the pride of Africa's women entrepreneurs
by Dr Michélle Booysen
“You can’t scale chaos. You can only scale clarity.” – Anonymous
Expanding into new markets is an exciting growth milestone—but it also brings complexity, risk, and the need for operational precision. Whether you're entering a new region, industry, or customer segment, success depends on more than ambition. It requires robust, repeatable processes that guide your team, protect your standards, and adapt to new conditions.
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by Seanice Lojede
What if I told you that your relationship with money was decided before you could even spell “budget"? This morning, I hosted a powerful training session. The women of Stanbic Bank Uganda's Ignite mentorship program gathered virtually for a session called "Money & Your Mindset" and something extraordinary happened. One woman messaged, "I would pay VERY GOOD money for this." Another said, "This is the first time I've understood why I do what I do with money.” From the first few minutes, you could feel the energy shift. Heads nodding. Eyes widening. Truths landing. They didn't just learn about money, honestly - they met themselves, truthfully, and maybe for the first time in this way. I FELT IT TOO! What we explored wasn’t how to budget or save (though that’s important). It was something deeper: the invisible beliefs and emotional habits that shape how we relate to money. And ultimately, how we lead our lives.
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by Ntsoaki Sibiya
There is a moment in every woman’s journey when she realizes that success alone is not enough. It is not enough to collect business cards, chase applause, or sit at every table just to be seen. I reached that moment years ago - in a boardroom full of people, yet profoundly alone in my mission. My business was growing, yes. My name was on event posters, my calendar was full. But behind the scenes, I was carrying the weight of leadership in isolation. Surrounded, yet unseen. Accomplished, yet unanchored. That’s when I began to understand something no networking event had ever taught me:
You don’t just need more contacts. You need a council. You need an advisory board. A strategy of proximity.
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Gladys Kgorane, founder Caleb’s Farm Cabins (South Africa)
Startup Stories
Gladys Kgorane is a visionary entrepreneur and woman of faith, driven by a deep desire to create spaces of healing, rest, and joyful connection. As the founder of Caleb’s Farm Cabins in Potchefstroom, South Africa, she has transformed a quiet piece of land into a peaceful farm destination offering accommodation, events, and wellness retreats. Rooted in purpose and inspired by the Biblical story of Caleb, Gladys is passionate about helping others find peace, celebrate life’s moments, and rediscover hope through nature and hospitality.
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Drienie Botes, founder, Meant to Bee (PTY) Ltd (South Africa)
Startup Story
Drienie Botes is an experienced entrepreneur and community upliftment advocate in South Africa, with over 25 years of leadership in business development and social impact. She has founded multiple successful ventures, including a pearl import business and Meant to Bee (PTY) Ltd, a business focused on empowering rural women through sustainable beekeeping and market access. Skilled in strategic planning, international trade, and capacity building, Drienie is passionate about driving economic independence and transforming communities through innovative, purpose-driven enterprises. She launched Meant to Bee in 2021 and today it has created economic opportunities for 36 people.
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Fiona Soutter
Book Review
Women Entrepreneurs Rewired To Rise: Powerful Habits that Break Through Burnout, Silence Your Inner Critic, and Build a Thriving Business from the Inside Out by Fiona Soutter is not just another business book. Most focus on strategies and tactics. This one rewires the woman behind the business—so your growth is aligned, sustainable, and actually feels good.
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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: Afropian, the Pan-african lifestyle brand founded by Ethiopean entrepreneur Hortense Mbea; Melvins Tea, the proudly African tea brand founded by Flora Mutahi in Kenya; Femi Handbags, the luxury accessory brand in Nigeria, founded by Femi Olayebi; Reform Studio, the inspirational eco-focused manufacturing business in Egypt founded by Hend Riad and Mariam Hazem; and Oryx Desert Salt, the sustainable salt brand founded by Samantha Skyring in South Africa.
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Retang Phaahla
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Setšong Tea Crafters, an agri-business specialising in the crafting of speciality indigenous teas from the natural flora found in South Africa’s rural Limpopo
A former quantity surveyor turned social entrepreneur, Retang Phaahla is the co-founder and CEO of Setšong Tea Crafters in South Africa, and the winner of the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award. Her business celebrates indigenous tea knowledge while driving rural development. Based in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, the majority women-owned social enterprise collaborates with communities to produce a range of health-promoting teas (known for calming nerves, relieving tension, and supporting balanced blood pressure), and hosts cultural tours to promote eco-tourism and preserve heritage. Setšong’s business model has created sustainable income streams for rural women while reviving ancient botanical traditions. The business was launched in 2017 and has created 30 jobs for local people.
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by Dr. Memuna Williams, DBA
Earlier this year, I made a deliberately planned stop in Oxford on my way to the Paris Marathon to spend a few days on the sidelines of the Skoll World Forum. I was curious to see how leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers are thinking about systems change today.
