If there’s one thing I have learned over the years as an entrepreneur it’s that to succeed in business we have to excite others in the products we create, the services we offer, and the solutions to key challenges that we find. It’s the same when we have a new idea for a business or a new offering to our customers. If we can’t excite people about our ideas, then often they remain just that, ideas on paper. That’s why it has been exciting to see the women entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa network in action, pitching their new product and services at our Lioness Lean In events across the continent. The ones who get results are those that most excite potential customers and partners in the audience. They turn their passion for what they do into pitches that resonate, that fire up the imagination. It’s worth spending quality time on getting your own pitch techniques perfected, so that when you have a new business idea to launch, you are ready to win over those customers and investors.

I love nothing more than seeing women entrepreneurs in action, passionately pitching their businesses to potential investors, selling their products to interested customers, or nailing that all important, life-changing deal. It’s great to see! After all, business is about selling, in all its forms, and some people are naturally better at selling and feel more comfortable with it than others. I was chatting to an amazing young woman entrepreneur recently at her studio and she was talking about how she loves the creative process in her business, developing the products and getting them launch ready, but literally dreads the sales process. Yet in business, especially when you are a startup, it’s a skill that’s essential to develop, and importantly, to perfect. So the bottom line is, we need to find a way to fall in love with the art of selling and not just creating, as sales are the lifeblood of our businesses.

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. At the weekend, 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!

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.

As women entrepreneurs, we all know how hard this business building journey can be, and often it can seem like an uphill struggle and pretty lonely out there. It’s important to remember the difference we can make to a fellow woman entrepreneur, simply by acknowledging and recognizing them and their businesses. Think about how you would feel if you received an email or a handwritten note from a fellow woman business builder telling you how much they loved your new product, or admired the work you are doing, or enjoyed an event you had organized. It could be just the boost you need on a tough day. So let’s all support one another, make a small gesture count, and make another woman entrepreneur’s day by telling her how much you appreciate what she is doing. At the very least, it could brighten her day, but importantly, it might be just the incentive needed to help her through a tough patch or a difficult business problem.

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.

There is something very powerful about seeing other women entrepreneurs who have made it on their journeys. I know that from a personal perspective and after more than three decades of being an entrepreneur, I am inspired by and still learn each and every day from my fellow women business builders around the world. So it’s always fascinating to hear from many women that they find themselves constantly monitoring and benchmarking themselves and their businesses against their peers, and getting frustrated in the process. It’s the nature of competitive spirit in business to constantly look at what others are doing, but it can also have a downside when it hampers your own progress. Success comes when you keep your eye on the ball and on your own business at all times, and not on your competitors. There is a great quote from one of our wonderful Lionesses of Africa, Ngyenzi ‘Nunu’ Mugyenyi, cofounder of BOLD Kampala in Uganda, who says on the subject, "Mind your own business. Focus your energy on how you can better your business, rather than on how the businesses of others are better than yours. There are enough entrepreneurial journeys to go around." Great advice!

I was re-reading a copy of ‘All In’ by Stephanie Breedlove this past week, a great book on how women entrepreneurs can think bigger, build sustainable businesses and change the world. It’s a great read and a great reminder of what a difference it makes to your life and your business when you make the conscious decision and mindset shift to go ‘all in’. Being ‘all in’ is a key ingredient for success, it means giving all you’ve got, committing to making the big vision happen, and putting in the maximum time and effort to realize set goals and ambitions. It means having an unwavering belief in what you are doing, why you are doing it, and its value. As Stephanie says in her book: “When the entrepreneurial journey leads you to go all in to help create the economic and cultural changes the world needs, words can’t describe its worth. I wish it for every woman called to entrepreneurship.” If you are interested in knowing more about the theory of ‘All In’, read our review of Stephanie’s book.

Look at any successful business that resonates with you and the chances are that you connect with it because you appreciate and understand its core values. It’s something to think about with your own business. When a customer makes that all important decision to buy from you, they’re endorsing your own values and those associated with your brand. That’s why it’s important to define the core values of your business right from day one. Customers need to know what you stand for as a business, what’s important to you, how you operate in the marketplace, how your brand is viewed by others. Your core values help to guide and safeguard your reputation, and help you to build a successful business that reflects who you want to be, and where you want to go in life. They also play a pivotal role in helping you to make big decisions. So, if you haven’t spent time defining the core values that are at the heart of your business, then you could be undermining your business and brand in the eyes of your customers and your employees.

