the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Alice Bentinck and Max Clifford
Book Review
How to Be a Founder, by Alice Bentinck and Max Clifford, is an essential guide to equip the next generation of business founders with the mindset and tools they need to take the leap to become globally successful entrepreneurs.
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Fatima Babakura
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Timabee Inc, an accessory brand that redefines luxury in Africa and beyond
Fatima Babakura is the founder, chief executive officer and designer of Timabee, an accessories brand that “redefines luxury in Africa and beyond”. Timabee is a premium women’s accessories brand. Fatima started Timabee at the age of 19 and it has since grown to become a global brand with customers all over the world. Fatima holds a BSc Honours Commerce degree from Canada’s prestigious McMaster University. Fatima has won many awards which include being acknowledged as one of Nigeria’s Top 100 Most Inspiring Women, WEF’s Iconic Woman in 2017, and has been nominated for prestigious awards like Forbes 30 under 30 in 2022. Fatima launched the business in 2013.
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Jolene Grobler
Impact Partner Content / Absa / Relationship Banker Profile - Jolene Grobler
In this week’s edition of Lioness Weekender, we are publishing the second in a series of regular profiles featuring Absa Relationship Bankers whose role it is to support entrepreneurs. The second of our profiles introduces Jolene Grobler, Regional Segment Head: Gauteng and Limpopo, whose area of responsibility within Absa is Relationship Banking: Business Bank.
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Irene Isac Mavie, founder & CEO, Mavie Cosméticos (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Irene Isac Mavie is the founder and CEO of Mavie Cosméticos in Mozambique. As a lover of creativity, her business is focused on the supply of natural and handmade cosmetics which are of good quality. Her business model takes into account ensuring accessibility of the product range for her customers.
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Startup Story
Zvikomborero Jane Chigumadzi is a Zimbabwean based entrepreneur who provides an online grocery shopping and door to door delivery service. She started her enterprise in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zvikomborero Jane sees herself as a fearless woman and a goal getter in life and in business. She is mother to a son Julian, and he is the reason the business was formed, so it was named after him. Zvikomborero Jane calls him her entrepreneurial baby.
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by Phindile Ndlovu-Tapula
Yes, I know you are probably wondering why I am writing again. I have asked that question myself several times too. You see I haven’t been able to write, felt like I have nothing to say and that no one is listening anyway. But something kept pushing to write, so I am here again.
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by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
Totally shocked at the news that we won’t see the incredible, inspirational, the one, the only Serena at Wimbledon again, let alone in other Tennis Tournaments around the globe after the US Open, given her announcement of her impending retirement, or as she says (here): “Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.”. What a career, what an inspiration - 23 major singles titles; four Olympic gold medals; 319 weeks at No 1 in the world rankings; to say nothing of the drive to follow their dreams she gave to millions off the court, that they too could break glass ceilings and follow their passions - no matter the obstacles.
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by Marjon Meyer
Did you leap out of bed this morning? It’s cold… it’s winter, Covid-restrictions limit our movements and business operations, and we’ve learnt to no longer look too far ahead. So, do you even set any goals during these crazy times? If yes, what fuels your progress? This year’s lockdown restrictions and lifestyle is a lot easier for me than last year. I like the “new normal”. Working from home, doing more online shopping to avoid busy malls (buying things we don’t need) and appreciating my own lovely home is a blessing. I’ve learnt to focus on close relationships and live more intentionally. Learnt to not sweat the small stuff.
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by Nadia Absalom
Everything in life is here to teach us. This little bubble of life attended one of our workshops with her dad. She is free, confident, brave, happy and a special soul. She posed many questions, I could only smile...
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by the FutureSoft Admin Team
In this digital age, almost everyone needs to prove their worth online. From small home-based businesses to medium and large companies, you will find everyone vying for online visibility focused on building a successful online and offline business. Every day hundreds of websites are created and launched. So how do you ensure that your website is the one that your target audience clicks on in the list of search results?
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Hope Celeste Howland
Book Review
When embarking on the entrepreneurial life, we all want to be believe that success is possible, but it can be a scary journey for many of us, and that’s where Hope Celeste Howland’s book, Inside Success: An Entrepreneurs Guide To Thriving From The Inside Out, can help. If we want to find fulfillment and joy as we build our businesses and our lives as successful entrepreneurs, we have to start with how we build our strength and resilience reserves on the inside.
