You know that old saying, ‘first impressions count’ - well, it’s still true today, especially in business. I was reminded of this again at a recent conference where I met with a large number of women entrepreneurs in a networking session. I was struck by just how many of those women didn’t take the opportunity to make a memorable, lasting impression when meeting with their fellow conference goers. Firstly, many of them didn’t have business cards to exchange, and secondly, few of them had their ‘business pitch’ at the ready. Studies show that first impressions are made within the first 17 seconds of meeting someone new. This means that before we even get sufficient time to demonstrate our abilities, the first impression is already cast. In life and in business, we often only get one chance to make a great impression on the people we meet, we need to make it count.

I was chatting recently with a wonderful woman entrepreneur, Hazel Aggrey-Orleans, founder of Eki Orleans, who is passionate about building an eco-conscious luxury fashion business, one that treads lightly on the world we live in, whilst at the same time making a profit. She is a great example of what is becoming a growing attitude and approach in the world of entrepreneurship - businesses that combine passion with profit,   together with an ethical and eco-friendly way of producing the products they sell. As the world is battling major environmental challenges, more and more businesses are realizing that they need to be part of the eco-solution, not the problem. It’s great to see progressive, passionate women entrepreneurs from across the African continent looking to build businesses that are focused on ethical production methods, natural materials, waste reduction, and recycled packaging. We can all make a contribution in our own way to building more sustainable businesses.

I don’t know about you, but personally I love hearing about women entrepreneurs from across the African continent and the Diaspora who are successful. Those women who are building strong businesses, game-changing brands, world class products, and differentiated service offerings that win them fans both at home and globally. We all need inspiration and let’s face it, there is nothing quite as motivational than seeing our fellow women entrepreneurs making it in the world of business - it spurs us on to greater heights on our own journeys and shows us that it’s possible. I often speak about how important it is to acknowledge and recognize each other, to celebrate our successes together, to congratulate each other when we launch new innovations, products and services into the marketplace. As a growing community of women entrepreneurs in Africa, we are far more powerful when we genuinely support one another - after all, celebrating others’ success is good for everyone. 

I don’t know about you, but I find comfort in certain routines, both in my personal and my business life. I like knowing that my early morning routine is the same, no matter where I am travelling in the world. It sets the right tone and gives order for my day ahead. That sense of routine is like an anchor that keeps me grounded, no matter how busy or chaotic my life might get. And trust me, when I am travelling across different time zones and keeping up with a ridiculously busy schedule in different cities and countries, knowing I have a routine to stick to makes life so much easier to manage. I’m not on my own in this respect - my love of a good early morning routine is shared by such well known entrepreneurs as Jessica Dilullo Herrin, founder of online fashion merchandise store Stella & Dot, who gets her day started by caring for her mind, body and soul with meditation and exercise; or Huffington Post founder, Ariana Huffington who sets her intentions for the day with yoga, meditation, and Bulletproof coffee before starting work. The bottom line is that whatever works for you, it’s good to have a routine.

There is a great quote from the inspirational soleRebels founder, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu, who said, “You’re not in a dynamic business if you’re not experiencing challenges.” How true! This quote came back to me as I was chatting to two wonderful women entrepreneurs in my network, both in the retail sector, but one a start-up and the other the creator of a mature, market leading company. Both were in the midst of taking their businesses to the next level, expanding their product offerings and trying to break into new markets. And, both were experiencing significant challenges along the way, notably in the access to funding and access to global markets environments. Often we may be tempted to think that the longer you have been around as an entrepreneur, and the more businesses you have built, the easier it gets and the fewer challenges there are to be overcome. These conversations were a great reminder that when we build dynamic businesses there will always be challenges, it’s part of the journey.

So here’s an interesting piece of research information to think about as you start your day. It appears that the number of male and female entrepreneurs who say they are interested in growing their businesses over the next five years is almost identical, at 82% and 83% respectively. However, the similarity ends when asking both men and women about they type of business growth they envision. Research suggests that women entrepreneurs are more likely to take the long-term view of achieving that growth, by typically reinvesting business profits back into the business in order to generate steady and profitable growth. They are also driven to build legacy businesses that can be passed through the generations, supporting both family and communities for the long-term. Their male counterparts on the other hand are more likely to aim for a faster growth trajectory, exploring ideas and opportunities for equity investment, but ultimately a quicker exit and less of a focus on leaving a legacy. 

Life as an entrepreneur has its ups and downs, and there’s a reason why we often refer to it as a roller-coaster. There are times when you experience real “highs”, when everything seems to be going right and everything seems possible, and then there are those inevitable low times that inevitably knock your confidence. One day you sign a big contract you have been working on getting for months, you read a great article about your company in a leading magazine, and life seems great. The very next day your new prospective investor backs away from the deal, and you lose your biggest client to a competitor. But the test of a successful entrepreneur is how to ride these crazy ups and downs without giving up. The path to success is never a straight line. The trick is to enjoy the highs when they happen, but keep your eyes on the end goal and find your inner resolve when life throws you that curve ball and you are back on that rollercoaster again. 