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by Dr Michélle Booysen
“You don’t build a business – you build processes, and the processes build the business.” – Anonymous
Scaling isn’t just about selling more—it’s about delivering more with consistency, efficiency, and control. Without scalable processes, growth quickly leads to chaos, service breakdowns, and overwhelmed teams. Sustainable growth requires SMEs to invest in processes that can grow with them.
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by Sasha Knott
South Africa is having something of a statistical identity crisis. Recently, Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie questioned the country’s official unemployment rate of 32.9%, suggesting it might be closer to 10% if we included the informal sector – gig workers, informal traders, and side hustlers. Minister Parks Tau echoed the sentiment. Stats SA, however, held firm. While that debate sparks headlines, it may be missing the bigger picture. The real issue? We’re still not connecting the right people to the right jobs – fast enough or far enough. “Arguing whether unemployment is 34% or 10% misses the point,” says Sasha Knott, Global CEO of Job Crystal. “The real debate should be: how do we reduce unemployment? If 24% of our workforce is in the informal sector, why aren’t we building tools to help those businesses grow and hire more?”
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by Adeolu Adewumi-Zer, Founder & CEO, ZER Consulting Africa
"Our legacy is more than just our business. When we empower others, especially our fellow women, we create a ripple effect that extends far beyond our immediate sphere."
Africa is alive with audacious dreams, bustling tech hubs, and villages brimming with innovation. And guess who's increasingly at the forefront, turning those visions into reality and disrupting industries? African women entrepreneurs! But here’s the honest truth: even the most brilliant idea, the most meticulously crafted strategy, can feel like a marathon without the right gear and running buddy.
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Tumelo Tshwagong, co-owner, Tshwagong Farm (South Africa)
Startup Story
Tumelo Tshwagong is a co-owner of Tshwagong Farm, a family-owned business focused on livestock and Indigenous vegetable farming, and located in Koster in the Northwest province of South Africa. Tumelo is a passionate female farmer devoted to cultivating change from the ground up. Tshwagong Farm was established in 2021 with Tumelo at the helm as a Managing Director, supported by a team of four. Her work goes beyond farming as she sees it as a form of preservation, a movement to reignite ancestral food sources and confront the growing crisis of food insecurity. She passionately believes that every seed she plants, every field she tends, carries the vision of a resilient, self-sustaining future.
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Liz Elting
Book Review
In the book, Dream Big and Win: Translating Passion into Purpose and Creating a Billion-Dollar Business, author Liz Elting, one of the most celebrated and successful women in America, has created a guide for how to not only dream big, but also win―both in business and in life.
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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: Mulandi Brindes in Mozambique, founded by Vanessa Guilherme Nhabete, a business creating beautiful floral arrangements and gift boxes; Dvyn Treat Batamba, a great growing coffee brand in Mozambique, co-founded by Emilia Banda Tambatamba, and assisting SMEs in the country with tailored coffee machinery solutions and premium fresh roasted coffee beans; The 1964 Brand in Nigeria, founded by Olakunmi Oni, a fashion business that proudly promotes self-care through striking minimalist clothing for the modern woman; Mapholo Ratau, founder of Ledikana in South Africa, a business creating high quality, contemporary clothing designs that are a celebration of South African culture; and Akosua Afriyie-Kumi, founder of the AAKS brand in Ghana, a luxury handmade woven handbag brand delighting customers around the world.
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Gloria Sellwane Phala, founder and Chief Executive Officer, GangaYuj Yoga Studio (South Africa)
Startup Story
Gloria Sellwane Phala is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of GangaYuj Yoga Studio in South Africa. Drawing on more than 20 years of corporate experience, she established the studio in 2023 after completing a sabbatical year in India, where she deepened her practice and understanding of yoga. This transformative period inspired her shift into entrepreneurship upon her return to the workforce. The business is committed to ensuring clients benefit from the profound, transformative impact of yoga. She is currently the sole employee who arranges contract-based outsourcing of yoga instructors.
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Dr Margaret Kemigisha
Lioness Weekender Cover Story
Igaaza Creations, a Uganda-based social enterprise promoting literacy through children’s storybook publishing and capacity building
Dr Margaret Kemigisha is the founder and CEO of Igaaza Creations, a Uganda-based social enterprise that promotes literacy through the publishing of children’s storybooks, offers social research consulting, and builds capacity among fresh graduates. Her work bridges development and applied research, supporting governments, development organizations, and the private sector with evidence-based solutions and creative tools for impact.
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by Dr. Memuna Williams, DBA
Why Investing in Your Leadership Matters — A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking at the introduction of a Women in Leadership course at WITS Business School. It got me thinking about a question I often hear: “Is a leadership course really worth it?”
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by Jenny Reid
Background — A leading recruiter in South Africa was tasked with filling a critical vacancy for a senior-level IT developer at a major fintech firm. The position had remained open for months due to a significant shortage of highly skilled IT professionals in the country. Pressure was mounting to secure a candidate with the right blend of expertise, leadership, and innovation.
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by Ntsoaki Sibiya
There are seasons in life when growth feels like acceleration. There are others when it feels like pruning. But in every season, one thing remains constant: who walks with you matters just as much as where you are going.
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