, while on the other hand, economies are struggling to remain stable. Nobody was spared, all businesses are facing financial challenges, being forced to adapt to new ways of selling. As we go through the pandemic and organize ourselves for its end, there are several ways for companies to create strategies to make the most of the situation they are experiencing at the moment.
Read more
Book Review
Doretha Howard White’s new book, Quarantine Queens: The Stories of Forward-Thinking Women Entrepreneurs During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, is a book of its time and records one the experiences of women entrepreneurs during one of the toughest business periods on record. It is a collection of inspiring essays written by women entrepreneurs in various stages of their entrepreneurial journeys and how they dealt with the challenges that the pandemic posed for their businesses.
Read more
Femi Oyedipe, CEO & Co-Founder, Loshes Chocolate (Nigeria)
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Loshes Chocolate, adding economic value by processing raw cocoa into luxury products
Femi Oyedipe is the CEO & Co-Founder of Loshes Chocolate in Nigeria, a company birthed in 2015. With a diversified wealth of experience in Biochemistry, Human Resources, Client Relations and Business Management, Femi owns the expertise to successfully manage day-to-day business operations and the organization’s key asset; employees and clients. Having lived and worked in different parts of the world, she has honed the craft for design and aesthetic management and understands what excellent customer service delivery entails.
Read more
Startup Story
In Uganda, if you are looking for the most exciting apparel and home decor brands, then you need go no further than the Bold in Africa retail outlet, launched back in 2012 by co-founders Nunu Mugyenyi, Angel Nkwaya and Janet Mugume. Today, the business is going from strength to strength, now showcasing over forty emerging apparel and home décor brands from countries across the African continent including Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia and South Africa.
Read more
Miranda Abrahams, founder, Birthmark of Africa Wines (South Africa)
Lioness Launch
South Africa is renowned around the world for its fine wine-making, and this month sees the launch of a great new collection of wines from Birthmark of Africa Wines, founded by Miranda Abrahams. Customers can select from a great choice of Red and White wines, Blends and Champagne. The new collection includes Brut Chardonnay MCC – Méthode Cap Classique; Heritage Premium Red Blend; Heritage Premium White Blend; Premium Chardonnay; Premium Chenin Blanc; Premium Merlot; Premium Pinotage; and Premium Pinotage Rose.
Read more
Gladys Kgorane, founder, Caleb's Farm (South Africa)
Impact Partner Content - Absa
Gladys Kgorane is the founder and owner of Caleb's farm in Potchefstroom, South Africa, a niche agri business that supplies farm fresh products, eggs, free range chickens, sheep packages and pork packages for its customers. As a family oriented entrepreneur, Gladys is married with three children, she started her farming business on her smallholding back in 2013. Today she has seen it grow substantially from those early days, and now supplies 30 trays of eggs daily to customers, in addition to a wide range of farm fresh meat and fresh vegetables.
Read more
By Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
Since our previous letter in March on the EU’s move to legislate ESG to all via the financial world (here), where financial companies marketing their products within the EU now have to prove if they are ESG compliant (or not, they do have the choice). To take this seriously at a high level and to show this is not just a tick-box exercise, there is no doubt now (as we foretold) that this will filter quickly through to corporations and their supply chains. The finance world (if it wants the ESG tick) must pay attention, research, investigate and invest with ESG in mind.
Read more