How to Manage Team Members Older Than You

May 7, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Anja van Beek

We currently work in businesses where we find five generations in the workplace. This means if you’re a manager in your 30’s you’re most probably managing team members that are 10 or 20 years older than you. In my career as an HR leader for a multinational business, we have appointed many younger managers based on their leadership potential - not their technical skills - which resulted in them managing older team members. How do you feel about reporting to someone younger than yourself?

Cheers to women

May 7, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

Nowadays, the idea of being an entrepreneur has been the main theme. From small community campaigns to large international platforms which have not only sold the idea that entrepreneurship is the way to success and financial independence, but also recently adopted the inclusive method where women empowerment programs have been the main target of the moment, not just encouraging them but funding their brilliant projects.

Marie Behrens, a serial entrepreneur in Mauritius building a pan-African marketplace for beauty and wellness professionals

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Marie Behrens, founder and CEO, Kipepeo (Mauritius)

Startup Story

Marie Behrens is the founder and CEO of Kipepeo in Mauritius. She is a serial entrepreneur with over 13 years experience developing beauty salons and spas internationally, and with that skillset and passion for the industry she is now building a pan African marketplace that provides beauty and wellness professionals with a management and booking solution to optimize their business. It is the first start up of its kind in Mauritius and has been operational for more than a year, creating a community and business support to over 100 professionals. Her vision is to create equal growth opportunities for these professionals across Africa by using an end-to-end digital solution.

Tatum Billson, a South African baby stroller business and brand builder

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

NoolaBaby (formally known as NulaBaby) is a South African online retailer founded by Tatum Billson that specializes in baby strollers. Since launching the brand, the range has expanded to over seven different strollers (including a twin stroller), and now also sells nursery furniture, rocking chairs, as well as 360-degree rotation car seats and accessories.

Tutuwa Ahwoi, a Ghanaian beauty brand-builder empowering women

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Nokware Skincare, a modern day, sustainable, African skincare company

Tutuwa Ahwoi is the 31 year old founder and CEO of Nokware Skincare. She was born in Accra, Ghana where she currently resides. She founded the business in 2017. Today, Nokware is a modern day African skincare company that has 11 female employees, 8 product lines (and counting) and a successful event gifting business.

Understanding the fuel industry

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content / Absa

Absa has a clear understanding of the fuel industry, which is clearly outlined in our banking solutions. We spend time understanding our clients’ needs within the industry and provide solutions accordingly. We have an end-to-end approach to solutioning the owner’s, business’s and employees’ needs. As a financial services partner to more than 30% of service stations in South Africa, Absa has a thorough understanding of the industry’s intricacies and specific challenges.

Exposure by Felicity Cowie

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

When you are starting out in business, learning the art of media relations can be a daunting prospect, but Felicity Cowie in her new book Exposure, provides a practical and insightful playbook for doing just that. She genuinely empowers entrepreneurs to take control of their own media coverage generation and journalist relationship building instead of having to layout precious cashflow on external agencies. This is a great book that provides all the insider secrets you need to make your business a go-to authority for journalists.

Saving the Earth - one game at a time!

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

With so much going on in the world in the form of Covid shutdowns in China; continued Supply Chain issues; higher prices pushed even higher thanks to a war in what is clearly the world’s and if the massive import needs are anything to go by - Africa’s largest bread-basket otherwise known as The Ukraine; and of course the push-pull within Central Banks over raising interest rates to counter inflation or keeping low to keep recessions at bay (see our warnings on Stagflation here and here); one could be forgiven in our rush to lower electricity pricing by firing up coal fired power stations, for forgetting that the Globe is still suffering.

What are you Avoiding? And, why avoiding difficulties doesn’t work

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Safiyyah Boolay-Jappie

Avoidance is one of the more sinister patterns that we adopt. Firstly, by avoiding the discomfort we’re trying to escape, we ironically make it permanent in our lives. Secondly, as a function of avoidance, we make our power to improve our situation invisible to ourselves. We make the cycle of pain and avoidance perpetual and even permanent for ourselves.