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Marina Prinsloo, founder, TICIA Group (South Africa)
Startup Story
For anyone wanting to get ahead in life and in business, having a confident, authentic personal brand is essential, as it encourages better relationship building and creates more opportunities. Marina Prinsloo, founder of the TICIA Group in South Africa, is helping clients to become better versions of themselves through confident and authentic communication, engagement and personal positioning skills.
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Tatyana Moeda, founder, Miss Cake (Angola)
Startup Story
If you appreciate how special a good cake can be, and how a great cake can make any occasion truly memorable, then Miss Cake, founded by Tatyana Moeda in Angola is a business you need to check out. It creates delicious cakes for every type of event, from an afternoon tea to a celebratory party, and is building a great reputation for her products with clients.
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Lalita Purbhoo-Junggee
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Eco Hustle, a business focused on innovation, sustainability and recycling in Mauritius
Lalita Purbhoo-Junggee is a social entrepreneur and award-winning business leader, and the founder and director of Eco Hustle in Mauritius, a business focused on innovation, sustainability and recycling. Lalita studied business entrepreneurship at UNISA and the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and, she is currently pursuing her MBA. She’s a member at the Obama Foundation, serving as country coordinator and she also chairs on the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) regional committee as Sustainable Coordinator. Lalita is a multi-award winner in the entrepreneurship field on the African continent and her accolades include: Seedstar winner for “Recycle Moi Africa” project, May 2022; listed among the 100 Most Influential Young Africans by the African Union Youth Program 2019; Winner of Africa most innovative idea - VivaTech 2019, Paris; National winner & Coup de Coeur Feminin; Total Startupper 2018/19; Women In Africa laureate for Innovative Start up 2018; National & Regional Winner for the 2018 Pan African Awards, SME Sector. On a personal level, she is a mother of three - two girls Elya 1 and Rya 9 and, a boy, Anshwyn, 13. Lalita is also wife to creative entrepreneur and young political activist, Nazeem Junggee.
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Impact Partner Content / Absa / Relationship Banker Profile - Sibongile (Bongi) Macholi
In this week’s edition of Lioness Weekender, we are publishing the first in a series of regular profiles featuring Absa Relationship Bankers whose role it is to support entrepreneurs. The first of our profiles introduces Sibongile (Bongi) Macholi, Area Coverage Manager: Relationship Banking Coverage, Somerset West: Small and Medium Enterprise, Commercial Business and Private Banking at Absa.
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by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
Having followed our own advice and taken some ‘Me Time’, re-reading a few books (‘1984’ was a bit scary even the second time around - all too real!) and turned to some new, we return this weekend refreshed and ready for whatever the world should throw at us. A book of collected poems was gifted to us some years back and recognizing that these should only be read when ready (too early would be a waste), we at last found the time and some might say, the maturity, to bathe in the beauty within.
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by Brigette Mashile
One thing a client will let you have is their opinion. Whether you asked for it or not! In the years I have made dresses for many people, I have gathered a few things that people want which I still don’t have full understanding of. Some of them I have been told why, others it’s just as is. Here is the list:
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by Ashika Pillay
It’s Monday morning, it’s been a rough weekend with a sick child, school activities, and your diary for the week ahead looks messy to say the least. As you walk to your favourite coffee spot and muster up the energy to face reality, you bump into someone you know, as you place your order for your regular latte. “How are you doing?” you ask as you patiently wait to pay. You listen somewhat (in)attentively and exchange niceties, as you both wait to get on your way. While by this point in the day, you may have some semblance of an idea of how your friend is, have you checked in on how you are?
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by Eldari Visser
Reading trail signs might be confusing at the best of times. In order to play it safe, have a buddy. Whether you are in sunny South Africa during winter or summer, in Johannesburg and surrounding areas, in Cape Town with beautiful mountains, taking a stroll in Europe, maybe in wonderful Croatia or in beautiful Scotland - it just doesn’t matter where you go, you need to know the road that you travel on and the ultimate destiny.
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by Helena Naitsuwe Amadhila
An image reflects the business. It is a mirror through which customers will see your business. A mirror provides a visual image which would be visualized in customers eyes. It is an identity to differentiate your business from all other businesses. The differentiation will enable your business to be reckoned with. Therefore, your business image places your business in a great competitive advantage through visual identification which could be easily differentiated from other businesses.
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