the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
Nilza Mazive is the co-founder of Xiphefu Digital Ligth, Lda (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Nilza Mazive is the co-founder of Xiphefu Digital Ligth, Lda, a green energy business developing solutions to help consumers reduce energy costs in Mozambique. The business develops solutions to help consumers reduce energy costs, acting on electrical equipment to avoid wasting electrical current. The business also adds the solar component, offers a range of internal and external lamps, and installs solar systems.
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Seanice Lojede
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A tech-enabled integrated marketing communications company headquartered in South Africa with branches in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda
Seanice Lojede is the founder of BLU Flamingo Africa, a pan-African tech-enabled integrated marketing communications company founded in 2010 and headquartered in South Africa, with branches in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. The business has a workforce of 55 people. With a master’s degree in digital marketing, and as an alumna of the prestigious Stanford Seed program, Seanice is a tech-savvy marketing leader whose data-driven strategies and cutting-edge marketing technologies have helped global companies crack the Sub-Saharan African market.
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Dora Rankin
Book Review
The Heart Sell: A guide for women entrepreneurs seeking financial freedom by Dora Rankin was written for women entrepreneurs who want to turn their passion into purpose and their purpose into profit. The book leads you to moments of clarity to help you bring your brilliance into the world because, as a woman, your ability to lead from the heart is more valuable than you know.
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by Anastasia Machobane
There is a myriad of requirements that a registered company needs to comply with. I can write about many of these compliance requirements, however, at this point, I will be concentrating on the filing of Annual Returns. Later I will write about Annual Financial Statements as well as the new requirements for filing the Beneficial Ownership registers.
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by Jenny Reid
Criminal record checks are one of the world’s leading forms of pre-employment checks. Should you be able to deny a candidate employment based purely on their criminal record check?
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by Tsitsi Mutendi
Food security remains one of the most pressing challenges in Africa, affecting millions of people across the continent. Women entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in addressing this issue by driving innovation and sustainability in the agricultural sector. Their contributions not only enhance food production and distribution but also empower communities and foster economic growth. This article explores the critical role of female-owned businesses in promoting food security, provides real-life examples, and offers practical strategies for women entrepreneurs to maximize their impact.
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by Paula Quinsee
People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise and rewards - Dale Carnegie
One item that regularly comes up as a low rating in our employee surveys is: "The company makes enough use of recognition and rewards other than money to encourage good performance." Recognition makes a person feel valued, appreciated, and most importantly visible (i.e. I see you).
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Cynthia Kay
Book Review
Small Business, Big Success: Proven Strategies to Beat the Odds and Grow a Great Business by Cynthia Kay offers unconventional but proven strategies to run a better small business. It also provides a road map for owners looking to expand their small businesses by doing more business with big business. It’s an essential guide for entrepreneurs at every stage of business.
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by Lori Milner
The most common challenge among leaders is balancing coaching and mentoring their teams with the demands of everyday work. What if you changed your mindset from needing dedicated time to coaching individuals to integrating it into everyday conversations? Can you adopt a coach-like mindset by helping individuals see a solution they couldn't see on their own? The goal is to guide people to think differently and, more importantly, think further ahead than one hour, one day, and one week.
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by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw
Business crises often strike with the force of a bolt of lightning or the sudden flight of a startled horse. Clients then seek legal counsel, hoping to salvage the situation and mitigate the damage. As a lawyer, I have witnessed this scenario play out countless times, with clients urgently seeking assistance once the "pawpaw hits the fan."
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by Tsitsi Mutendi
The digital revolution is transforming industries and economies worldwide, offering unprecedented opportunities for growth and expansion. For women entrepreneurs in Africa, digitalizing their businesses can lead to increased efficiency, broader market reach, and enhanced competitiveness. This article explores how digital transformation can drive growth for women-led businesses, provides real-life examples, and offers practical strategies for successfully embracing digital technologies.
