the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Anja van Beek, Talent Strategist, Leadership & HR Expert and Executive Coach
A toxic workplace can have a devastating impact on employees and organisations alike. It can cause high levels of stress, low morale, and high turnover rates. In extreme cases, it can even lead to legal action. For leaders, especially the HR leader who is often seen as the custodian of culture, managing a toxic workplace is a critical responsibility that requires a strategic approach.
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Dalia Ibrahim
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Nahdet Misr Publishing House, EdVentures, Ta'heal for VET Skills Excellence, a group of businesses empowering through learning
Dalia Ibrahim is an accomplished business leader, angel investor, mentor, and mother of three children. She is the CEO of Nahdet Misr Publishing House, a prominent learning company in Egypt; the founder and CEO of EdVentures, MENA's first CVC specializing in Edtech; and the founder of Ta'heal, which offers vocational education solutions. Dalia began her career at Nahdet Misr in 1994, a family business founded by her grandfather as a small publishing house in 1938. Over the past 28 years, she has transformed Nahdet Misr into one of MENA’s leading learning and capacity-building companies. Dalia has received recognition for her entrepreneurial journey several times, including being a finalist in the "Leadership" category of the AMBA & BGA Excellence Award, a finalist in the "Lifetime Achievement" category of the AWIEF Awards, acknowledgment as one of the "Top 50" most influential women in Egypt, and receiving the "Corporate Social Responsibility Award" for Arab Women.
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Leocádia Yurca Chau, founder of Ecoplus Mozambique, Lda
Startup Story
Leocádia Yurca Chau is the founder of Ecoplus Mozambique, Lda, a business which operates in the environmental, agribusiness and provider of training and consultancy services with the aim of providing innovative solutions to the market in which it operates, through the use of work tools that produce superior gains to the investment made by the customer or partner. Since its creation in 2020, Ecoplus Mozambique has tried to become a leading SME of excellence in the services it provides, and with extensive experience in the design and implementation of Environmental and Business Sustainability projects. The business has created 5 jobs.
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Saajidah & Mubinah Esat, co-founder, Zen Cafe (Zimbabwe)
Startup Story
Saajidah Esat and her sister Mubinah are the co-founders of Zen Cafe in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Having being brought up in an Indian home, where the focus was always around food, they spent most of their time whipping up new recipes and cooking for the family. They first ventured into the food industry while living and studying in South Africa. They sold food at a popular Johannesburg food market and catered for several corporate events. Zen Cafe was born out of a desire to create and bring something different to the Zimbabwean market. The cafe employs 6 full time staff, including the 2 sisters and has been in operation for the past 6 months.
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Book Review
If you are a female founder, in need of investment to start or scale your business – and struggling to get it, author and entrepreneur, Julia Elliott Brown, says ‘You’re not alone.’ In her book, RAISE: The Female Founder's Guide To Securing Investment, she says that when it comes to funding, female founders are seriously up against it. In the pale, stale and male world of venture capital, less than 2 per cent goes to businesses led by women. But Julia says, it can be done.
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by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
Many of us who have visited the UK will laugh at the shock felt by Mark Twain in his description of Spring in the States when this happens almost everyday in the UK, let alone in Spring (why else would the English be so obsessed with discussing the weather all year?). But it feels to us as if for the past 3 years this type of crazy volatility has also covered our business lives.
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by Heideli Loubser
Google Business Profile (GMB) is an invaluable tool for small businesses. It helps you to increase visibility and reach more customers. But it doesn't work automatically; you need to optimize it properly in order to get the most out of it. In this article, we will discuss how to successfully use Google Business Profile for Small Businesses so that you can reap the benefits of GMB optimization.
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by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw
Electing the most appropriate method of resolving disputes may be the difference between your business surviving this challenge or failing. In many instances, business owners need to be aware of the options at their disposal when resolving future disputes. As such, they do not contract correctly. In other instances, there is awareness, but a complete understanding of the implications of pre-selecting a specific dispute resolution alternative is needed. As such, business owners must better understand the other options and contract most appropriately from the outset.
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by Zodidi Gaseb
I took a break from my business towards the end of 2022. I was burnt out and felt the sparkle I once had fizzle out. The general sigh of frustration rang through social media when I made the announcement, and honestly, I didn’t know if I even wanted to come back. During that time however, I realized the importance of the pause, of restructuring and getting your affairs in order that running a business sometimes doesn’t afford us. It can sometimes feel contrary to what we are taught about “the hustle”, the grinding until there is nothing left.
