The growth of e-commerce in Africa is providing new and exciting opportunities to connect buyers with sellers, and proudly African-made products with global markets. Importantly it is also reducing the barriers to cross border trade on the continent. Women entrepreneurs are beginning to tap into the power of digital, connecting their businesses with important retail opportunities pan-Africa and globally. The flexibility of e-commerce also empowers women to build businesses that can fit around home and work life, bringing not just financial independence but also creative and personal freedom. The rise of this She-Commerce business environment is also inspiring a new generation of young women to consider digital entrepreneurship to drive their own  economic futures. This new digitally empowered generation have a much clearer roadmap to financial and business independence. They see e-commerce as a “Minimum investment, Maximum profit” business model that can bring them both lifestyle and economic rewards.

Research continues to show there is a clear confidence gap that remains between men and women entrepreneurs. As a result, this causes women to be more averse to taking risks in business, which could be restricting their growth. But there is an upside to this confidence gap. Although women don’t take as many risks, they are better at assessing them. They recognize that the stakes are high, particularly in Africa. Women start businesses to feed their families, to educate their children, to support their communities, and to contribute to the social and economic development of their countries. They recognise that their success in business is part of a much longer impact value chain. So the upside of the confidence gap is that when women do make the decision to go into business, they plan and prepare for success and profitability, even though the road to get there may be slower. The good news is that with work, confidence can be acquired, self doubt can be diminished, and women entrepreneurs can become better at taking calculated risks that pay off in the long term.

Have you noticed how entrepreneurs who do well in business often challenge the ‘status quo’, pushing boundaries or redefining business sectors and industries? These disruptive entrepreneurs are good at spotting new opportunities in the marketplace, and then changing the rules that exist around them. They also grow their workforces at a much faster rate than their more conventional competitors. Research suggests that the most disruptive entrepreneurs who have changed all or many of the rules in their business sector, were 58% more likely to increase their overall workforce. These findings send a clear message to others. Going forward, businesses that are not embracing innovation and disruption risk being left behind. Why? Because disruptive entrepreneurs are laser-focused on driving growth and building strong businesses by attracting the best workforce talent. And that’s why disruptive entrepreneurs create jobs.

So here’s an interesting trend! It seems that women entrepreneurs tend to outperform their male peers when it comes to hiring, according to the EY Global Job Creation Survey. Speaking about the upward trend, Uschi Schreiber, EY Global Vice Chair ‒ Markets, said: “There are signs that women entrepreneurs are fast becoming leading job creators. This is extremely encouraging as entrepreneurship has long been a route to employment and business success for many women despite the enduring gender gap. While some challenges remain for female-led businesses, like often not scaling to the same extent as their male-led counterparts, our research shows some tentative and welcome signs that this is changing. Our research shows that female entrepreneurs are more likely to run billion dollar businesses and outperform men when it comes to hiring and creating jobs.” And what is even more exciting is that young women entrepreneurs are leading the job creation charge, bringing more workers into help grow their businesses than their young male counterparts.  

Ask any successful woman entrepreneur where they have received the best advice and support, and often they will tell you it has come from other women business builders. And let’s be honest, as we all walk this challenging entrepreneurial journey, we all appreciate the occasional nudge to try something new from a fellow entrepreneurial sister, or a few words of encouragement during tough times from someone who has also been there. But just as we seek the support of these amazing women entrepreneurs on our own journeys, so we need to reciprocate and give support to other women in their businesses - and, on an ongoing basis. Let’s make a positive decision to elevate each other, to invite them to speak at our events and connect with our own networks, to provide opportunities for them to introduce their products and services to our markets. By shining a light on our fellow women entrepreneurs rather than simply on ourselves all the time, we elevate each other and grow together.

As women entrepreneurs, we all know that feeling when we come to the end of a really busy week or month, when we are experiencing the serious toll of running a business on our minds, bodies and spirits. Often at times like these, it feels like there are more problems than solutions and we are the only ones in the world struggling to make it all work. Then we remember that we belong to a community of fellow women business builders who are just like us, experiencing the same challenges, the same highs and lows. Getting together and meeting regularly with your entrepreneur peers is not only uplifting, it can be transformative. After exchanging pleasantries and catching up on personal news, the conversation inevitably turns to the challenges that you are having in your business and personal life. You all share advice on your specialist areas of expertise, you talk about ways to scale your business and to try and achieve some sort of work/life balance. Importantly, you walk out of the meeting feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the world again. That’s the power of the Pride!

Job creation is a major issue for the African continent, with its young, growing population. Between now and 2035, African nations will have to create 18 million new jobs every year just to keep pace with the rapidly growing population. That’s almost 50,000 new jobs every single day, simply to maintain employment at its current level. And, for many women on the continent, it is this specific challenge that sparks them to become entrepreneurs in the first place. The contribution they can make to job creation is significant. As an example, the agriculture sector and the artisan enterprise sector are the two largest employing sectors on the African continent, and both are dominated by women. Women grow this continent’s food and their hands produce the artisan crafts that employ local people within the community. The challenge is to help these women to build businesses that can grow to become significant employers of other people, right along the value chain. And importantly, to create opportunities for the next generation of young people to become the successful entrepreneurs and job creators of the future.

