Sail to Scale: Steer Your Startup Clear of Mistakes from Launch to Exit by Mona Sabet, Heather Jerrehian and Maria Fernandez Guajardo

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Mona Sabet, Heather Jerrehian & Fernandez Guajardo

by Mona Sabet, Heather Jerrehian and Maria Fernandez Guajardo

In their new book, Sail to Scale, authors Mona Sabet, Heather Jerrehian, and Maria Fernandez Guajardo acknowledge that most new businesses fail, and yet most failures are avoidable. While some startups may catch favorable winds, most will encounter stormy seas that can capsize their ventures. Understanding how to navigate these choppy waters is crucial. You don't learn to captain a warship by training to sail fast on calm seas.

YOU are brave enough to do this!

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

Imposter Syndrome. Yes that’s right, it’s time to pull back the duvet and look this thing straight in the face and call it out for what it is. In the HBR article ‘Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome’ by Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey (here) they say: “Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments.” Note - ‘high-achieving people’, not high-achieving women, yet women seem to admit to it more or are allowed to own it more (‘allowed’ - you know what we’re talking about!). Yet over 70% of us have experienced this at one or more times, that’s both male and female.

Master Your Business: 17 Proven Strategies for Turning Passion into Profit

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

Starting and running a business is no small feat. It requires more than just passion; it demands a strategic approach, continuous learning, and an unwavering commitment to growth. Let’s delve into some essential strategies that will help you handle your business like a pro.

The Art of Bouncing Back and Sustaining Real Change

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu

We don’t know our strength until we are tested! We do not know what we can achieve until we start getting to work. Imagine a situation where the world as you knew it, has changed. Your whole family structure, living arrangement, and budget changed. This was me. I woke up one day, and my life was changing. I was divorcing. I remember feeling depressed and down and out. I remember feeling suicidal and hopeless. I saw how I was losing myself and I knew I had to make a choice. I could either keep ruminating or I could get up and take things step by step. As much as I did not know where it came from, I found that deep in my broken heart, I had hope. I believed that a better ending would prevail, and so, I got up. At first, I knew I had to refuel because I had nothing to pour into my business. I also knew I must heal and be whole to be creative in my craft.

Request for Tenders, Bids, Quotes, and Proposals - Understanding the Differences

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Ilse Sfreddo

This blog discusses the intricacies of procurement documents like tenders, proposals, and quotes, emphasising the types and importance of each, especially in the South African context. It outlines the differences between Expressions of Interest (EOI), Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Quotation (RFQ), Requests for Tender (RFT), and Requests for Proposal (RFP). It simplifies decision-making by detailing the rules and thresholds for procurement actions under South African public sector guidelines (MFMA and PFMA).

Understanding Email Compromise and Scams: Prevention and Response

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw

Email compromise scams are a growing threat in the digital world. These scams can have devastating financial and reputational consequences for individuals and organisations.

Ifeoma Malo, a Nigerian clean energy access champion

August 31, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Clean Technology Hub, an organization working on the frontlines of energy access and climate change in Africa

Ifeoma Malo is the co-founder of Clean Technology Hub, an organization working on the frontlines of energy access and climate change, across 80 communities in seven countries, including Nigeria, the Gambia, Congo DRC, Ghana, Uganda, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Senegal. The business was established in 2016 and today has 35 employees. She is an energy access expert and a climate action champion with over 23 years of experience building and directing organizational operations and strategy, supporting start-ups and MSMEs across Africa. In the past 10 years, Ifeoma has become a recognized and credible leader in the energy and utility markets, working on the intersection of energy transition, energy markets, energy and climate financing, and climate adaptation markets.