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by Cindy Maléombho-Codo
A Brand Audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a company's brand and how it is perceived by its target audience. It involves a systematic review of all the brand elements, including its visual identity, messaging, products, services, customer experience, and market positioning. The purpose of this specific audit is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a brand, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop a strategy to enhance its overall effectiveness and competitiveness.
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Sany Weng San, co-founder, MMO Facilities (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Sany Weng San is a successful entrepreneur and co-founder of MMO Facilities in Mozambique, and her exceptional leadership skills and dedication have earned her the Women Leadership Award. She founded MMO Facilities in 2018 to provide high-quality services to her clients and make their lives easier by providing top-notch integrated office management services. Under her leadership, MMO Facilities has become a leading provider of shared office spaces in Mozambique, serving a portfolio of multinational companies. Sany is committed to empowering women and has created job opportunities by hiring a team comprising 80% of women. With over 15 years of experience in the business industry, Sany's expertise in marketing, sales, human resources, procurement, budgeting, and project management has been instrumental in the success of MMO Facilities.
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Neidy Carvalho, founder & general manager, Imbe-Consultoria, Serviços e Soluções, Lda (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Neidy Carvalho is the founder and general manager of Imbe-Consultoria, Serviços e Soluções, Lda, also known as Imbe CSS. Her business, which was founded in 2019, is located in Mozambique. In the beginning, it was focused only on environmental consultancy, but then expanded to water treatment, HSQ and Energy sector (renewable and non-renewable energy). Imbe CSS helps other companies to become more green and environmentally aware in their day-to-day practices. It also provides environment permits, audits, monitoring and evaluations, environmental studies, assistance, and more as they need. The business has grown as it became more serious in its focus. Neidy considers herself persistent and studious, traits developed over the past few years. She now has almost 7 years of experience in the environmental area, and is surrounded with a young and vibrant team of 3 people. In the future, Neidy aspires to grow the business further, and help companies and others to be more sustainable as the planet requires of us.
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Donna Griffit
Book Review
Donna Griffit’s new book ‘Sticking to My Story: The Alchemy of Storytelling for Startups’ answers one of the big challenges for startup founders. You dream of standing in front of a group of investors pitching your startup while they shower you with money and praise. The reality, unfortunately, is vastly different as most founders fail to raise capital from venture capital firms or angel investors. A lot of this is down to an underwhelming pitch in a crowded sea of startups. Donna has a solution by learning the alchemy of storytelling.
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Gwyneth Gyimah Addo
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
The Hair Senta, a leading human hair processing and wig manufacturing business in Africa
Gwyneth Gyimah Addo, often called Gwen by many, is the ceo of one of the leading Human Hair processing/manufacturing companies in Africa, The Hair Senta, headquartered in Ghana and shipping across the globe. The business was started in 2012 and today employs 40 people. Gwen is also a wife, a mother, a philanthropist, and a business strategist.
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Katherine-Mary Pichulik
Lioness Launch
Pichulik is an ethical jewellery atelier based in Cape Town, South Africa and founded by Katherine-Mary Pichulik, and is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary in style - with the launch of a new Silver Collection featuring five of its most iconic jewellery pieces. Inspired by ancient cultures and mythology, Pichulik uses the language of African artistry and ornamentation to create sculptural accessories that celebrate empowering feminine narratives. Each piece is a talisman, handcrafted from its signature rope, combined with cast-brass elements, precious stones and unexpected organic materials, to create distinctive and unique forms.
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by Paula Quinsee
We're hearing a lot of feedback in our networks that so many people are feeling exhausted already and it's only April....what are they going to feel like when we get to December....burnt out, stretched and hanging on for dear life?
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by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw
We often read about banks, clients and scams. Often we see litigation between the bank and its Client. So, where does the reciprocal duty start and end?
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by Helena Naitsuwe Amadhila
It is said that, it is not known until it is said, seen or shared. Therefore, as entrepreneurs, we should make our businesses known to others. We do this by using various marketing strategies. We should do this for all customers to be able to know our businesses using an inclusive approach of using both traditional and modern marketing strategies.
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by Lori Milner
Saying no is challenging; most of us dread it because it questions our identity as being a good person. We fear saying no because we are afraid people won't like us or will let them down and disappoint them. We attach so much guilt and dread to this little word that we end up giving away our yes too quickly.
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by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
Melinda French Gates writing in the FT recently and ahead of the IMF/World Bank spring meeting was quite clear (here): “There are two interlocking stories to be told right now about the forces shaping the economic outlook in the world’s poorest places. One is of billions of people on the cusp of crisis — reeling from climate change, pandemic fallout, skyrocketing food prices and crushingly heavy national debt burdens. The other is about the enormous unrealised economic potential of the women who live within these communities…”.
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