I’ve had several conversations recently with women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community who are going through a range of challenges right now, and one word kept coming up repeatedly - persistence. And listening to their stories and experiences, those challenges will be familiar to so many others as each day they fight to keep their businesses going, or to take their businesses to the next growth level and into unknown new territory. Starting a business in the first place takes courage, but keeping it going, keeping it relevant and ensuring it grows, takes persistence. So this morning I would like to celebrate all those women entrepreneurs who are chasing their dreams, pushing through the inevitable difficulties, and getting creative in the face of adversity. Let’s learn from each other and never underestimate the power of persistence, it is an essential trait to develop as an entrepreneur.

They say timing is everything in life, and for many people, finding the right time to take a leap of faith and start a business can be a long process. I was chatting to a wonderful creative woman entrepreneur in South Africa recently who said it had taken her until she was 50, divorced, and with her children having left home to study at university, to be brave enough to follow her passion and start a business. She is not alone - many women entrepreneurs look at entrepreneurship as a viable life choice only later in life. But the thing to remember is that there is no one perfect time to become an entrepreneur or to start a business from scratch. It’s whatever time makes best sense to you - and age is no barrier to success for encore entrepreneurs. It can actually be an advantage as you bring a wealth of life and corporate experience with you. So, if you have a business idea or a passion that could be turned into a successful business but you have been waiting for the right moment, perhaps that moment is here right now!

Wherever I travel in the world, to host or speak at events to raise awareness of Africa’s women entrepreneurs and to open up business opportunities for our Lionesses of Africa network, I always get the same feedback from audiences. They are truly inspired by the personal stories we share of women entrepreneurs in our community from all corners of the African continent who are building great, often impact-driven businesses. These stories resonate and make a real, meaningful connection with audiences who are listening and reading. As a result, it creates greater interest from global market decision-makers who may want to explore business opportunities with more women entrepreneurs on the continent. So let’s get our stories working for us, let’s share them with the world and get people talking positively about Africa’s future economic growth, driven by entrepreneurial women game-changers.

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!

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 have had several conversations this week with women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community who are going through a range of challenges right now, and one word kept coming up repeatedly - persistence. And listening to their stories and experiences, those challenges will be familiar to so many others as each day they fight to keep their businesses going, or to take their businesses to the next growth level and into unknown new territory. Starting a business in the first place takes courage, but keeping it going, keeping it relevant and ensuring it grows, takes persistence. So this morning I would like to celebrate all those women entrepreneurs who are chasing their dreams, pushing through the inevitable difficulties, and getting creative in the face of adversity. Let’s learn from each other and never underestimate the power of persistence, it is an essential trait to develop as an entrepreneur.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! — Melanie

As entrepreneurs we talk a lot about the need to be fearless in business, but it’s easier said than done. Often, we talk ourselves into being afraid to take the leap, to try something new, to push the boundaries of our comfort zones. But this tentative approach because of fear could be holding us back. However, the solution could be easier than we think. I was reading a great article by Huffington Post founder, Ariana Huffington, who had some interesting insights on the subject. She said, "Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it, the more natural it becomes to not let my fears run me.” It sounds simple but it’s a good way of conquering this sense of fear and the unknown in business. So, why not take Ariana’s advice, just look fear in the face and push through anyway.

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.

I have gained some really interesting insights this week being back in London, and probably the one that sticks with me most is the need for Africa’s women entrepreneurs to think more globally about their businesses. I have seen at first hand how excited UK investors and retailers are about the exciting new wave of contemporary African women-owned brands emerging from the continent with world-class products that also have a powerful back-story. But we are not seeing enough of these businesses and brands breaking through. The opportunities are undoubtedly there in Europe, the US, and other key global markets as the interest in African design and creativity continues to grow. But more women entrepreneurs on the continent need to think about building businesses and creating products that are geared towards global markets in order to tap into this exciting marketing opportunity.

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.