Mbali Ndandani and Portia Nondo, two passionate ecosystem builders driving support for Africa’s crafters and fashion brands

June 11, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Portia Nondo and Mbali Ndandani, founders, Portia Nondo and Mbali Ndandani (South Africa)

Startup Story

Zettuu, a marketplace providing business support services for Africa’s crafters and fashion brands that have unique products but do not have the operational capacity to grow their brands. Zettuu was co-founded in 2020 by Portia Nondo and Mbali Ndandani, two South African entrepreneurs whose vision is to create a thriving ecosystem of support for African unique crafts, bringing them from the continent to the world’s customers. Portia is a seasoned entrepreneur and franchisee at McDonald's, and Mbali has worked in marketing, digital, technology and artificial intelligence at Unilever and Lelapa AI.

Misinformation and disinformation: a growing threat and its implications for employee screening

June 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Jenny Reid

The 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) Risks Report has ranked misinformation and disinformation as one of the top global threats, highlighting a challenge beyond social media and politics. This alarming ranking underscores how false or misleading information—whether accidental or deliberate—can destabilise societies, erode trust, and threaten organisational resilience.

On being a professional citizen: The strategic phase of SME CSR development

June 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Dr. Memuna Williams, DBA

As business owners, leaders, and professionals, we often think of the work we do as simply part of the job. However, as I reflect on my experiences and studies on the evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly through the lens of the third phase of strategic CSR development, I believe that CSR is as much about citizenship as it is about business. A process of building business citizenship.

Performance Management: Linking data to processes for better decision-making

June 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Michélle Booysen

“Without data, you're just another person with an opinion.” – W. Edwards Deming

The ability to make informed decisions is a competitive advantage. Yet too often, data lives in one silo and processes in another. When businesses link data to their processes, decision-making becomes faster, smarter, and more aligned with strategic goals.

You can’t microwave success: why the slow burn wins

June 2, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

In today’s fast-paced world of viral hacks, overnight influencers, and instant gratification, it’s easy to believe that success should come quickly. That if you're not "crushing it" within a few months, you're failing. But here’s the truth I’ve lived and learned: you can’t microwave success.

Authentic Selling: Be Real to Seal the Deal by Kendrick Shope

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

For many women entrepreneurs, selling can feel like a necessary evil, but it doesn't have to be. In Authentic Selling, internationally recognized sales expert Kendrick Shope reveals the secrets to selling with integrity, compassion, and undeniable success. This isn’t just another sales book. It's a blueprint for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to make that all-important sales revenue without sacrificing who they are.

South African natural baby food producer, Pojupoju, launches innovative new range

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

South African serial entrepreneur, Dorothy Dolly Fatima Mofomme, founder of natural baby food producer, Pojupoju, has launched a brand new range of delicious and nutritious purees - with a twist. Each puree is packaged in a pouch, capped with minicap/anti-choke lids that can also be repurposed as children’s creative building blocks.

Jacqueléne Coetzer, a pan-African business consulting and specialist trade firm builder empowering other women entrepreneurs

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Jacqueléne Coetzer, founder & CEO, Jacqueléne Global Consulting (JGC) (South Africa)

Startup Story

Jacqueléne Coetzer is the founder and CEO of Jacqueléne Global Consulting (JGC) — a pan-African business advisory and trade firm founded in 2022, specializing in strategic consulting, commodities, medical diagnostics, and cross-border market access. A former diplomat with 14 years’ experience, she now leads high-level negotiations and sourcing across Africa in sectors including medical diagnostics, metals, fuel, and mining. Through exclusive distribution mandates and deal structuring, she is helping shape Africa’s economic future. Fiercely resilient and values-driven, Jacqueléne empowers African women entrepreneurs to rise, scale, and lead — because she believes Africa’s wealth should be built by Africans, for Africans.

Schneidine Phidelmond, an entrepreneur building a holistic digital agency supporting WSMEs and SMEs in Mozambique

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Schneidine Phidelmond, founder and Creative Explorer, MUSA Moz MEDIA (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Schneidine Phidelmond is the founder and Creative Explorer of MUSA Moz MEDIA, a holistic digital agency founded in 2022 and based in Mozambique. With over a decade of experience in media, including skills in sound engineering, audiovisual production, graphic design, and branding, she launched MUSA to support women entrepreneurs and small businesses in Southern Africa and the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Multilingual and self-taught, Schneidine offers a sensitive and multidisciplinary approach to digital visibility and content creation. MUSA embodies her belief that creativity, culture, and sisterhood can fuel sustainable growth and inspiration. MUSA stands for: Mission, Ubuntu, Sorority, and Authenticity.

How do you mitigate risks associated with nepotism, bribery, or unethical practices

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Jenny Reid

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, South Africa’s official unemployment stats, state that the unemployment rate has declined slightly to 31.9%, down from 32.1% the previous quarter. While this marks the second consecutive quarterly decrease and the lowest rate since the third quarter of 2023, the persistently high levels of unemployment remain a pressing concern.

On Citizenship

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Dr. Memuna Williams, DBA

I recently had the opportunity to watch The Final Year, an HBO documentary chronicling the last year of President Barack Obama's administration. The film looks into the inner workings of the White House through the eyes of Obama and several of his staff members including Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes, and John Kerry. It highlighted key themes like diplomacy, war and peace, and the impact of decisions made at the highest levels. For me, however, the documentary went beyond politics and brought to light themes that are integral to my work: education, entrepreneurship and leadership.