Pick up any newspaper and magazine, or read your daily online news, and chances are you will see stories of some economies globally and on the African continent really flying, and others taking some considerable strain. Big companies and start-up businesses alike have to constantly take the time to re-evaluate their strategies and goals to manage these often severe economic fluctuations and replan where necessary. During such times, a creative approach to business is often needed, particularly when banks and other financial institutions become much more conservative around access to finance, just when you need it most. Women entrepreneurs, in fact women in general, have always traditionally been better at mastering the art of doing more with less, finding creative ways to stay afloat and thrive even through the most uncertain economic times. And it’s interesting to see that those women entrepreneurs who focus on profit over revenue and frugality over ostentatious consumption, typically build more sustainable businesses and create more jobs in the long term. In these uncertain and often wildly fluctuating economic times, it’s a sensible approach to take.

We all have those days when we need to summon up the courage to keep trying, keep going, keep believing in the businesses we are building and the products and services we are creating, even when it’s really challenging. And that courage can take many forms. Recently I was doing some reading on just this subject, hearing what other well known career women and entrepreneurs alike had to share on how they found their own sources of courage during tough times. I came across a fabulous quote that really resonated with me and which I feel compelled to share.  It’s by the author, artist and inspirational speaker, Mary Anne Radmacher, whose books Lean Forward Into Your Life, Live With Intention, and Life Begins When You Do, are wonderfully uplifting. She says, “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” Wise words indeed!

It’s human nature - we all need people to look up to in our lives, people who inspire us and motivate us to achieve our goals, who show us that the seemingly impossible can be done. As women entrepreneurs, that’s particularly the case as we look to seek out and look up to those women who have successfully blazed the business building trail before us. I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurial journey being inspired by such women as Anita Roddick, founder of the ethical, cruelty free cosmetics company, The Body Shop, in the UK. For me, she was a great example of someone who had a real passion and was driven to make a difference in the world through her business and brand, and she left a legacy for so many other women entrepreneurs to follow. As she once famously said, “In business, you persuade people with passion, so you’ve got to have a product or service you feel emotionally charged about. Then you can tell stories about it that will inspire others.” Having such role models in our lives is so important as they show us what can be achieved with the right combination of determination, hard work, perseverance, and a ‘must-do’ spirit.

As women entrepreneurs, many of us share the perpetual challenge of how to manage our time better, as we try and juggle all the various aspects of our lives simultaneously. And often we feel severely time pressed and this can have serious implications on our business and our personal productivity. But there are steps that can be taken to prevent problems with productivity occurring too frequently. A simple solution is to focus on what we do best and acknowledge that we really don’t need to try and do everything ourselves. It’s about knowing when to delegate and what to delegate to others, freeing ourselves up to focus on those things that really do need our personal attention and skills, and that ultimately we do best. There is a great quote by Virgin Group Founder, Richard Branson, who is the ultimate delegator in business. He says, “You must understand the art of delegation. I have to be good at helping people run the individual businesses, and I have to be willing to step back. The company must be set up so it can continue without me.” So, if you are feeling as though you are constantly battling time in your life and business, make a conscious decision to focus on what you do best, and delegate the rest.

When I speak to women entrepreneurs each day, one of the things they feedback probably more than anything else is how valuable they find it to hear the inspirational startup stories of other women entrepreneurs - told in their own voices and often with great honesty and frankness. These stories remind them that they are not alone, and the challenges they are facing are not unique, but shared amongst all those women who bravely go out there each day and build their businesses. There is something really powerful about finding your voice and using it to engage others on your entrepreneurial journey. I often talk about the fact that as business founders, we are our own best salespeople, and our voices count when we are trying to get our businesses and brands seen and heard above the noise in the marketplace. Increasingly, customers want to know the backstory of the products they buy and the brands they give their loyalty to, so every woman entrepreneur’s voice and story counts. Finding your voice and writing your startup story is part of the journey to becoming the author of your own successful life.

I am a great believer in the power of collection action, and as women entrepreneurs if we each take small, daily actions that will strengthen Africa’s pride of women entrepreneurs, we can make a big difference. Have you thought about where you shop, what you buy, where those products are made, and how you are supporting other women entrepreneurs who are making products and creating services that you might need? As a collective of women entrepreneurs on the African continent, we have the power to support one another in so many ways, helping each other to thrive and grow, simply by the actions and decisions we make each day. By making conscious decisions to buy from one another, to mentor one another, to bring each other’s businesses into our own supply chains, we are individually taking one small step for women’s entrepreneurship, but collectively making one giant leap for economic change for women in Africa.

