There is nothing I like better than being able to share great news that can positively impact our Lionesses of Africa community, and what better day to do it than today, on International Women’s Day. One of the biggest challenges we hear Africa’s women entrepreneurs talking about is breaking into new markets, particularly in Europe. We know how tough it can be and how daunting it can seem to get your brand noticed by potential buyers and funders, and to get access to new markets and opportunities. We also know that more data is needed by key decision-makers in Europe on the important role played by women entrepreneurs in Africa in contributing to the social and economic success of the continent. So for all these reasons and more, today we announce the launch of Lionesses of Africa BV in The Netherlands, our new Europe office. Based in The Hague, the City of Peace and Justice, we will be working to raise the voices of Africa’s women entrepreneurs, collaborating with European decision-makers and social impact change-makers on initiatives that will help Africa’s women entrepreneurs to grow and thrive. We will also be working proactively to address the data gap by expanding our Lioness Data activities from our new office in The Netherlands. We are excited about this new phase of our Lionesses of Africa growth story and how we can advance and better connect Africa’s women entrepreneurs in Europe. We look forward to sharing more exciting news over the coming weeks and months.

Have yourself an inspired International Women’s Day!

Gender bias - it’s an issue that comes up often in conversation when I speak with my fellow women entrepreneurs across the African continent. And, it’s something many women entrepreneurs will tell you they have experienced on their business building journeys. So today, as the world wakes up to International Women’s Day (IWD) at a time when there are unprecedented challenges at a socio-economic, political and humanitarian level, it has never been more necessary to advocate for a world free of bias for women. This year’s IWD theme #BreakTheBias calls upon everyone to work tirelessly and at speed to achieve a diverse, equitable, inclusive and gender equal world, one that is free of bias. I am a firm believer in the power of data to change entrenched attitudes and bias towards women entrepreneurs on the African continent, particularly when it comes to getting access to business opportunities and funding. So we have chosen International Women’s Day to launch our 100 Lionesses Business Confidence Report, financed by The African Development Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative (read more). It makes for insightful and encouraging reading on a day when we need corporate and financial decision-makers to better understand the significant impact that women entrepreneurs make to the growth of the African continent. So let’s #BreakTheBias, because when women thrive, the continent thrives.

I love to read inspirational stories of women who have beaten all the odds in their personal and entrepreneurial lives, and emerged stronger from the experiences. There is always something to learn from all those stories. So I was fascinated to listen to a podcast interview with Ramla Ali, the boxer and humanitarian, as she talked about her new book, Not Without A Fight. She has quite a story. Did you know that she is the first female Somali boxer in history to compete professionally? Or that she is the first person to have been recognised with an African boxing title and also won international gold medals while representing her country, Somalia? Ramla’s story is one that should motivate all of us as women to become our own champions, in life and in business, something she is passionate about. Arriving as a refugee in the UK, she was introduced to boxing classes, and as a result, found her strength and her voice to speak out on racial justice. Her fights in the ring taught her crucial life lessons about dealing with failure, never giving up, finding strength to tackle big challenges, and above all, endurance. For me, Ramla’s story and her key message are what resonated most with me. As women entrepreneurs, if we want to succeed in life and business, then we need to recognize that we are our own key champions, our own best cheerleaders. If we harness those beliefs, then like Ramla, there is nothing we cannot achieve.

I am often asked what inspires me personally, and I have to say that in answer to this question, waking up to a new day full of possibility inspires me the most. The pandemic has made me value every day as an opportunity, another chance to make a difference. So each new day, I am inspired anew, and I embrace it with both hands and I hope an open heart too. I like to think of myself as a proactive can-do person, so each morning when I look at the day that lies ahead of me, I am excited at what can be achieved. I know this is an attitude that I share with so many of my fellow women entrepreneurs across the African continent and the world. Over the years, I have also come to appreciate that really great opportunities don’t come along every day, so it’s important to seize them when they do and to make the most of them. After all, isn’t that what being proactive is all about? I also think that by fully embracing the unexpected opportunities that come along, it can open up completely different and exciting journeys for us as entrepreneurs. It pushes us out of our comfort zones, introduces new people to our lives, and takes us to different places or ways of doing things. Going forward, my approach to life and business is to constantly be open to new opportunities, to be proactive and embrace new ideas, and to seek out interesting, like-minded people who want to be part of my journey.

