I want to share a reaction I had this past week whilst I was relaxing and watching a little tv in the evening after a long day. Following the continually devastating daily news and updates on the global pandemic, an old comedy programme came onto the screen featuring two well known British comedians. The comedy sketch made me laugh out loud, and yet I felt guilty at laughing whilst there is so much pain and anxiety in the world. It seemed inappropriate to find humor in the midst of such a widespread, devastating crisis. But I was reminded of the power of humor to help mental health and wellness during times like these. Laughter has been proven to relax your body, boost your immune system, release feel-good endorphins, and help protect the heart. So, perhaps the lesson here is that if we are to come through this situation in the best way possible, we need to remember to find time to smile, to laugh, and to find a little lightness. Our health and wellbeing will thank us for it.

Like many people, I have been used to working remotely for years due to the large amount of travelling I usually do with Lionesses of Africa. So I am a big fan of technology and apps that make life and business easier to manage whilst on the move. However, with life now operating very differently and remotely for everyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers around the world are changing their habits. This presents both challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs. Online shopping and home delivery has become even bigger business. Women entrepreneurs creating great products can take advantage of this change in consumer behaviour and take their retail business models digital. Those with consulting businesses can use technology and apps to provide their customers with virtual meetings and strategy sessions. Event management companies can get creative as they organize exciting virtual events and experiences for attendees. The current pandemic has definitely changed consumer habits, and as a result, opportunities for entrepreneurs to rise to the challenge. It will be interesting to see if these habits are changed for the long-term.

Probably like many of you, I have been using this unusual period of time to do some research and catch-up reading on insights from my fellow women entrepreneurs around the world. I was reminded of a famous quote by Charles Darwin this week whilst reading an article, and it seems very relevant today. He said: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” How true that is in today’s global crisis. As entrepreneurs, we are all having to adapt our businesses in response to the current environment. Those who can successfully change will be the ones that survive and thrive. I am seeing many women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community now turning their attention to online and digital marketing, instead of relying on traditional business models. The move to ‘Direct to Consumer’ strategies through digital transformation is what will keep these women entrepreneurs connected to their customers during these tough times. It will also raise brand awareness amongst potential new customers. Being adaptable to change is what will make the difference.

I think everyone is in need of a feel-good factor right now, but it can be hard to find. However, one trend I am seeing which in a small way can answer that need is the re-emergence of the gift card. Friends and family are connecting with loved ones digitally by sending gift cards to be used online for those feel-good purchases from small independent businesses. Customers are supporting entrepreneurs and their businesses with much needed cash flow by buying gift cards that can be redeemed in the future, once things are normalized. Entrepreneurs are responding by creating special digital gift card promotions to encourage customers to buy now when their cash flow need is greatest. So, if you are thinking about what to buy your friends and family for their special days, or just to make them feel better during these tough times, why not support a woman entrepreneur by buying a gift card from them?

How often do you buy a great product online, but your customer experience is not so good, leaving you with a disappointing overall impression? It happens more than it should. So it’s always wonderful to praise those businesses and brands when they get it right. I had one such great experience recently, so I thought I would share with you what made the difference. The company is called oddbox.co.uk a sustainable fresh fruit and vegetable delivery service, created by a woman entrepreneur and her business partner. The company’s online platform was really well designed and easy to navigate. It told the personal story of the business and brand in their voices. The products ordered were delivered on-time as promised. The quality was great. Importantly, the communication was really outstanding. E-mail and phone updates allowed for tracking of the delivery. Regular newsletters from the Oddbox team were entertaining. Customer engagement on product satisfaction was innovative. And feedback was actively encouraged. I sent an email to the founder and her team to congratulate them on their business and the great service. I received an immediate response, adding to my great customer experience. As a result, I have become a fan of their business. Let’s praise great customer service when we receive it, it makes all the difference.

Is it just me, or these days are you finding yourself thinking and doing things differently? I say this to you as I am still in self-isolation, dressed in my ‘athleisure wear’, ready to do my ‘virtual’ 5am exercise routine. Except that now, my exercise is with an online fitness platform at home before my work day begins, instead of going for my usual sunrise 5km walk in the park. If there is one thing this situation has taught me, it’s that learning to do things differently is essential. The same goes for business. Whereas a usual day for me would entail lots of travel and meetings, now both are virtual - and more efficient as a result. My productivity, and importantly my strategic thinking time, have increased due to less time spent on travel and meetings. This is one practical change I will be maintaining in the future.