I was reading an article about the life of author Paulo Coehlo, and he said something that might resonate with many women reading this article. He said, “When you say yes to others, make sure you aren’t saying no to yourself.” I was thinking about this in the context of a conversation that comes up often when speaking to women entrepreneurs. Women have often been raised to be “people pleasers”, which can lead to seeking the approval of others, and as a result, they often have a harder time saying “no.” This can lead to them under-charging for their products or services in the marketplace, or being too giving of their time and help in general at the expense of their own needs, business or otherwise. It’s important to remember that it’s impossible to please everyone all the time, and in business trying to be everything to everybody is a potential recipe for failure. So, cut yourself some slack and stop trying to please everyone, instead please yourself! 

It’s human nature - we all need people to look up to in our lives, people who inspire us and motivate us to achieve our goals, who show us that the seemingly impossible can be done. As women entrepreneurs, that’s particularly the case as we look to seek out and look up to those women who have successfully blazed the business building trail before us. I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurial journey being inspired by such women as Anita Roddick, founder of the ethical, cruelty free cosmetics company, The Body Shop, in the UK. For me, she was a great example of someone who had a real passion and was driven to make a difference in the world through her business and brand, and she left a legacy for so many other women entrepreneurs to follow. As she once famously said, “In business, you persuade people with passion, so you’ve got to have a product or service you feel emotionally charged about. Then you can tell stories about it that will inspire others.” Having such role models in our lives is so important as they show us what can be achieved with the right combination of determination, hard work, perseverance, and a ‘must-do’ spirit.

No-one said being an entrepreneur was easy - if it was, everyone would be doing it. And talk to any successful serial entrepreneur and they will tell you that the secret is to stay focused and keep going through even the toughest moments - and there will be lots of those along the way! I have always been a ‘glass half full’ kind of person, seeing the positive and keeping an eye on the bigger picture at all times, even when the going is tough. So here is my tried and tested technique for getting through the inevitable hurdles you will encounter along the way, and battling through those days when you doubt yourself and this crazy entrepreneurial life you have chosen. I start by reminding myself of the 5 things I am most grateful for in my life and I take a moment to celebrate those things. I also remind myself of the reasons I chose to become an entrepreneur in the first place instead of embarking on a safe corporate career. I revisit my Big Hairy Audacious Goals list and remember why I am inspired to do what I do as an impact driven entrepreneur. And finally, I look those tough challenges squarely in the eye and tell myself I’ve got this!

I often get asked by the hundreds of women entrepreneurs I meet each month if there is a way of telling the Lionesses of Africa community as a whole, across the continent and the globe, of the exciting new products and services they are launching. Well, we have listened to you all and now there is! Our new regular feature, Lioness Launch, has been created to give you all the opportunity to share your exciting news about your new product and services as they are being launched. The Lionesses of Africa editorial team is on standby to create some great Lioness Launch feature articles to be shared across our community and on all our platforms. If you are launching a great new product or service and you would like to share it with our community, send us a note to loacontent@gmail.com.

What comes to mind when you think of community? You probably think of the communities you personally spend time in, made up of many tiers of people bringing their individual personalities, experiences, knowledge, hopes and dreams to the group. A mixture of energetic youngsters, experienced members with a track record and specialist knowledge and expertise to hand, and elders who bring their years of life and invaluable insights to the table. These communities work and thrive because of the multi-layers of people who belong to them and who bring something new to the conversation. It’s the same when building a networking community in business, and it’s worth remembering what works in your own personal community and replicating that in the business sense - bringing together a combination of youthful enthusiasm with highly experienced entrepreneurs who have been there and earned the respect and trust that goes with building successful businesses. The secret to building a powerful networking community is getting all these tiers in place and having everyone bring their own personal experience and insights to help others. 

As entrepreneurs and women here on the African continent, we often forget that we have an intrinsic superpower that we can use to our advantage - and that is the power of the purse, our buying power. What big corporations, government, retailers, and business owners sometimes tend to forget is that women influence almost all purchasing decisions - from the cars we drive, to the houses we buy, to the retail products we consume, to the travel decisions we make, and so on. Our real superpower as women is our buying power and our influence over what sells in the marketplace. So with that in mind, as women entrepreneurs it makes sense to leverage that superpower when it comes to building our own businesses and creating products for the marketplace. By talking to women consumers and to our fellow women entrepreneurs, by listening to what they need and want, and by supporting one another in our businesses, we can really make that superpower of the purse work for us.

You have probably all heard the story of the plumber with the leaky tap, always fixing everyone else’s leaks but never their own at home, constantly putting the job off till later - inevitably leading to it never getting done. I regularly hear similar stories from women entrepreneurs I meet, who spend their lives and all their time working flat out to make their customers lives better, easier, more enjoyable, more efficient, etc., but never getting around to doing the same for their own businesses. Chances are, most of us women entrepreneurs are perfectionists at heart, we want everything to look its best when we launch in the public domain, but as I often tell myself (all the time) and other entrepreneurs, done is better than perfect. So if you are feeling like that plumber with the proverbial leaking tap, stop procrastinating and just get it done!