Close that back door!

August 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Having seen (and discussed over the past month) the terrible effects on our businesses from Covid and the terrifying effects of global warming on our planet that we see each evening on the news, we could be forgiven for thinking that these are the worst things that are going to happen to us. As Humans we tend to concentrate on the most recent shocks and our memory tries to protect us as much as possible from the old by pushing previous fears deep into the background and then builds walls around them.

10 Facts About Wills (including some that could save your loved one’s time and money)

August 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Claire Keet & Sinal Govender

Your will is arguably the single most important legal document you could have in your “life.file” of legal life stuff. It’s a good idea to have a solid grasp on what a will is and what function it serves before signing yours.

Stop Calling Motherhood a Full-Time Job!

August 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu-Tapula

Motherhood is not a full-time job, and it is not a job, period. I often hear and read people calling Motherhood a job and I get really offended. I get offended because I wish it were, but it is not, okay? It is not!

Building businesses in the virtual world

August 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

Business visionaries are inventive, imaginative and risk-taking by definition, so building up a business in or following a pandemic doesn't scare them away. The pandemic showed numerous such visionaries that keep up with their actual wellbeing and develop new business frameworks. In 2020, buyers looked to discover innovative solutions online to forget their challenges, and virtual exercise classes and online courses entered the market with a flourish.

A love letter to a self-starter

August 14, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Clementina Busayo

I’m that girl figuring out life as she grows, asking questions to help her find her way, taking little steps daily, making mistakes but never giving up. I started an ushering agency as a full-time customer service consultant in a bank. I realized only a few people pursue their ideas - either it is to start a business, an impact project, or pursue a purpose.

Sujata Jaffer, a strategic, client-focused leader in professional services

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Nexia SJ Tanzania, a leading Audit, Accountancy, Tax and Assurance consulting business

The award-winning Sujata Jaffer is highly respected by industry peers and colleagues for her intelligence, strength, passion, philanthropy, work ethics and leadership qualities. Founder and Managing Partner of Nexia SJ Tanzania, Sujata brings more than 20 years’ experience in Accounting, Audit and Tax consulting.

Unprepared to Entrepreneur: A Method to the Madness of Starting Your Own Business by Sonya Barlow

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Sonya Barlow, award-winning entrepreneur and author of Unprepared to Entrepreneur: A Method to the Madness of Starting Your Own Business, believes times have changed. Today you can launch a successful enterprise with your phone, sell through social media and tap into a whole world of opportunities. In her new book, Sonja takes a look at the resilience needed to make it in business, the incredible tax on mental health and the non-negotiable steps to creating a viable business. This is the ultimate guide to side hustling, freelancing and entrepreneurial freedom of the future.

Kunjina Tesfaye, an Ethiopian creative entrepreneur building a proud ready-to-wear fashion brand

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Kunjina Tesfaye is the founder and creative director of Kunjina, a fashion brand established in 2017 in Ethiopia while she was a university student studying construction technology and management. The brand mainly caters to women and also makes some unisex items. Kunjina’s main sales outlet is the physical store located in Addis Ababa, and the business is also on its way to launching an e-commerce site soon. Kunjina currently has five employees working for the brand.

Lioness Launch / New e-verification platform poised to revolutionize farm input certification in Tanzania

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

Quincewood Group Limited is a technology company founded by entrepreneur Fatma Fernandes in Tanzania. The business is focused on the agricultural sector, developing innovations that aim to improve the livelihoods of farmers and even the playing field across the journey from farmer to table. The products developed are done with sustainability in mind. It’s latest innovation, eHakiki, is positively impacting thousands of lives in Tanzania's largest economic sector, agriculture. Its main aim is to ensure that smallholder farmer's incomes are protected.

Control the Controllables!

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

During the last three weeks we have written about our frightening and ever changing world. One in which life will never be the same again (it seems) and one in which changes happen not only with increasing size, but with an ever increasing speed. How this will impact in the long-term for some of our businesses remains to be seen, although for many of us, we have already felt at first-hand the immediate results.

Be a risk-taker as an entrepreneur

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Helena Naitsuwe Amadhila

Entrepreneurs are creative and innovative individuals with unique eyes to see opportunities and create wealth. In order to persist and succeed, it is imperative for entrepreneurs to be risk-takers.

Guilt, The Unnecessary Trip!

