Monica Kabui, a Kenyan marketing expert helping businesses to build their brands

December 18, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Monica Kabui, founder and managing director, TreeAgama (Kenya)

Startup Story

Monica Kabui is the founder and managing director of TreeAgama in Kenya. She is a marketing specialist and an expert in brand building and training. Her business focuses on using marketing as a tool to empower businesses to be the best version of themselves and as a tool to solve business challenges innovatively. TreeAgama is homegrown in Kenya and has been in operation since it launched in 2013 and now has 5 employees. Monica's experience spans 12 years working in three different advertising and marketing agencies and her last stint was design department head leading experiential marketing agencies in the country. TreeAgama is passionate about building brands.

Nara Cardoso Nunes, a pioneer of healthy food bars in Angola

December 18, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Paradise Saudável, a business focused on providing healthy and flavoursome eating experiences in Angola

Nara Cardoso Nunes is the founder of Paradise Saudável, one of the first healthy food bars, located in the heart of the Angolan Capital in Luanda. Nara is a leading entrepreneur in Angola when it comes to offering fast, healthy, natural flavoursome juices, smoothies and a variety of healthy dishes to suit all consumer needs. Nara’s business is focused on using locally produced fruits and vegetables to create tasty and healthy 100% fruit juices, smoothies, detox drinks, salads, soups, burgers, dried fruits foods, all freshly produced in-house.

“I am the soul that lives within…”

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

And so with little or no fanfare, December ’22 arrives. Where did the year go, indeed where did the last 2 years go from early 2020 when we had to look on a map to find this new place Wuhan, to now, Covid; PPE issues; the Ever Given ship that blocked the Suez; Supply Chain issues; a war; grain, sunflower oil and gas problems; to inflation and interest rates rising, all having been deep in our lives for the past 24 months. We could be forgiven for just finding a calm corner of our warehouse and falling asleep for a month in an effort to regain some energy for the battles ahead in 2023.

The Juggle is Real: Finding success and balance as a Mompreneur by Bethany Meadows

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

If you are a Mompreneur, constantly juggling all aspects of your business and personal life, then Bethany Meadows’ new book, The Juggle is Real, will both resonate and inspire. She helps mompreneurs find success at home and in business, so they can achieve fulfillment and balance in both.

Development of entrepreneurial spirit

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Josefa Massinga

Many have heard that "entrepreneurship is a calling." Every human being has or seeks a calling; a specific purpose to live, but it takes focus and understanding to discover that purpose. We often wonder, what is the secret of the most successful entrepreneurs? Simple. The most successful entrepreneurs simply discovered their purpose, found their entrepreneurial spirit, and remained faithful to their calling.

How to get highly valuable shareable content

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Felicity Cowie, author of Exposure

In my earlier blog for LoA, What Exactly is Media Relations, I said there are at least eight mega benefits of media relations for any business to consider:

Gain exposure with zero to low financial investment
Build credibility
Build pipeline faster
Get highly valuable shareable content
Find product-market fit
Become a thought leader and ‘category queen’
Get funding and more funding
Gain external validation

In this series of blogs, I give you more detail and tools to gain each of these benefits.

Festive cheer and temporary staff can be a risk to your business

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Jenny Reid

As we approach December in Southern Africa, we are reminded of the vast difference in how annual holidays are celebrated in the different hemispheres of the world. Here in South Africa, we are preparing for our “long” annual holiday and much celebration over Christmas.

Nokuphila Dlamini, a graphic design specialist in Eswatini helping SMEs to market their brands

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Nokuphila Dlamini, founder, Visibility Graphics (Eswatini)

Startup Story

Nokuphila Dlamini is the founder of Visibility Graphics in Eswatini, an e-commerce business that offers graphic design services to Small and Medium Enterprises in the country. She currently lives in Mankayane, Eswatini and holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts of Journalism and Mass Communication, majoring in Advertising and Public Relations. She also has a Certificate in Digital Marketing.

Adeola Ayeni-Obimakide, a Nigerian entrepreneur growing a successful grocery retail business

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Adeola Ayeni-Obimakinde, founder & CEO, Koreteegold Food & Grocery Ltd (Nigeria)

Startup Story

Adeola Ayeni-Obimakinde is the Founder and CEO of Koreteegold Food & Grocery Ltd in Lagos, Nigeria. She is a serial entrepreneur, a mom, a visionary leader, and a goal-getter with an award-winning business. Adeola is focused on putting a smile on the faces of busy moms and the elderly by providing solutions to their stressful food and grocery purchases and delivery in major cities in Nigeria. She also focuses on the packaging of safe agro products for Nigerians in the Diaspora. Adeola has over 5 years of business experience, as well as over 10 years as a former corporate executive with a multinational company and one of the country's leading banks.

