Like many women entrepreneurs, more often than not I try to take a Nike approach to life and business - I don’t overthink things, and just DO IT, although there are times when the day to day challenges put a spanner in the works of such an approach. And when revisiting the story of the inimitable Este Lauder, founder of Este Laude Cosmetics this weekend, I came across this quote by her on exactly this subject. She said, “I didn’t get where I am by thinking about it or dreaming it. I got there by doing it.” Her words were a great reminder that it is all too easy to sit back and daydream about how our entrepreneurial lives might look in ten or twenty years’ time, or dreaming about how that new business idea or great new product or service might look once launched, but unless we actually stop thinking and just do it, chances are it will remain just that - a dream. 

Being in business can sometimes seem like we are continually climbing a mountain, seeing the summit in the distance, but never quite reaching the top. It can often feel exhausting, and more than a little dispiriting at times. As human beings, we are pre-conditioned to set big goals for ourselves, and it’s natural to want to achieve those goals as quickly as possible, but often we give up when the going get’s tough and that mountain simply seems too big to climb. So how do we get over this hurdle? Well, often it starts with acknowledging that our big goals are not going to be achieved overnight, it’s a journey - and often a long one!. The trick is to celebrate all the small wins along the way, to keep us going. With each small win, our confidence builds, our energy levels rise, our feel-good-factor returns, and we are then much better equipped to keep going, to keep motivated, to keep the big end goal in sight. So if you feel that your own big goals are like that mountain, just too daunting, then remind yourself to keep going by celebrating all the small wins along the journey. It will keep you on track.

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.

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!

What comes to mind when you think of community? You probably think of the communities you personally spend time in, made up of lots of tiers of people all of whom bring 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.

If there’s one topic of conversation that keeps coming up time and again at our Lioness Lean In events, particularly when I’m chatting to the women entrepreneurs who are our guest speakers, it’s that they are not confident public speakers. In fact, I will go so far as to say that the word used most often by many of them is that they are nervous about taking to the stage and speaking in public to an audience. Yet, it’s a skill that is worth learning as it’s good for business. Chances are at some point you will have to talk to a group of investors, or perhaps do a live television or radio interview, or speak at an industry conference on your specialist subject, or address your employees. Public speaking is part of the journey for entrepreneurs, and remember there is no one better than you, as the founder of your business, to speak on its behalf. Fortunately, effective public speaking is a communication skill that can be learned. And, as I have seen many times before at our Lionesses of Africa events, often the most reticent public speaker can turn into a star on stage.

The other day I was thinking about when I first learned to drive as a teenager, spending all those hours practicing and focusing so hard on trying to avoid the inevitable bumps in the road that had the potential to steer me and my car off course? And it got me thinking about how similar that experience was to starting up in business. You get excited at the launch phase, you make it through the first year, and then around the time between two and three years, those bumps in the road appear again - they could be in the form of a need for an injection of funding; or an expansion of capacity; or the need for a pivot to react to new market conditions. And it can be tough to navigate at the time. So that’s why it makes sense to expect the unexpected, and prepare and plan ways in advance of getting over the inevitable bumps in your entrepreneurial road when they appear.

It is always gratifying seeing great women business builders succeed, it sends a clear message to the world that we’ve got this, that we are creating impact driven businesses that matter. But it’s even better when we see those women, and so many other women entrepreneurs, paying it forward and making a real difference in the lives of others. If there is one thing that everyone realizes, it’s that being an entrepreneur is tough enough without having to compete with each other, as is so often the case in the corporate world. Instead, by paying it forward and helping other women entrepreneurs on their journeys, these women gain mutual respect and propel their own businesses forward and others too. So today, why not take the same approach? Help another woman entrepreneur out by referring a business opportunity, or offering to pool resources and collaborate, or offering mentoring advice to deal with a particular challenge being experienced. It will make you feel good, but importantly, it will make a big difference to the life of a fellow entrepreneur.