For me, a great local neighbourhood is built on lots of small, independent businesses, all owned by passionate entrepreneurs who love what they do, and importantly, also know that what they sell is needed by local residents. I am a great believer in supporting small independent businesses by shopping local. Imagine what your local neighbourhood would look like if it didn’t have its independent coffee shops, hair and nail salons, restaurants, petrol stations, corner stores and boutiques. It would be lacking in that community atmosphere, it wouldn’t provide all the things we need and want in our lives each day, and it wouldn’t be creating jobs for local people. Remember, small businesses generate the majority of new jobs in our communities, so having lots of small businesses that are thriving is a big deal. They contribute to the lifeblood of our communities and local economies in so many ways. When we published the results of our South African Women Entrepreneurs Job Creators Survey in July this year, the real impact of women business builders in addressing the jobs crisis in the country was an eye-opener. Our research found that women entrepreneur respondents in our survey were employing on average 29 employees, the “typical,” or median entrepreneur employed five staff, while the top 1% had a thousand or more employees. Those numbers add up to real impact where it is needed most, creating jobs for local people who need them to support their families and communities. So, as consumers, we can make proactive decisions to shop local, to support our local independent businesses run by entrepreneurs who want to make a difference to their local economies. As women entrepreneurs, we need to lead by example, and shop from one another, encouraging others in our communities to do the same. Let’s lead the way and start a local shopping revolution!

If you are a regular reader of my column, you will know that I start my business day in the same way each and every morning, no matter where I am in the world. I go for a long walk as the sun comes up. I find it the most powerful way of resetting my mind for the day ahead. My walk allows me to reconnect with nature and always gives me a sense of perspective, frequently leaving me with a sense of awe at what I have seen and experienced along my route. So I was fascinated to read an article by the American Psychological Association that shares my love of early morning walking as a mindfulness tool. The article promotes the idea of going for an ‘awe walk’ in the morning as one of the best ways of boosting your positivity. An awe walk is where the physical activity of walking is combined with a sense of wonder at the natural world around you. It makes you shift your focus outward instead of inward, you get perspective around your own problems and challenges, and generally feel more positive and upbeat. I can tell you from my own personal experience of doing daily awe walks that it is the most wonderful way of starting the business day, in fact any day! So do yourself a favour and start your day with an awe walk - it will make you feel ready to face whatever the world has in store for you that day. It works for me!

I am a big fan of e-commerce, not only as a consumer but also because I believe it really does open up opportunities for Africa’s women entrepreneurs to access global markets - and that can be a real game-changer for their businesses. But with the rapid rise of e-commerce activity during the pandemic, there has been an unintended consequence to all of us dashing online to make our purchases and get them safely delivered to our doors. The world is running out of cardboard packaging - yes, there is a real shortage of cardboard right now! That means potential delays for those entrepreneurs who need plenty of cardboard boxes and packaging to ship their precious products to customers. But there are ways of dealing with this problem in a more sustainable way. Just last week, I received a parcel from a small, niche clothing brand that makes a conscious commitment to being more eco-friendly along its entire value chain. The company, Finisterre, believes that single use is no use and has made a commitment to eradicate single use, non-degradable plastic at its factory. They didn’t just stop there, and their sustainable packaging commitment covers everything from the swingtag to the bag customers receive their orders in, which is made of biodegradable cellulose. Their sustainable philosophy of “Leave No Trace” is a great example of how individual, forward-thinking, socially responsible entrepreneurs can do business in a more sustainable way. It’s something we can all think about in our businesses.

Who say’s things can’t change? Ever since watching the inauguration of Joseph Biden as the 46th President of the USA, and Kamala Harris as the first Black, South Asian, and female Vice President, I have been reminded of the proverb, ‘Where there's a will there's a way’. It means if someone is determined to do something, they will find a way to accomplish it, regardless of obstacles. Seeing this powerful team’s determination to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the country and the world in their first few days in office, regardless of the barriers in the way, reminds me of how women entrepreneurs take this approach daily. Whether it’s building businesses from the ground up, without access to external finance; or innovating to find effective new solutions to challenges that exist in a country or community. Women entrepreneurs get things done and make change happen because they genuinely believe that ‘Where there's a will there's a way’. Bringing together a powerful combination of ingenuity, passion, sheer hard work, and determination, and the encouragement of fellow women entrepreneurs and supporters, they achieve the impossible. It’s a powerful reminder to us all that we are capable of more than we know, if we have a vision and harness our will to make it happen.

If you are anything like me, since the start of this new year you may have been thinking a lot about the choices we make in life, the paths we choose to take. And whether those paths are easy or hard, positive or negative, in our lives and our businesses. I know that as human beings, we are perhaps hard-wired to always think about taking the easy path, the one of least resistance. This is not surprising as life and business can be hard, and we need all the luck we can get! But another way of looking at things is to acknowledge that every challenge we encounter, every problem we have to solve, is in fact an opportunity to learn, to improve, to overcome. As I get older, and hopefully wiser, and as I continue to gain new and fresh experiences on this entrepreneurial journey, I think it is important to not always take the easy road. Instead, to look at the hard road ahead, with its uncertainty and its bumps along the way. See it as a powerful learning opportunity, a chance to experience new things, to keep pushing yourself to improve. For me, that is what this year needs to be about - choosing the paths that will lead to both self improvement and growth in the business. So the question you need to ask yourself today is which path will you take?

