Affiong Williams, an award-winning, innovation-driven agribusiness entrepreneur
Affiong Williams
'Divinely Discontent!'
by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
“One thing I love about customers is that they are divinely discontent. Their expectations are never static – they go up. It’s human nature. We didn’t ascend from our hunter-gatherer days by being satisfied. People have a voracious appetite for a better way, and yesterday’s ‘wow’ quickly becomes today’s ‘ordinary’. I see that cycle of improvement happening at a faster rate than ever before. It may be because customers have such easy access to more information than ever before – in only a few seconds and with a couple taps on their phones, customers can read reviews, compare prices from multiple retailers, see whether something’s in stock, find out how fast it will ship or be available for pick-up, and more. These examples are from retail, but I sense that the same customer empowerment phenomenon is happening broadly across everything we do at Amazon and most other industries as well. You cannot rest on your laurels in this world. Customers won’t have it.”…and so wrote Jeff Bezos in his 2017 letter to Amazon shareholders. Since then the world has just got significantly faster, customers more demanding for higher quality, lower prices and more speed, until Covid hit the reset button and the world stopped for breath.
Read moreWhy interpreters Should Think and Act Like a Brand
by Thuli Zikalala
BrandSimple is a book I highly recommend for any individual or company that would like to be recognised as a successful brand. Everyone is a brand – the key is to start thinking and acting like one. Allen P. Adamson, the author, explains how the best brands keep it simple, and as a result enjoy huge success.
Read more7 Strategies to Position Yourself For Board Opportunities
by Naike Moshi
Are you an accomplished entrepreneur or experienced leader looking for board opportunities? Here are the seven strategies on how you can position yourself for board opportunities if it is one of your career goals.
Read moreAdvancing Previously Disadvantaged Women In Private Security
by Ntsoaki Sibiya
The Security Industry sector is becoming an increasingly critical source of jobs as the rate of unemployment among women increases. The unemployment rate among black African women stands at nearly 41% compared to 32% among men. These disparities are not only the product of a profoundly unbalanced economy, they also contribute to gender inequality in society.
Read moreThe Nanny Saga
by Brigette Mashile
A few years ago, I told my friends I would never have a live-in nanny in my house, and it made sense then. I didn’t need a live-in nanny! We had a lady who came in once every 2 weeks to do our laundry, which eventually became every week as I got busier. Also, the laundry became the entire house very fast, because honestly, I don’t want to wash dishes after stitching dresses and having fittings with different clients.
Read moreVanhu Vamwe, co-founded by award-winning Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, launches its new handcrafted handbag collection
Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri
Lioness Launch
After 6 years off the design scene developing a framework around ‘Care in Design’ and ‘Putting People First’, a PhD and two years of design development, Vanhu Vamwe is back!! The collection designed by co-founder Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, together with husband and co-founder Simba Nyawiri is ‘MACRAME LUXE ON WHEELS’. The Multi Award Winning Brand has combined its love for storytelling, traditional craftsmanship and community to bring for the first time ‘A Made In Zimbabwe’, 100% Handcrafted Collection. During a pandemic, with impossibilities all round, Vanhu Vamwe established the first Macrame Community in Zimbabwe, bringing permanent employment, healing livelihoods and bringing hope to many families.
Read moreJolene Roelofse, a South African influencer marketing expert managing campaigns for businesses and brands
Jolene Roelofse, founder, Fluence Africa (South Africa)
Startup Story
As a marketer for over 18 years, and after running her marketing and communications company since 2010, Jolene Roelofse, realized that there is a need for a focus on influencer marketing, that can be measured, outside of only the number of followers. Influencers who can be used for their reach and engagement with their audiences, to relay information about brand products and services. This led to the start of Fluence Africa.
Read moreKintu Jovia, a Ugandan entrepreneur building a local organic hair care brand with big ambitions
Kintu Jovia, founder, Kia Cosmetics (Uganda)
Startup Story
Most successful haircare brands start because they look to solve a problem for consumers, and in the case of Kintu Jovia, founder of Kia Cosmetics in Uganda, that was certainly true. Her inspiration was to give consumers the choice to use chemical free products that would be good for their hair and the environment.
Read moreFade Ogunro, a digital pioneer empowering gig workers in Africa
Fade Ogunro
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Bookings Africa, a digital work platform connecting clients to skilled professionals in Africa
Fade Ogunro is the founder and ceo of BookingsAfrica.com, a pan-African digital work platform that enables African service providers, agencies and professionals digitize and monetize their skills by connecting clients efficiently and transparently to skilled professionals in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. As a leading technology platform, Bookings Africa is the only African freelance marketplace with a video call feature that allows clients and Brands connect with service providers from procurement, payment to service delivery which is rendered end-to-end, online. Fade has over 15 years of experience in media and technology, and most recently is also the Africa Chair for the Cherie Blair Foundation. She is dedicated to the pursuit of gender equality, digital gig work opportunities and African prosperity. Her vision is to produce self-sustainable and dignified work through digital work for over 5 million Africans.