73% of Companies Confuse PR and Reputation Management. Here’s Why It Backfires.

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Marilize Jacobs

According to a 2024 PwC study, 73% of executives mistakenly use Public Relations (PR) and Reputation Management interchangeably. A confusion that costs companies an average of $2.4M per crisis in lost revenue and recovery. The difference? Hard data tells the story: PR succeeds when visibility climbs (e.g. media mentions rise by 40%). Reputation management succeeds when risk drops (e.g. negative search results fall by 65%).

Performance Management: How to Build a Culture of Continuous Process Improvement

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

by Dr Michélle Booysen

“What gets measured gets managed.” – Peter Drucker

Performance dashboards are powerful tools to drive decision-making, improve efficiency, and align daily operations with strategic goals. For dashboards to truly work, they must be simple, relevant, and actionable. A well-crafted performance dashboard is not about volume of data—it’s about clarity and purpose.

Teboho Seretlo, a passion-driven entrepreneur helping SMEs to grow

June 1, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

TL Seretlo Business Consulting t/a Seretlo Consulting, a professional business consulting firm supporting SMEs in South Africa

Teboho Seretlo is a business consultant and founder of TL Seretlo Business Consulting in South Africa, with over 25 years’ experience in enterprise development, business planning, monitoring & evaluation, and mentoring SMEs. She supports entrepreneurs applying for funding and serves as an NSFAS student accommodation accreditor. Her expertise spans B-BBEE, rural development, and gender-responsive enterprise support. Teboho holds a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and executive education from GIBS and Rotterdam School of Management. Passionate about women’s empowerment, she also mentors female entrepreneurs across Africa.

Babette’s Bread by Babette Kourelos

May 18, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

For Babette Kourelos, founder of Babette’s Bread and the author of the beautiful new book of the same name, the happenstance baking of a humble cottage loaf completely changed the trajectory of her life. It led her away from a career in law to answer a different calling: bread. Seeking comprehensive training, she undertook an apprenticeship with renowned French master baker Gerard Rubaud in the woods of Vermont. In this visually appealing and practical new book, Babette takes readers on a culinary journey, bringing her incredible know-how into readers’ kitchens, and inspiring them to fall in love with the art of bread-making.

Lioness Launch / South Africa’s IWDS, launches impact-driven initiative to create sleeping bags from waste fabrics, turning waste into hope for the homeless

May 18, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Colleen Deetlefs, founder, IWDS (South Africa)

Lioness Launch

South African social entrepreneur, Colleen Deetlefs, is passionate about creating awareness of the state of our environment through the renewing of different waste materials and shifting the global economy through the rejuvenation of waste. Her latest initiative, IWDS, is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to fostering sustainability and economic empowerment. Through its work, it strives to offer more than just a solution for waste - it is helping to build a future where creativity, sustainability, and community-driven progress go hand in hand. IWDS is committed to transforming waste into opportunity by upskilling individuals, fostering creativity and promoting sustainability. In a world where waste is abundant and unemployment hovers at 35%, IWDS’s mission is to upskill individuals using repurposed waste materials. With winter now in full swing in South Africa, IWDS has identified a dire need for sleeping bags with a carry bag for the 16000 homeless people in Durban alone. Through upskilling, IWDS is on a mission to create sleeping bags from waste fabrics-turning waste into hope-to those who need it most.

Suné Theisinger and Dr Juanri Jonck, two dynamic players in the aesthetic industry in South Africa

May 18, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Suné Theisinger and Dr Juanri Jonck, founders, BST Global (South Africa)

Startup Story

Suné Theisinger is the ceo of BST Global in South Africa, a dynamic player in the rapidly evolving aesthetic industry. As the ceo of BST Global, Suné is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of the business. Dr Juanri Jonck is a qualified medical doctor with a degree from the University of Pretoria and is the Medical Director of BST Global. Dr Jonck leads with a deep commitment to hormone optimisation, evidence-based aesthetic medicine, and holistic wellness.

What we're loving this week

May 18, 2025 Melanie Hawken

What we’re loving this week

In this week’s spotlight on all things Woman Made In Africa, we are showcasing Africa’s talented and innovative women entrepreneurs who are creating sustainable, quality products that discerning and impact-driven customers want to buy. Catching our attention this week are: KONA, a unique fashion and lifestyle company in Uganda, founded by Bhavya Kalsi and Nimisha Kalipurayath; Loshes Chocolate, the finest handcrafted chocolate company founded by Femi Oyedipe in Nigeria; Touch By Asoebigirl in Nigeria, the female fashion brand founded by entrepreneur Ijeoma Onuoha; Black Mamba Foods in Eswatini, the fair trade gourmet chili product brand co-founded by Claudia Castellanos Roques; and Ledikana, the South African contemporary, heritage inspired clothing brand founded by Mapholo Ratau.

Tania Kabeya, a passionate chef and entrepreneur building a uniquely African culinary brand

May 17, 2025 Melanie Hawken

Tania Kabeya, founder, Chef La Tania (South Africa)

Startup Strory

Tania Kabeya is the founder of Chef La Tania, the South African culinary brand known for its rich African flavour and elegant presentation and founded in 2019. She is a passionate chef and entrepreneur and has built a reputation for delivery a range of catering services, including celebration cakes, private dinners, frozen meals, and food delivery. Tania finds purpose in creating meaningful experiences, honouring her heritage, and growing a brand built on passion, excellence, and purpose-driven living. She shares a deep bond with her siblings and draws strength from her faith and role as a mother.