We all need those life-affirming routines in our busy entrepreneurial lives that allow us the time and space to reflect and get some much needed perspective. For me, it’s my daily, early morning walk in the park with my husband, watching the sun rise over the lake, and getting closer to nature that helps me to get perspective. There is nothing quite like it! Sitting with my cup of tea in a favourite spot by the water, observing the wildlife, watching people walking their dogs or going about their daily exercise routines. Just getting closer to nature, finding that precious time to stop and reflect on where I am in my life and in the business. It’s so important to press the pause button each day, and nature has a way of allowing us to do that. To remind us of our place in the universe, and that the problems we might be dealing with may seem big at the time, but in the bigger scheme of things, there is always a solution. So if you find yourself in need of some perspective, I can highly recommend reconnecting with nature - it works for me!

I was relaxing and drinking a glass of flavoured-water last week and took a moment to look at the beautifully designed bottle that it came in. It made me appreciate just how huge and competitive the designer water market has become globally, and how sophisticated the marketing and promotion of these products has become over the years. It made me remember fondly how, in the early 1980s, I sampled my first lemon scented Perrier water when it launched in the market, loving the concept and the taste. Bringing the flavoured water story back to today, I was reminded of a woman entrepreneur who became a major success story with her flavoured water brand Hint, back in 2005. Kara Goldin, the ceo and founder of the brand, launched the business to create a healthy alternative to the sugar laden fizzy drinks that she was in the habit of drinking. She had no beverage industry experience, the big industry brands laughed at her, but she knew what customers wanted from her own personal experience. Taking that knowledge, she took a leap of faith, launched her brand and her products, and today the brand has grown into a $200m operation. Kara’s experience is a good reminder to us all that sometimes it’s good to trust your intuition in business and product development.

As an entrepreneur myself and an ardent supporter of small businesses, I make conscious decisions to buy from startups rather than major retailers whenever I can. If there is one thing I know, it’s that every dollar makes a difference to a small business, but also the customer experience is so much more personal. Since the start of the pandemic, and seeing how hard hit small businesses have been as a result, one major trend to emerge is a greater consciousness on the part of consumers to support their local businesses. Like me, they have witnessed at first hand far too many small businesses in their communities have to close their doors because of the pandemic, many may disappear for ever. That’s why as consumers, we can play our part by supporting small independent businesses, choosing to buy from them instead of the big global retailers. The latest Salesforce report into consumer buying patterns suggests that there is a definite shift to supporting small business as a result of the pandemic, with 59% of consumers surveyed saying they would make conscious decisions to buy local. As consumers, we need to recognize that we have the power to improve our local economies by supporting our small women-owned businesses.

I have been doing some catch up reading over the holidays, including some fascinating articles and books written by successful women entrepreneurs from around the world. One thing they all share in common on their journeys is that they have had to be honest with themselves about their weaknesses, and importantly, find ways of turning them into their strengths. It is a reminder that there are no ‘superwomen entrepreneurs’ out there, just women who are open to learning, who are not prepared to let their weaknesses hold them back, and who turn negatives into positives. All these women identify that the first step is to be honest with yourself, identify those weaknesses, and then look at what needs to be done to address them and turn them into positive ways of thinking and doing. Treat your weaknesses like items on a ‘To-Do-List’, rather than insurmountable challenges, and actively create a plan to address each one. Look for mentors who can help you to learn by example, and keep an open mind to learning from them continually. Our weaknesses may have been blind-spots in the past, but the start of a new year is the best time to finally turn those weaknesses into strengths and assets.

Welcome to the first full working week of the new year and I for one am truly excited at what lies in store for us all. Yes, there will be challenges, we know this - how can there not be after all that the world has been through in the last twelve months? But I think we are all looking forward to better times ahead, to making things happen, to making a difference. I don’t know what New Year’s resolutions you have made, but mine is to make every day count. I have come to appreciate perhaps more than ever that every single day we are given is a precious gift and one that we have an obligation to make the most of. So I intend to do just that, starting each day by taking a moment to pause and be grateful, and to make a difference through my words and my actions. How will you make the most of the gift of time this year?

Who would have thought that one of the few positives to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic would be that more women have been inspired to turn their passion projects into home-based businesses? It is one of the fastest growing forms of startup globally right now. If you think about it, perhaps this trend shouldn’t be that much of a surprise after all. Women are now seeing the possibilities to not just explore the creative freedom that their passion projects bring, but they are also seeing that they can turn those ideas into a source of additional financial revenue into the home. Not only that, but they get the opportunity to do more of what they love whilst in the comfort of their own home surroundings, being able to fit the business into home and family life. So many successful global businesses and brands started out life around the kitchen table at home, such as Jo Malone’s luxury perfume business which was eventually bought by prestigious cosmetics company, Estee Lauder, or Suzie Walker’s multi million dollar nutritional snack bar business, Primal Pantry. From small ideas hatched over a cup of tea in the kitchen at home, can big businesses and brands grow with the right kind of vision and passion driving them.