Read moreThe Making of a Successful Business Woman by Telishia Berry
Telishia Berry
Book Review
Publisher and entrepreneur, Telishia Berry, author of the book, The Making of a Successful Business Woman, believes that women can empower themselves by being their own boss lady, a self-sufficient woman who creates and thrives in her own business. Telishia encourages women to take control of their lives by building their own businesses and finding their independence by doing what they love and turning that into a commercial success story.
Read moreConcentrate on what you do best and ‘EaaS’ the rest!
by Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept
There was a time when if you wanted to travel from Kenya to New York, the only option was a boat. Telegrams were the fastest way to get a message any distance and if a child left to study or live and work in another country, an occasional letter would be all that one could hope for. These days we have got as close as possible to Teleportation (moving from A to B instantaneously), without actually climbing into a machine and being transported to another place, as Zoom/Teams have become commonplace. We are now suddenly ‘transported’ into the office or living room of another with such ease. Indeed perhaps teleportation is not so far off - they have recently invented the ability to have a hologram placed in front of you that you can touch and the sensation will be just as if you are shaking their hand - incredible! Of course not everything is changing - on the subject of letters home (or occasional zoom), to be fair in this area - plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose!
Read moreBenefits Of Improved Business, Work and Accounting Processes With Cloud Accounting
by Charmel Flemming
Adapt or die. That was the theme for businesses throughout 2020 and 2021. If it has taught us anything, it's that businesses and companies who took the chaos, uncertainty and vulnerability of the last two years and turned it into opportunities to learn, pivot and regroup were the real survivors of the pandemic onslaught.
Read moreTwo Post-Pandemic Businesses You Can Start Today
by Catia Mondlane
The current pandemic has opened up the entry way for new and extended business openings as purchasers adjust to post-COVID life. The effect of COVID-19, especially on the business world, couldn't have been anticipated yet has been an amazing learning experience—particularly for trying business people. Social distancing and remote work have constrained customary in-person businesses like eateries, physical retail and event organizers to get innovative with arrangements and stay relevant, while additionally opening a universe of opportunities s for entrepreneurs to meet shoppers' new and developing needs.
Read moreLosing Your Job or Income Can Be Hugely Crippling
by Paula Quinsee
So many people’s jobs have been impacted financially by the pandemic either by having to take salary cuts, being made redundant due to the financial impact on business, or sadly business having to close down because they just couldn’t find a way to keep their doors open anymore.
Read moreYou Are What You Say You Are
by Phindile Ndlovu-Tapula
I lovingly challenge you to randomly ask people how they are doing. I bet you the majority will be complaining! I used to have a habit of replying “Eish, I am trying” until someone asked,” When are you ever good or well?” I was stunned, I was good and well most days, but I often felt the need to not say it and opted for this mediocre which served my mental wellbeing in no way. Because I was saying it , I ended up feeling it. I was going about my days barely making it, surviving, trying.
Read moreOH SH*T, I’m in Sales?: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Making Sales Your BFF by Susan Trumpler
Book Review
OH SH*T, I’m in Sales? An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Making Sales Your BFF by Susan Trumpler, solves a problem that is very easy to understand. Women entrepreneurs do not go into business because they have been dreaming of being a sales professional, right? They go into business because they are passionate about helping people and have amazing products or programs they want to put out into the world. But the problem is that if they don’t make friends with sales, they won’t have a business. End. Of. Story.
Read moreThuli Zikalala and Yellow Owl win recognition at the New Generation Digital Awards
Awards and Accolades
The New Generation Digital Awards took place in South Africa in September 2021, a ceremony to recognize and honour independent social and digital media campaigns and initiatives in the country. MC for this year’s awards was the renowned South African Actress, Singer and Songwriter; Relebogile Mabotja, who announced this year’s Silver award for Best Use of a Podcast/Vlog to Promote a Brand or Event going to the Blind History Podcast, produced by CliffCentral.com and Taylor Blinds and Shutters, with sign language interpretation by Thuli Zikalala and Yellow Owl.
Read moreSafietou Seck, a fashion entrepreneur from Senegal blending African and Western cultures in her designs
Safietou Seck, founder of SARAYAA (Senegal)
Startup Story
There is a growing interest by textile lovers around the world in discovering handwoven fabrics from the African continent, and this interest is something that Safietou Seck, founder of SARAYAA, is tapping into with her business. Her clothing line effortlessly blends contemporary design with the inspiration of beautiful handwoven fabrics from the African continent.
Read moreRokhaya Diop, an entrepreneur building a new approach to customer service evaluation in Senegal
Rokhaya Diop, co-founder , NoterKo (Senegal)
Startup Story
Every business knows that getting feedback about customer service and measuring customer satisfaction is key to success. In Senegal, Rokhaya Diop and her co-founder of NokerKo, have launched a platform where users can rate the quality of customer service for public and private companies.
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