Tear off the rearview mirror, because we’re not going back!

July 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Having screamed ourselves hoarse supporting the incredible Nigerian women's basketball team captained by the amazing @_thenigerianqueen Ezinne Kalu as they lost (only just) to USA in their opening game of the Tokyo Olympics, we remembered that sports has an incredible ability to allow us to transcend our normal, stress-ridden, coffee-induced sleepless nights (oh the joys of being an entrepreneur!). We imagine for a moment that we too could be on the court with Ezinne, obviously ignoring for a moment the 10,000 painful hours of training, gym circuits and mental drive (oh and the hours that our parents would have had to put aside driving us to games and training - as Melanie knows only too well!), that it takes to reach the top of sports or higher still - to have those immortal letters ‘OLY’ after your name…

‘Great’ Comes From YOU!

July 11, 2021 Melanie Hawken

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By Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

The pressure on the leadership of the company is already enormous as we navigate Cash Flow, Regulatory issues, Laws, Covid, HR, Supply Chain…. the list is endless. But having built the company that is producing good results, how do you move your company from ‘Good’ to ‘Great’.

How to delegate more effectively

June 13, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Usha Maharaj

As a business leader, mastering the art of delegation is paramount in order to grow and scale your influence at work. Being unable to delegate effectively will limit your ability to successfully lead a team and increase your impact.

How to Get Money Savvy – Tip 3: Multiple Income Streams

June 6, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Kathryn Main

Gone are the days when the mom stays home to take care of the kids while the dad goes to work. I was fortunate when I was younger because my mom stayed at home. She on the other hand was totally unfortunate. When her and my dad divorced at 40, she had to start her life with nothing, never having worked and having no real skills.

Should I stay or should I go?

May 9, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By the Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept

We were shocked to hear of the passing of Model and Singer Nick Kamen this week at the tender age of 59. The Levi Jeans model and singer shot to fame in the iconic ‘Laundrette’ ad (here).

What return will PR offer your small business or startup?

May 2, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Nadia Hearn

The most important part of understanding how Public Relations (PR) can help your business and brand is to get educated on the role PR plays and where it fits into your marketing plan. Understanding marketing, the different tactics and what each delivers, must inform your strategy so that it is spot on to deliver against your business objectives and marketing spend.

Pricing cringe

May 2, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile

Pricing - I avoid this topic, a lot. It is because it makes me uncomfortable. I have no direct reason, so I know it must be deep and attached to money in general. This is a major issue because I run a business, I make products which I sell, every day. What am I doing? What have I been doing? Ah…sigh… I need to dig deeper and solve this mystery. At some point in my business, my analysis pointed to something off with our pricing, and it is still there. This is because I made a few major errors in the beginning.

My ABC of Business: Tips on how to plan for the year ahead

March 20, 2021 Melanie Hawken

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!!!

Managing performance in the New Distance Economy

December 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

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by Marjon Meyer

The future is not what we used to think it would be…our world is literally infected with new ways of thinking and working. With so many staff members working remotely, the way organisations manage performance has to be adjusted. There should also be a bigger focus on re-skilling and constructive feedback to build confidence amongst staff. Problems and challenges need to be solved differently and creatively.

Quote of the Day by Nunu Mugyenyi

June 23, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Ngyenzi 'Nunu' Mugyenyi, co-founder, Bold Kampala, (Uganda)

“It is often said that a business partnership is like a marriage. Choose your business partners wisely.”

The Power of Focus

April 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Clare Appleyard, founder of Katannuta Diamonds

Four years ago, if you’d asked me what I did for a living, I wouldn’t have a straight-forward answer for you. Quite simply, my answer would have depended on who was asking. I was the classic entrepreneur who didn’t want to put all her eggs in one basket; a euphemistic term for somebody who just had her fingers in too many pies.

Quote of the Day by Lynette Hundermark

March 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken

“In the current competitive landscape, marketers need to optimize around the shift to mobile in order to increase sales.”

Lynette Hundermark, managing director of Useful & Beautiful (South Africa)

Let the business run itself

March 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

Who told you that you can’t do or have it all? Well, I’m here to affirm that yes you can do and have all that you want, just with some simple smart moves.

So, now you’re at home. How to show up to your online meetings.

March 24, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

So, now you’re at home, life has done a 360 and you’re getting used to the ‘new normal’. I want to share some thoughts on how to show up to your meetings as your best self, because this will all come to an end at some point and life will resume back to what it once was. You need to take ownership and accountability for how you conduct yourself over this period, especially when it comes to your online meetings.

Can your business survive ‘Speak-Up Culture’?

March 14, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

You’re busy. We get it. You don’t have time to listen to everyone, and frankly some contributions just don’t seem very bright, and you sometimes feel like you just wasted a lot of time and energy on nothing. Then there are the ones who have good ideas but need to be coaxed and cajoled into sharing them - makes you feel like a therapist or a journalist or both! What you really want is for every one on your team to speak up, speak swiftly, speak smartly, so you can make the right decisions promptly and move on to the next big thing. And then after that, you want to keep it moving.

Entrepreneur Advice from Andiswa Silinga: Recognize your weak points

March 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Andiswa Silinga, co-founder of Gemini GIS and Environmental Services (South Africa) — **Andiswa Silinga,** co-founder of Gemini GIS and Environmental Services (South Africa)

Recognize your weak points….

“Surround yourself with a team that will compliment your weakest points, collaborate with other entrepreneurs, and avoid working in silos.”

Andiswa Silinga, co-founder of Gemini GIS and Environmental Services (South Africa)

Entrepreneur Advice from Bernie de Le Cuona: Stay focused on the important things

March 11, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Bernie de Le Cuona, founder of de Le Cuona — **Bernie de Le Cuona**, founder of de Le Cuona

Stay focused on the important things….

“… before you start doing any of the cool things like marketing or packaging, be damn sure the sales are coming in. Be aware of your financials. You might want to be creative and fun, but unless you know how much money you’ve got, how much you owe and how much you’re making on your products, you’ll never succeed. I know those things every day.”

Bernie de Le Cuona, founder of De Le Cuona

Entrepreneur Advice from Katy Valentine: Get help

March 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Katy Valentine, founder of Katy Valentine Collection (South Africa) — **Katy Valentine**, founder of Katy Valentine Collection (South Africa)

My biggest piece of advice…

“… have a business plan from the very beginning and get help when and where you need it. I am not so good at running my accounts, so I have an accountant to help me keep everything in order. It’s relieved a lot of pressure and I think it’s incredibly important to make sure that every aspect of your business is running smoothly, especially the areas you struggle with.”

Katy Valentine, founder of Katy Valentine Collection (South Africa)

Aim to be the best, not the cheapest

March 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Clare Appleyard, founder of Katannuta Diamonds

Invest in becoming the best in your industry. Offer the extras that nobody else does. Be the expert that people want to buy from. Focus on quality and not quantity. Price yourself fairly but know your value.

Building a company for longevity

February 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken

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Impact Partner Content: Absa | by Riaan Petersen, Head of Business Banking Segment Solutions, Absa Retail and Business Bank

You’ve done it. You took that first step, raised funding and ventured into the world of entrepreneurship. Operating in our current environment though is not easy. With growth in emerging and developing economies likely to remain slow, other possible challenges such as late payments impacting your cash flow and/or lackluster demand from buyers – building a business requires boldness and resilience.