Have you noticed how many women entrepreneurs find it difficult speaking about their own accomplishments in business and in life, honestly and with pride? Or taking a compliment about the business they have built or the products and innovations they have created? And on a personal level, I have to admit that for many years I was one of those people. Often, women feel uncomfortable talking about their achievements and may be perceived as bragging or being too boastful. But the one thing I have learned over the years is that your achievements and accomplishments are some of the biggest selling points your business has, and it’s a necessity for a successful woman business owner or entrepreneur to talk about them in order to connect with potential audiences and customers. So the bottom line is that it’s okay to toot your own horn occasionally, and to own your achievements.

For me, there is nothing quite as gratifying as seeing great women business builders succeed, it sends a clear message to the world that we’ve got this, that we are creating impact driven businesses that matter. But it’s even better when we see those women, and so many other women entrepreneurs, paying it forward and making a real difference in the lives of others. If there is one thing that everyone realizes, it’s that being an entrepreneur is tough enough without having to compete with each other, as is so often the case in the corporate world. Instead, by paying it forward and helping other women entrepreneurs on their journeys, these women gain mutual respect and propel their own businesses forward and others too. So today, why not take the same approach? Help another woman entrepreneur out by referring a business opportunity, or offering to pool resources and collaborate, or offering mentoring advice to deal with a particular challenge being experienced. It will make you feel good, but importantly, it will make a big difference to the life of a fellow entrepreneur.

After speaking at a recent event, I had a number of audience members approach me afterwards to comment on how passionately I spoke about women’s entrepreneurship in Africa, and how it made them connect with the work we are doing at Lionesses of Africa. It was a reminder about how as entrepreneurs and founders of our businesses, our ability to communicate our passion for what we do can be a great sales tool. As the old saying goes, “people do business with people”, and often it’s easy to forget that we are our own best spokespeople for our businesses, brands and products. We can connect on an emotional level with our audiences and our customers, making our passion for what we do and what we create, resonate with the people we are trying to reach. As Oprah Winfrey says, “ Passion is energy - feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

I was reading an interesting article this week about how women around the world are less likely than their male counterparts to become entrepreneurs because they simply don’t have enough role models around them. And it’s not a case of being able to see superstar women role models to look up to, but instead ‘everyday women role models’ that they can really feel a connection with and aspire to be like. It’s why we share the inspirational start-up stories of ordinary women entrepreneurs doing extraordinary things from our Lionesses of Africa community each and every day - to show what’s possible. The article went on to suggest that women need to see on a regular basis people just like themselves successfully building businesses and brands, creating great products and services, and become fulfilled entrepreneurs, as it shapes their view of what is possible. The bottom line is that we need more everyday, successful women entrepreneur role-models in our lives to encourage us on our own journeys. 

As entrepreneurs, if we sat down to think about how much time we actually spend looking ahead, planning, visualizing where we want to be in our businesses 2, 5 and 10 years into the future, we would realize we are missing something pretty fundamental. We are not actually living in the moment! We can plan all we like, but if we don’t take the time to enjoy the small things that make life so special; or to celebrate each small (or big) win that happens in our businesses; or to just have fun with like-minded people on this crazy business building journey we are on, then we are not really living our best lives. It’s about being present, taking the time to enjoy the journey instead of constantly looking at the destination ahead. It’s about seeing time differently, as a series of moments to be relished and enjoyed, rather than stressful reminders of how much there is still to be done. Life is precious, let’s live more in the moment and really enjoy it!

I never tire of reading and sharing each day the truly inspirational stories of women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa network who are building great businesses and brands across the African continent. Everyone’s story is very personal to them, but their experiences (good and bad), personal insights, challenges and solutions when shared, can benefit all of us as entrepreneurs. Building a business requires us to be open to learning new things constantly, and therefore being able to share with others who are undertaking similar entrepreneurial journeys can be invaluable. It also helps us to know that we are not alone. So this month, I encourage all of you to share your startup story and connect with the 800,000+ other women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa network who are just like you. That’s the power of sharing!

Every week, I receive messages from aspirant women entrepreneurs across the African continent who are looking for advice on how and when to start a business and make the move from a ‘safe’ corporate career. My advice is often the same - there is no perfect time to start a business, often it’s a case of making the first brave move and just doing it. However, I am very conscious of the need to manage risk, as here in Africa many women are the main breadwinners in their families, and giving up a stable corporate career with a regular salary for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship is simply not an option. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start a business anyway. Many women entrepreneurs around the world dip a toe into the business building world with a side-gig, working in corporate by day and starting a business in spare time, during evenings and weekends. It’s hard work but possible, and if you want it badly enough, you make it work. After all, life’s just too short to wait for the right time!