I am often asked what makes women owned businesses so different from their male counterparts when at face value they offer the same products and services, delivered to the same customers. My answer is often the same, and I really do believe it’s one of the traits that separates women-owned businesses from the pack - women put their hearts into the business, for them it’s personal. Women entrepreneurs build businesses for many different reasons, but whatever the inspiration or reasons for taking the leap into entrepreneurship, it tends to be done heart and soul. It makes sense when you think that to launch and run a successful business, you have to give it everything you’ve got. It’s not simply a business, a product or service, it’s personal, it matters. That philosophy and approach also reflects on, and is shared by, employees who work in your business, creating a heart-centered business culture. It doesn’t mean that because you have put your heart into the business and the work you do that you are vulnerable as a result. Instead, it makes you more connected, more resilient, and importantly, it makes others connect with you and your business on a much more personal and emotional level.

One topic of conversation that always comes up when I spend time chatting with fellow women entrepreneurs is defining what success looks like - and everyone has their own opinion and way of measuring that success. For some, success means having the financial freedom to be able to stay creative, innovative, to take risks. For others, success is about being able to build a business and a legacy that can take care of family and community for years to come. But one thing that many women I talk to seem to agree on when it comes to defining success is that it cannot be measured simply by materials things - such as the size of your bank balance, or the car that is parked in your driveway, or the number of overseas holidays you are able to take each year. Instead, they see success as being measured by the impact they can make in the world, by being able to lead by example and make a difference, by inspiring other young women who come after them. So, how do you measure your success as an entrepreneur?

I love it when I read a story that is truly inspirational, and this week one such story popped into my daily news feed that I just have to share with you all, because it’s a reminder of how family businesses can get through crises by taking the long view. There is a family owned mochi seller in Kyoto, Japan (mochi is a small rice flour cake) that is 1,020 years old. Yes, you read that correctly, a family business that is over 1000 years old!. It has seen and survived many crises in its time, from wars and plagues, to natural disasters and the fall of empires. Ichiwa, which is today run by Naomi Hasegawa the latest generational member of this family of entrepreneurs, endures because it sells only one product, does it incredibly well, and believes in putting tradition and stability over profit and growth. Ichiwa’s business model offers some interesting learnings to so many other small businesses. Ultimately, the family’s number one priority for the business is carrying on. Each generation is like a runner in a relay race, passing the baton to the next generation to continue. So what is the secret to this business longevity? According to Naomi, she says, “To survive for a millennium a business cannot just chase profits. It has to have a higher purpose.” In the case of Ichiwa, their purpose was to serve a local shrine’s pilgrims with delicious snacks. A lesson to inspire all of us who want to build a legacy business and take the long view!

During the past year, in the absence of being able to travel to see and hear inspirational speakers and writers who I admire and regularly follow on my own personal business journey, I have found myself listening to more podcasts to inspire me. Podcasts are a great way of feeling closer to those whose work you admire and hearing them speak in their own words about their own experiences in life and business. There is so much we can learn from others, and there is nothing quite like hearing advice at first hand. Podcasts make us feel like we are engaged in a conversation, that we are gaining unique insights from those who inspire us that can help us on our own journeys. They become our own virtual coaches, boosting our confidence levels, reminding us that everything is possible, that we can achieve our goals. So, if you haven’t yet switched on to the joys of podcasts, I challenge you to open your minds, take a listen to those who inspire you, and let them guide you on your own entrepreneurial path.

How do you judge innovation from your perspective as an entrepreneur? Is it when you see something being created which is genuinely novel and unique? Is it when you experience a genuine ‘wow factor’ at the sight of a new product or experience a very different kind of service? Often, something that appears innovative in one country or region may in fact be commonplace in another. That innovation may have been inspired by a traditional way of performing a task, but completely reinvented using new materials or technologies to create something that feels uniquely different. What I love about our Lionesses of Africa is that every day we share the stories of women entrepreneurs who are genuinely pushing boundaries with their innovations. Today’s Image of the Day story is one such example, featuring the work of two pioneering and innovating women entrepreneurs from South Africa. Natalie and Kim Ellis, founders of The Joinery, have been making waves and exciting consumers with their Future Felt™ textiles made from recycled plastic bottles. Not only are they contributing an eco-manufacturing solution to a major plastic waste problem, but they are also creating desperately needed jobs for women in their communities. Now that’s how to judge innovation in terms of impact!