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by Margaret Hirsch
I have to say that I have had an ongoing affair with Google since I first discovered it. In business today, we need all the help we can get, and staying ahead of the curve is not just an advantage – it’s a necessity!! Connecting with your audience is the name of the game- it’s like having a dinner party, cooking the food, laying the table, and not inviting any guests! How do you get those guests (customers) into your store?
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Kelebogile Phendu, founder and ceo, Kells Ginger (Botswana)
Startup Story
Kelebogile Phendu is the founder and ceo of Botswana ginger drink brand, Kells Ginger. Her business manufactures traditional recipe ginger drinks but with a contemporary freshness and a purity of ginger taste. She founded the business in 2019 and now employs 2 people from the local community. Kelebogile brings more than 5 years of experience as an entrepreneur in different fields to her business and brand.
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Elisa Marcos Ouana, founder, Ariel EcoArte e Serviços, EI (Mozambique)
Startup Story
Elisa Marcos Ouana is the founder of Mozambican upcycled accessory brand, Ariel EcoArte e Serviços, EI. She is also studying for a degree in Environmental Engineering at Eduardo Mondlane University. The daughter of a tailor and passionate about sewing since childhood, at the age of 13 she started her career as an entrepreneur in the sewing sector. She reused the scraps of fabric and capulana that her father discarded and made items for girls (hair ribbons, bows, cat ties, pencil cases, etc.). At the age of 18, she discovered the world of upcycling and made her first backpack out of recycled jeans. Since then, Elisa has had the opportunity to expand her business and register her company. It’s a journey with a lot of learning and improvement. With her business, she aims to reach many more people of all age groups and be able to generate sources of employment for more women.
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Catherine Wijnberg
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Fetola, a business providing world-class entrepreneurial support programmes for African entrepreneurs
Catherine Wijnberg is a pioneering entrepreneur and visionary leader, serving as the Founder and CEO of Fetola in South Africa. With over 18 years of experience in entrepreneurial development, Catherine is renowned for her expertise in SME growth strategy, scalable business acceleration, and transformative leadership. She is also recognised on the Forbes Africa 50 Over 50 List of Africa's Female Powerhouses. Under her guidance, Fetola has emerged as a beacon for sustainable business solutions, fostering economic growth and social impact across Africa. Catherine founded Fetola in 2006 and today it has 34 employees.
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by Lori Milner
When delivering feedback, you tend to focus on the conversation itself. While important, have you considered what must happen before the conversation? There is work before the work to ensure you can deliver your feedback with grace and compassion and the outcome of building this person rather than breaking them. Sometimes, you need to deliver hard outcomes, but how you do it will leave the person appreciative and inspired to change rather than defeated and resentful.
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by Yolanda Matine
Patience and persistence are two essential qualities that can make all the difference in the journey towards entrepreneurial success. While they may seem like separate concepts, they go hand in hand. But my hand now is full of patience, and I am working on taking persistence along too, as there are days when I do feel like giving up.
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by Sharon Castle - Lifestyle and Wellness Coach
When last did you spend time in the company of little children? I’m talking about little people between the ages of 1 and 2 years old. This past week, this is exactly what I did. I was invited by a friend to join her on a trip to her house in Ponta d’Ouro, Mozambique and we were joined by her daughter and her two young sons, while their husbands were away on a business trip.
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by Jenny Reid
Often you will hear employers in South Africa complaining bitterly about the complex regulatory landscape that they have to operate in. This now includes the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA). While FICA primarily focuses on combating money laundering and financing terrorism, its impact extends beyond financial institutions to encompass various sectors, including many other businesses and employers. Ignoring FICA requirements can have significant consequences and it is now essential for employers to understand and comply with FICA regulations.
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Heather Hays
Book Review
The new book by author and entrepreneur, Heather Hays, The Business Diaries: 10 Startup Secrets for the Female Entrepreneur is for all those women who dream of owning a business, or who are running a business but it’s not quite what they envisioned. It’s also for those women who are on a mission to find more time, money, and peace of mind to focus on making their ideal clients happy while also enjoying a better quality of life. If these things resonate with you, then The Business Diaries was written for you.
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