Afifah Zualo, a Mozambican artisan entrepreneur creating ethnic contemporary jewellery celebrating beadwork

August 26, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Afifah Zualo, founder, M'Kono (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Afifah Zualo is an artisan (multi-artist) entrepreneur and the founder of M'Kono in Mozambique. She trained in Railway Engineering, but today sees the design of ethnic-contemporary jewellery as a way of codifying feelings and expressing Mozambican identity. Her Mozambican start-up seeks to honour cultural traditions while innovating in design and technique. A Leader and Social Innovator, Afifah employs a single employee, but her startup generates income for six other participants in her community who participate in the business passively. She believes in a world in which all women are respected and have justice for their efforts returned and aspires to conquer the world with her work.

Benedita Macuácua, a Mozambican circular economy business builder creating sustainable products using crochet

August 26, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Benedita Macuácua, founder, Exclusive Crochet (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Exclusive Crochet is a crafts-based start-up founded by Benedita Macuácua in Mozambique. An entrepreneur and graphic designer, her company specializes in creating sustainable products using recycled materials such as knitted yarn, fabric scraps, and recycled soles. The company was inspired by the need to combat the accumulation of rubbish in Maputo, transforming solid waste into durable, quality crochet pieces. Benedita’s focus with her business is on the circular economy and promoting conscious consumption, offering a variety of products such as flip-flops, bags, beach cover-ups, and other items, each carrying a unique story and an artistic design that impresses with its beauty and positive environmental impact.

Olga Ncube, a South African facilities management business pioneer

August 25, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Kusile Facilities Management (Pty) Ltd, a specialist South African business providing hygienic workplaces to enhance productivity

Olga Ncube is the co-founder and ceo of Kusile Facilities Management, a facilities management company specializing in soft services and started in 2003. Today the business has 500 employees. Olga has been part of various entrepreneurial programmes, including the 10 000 Women hosted by Goldman Sachs together with GIBS. In the year, 2018 she was awarded the top award for the Best Performing Business and the Job Creation award. In the same year, her business was also awarded by the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) for the Outstanding Accelerator client. Her passion for providing clean and hygienic environments is seen through her participation in attending the ISSA cleaning show that is hosted in the Netherlands every 2nd year.

Kearoma Rantao, an online fashion retail brand builder in Botswana

August 23, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Kearoma Rantao, founder, Cheri & Auti Fashions (Botswana)

Startup Story

Cheri & Auti Fashions is a clothing fashion label established in 2021 by Kearoma Rantao in Gabarone, Botswana. A Jazz artist, singer, and performing artist, Kearoma decided during COVID-19 to start a fashion line called Cheri & Auti Fashions. Today, the business is an online retail store and has been making and selling mainly women’s casual wear since it launched.

Juanita Coetzee, a South African entrepreneur building a pioneering health tech company in The Netherlands

August 22, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Juanita Coetzee, Founder, JooL (The Netherlands)

Startup Story

Juanita Coetzee is the Founder of JooL, a pioneering health tech company launched in 2022 and dedicated to enhancing patient care through innovative digital solutions. Hailing from South Africa, Juanita brings a wealth of experience in healthcare management and technology integration. With a strong commitment to improving healthcare accessibility, she has successfully led JooL in developing platforms that bridge gaps between informal caregivers and access to healthcare information, resources and tools. Her leadership and vision are driving significant advancements in telemedicine and chronic disease management, making healthcare more efficient and inclusive for underserved populations.

The Wheel of 8 Fears of Entrepreneurs: A Practical Guide to Recognize and Overcome the Fear of Entrepreneurship by Celia Soonets

August 21, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

If you are longing to start or build your own business, but feeling crippled by uncertainty, then Celia Soonets’ new book, The Wheel of 8 Fears of Entrepreneurs: A Practical Guide to Recognize and Overcome the Fear of Entrepreneurship, is a must-read. Her book provides a cutting-edge conceptual model for classifying any concern and creating a system to turn it around. Breaking global statistical analysis down into a practical and easy-to-read tool, Soonets offers empathy, companionship, and solutions for people at all stages of running their own business. By learning to look at every facet of fear in a unique way, you’ll be able to stop battling those formless thoughts and address each issue with a precise tactical plan.