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Nontobeko Mbuyane

How many times have you agonized in guilt over a "bad" decision? Or lay awake at night stressing about how you treated someone, or words you said, or food you ate? Clearly lots of times, as the rest of mankind anyways. This week one of my memories on Facebook popped up and I found this post I had written years ago.

Am I really cut out to be an interpreter?

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thuli Zikalala

Finding your Purpose - it starts here with finding your why. It was around 2014 when I decided I wanted to interpret full-time. I had several career options to choose from: either build on my psychology foundation; explore the education sector; or stick with interpreting and develop my skills.

Where do I fit in?

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser

Many a business woman struggles with self-talk that can be very negative! This is only going to make you give up on your dreams to early. The exact same happens with our finances and our investments. We see a bunch of figures and notifications of investment growth or no growth and nothing looks good. Even worse, your neighbour and her business is flourishing. All around you it seems chaotic! People all trying to get to the top, struggles to be first and now to conquer our new world first!

Poised for Exit: A Woman Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Transition by Julie Keyes

August 1, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

For all those women entrepreneurs who have built a business and a brand, but for whatever reason now need to plan their successful exit, help is at hand thanks to the great new book Poised for Exit: A Woman Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Transition by Julie Keyes.

Johanna Makgalemele, a powerhouse leader in global executive travel

August 1, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Travel with Flair, a leading South African personalized travel management service

Johanna Makgalemele is an accountant and B Comm graduate from Rhodes University. She is the co-founder of Travel with Flair, a company she started in 1996 with her two partners. TWF employs over 780 people (before Covid) with offices throughout South Africa and won Most Empowered Business of the Year. She is the first person from the African continent to sit on the Global Tourism Board (ACTE) – Association of Corporate Travel Executives where she represented the Middle East and Africa. Johanna has been blessed with many business accolades from “Most Influential Woman in Business and Government in Tourism” to EY Emerging World Entrepreneur of the Year. BWA recently awarded her “Business Woman of the Year” award, and she was also awarded by SA Style awards “Most Stylish Business Personality” of the year. She has been elected to sit on the ASATA Board as Vice-President for 3 years consecutively. Philanthropy is very important to Johanna and she chairs the board of the Salvation Army and assist with fundraising for their abundant children’s homes.

Lioness Launch / South African experiential telemedicine platform, Kids Dialogue, launches Edu-Bump Support, a whatsapp support group for moms-to-be

August 1, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

Kids Dialogue started off as an experiential telemedicine platform in South Africa to empower parents and children from a mental health perspective. However, co-founder sisters, Candice Lambert and Kim Bergh, saw needs that existed hinging on mental health, such as behavioural optometry, occupational therapy and research. Their ground-breaking business mental wellbeing offering is unlike any others that have featured in their market. They have seen the linear models that are implemented and that don't create long-lasting sustainable results. Additionally, families are at home predominantly due to Covid and so there is a big need to create boundaries but empower and grow into a powerful CONNECTED network or family. Kids Dialogue has products and services that transcend the normal way of looking at wellbeing. For Candice and Kim, it not just about sitting in therapy, it’s about actively working at and grappling with what the future requires of us and our kids.

Fatou Sarr, a Senegalese entrepreneur turning aloe vera into a natural cosmetics and food supplement brand

August 1, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Fatou Sarr is an entrepreneur and the founder and ceo of Takhar Aloè Véra which is a company producing and processing aloe vera into cosmetic products and natural food supplements. She is also the ceo of its market gardening business which focuses on agricultural production. Fatou was born in the region of Fatick in Senegal and her entrepreneurial journey started after she completed her scientific studies in high school, where she took professional training in computer networking. Today she is also a computer network technician.

Hortense Mbea, a Cameroonian entrepreneur building an African lifestyle brand

August 1, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Hortense Mbea, founder, Afropian (Cameroon)

Startup Story

Hortense Mbea is a professional interpreter as well as a creative entrepreneur from Cameroon and the founder of lifestyle brand Afropian which was launched in 2017 in in Addis Ababa. A true nomad and multicultural woman, she was born in the USA and lived in many countries, while always staying very connected to Africa. The Afropian brand is Pan African and it gave Hortense the opportunity to bring together her passion for art and creativity and her mission to promote African excellence and unity. She gained international recognition with coverage from Vogue Italy, was invited to take part in prestigious events such as Addis Ababa Fashion Week and many shows and panels. Her vision is for the world to «Wear Africa Proudly », which is the motto of her brand. She fulfills her mission by providing quality, unique pieces which tell many stories of African tradition and are 100% Made in Africa.

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