In times of crisis we look to our global leaders to provide direction, to find solutions, to inspire us, and to encourage us to keep going. History has provided us with many examples of great leaders who have helped to navigate us through difficult times. As a result, they have changed the world for the better. In business, great leaders are similarly needed, not just in the good times, but also in the bad times. As a woman entrepreneur, you need to be a strong leader right now. Not just in your own business for your employees, but also in your industry sector, and your community. Being a good leader in times of crisis means guiding your business through these tough times. It means being empathetic to your employees, suppliers, and customers. It means listening to everyone’s concerns. It means communicating constantly to ensure everyone is kept informed on the latest developments. And it means finding the solutions that are needed to keep going. If you look at some of the most successful big businesses globally today, you will see that they have all managed to survive crises in the past, and importantly, have emerged stronger. Why? Because they had great leadership. Share with us how you are leading your own business through this challenging time, we would love to hear from you. Post your thoughts to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using hashtag #LionessBusinessUnusual and you will be featured on our Community Wall. Thanks for sharing!

We all know that being a parent and an entrepreneur is challenging at the best of times. But during a global pandemic when schools and daycare centres are closed and our usual support systems are not available, that challenge is taken to a whole new level. How many of us are now trying to balance precious family time with managing essential work time at home? Regardless of your personal and economic circumstances, trying to stay focused on a structured work schedule at home whilst you have children running around and in need of entertainment, feeding, and education, can be incredibly hard work. It can also add to the business stress you are experiencing in the current economic situation. Nobody knows when schools and daycare centres will reopen, and social distancing rules mean that sharing the burden with others is not an option. So how can women entrepreneurs successfully juggle remote working with the needs of their children in this Covid-19 world? Lionesses, we would love to hear your suggestions and experiences of how you have been coping with this juggling act. Post your thoughts to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using hashtag #LionessBusinessUnusual and you will be featured on our Community Wall. Thanks for sharing!

There is one positive I can take away from this strange new world we find ourselves in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are finding precious time to reconnect with one another as women entrepreneurs. We are swopping stories and experiences, sharing information, and crying on friendly shoulders when needed. Occasionally we also find time to laugh at the small things in our lives to find relief. They say that laughter is sometimes the best medicine for relieving stress! I believe that’s true. I had two conversations this week which made me smile. I was chatting with members of my ‘100 Lionesses’ network and we were discussing at a practical level how we were using this time to restrategize, pivot, innovate, and get ready for the day when our shops, factories and offices reopen. Our chats then turned to laughing at some of the small things we have had to get used to during this lockdown period. Such as bad hair, no-make-up days, nails in need of some good pampering, casual Fridays turning into casual ‘everydays’ (anyone worked at home in their pyjamas?). These are the small things in life that we take for granted in good times. So to all those beauty and hair salon owners who are taking real strain right now and in need of good news. When this crisis is over, and it will be eventually, prepare yourselves for a rush of trade from women entrepreneurs who just want to feel good again as they get back to business!

How often as women entrepreneurs do we find ourselves in need of someone to share an idea or new business concept with, or get advice on a problem we are facing in our businesses? That’s where mentors have a great role to play in our lives. And there is no doubt that mentors can make a big impact on our businesses and our own personal development as business owners. A survey by the Harvard Business Review, found that 84% of CEOs with mentors said that having the support of a mentoring relationship helped them avoid costly mistakes and become proficient faster; 71% said their company performance improved as a result of having access to a mentoring relationship; and 69% said they were able to make better decisions. There is a direct correlation between an entrepreneur who is performing well and the success of the business. Interestingly, it has been suggested that 87% of entrepreneurs with a mentor are still in business after their first year, compared to 75% of those who did not have a mentor. So, what are you waiting for? Go and get your own mentor to walk this entrepreneurial journey with you.

I have been speaking to a large number of seasoned women entrepreneurs across the Lionesses of Africa network over the past month. One constant topic of conversation has been on the importance of practicing mindfulness in their lives, particularly in these challenging times. Mindful leaders have the tools they need to deal with the most stressful situations, which means they can be fully present in the moment to find the solutions. It is a valuable practice for any woman entrepreneur to follow if they are to deal with what life throws at them. I read an interesting article on the subject of mindful leadership in the Harvard Business Review which suggested that mindful leaders have mastered two important things. Firstly, they can separate themselves from stressful events and situations by observing them from a neutral position, rather than becoming personally engaged. This means they can deal with them more effectively. Secondly, they can better control their reactions to threats or difficult situations, allowing them to consider their options rather than just reacting. Ultimately, if we can all become more mindful leaders, our businesses and particularly our employees will benefit from our approach and the environment we create.