These days, what’s the first thing people do when trying to find out more about you and your business? They check out your digital presence, of course! So, when was the last time you put yourself in someone else’s shoes and checked out your own digital presence to get that first external experience of you and your brand? We live in a 24/7 digitally connected world, so it’s important to have a strong, authentic digital presence, both personally and for your business, that works for you; that people can connect with and feel like they can trust. It should also be the first place that people can get to learn more about you and your business before they make that all important face to face connection. So if you haven’t checked out your own social media pages or your personal or corporate websites recently, then now could be a good time. After all, you never know if that next potential big client is evaluating your digital presence right now!

I find myself these days being increasingly drawn to businesses and brands that share my concerns for the environment and who find innovative ways to deal with waste management, for example. Take a look at our article on ecopreneurs here. And, it seems I am not alone. I am fascinated to see how many businesses and brands are responding to customer sentiment and concerns by taking a more conscious and minimalist approach to they way they produce their goods and run their operations. The term business minimalism is growing, with countries like Canada taking the lead and showing how the anti-waste movement is influencing all aspects of business. We can all do more in our own businesses to be resourceful and less wasteful. For example, cutting out plastic bags, using recycled products, being more rigorous with our own recycling, and importantly communicating to our customers about our ethos. This approach is not just good for the environment, it’s also good for business.

At Lionesses of Africa, we believe that as women entrepreneurs who share, inspire and connect, we are stronger together, that’s the ethos of our community. But I am also a firm believer that we are stronger together if we work with like-minded visionaries, companies and organizations who understand what we are trying to build and achieve, and who want to be part of our journey. We need to constantly connect and work with our global impact partners to fund the development of our products and programmes, and to scale their distribution and impact across the continent. We collaborate with influential Impact Partners who share our commitment and vision for advancing Africa’s women entrepreneurs, and we see our Impact Partners as change-makers. They put their money where their mouths are and become our genuine partners, sharing our mission to build meaningful impact for the most underserved women entrepreneurs on the planet. Working with our Impact Partners, we can practically support the development of a new generation of women entrepreneurs who can become the change agents Africa so badly needs. So to all our valued Impact Partners, a big thank you from all of us at Lionesses of Africa, your support helps us to make the difference.

Have you noticed that when women entrepreneurs meet and support one another, great things happen - business is done, collaborations start, and mutually beneficial networks are opened. But it’s so much more than that. I have noticed through our Lionesses of Africa network and at our regular Lioness Lean In events around the continent that not just professional relationships grow, but also long-lasting friendships are formed. And that has certainly been my personal experience as an entrepreneur. I am a great believer in the power of women entrepreneurs to go much further in life and in business when they have great support systems and networks, and strong friendships to support them through the good times and the bad. So in addition to the business benefits that can be gained from building working relationships with your fellow women entrepreneurs with whom you share so much in common, the added bonus is that they can translate into great friendships! What could be better!

As an entrepreneur, if you have reached the point where you’re stressed by constantly having to multitask and keep all the balls in the air; or it feels like the days are just getting shorter and you can never get everything done; or you feel like you work constantly but never get any further; or you are struggling to grow your business because you are bogged down by too many admin tasks; well, it could be time to call in some help. And, before you yell out, “I’m a startup I can’t afford to hire people yet”, it’s worth remembering that help can come in many different forms. It could be a smart business decision to outsource certain parts of your business that require specialist knowledge or expertise, leaving you to focus on what you are really good at. Perhaps you need to outsource your sales, or certain parts of your admin process, or your marketing? In today’s Gig Economy, it’s easier than ever to outsource key tasks to specialist freelancers who can provide that additional help just when you need it, removing some of the stress in the process. So perhaps it’s not a case of saying “I can’t afford help” but in fact acknowledging that the business can’t afford not to bring in that external help when it needs it most.