Mary Njoki, an award-winning Kenyan PR agency founder

December 4, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Glass House PR Ltd, a diversified PR agency helping businesses to position their brands in Africa

Mary Njoki is an award-winning entrepreneur in Africa, a thought leader, a PR guru who founded Glass House PR Ltd in Kenya in 2012 at the age of 23. She is an influencer, a technology enthusiast, trainer and mentor through a platform she also founded called a billion start-ups, connector and a leader. She has a background in Mathematics, Business Information Technology, and Public Relations. Mary has worked with renowned brands for over 10 years, and she has been recognized globally for her immense contribution in the field of PR. She is equally feted for her volunteering contributions in the Marketing and PR industry as well. Mary has worked alongside 100+ organizations across Africa and globally. Today, Glass House PR employs 30 people.

Bigger Than You: The Entrepreneur's Guide To Building An Unstoppable Team by Kelly Roach

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Bigger Than You by Kelly Roach is the entrepreneur's playbook to building an Unstoppable Team. Her book breaks down each of the simple steps and proven strategies to take your own team from 0 to hero and is relevant for business owners at any age or stage that want to improve the profitability and performance of their team.If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur that is burnt out, exhausted, stretched too thin trying to do it all....this is for you.

Mary Macheze, a Mozambican entrepreneur turning recycled products into a sustainable business

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Mary Macheze is a Mozambican law graduate since 2016 and registered as a lawyer, however being passionate about the environment and the rescue of traditional moral values, she set up her company, Othuka Eventos in 2019. She considers herself a young woman determined and committed to making a sustainable contribution to the environment and transmitting values that can make today's children into better people of the future. What makes her business special is that it creates and improve a relationship bond between parents and children. It also teaches about Mozambican culture, traditional games and helps to create a sustainable environment, as well as also teaching about the importance of recycling.

Dibo Ndumbe-Eyoh, a Cameroonian entrepreneur building an award-winning luxury fashion brand

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Dibo Ndumbe Eyoh is the co-founder and co-creative Director of Eloli, an award-winning luxury African brand in Cameroon. Eloli means "it is beautiful" in Bafaw, a language spoken in Cameroon. This unique brand has featured in publications like Vogue and Elle and has been worn by numerous celebrities. Dibo founded the business in 2012 with her sisters Sume and Fese, and it now employs 15 full-time employees, many of whom are young women and mothers. The brand also works with various local artisans and skilled tailors. Dibo has almost 20 years of business experience working internationally for leading banks and other financial services as well as consultancy firms.

Lindiwe Nakedi, a South African diversity-focused mining entrepreneur

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lionesses Weekender Cover Story

Gubhani Trading (Pty) Ltd, a South African surface diamond drilling business making its mark in the mining sector

Lindiwe Nakedi is a wife, a mother, and the Owner and Managing Director of Gubhani Exploration, a South African surface diamond drilling company, with over 10 years’ experience in the surface core drilling in the mining industry since 2009. The business employs 20 people. She holds a Bachelor’s degree majoring in Industrial Psychology and Philosophy from the University of the Witwatersrand and completed the New Managers Program from Wits Business School focused on Business Management. Lindiwe served as Chairperson of WiMSA in 2017 and 2018 and is now a Patron in the Organization. She is also the founder and Director on the board of WIMBIZ. On a personal level, she has been married for 17 years to her all-time crush and has 3 children aged 15, 12 and 5.

The odds sadly say No!

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Last weekend we looked at our latest South African Women Entrepreneurs Job Creators Survey launched by the Lioness Data Unit (sponsored by ABSA and once more working with New York University to dissect the information), announcing (amongst other things) that of the 1,340 women entrepreneurs surveyed in RSA, they employed a massive 8,503 people, mostly women, and because of this have an incredible impact across their local communities. A clear sign of the multiplier effect of Lionesses (here).

Access to Information – the quest of getting to the truth

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw

Evidence is the basis for establishing probabilities of a specific event or sequence of events occurring. In enforcing your rights, this becomes critical. This can take many forms, including witness testimonies, documents, recordings and other forms of data. But what happens when you suspect a particular position or do not have a specific record?

To get different outcomes ask different questions

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho

If you want a different outcome, ask a different question. That’s how real change happens. It’s also an easy way to start a more interesting conversation or bring up a delicate topic.

How to build credibility with media coverage

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Felicity Cowie, The Media Relations Coach

In my earlier blog for LoA, 'What Exactly is Media Relations?', I said there are at least eight mega benefits of media relations for any business to consider…

The importance of positioning your business

November 27, 2022 Melanie Hawken

by Cindy Maléombho-Codo

In business, it is essential to have a clear brand strategy and positioning. Your position in the market will determine the success of your business. Therefore, the importance of positioning your business cannot be understated. By having a clear brand and positioning strategy, you will be able to reach your target market better and achieve your desired results. In the business world, first impressions are everything.

2nd South African Women Entrepreneurs Job Creators Survey reports key insights

November 20, 2022 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Data

The key insights from the 2nd edition of the South African Women Entrepreneurs Job Creators Report, produced by Lionesses of Africa in partnership with New York University, and in collaboration with Absa, were shared with attendees at a special Lioness Business Agility webinar on 18 November 2022. The report once again provides key insights into the pivotal role women entrepreneurs play as job creators in the country. These insights are important as the South African National Development Plan (NDP) estimates that the country will need to create an additional 11 million jobs by 2030. 90% of these are expected to come from new and expanding SMEs.

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