So many of us are now experiencing the new normal of being in a country-wide lock-down situation due to COVID-19. Whilst this situation is undoubtedly devastating on so many businesses right now, history tells us that this will pass and we will get through it - eventually! As entrepreneurs, however, we know how to turn a bad situation into an opportunity. So now is the time to use this business pause to re-strategize for business life after the pandemic. It’s time to take a hard look at our business models, our sales and marketing practices, our customer communication, and our product development. If ever there was a time to think out of the box, to innovate, and to take a fresh look at the way we have been doing business, now is it! Engage your employees and your customers in the process. Use the digital communications tools you have at your disposal and reach out to get feedback on your new ideas during this planning phase. When you finally emerge from this crisis, you will need a dynamic new strategy to kick your business into top gear.

As we start the second quarter of the business year, we are now well into our ‘new normal’. The world has changed, and as entrepreneurs we must also, with a sense of urgency rather than panic. In our personal lives, we have to think and do things differently in order to deal with the current challenges we face, and the same is true of our approach to our businesses. This is a time for revisiting and reinventing our business models; looking for ways of taking our businesses digital; finding new marketing and sales opportunities; and consolidating what we have in place already. Times like these will test the resilience of us all. But the important thing to remember is that we are not alone. Our Lionesses of Africa community is strong, supportive, collaborative and there for one another when the going gets tough. So reach out to a fellow woman entrepreneur today and show your support by giving her some business or providing some advice or guidance if needed. Remember, we are #StrongerTogether.

I have had several conversations recently with women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community who are going through a range of very difficult 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 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.

It’s one of those key times in the life of any entrepreneur - knowing when it’s necessary to pivot in business. When you pivot your business, you change direction in response to realizing that the way you are doing things simply isn’t working and it’s time for a rethink. And, there’s nothing wrong with pivoting the business, after all, market needs change, customers change, technology changes, all factors that can necessitate a Plan B and a pivot. It’s all about making the right move for the future sustainability of the business. The key is knowing when to pivot. It could be that your business is experiencing difficulty in sustaining its revenue sources. Maybe your business model needs a rethink. Or customer feedback indicates that a business offering needs tweaking to meet their requirements. Ultimately, it could just be that your business is simply not growing as it should be, and new action plans are needed to move it forward. So take a good hard look at the business, start by figuring out where the growth and sustainability is most likely to be, and pivot in that direction.

Do you often find in this mad life as an entrepreneur that you sometimes just need that quiet time and space to reflect, to review your progress, to think about new ideas and different ways of doing things? We get so caught up with the day-to-day grind of running our businesses that it’s often difficult to see the woods for the trees. As an entrepreneur, a little solo time is an essential part of your working week, but you need to make a conscious decision to build it into your schedule, otherwise you end up pushing it out of the way to make room for other things. And yet these periods of solitude can be good for the business, and for your sanity. Personally, I find in those moments of complete solitude is when I can get the most done and be at my creative best. My mind is quiet, new ideas have the space to flow, and I feel re-energised. So, if you feel that your business is running you instead of the other way around, do yourself a favour and find that all important solo time to stop and get some quiet perspective each day.

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.

Success means different things to different people. Whether it’s building a substantial business or product that has gone global, or a business that has scaled into multiple locations, or a business that is making an impact in its chosen field, success comes in many forms. So in the world of entrepreneurship, why do we find ourselves sometimes trying to measure up to other people’s ideas of what success looks like? Perhaps it’s time to think about what success really means to each of us individually, and to create our own, very personal definitions that we can work towards, instead of trying to emulate other entrepreneurs’ notions of success. We each have our own entrepreneurial path to follow, and part of the journey is understanding what success means to us. It’s not about chasing a life that is unattainable. It’s about creating a vision and a path for ourselves to follow that means something very personal to us as individuals. And each step we take towards achieving our goals, and each milestone we reach, brings us closer to the success we have defined for ourselves.

I read a great quote this week which should resonate with all those women entrepreneurs who spend their lives pitching their businesses and trying to make the next sale - it says,“You may need 100 no's to get one yes, but that one yes will make you more successful tomorrow than you were today.” How true is that? We all know how much work and effort it takes to make that all important sale, and it can be discouraging when you seem to go through a phase when all you hear are no’s from the companies and individuals you are pitching and marketing to. It can inevitably lead to moments of self doubt - and talk to any fellow woman entrepreneur and they will tell you they have been there too. The truth is, we’ll never completely get rid of self-doubt, and we shouldn’t try to. In fact, these feelings can be good for us - they drive us to keep doing better, to change the way we do things in order to get a great result, to question ourselves in order to improve our chances of converting that sale. The trick is to immediately let go of any feelings of doubt that come with every no, and instead just focus on the way you feel when you eventually do hear that yes. It will keep you going and keep those self doubts in check.

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.