The Newbie Toolbox Kit for Your Journey

August 19, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Yolanda Matine

How I wish I knew half of the things I know now, when I started my entrepreneurial journey back in 2016 with my paper flower business (Goldendreams). Looking back, it made me realize that while passion and determination are important, there are certain skills that every entrepreneur should possess to better position their business for growth and success. I call it the Starter Kit Toolbox – a unique set of skills to succeed in today's competitive market. In this article, we will explore the essential skill set that newbie entrepreneurs should have and how to apply them at different stages of their entrepreneurial journeys.

A Wiser Way With Stress

August 19, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Ashika Pillay

Most of us don't like the feeling of stress. We don't like the body sensations, the feeling of anxiety, and most importantly, we don't like a sense of being out of control. It seems like there could be a threat in our immediate environment, and we appraise that situation as something that could be dangerous to us, could take something away, or could have long-lasting consequences.

10 Life Lessons they don't teach you in Harvard Business School

August 19, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

Most people go to Business School first and then go into business. I did it the other way around. There was no money to pay for any tertiary education, so I went straight to work and then I went into business not knowing anything about business or how it worked. I always tell people I attended the school of hard knocks!! Remember, in the words of the great Rocky, ‘It’s not how many times you get knocked over, it’s how many times you just keep getting up!’ However, once I made it and made my fortune, I went back to school and did my Business Degree, my Honours, and ultimately my MBA which I received the year I turned 70.

5 Ways a Strong ESG Proposition Can Create Brand Value

August 19, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) is officially no longer a buzzword like most people thought that it was for a really long time. ESG is a necessary factor for companies and businesses striving to succeed and create lasting brand value. According to Forbes, companies with strong ESG ratings have outperformed the market by an average of 3.5% per year over the past decade. Additionally, BusinessWire reported that 85% of millennials say they are more likely to buy from companies that are committed to ESG.

Put on your own oxygen mask first, before assisting others

August 19, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

…And so the Olympics closed for another four years. Checking for the last time the brilliant coverage from Rebecca Eliot and her tireless team at ProTouch™️ Africa here, shows as she says, “The Paris 2024 Olympics marked a historic moment for Africa, as athletes from across the continent delivered their best performance yet on the global stage. With a total of 39 medals, Africa’s talent and determination shone brightly, leaving a lasting legacy and filling the continent with immense pride. The time is now to start investing in the continent’s top talent ahead of #LA2028 and beyond!”

Celebrating South Africa’s game-changing women entrepreneurs in growth mode and creating local impact and jobs

August 18, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Event Report

As part of celebrations for National Women’s Month in South Africa, Lionesses of Africa’s latest Lioness Business Agility Webinar took place on 14 August 2024, with 120 women entrepreneurs joining the event online. Once again hosted in partnership with Absa, the webinar focused on the theme of “Celebrating game-changing women entrepreneurs in South Africa who are in growth mode and creating local impact and jobs.” It’s an important topic and Lionesses of Africa believes in the need to recognize and support the work and commitment of women entrepreneurs who are building sustainable businesses that are creating much-needed jobs and driving economic growth in their communities.

New Lioness Playbook launched to help women entrepreneurs manage their cash flow

August 15, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Playbook Launch

Maintaining a strong cash flow is key to business success - it’s the oxygen that keeps it alive. However, many entrepreneurs find it harder to achieve good cash flow management in practice. That’s why Lionesses of Africa, a social impact innovation business with a fast-growing community of 1.8 million women entrepreneurs across the African continent, has responded to the challenge with the launch of a new Managing Your Cashflow Playbook. The new Playbook, sponsored by Absa, is the latest in a series of digital publications produced by Lionesses of Africa, providing practical business advice and insights delivered directly by leading African women entrepreneurs selected from the Lionesses of Africa community.

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