Laughter as medicine

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Kathy Mann

It is well-documented that laughter is good for you. In fact there seems to be quite a movement to stimulate laughter as a mechanism to reduce stress. I met someone once who conducts team workshops to laugh together for this very purpose. In my research on methods of healing, I’ve also come across Laughter Yoga, some sessions of which end with ‘laughter meditation’. I understand the benefits of laughter, but I also know that this is just not for me. Just as some people simply are not interested in meditation or a gratitude journal, forced group laughter is just something I can’t bring myself to do.

The Future I Wanted So Much

May 1, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Erica Paiva

Have you ever found yourself looking into the future imagining what it could be, how it could be, and how happy you can be and years later, living that future, looked back and saw how much you lost? How much did you not feel? How much were you deluded by the dictates of society? Ehhh this is normal and very common believe me.

Proposal benchmarking: The first step to a better win rate

April 29, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Izane Cloete-Hamilton

Whether you work in a large corporate, a small-medium enterprise or own a business, you've heard about benchmarking. Renowned business leaders often highlight the importance of benchmarking to the success of a business.

Bertha Kgokong, a serial techpreneur from South Africa developing software applications and platforms

April 24, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Skhokho is a software development company based in South Africa and launched by tech entrepreneur Bertha Kgokong. Bertha is a self taught developer who graduated with an Engineering degree in 2003 and has spent over 15 years in corporate. Her entrepreneurial journey started in 2017, where she founded Tati Software. Since then she has created numerous software applications, and also runs an online tech learning platform called Skolo https://skolo.online - where she provides free programming lessons on Youtube, and some paid courses on her website skolo.online.

Helen Viljoen, a South African sustainability focused luxury jewellery brand builder

April 24, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Helen Viljoen, founder Nebü (South Africa)

Startup Story

Nebü is a transparently priced, pure investment-grade gold jewellery brand inspired by and made in South Africa by entrepreneur Helen Viljoen. She creates legacy pieces for clients that will not only hold their value but grow in capital appreciation Helen believes this value not only enriches her customers but preserves our precious natural heritage.

Lauren Anderson, a passion-driven entrepreneur making learning accessible

April 24, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Koa Academy, a South African online learning business helping children learn and fulfill their potential

Lauren Anderson is the co-founder and CEO of Koa Academy Online School in South Africa. She founded the business with her husband in January 2021 and today it employs 21 people. Her background is in nursing and health systems, which she credits to teaching her much needed skills in the startup world. Lauren is driven to provide high quality education that is easily accessible and engaging, while creating a work culture for staff that is inspiring and conducive to growth.

She Thinks Like a Boss - Business Affirmations: 200 Affirmations for Women in Business, Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs by Jemma Roedel

April 24, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

If you are a woman entrepreneur who wants to build a successful mindset for positive thinking, growth and banish limiting beliefs, then She Thinks Like a Boss: Business Affirmations: 200 Affirmations for Women in Business, Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs by Jemma Roedel is just what you need to read.

The secret you need to succeed in life

April 24, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Josefa Massinga

Hello Lionesses. Today I am writing about being successful in life, not that what I'm going to write is really the path to success in life. But I believe that from what I'm going to write it can help each of us to find some light. I believe we are all successful in some area of our lives. We have all achieved great goals and victories in certain areas of our lives. Success is in each of us. We have to accept the life we have and know how to say that our life is a great success.

7 Reasons why outsourcing digital marketing will grow your business

April 23, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Nkemdilim Uwaje-Begho

Digital marketing is entirely a world of its own and a digital marketing revolution is taking over the world! It is almost impossible to know every element as it comprises numerous features, limitless possibilities and ever changing features. It is a challenging task to have mastery of the subject when it is not a core business focus.

How to trick your mind into solving business challenges

April 23, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Zodidi Gaseb

I had just moved into my new manufacturing site when Covid 19 hit. We were suddenly plummeted into lockdown and reality struck. Businesses were forced to shut down, strategize and make ends meet in one of the most challenging phases the modern world has ever known. I had to let my team go, we tried minimizing work as sales were not met, but the shift in consumer priorities forced me to evaluate my own priorities.

5 mentors, 7 astounding pieces of wisdom

April 23, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

I am a collector of gems but not the shiny kinds. I surround myself with incredible mentors who guide me and seem to show up when I need them most. Luckily, I am not dependent on actually meeting these incredible people but can access their knowledge whenever I need it. Books are my happy place. Over the years, I have collected valuable nuggets and gems that I often go back to when I need a jolt of inspiration or if I’m feeling stuck.

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