Let’s talk about payment, late payment or non-payment issues

September 13, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Teboho Seretlo

All in the day of a small business owner in South Africa.

It’s been a minute and my creative writing juices dried up while I was chasing some business opportunities and non-paying clients out there. So, these past few weeks, I have been finalizing some projects, dealing with good news of funding applications I submitted on behalf of clients being successful and all sorts of other things. My spirits have been high after landing these successes and I was excited at the prospect of my bank balance swelling, if only a little bit.

The 8 Qualities of the EXCEPTIONAL Black Woman: in Business and Entrepreneurship by Michelle S Thomas

September 13, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book review

Author and entrepreneur, Michelle S Thomas, believes it’s time to give “voice” to women business owners, especially those women of color. In her book, The 8 Qualities of the EXCEPTIONAL Black Woman in Business and Entrepreneurship, she shines a spotlight on the successful black women business owners that have cracked the code of surpassing racial, gender, financial and generational roadblocks. However, Michelle says we have been “conditioned” to keep those solutions “privately” amongst ourselves and believes there are numerous reasons why. However, one of the biggest reasons tends to be FEAR! Fear of loss, threats, and exclusion.

What Does Mental Health Cost Your Company?

September 12, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Sonya Skipp

Sapien Labs Mental State of the World report scored South Africa as the lowest in terms of mental well-being in 2022. Unaddressed mental health conditions among the workforce were noted as being the most concerning. Mental health issues in the workplace cost the South African economy more than R160 billion annually.

Why You Should Replace Perfection With Excellence

September 12, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Perfectionism is often worn as a badge of honour, something to strive for. The intention is that it makes you better, but the impact is devastating. In the words of Ann Wilson Schaef, "Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order”. Perfection is an illusion and stops you from your best work because behind the façade of being a perfectionist are the deepest fears of being judged, failing or not being enough.

Thuli Zikalala, a South African professional sign language interpreter removing barriers for deaf audiences

September 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Thuli Zikalala, founder of Yellow Owl (South Africa)

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

For the deaf and hard of hearing, being able to keep up to date with news, information and powerful digital content is so important to maintain those all important connections in life and in business. Thuli Zikalala, founder of specialist business Yellow Owl, is playing her part as a professional sign language interpreter.

The Value Journey: How to Drive Profits, Build Wealth, and Exit Your Business on Your Own Terms by Jayne McQuillan

September 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Expert business coach and author of The Value Journey: How to Drive Profits, Build Wealth, and Exit Your Business on Your Own Terms, Jayne McQuillan, challenges you to change your perspective on exit planning! Instead of thinking about your exit as the last step in your journey as a business owner, she suggests you could view it as an essential way of doing business.

Do You Find it Challenging to Find Good Talent?

September 5, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Phillipa Geard

If you find it challenging to find good talent, you are not alone. In my dealings with other CEOs and business owners, I often hear this statement: “There is no good talent out there”. Similarly, this Future of Jobs 2023 World Economic Forum report states that, on a scale from 1 to 7, the ease of finding skilled employees in South Africa is only 3.89. Despite the doomsayers there are ways to find and attract good talent.

How an Emoji Can Be a Contract

September 5, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw

As technology evolves, so does the way we communicate and conduct business. In today's digital age, emojis have become integral to our daily conversations. These little pictographs have played a significant role in modern communication, from expressing emotions to conveying complex messages. Surprisingly, emojis have even found their way into legal matters, with some jurisdictions recognising them as a form of contractual agreement.

Lifestyle Audits to Uncover Insider Threats

September 5, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Sonya Skipp

A lifestyle audit is a check that looks at the way that someone lives and compares that to their known revenue stream. These checks look at elements like home ownership, cars and vehicles, visible luxury items owned by the person in question, and more to determine whether that person is living within their means.

The 6 Habits of Calm and Content People

September 5, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Why do some people always appear to have it together? They are calm in the chaos and take life in their stride. They dance with life's challenges rather than go to war with them; it's not to say they don't feel stress, but how they navigate their days sets them up for success.

Do You Understand the Insider Threat?

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Sonya Skipp

In today's rapidly evolving landscape, organisations face a multitude of security challenges, one of which is the insider threat. The insider threat refers to the risk posed by individuals within an organisation who have authorised physical or cyber access to an organisation but intentionally or unintentionally misuse or compromise them. No company, regardless of size, is immune to this security concern.

Why You’re Not Getting the Opportunities You Want Even Though You’re Good at What You Do

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

The truth is, being good at what you do is just the beginning — it’s like the minimum entry requirement. Many talented individuals like yourself often find themselves wondering why they aren’t getting the opportunities they truly desire, despite their skills and expertise. The answer lies in the importance of personal branding. Here’s why this might be happening and what you can do to unlock the opportunities you deserve.

The Success Is in The Succession

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

As you know I am a huge advocate for family businesses. Where do they start? Well with a couple getting married and one or both deciding that they want out of the usual routine of working for someone else and making a living, they decide they want to work for themselves and make a fortune.

Three Questions to Create Clarity, Confidence and Courage

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Questions are a conduit to unlocking the resources within you. They are an essential coaching tool because they are a permission device between what someone already knows and what they want to acknowledge. Change happens when a client reaches a new insight, a perspective they never considered previously. However, the insight can only reveal itself when the person is completely honest with themselves.

Your First Year: What I Wish I'd Known by Deborah Kevin and Jill Celeste

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Entrepreneurs Deborah Kevin and Jill Celeste, co-authors of the book, Your First Year: What I Wish I'd Known, believe that there is no one “right way,” to build a start-up and you will make mistakes. That’s part of growing. In their new book they bring together the insights, experiences and shared wisdom of fellow women entrepreneurs who have all got through their own business growing pains and emerged to find success.

Lioness Launch / The K3Y launches it’s new name and brand to offer customers human centric business solutions to unlock results

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

The K3Y launches its new name and brand in Africa, with a unique customer offering that integrates cutting edge innovations with human centric business solutions to help individuals and organisations unlock results. A suite of powerful diagnostics tools, as well as solutions, underpinned with a cutting-edge technology platform, allows for tracking measuring and execution of strategy. The addition of The K3Y mind-setting interventions allow for the unlocking of potential for individuals and teams.

Hadija Jabiri, an agripreneur empowering smallholder farmers in Tanzania

September 3, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Hadija Jabiri, founder & MD of GBRI Business Solutions (Tanzania)

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

GBRI Business Solutions, on a mission to be a leading horticultural company in Tanzania.

Hadija Jabiri is the founder and MD of GBRI Business Solutions in Tanzania. She is an entrepreneur committed to making agricultural production a sustainable and profitable business through empowering smallholder farmers. Hadija is an IVLP alumnae and holder of multiple awards and nominations for her work and business which is making a real difference in people’s lives.

Access to European markets is key to achieving growth for Africa's women entrepreneurs

August 30, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa

Attention quite rightly gets focused on creating greater access to funding for Africa's women entrepreneurs in growth mode, but getting access to markets is just as important. After all, you have a sustainable business with a continual flow of customers and sales. We see many women business owners who have created world-class products and brands but need help accessing new markets, particularly in Europe. They need to get into the game of reaching these more significant markets, allowing them to expand their horizons and take their businesses to the next level. Start-Up Night Africa in The Netherlands is part of our strategic approach at Lionesses of Africa to create a gateway to important market opportunities in the country and across European markets for the high-growth potential women entrepreneurs in our 1.7 million-strong community.

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