At Lionesses of Africa, we passionately believe women entrepreneurs hold the key to creating economic change and for tackling Africa's many socio-economic challenges. In fact, Africa’s women entrepreneurs can become the continent’s most effective game-changers and an incredible force for growth on the continent. It’s a big statement to make - but women entrepreneurs hold such incredible potential. Africa has the highest percentage of women entrepreneurs by population anywhere in the world. The most recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report and the Mastercard Index of Women’s Entrepreneurship tells us that Sub-Saharan Africa leads the world rankings, with female entrepreneurship rates of 25.9 per cent of the female adult population. Women entrepreneurs are economic game-changers because they typically reinvest 90% of what they make back into their communities - this is according to the World Bank. This means women entrepreneurs not only have the potential to be amazing engines for economic growth, they are also the most powerful engine for distributing that growth equitably across society. So, the opportunity is compelling! 

Today’s digitally empowered customers know all too well how to seek out the information they need on the products or services they are looking for, and they are no longer influenced simply by big advertising spend on tv, in glossy magazines, or on expensive billboards. Inbound marketing has changed all that, focusing on attracting customers through relevant and helpful content and adding value at every stage of the  customer's buying journey. With inbound marketing, customers find businesses, brands and products through blogs, search engines, and social media, all underpinned by great content that connects, addresses problems and needs, and has great visual and editorial appeal. Inbound marketing means that today, small agile businesses can compete with their larger counterparts for share of eyes and customer spend. The bottom line is that if you have a good understanding of your customers and what they need, and you can create compelling content, you can have as much brand power as your bigger rivals. That’s the power of Inbound Marketing!

Arrive in any major global city as an entrepreneur and one of the things that will immediately catch your eye will be the growing number of trendy co-working spaces springing up.  According to the latest research forecast figures published by global coworking specialists GCUC, it is anticipated that the global number of coworking spaces will reach 17,725 by the end of this year (with 2.3 million members), and almost 30,500 by 2022 (with 5.1 million members). And what’s behind this meteoric rise in interest in the co-working concept? Well, its a practical response to the increasing demand for more flexible, adaptable and fun working environments. This trend is being driven by entrepreneurs in the main, but is increasingly becoming attractive to major corporates who are looking for spaces where their employees can innovate and disrupt traditional ways of doing things. The success of these co-working spaces is built on a sense of community, creating physical spaces where like-minded people come together to collaborate, ideate and network. And as research suggests, with 84% of people who use co-working spaces reporting they are happier and feel more engaged and motivated, it’s not hard to see why co-working is a growing trend.

We all know the saying, “love what you do and you will never work a day in your life” and this especially rings true for many passion driven entrepreneurs. But the reality is that the day to day grind of running a business can be just that in the early start up phase, a grind! You will be required to tackle endless, seemingly menial tasks that drain your creative energy, such as managing your customer lists, or doing your accounts, or marketing to find new clients. You will often find that there are just not enough hours in the day to complete everything you have to do. At times like these, you have to keep that entrepreneurial fire burning, focus on the passion you have for what you do, and keep your eye on the end goal you are trying to achieve. Yes, there will be days when you have to do things that don’t inspire you, but the trick is to find that fire and approach any task as though it’s the most exciting thing in the world. That fire will drive your business and it will pay off in the long run.

In today’s increasingly competitive world, small businesses can sometimes feel that they are at a disadvantage when it comes to getting ahead, but there is one factor that they underestimate, and that is agility. Small businesses are naturally agile, they have to be. After all, when market conditions change, or customer preferences shift, entrepreneurs think about how they can respond by changing strategic direction, or creating new products and service offerings, often at a moment’s notice. This ability to remain agile is a real competitive advantage for any small business. Bigger companies and organizations find it much more difficult to continuously innovate and adapt quickly in response to market changes - they are like the proverbial oil tankers trying to turn around quickly, it doesn’t happen at the speed they would like. Agility has long been a benefit of the small business as there are no vast entrenched processes and strategies to deal with, or bureaucratic systems to overcome. It’s easier to pivot at a moment’s notice if necessary. So start seeing your small business as agile and use it to your advantage.

So here’s a fact that we probably instinctively knew already - women entrepreneurs have to work harder than their male counterparts to make a success of their businesses. According to a Centre for Entrepreneurship study, almost one in five women say they lack the technical knowledge required for their business compared to only one in 20 men - meaning they have to learn as they go. And, a quarter of women entrepreneurs say they don’t have the networks necessary to build their businesses, while fewer than one in ten men say this is a problem. But these challenges are no longer barriers to success, if anything it makes women entrepreneurs more resilient, more open to learning and collaborating, and more tenacious. And here’s the good news from the study - in a marked contrast to normal pay structures, it would seem women entrepreneurs in their own businesses take home twice as much pay as the men.

Why is it that, as entrepreneurs in business, we think we are expected to know everything there is to know in our chosen fields, when in life that would never be the case? We are always learning, and in fact, it’s important to keep ourselves open to new ideas, new ways of doing things, it’s what keeps our businesses and our minds fresh. That’s why it’s okay to ask for help and advice from other people who may be more experienced or who come with a different perspective to our own. And we need to stop worrying that by asking for help, people will view us differently. We need to put our pride aside and simply admit that we don’t have the answers, or our ideas have dried up, or our perspective has temporarily disappeared and we need some support to look at a situation with fresh eyes. Asking for external help can sometimes provide a competitive advantage too, particularly if you are trying to get a new product or service out to market and you need to tap into a wealth of specialist knowledge and expertise from those who have been there and done it before you. As South African entrepreneur, Benji Coetzee, founder of EmptyTrips says, "Don't be scared to ask. You will be surprised how willing people are to help, when you humble yourself."

Crowdsourcing has become the resourceful entrepreneur’s path to finding the right support and solutions when most needed, by tapping into the power of community and networks. So it should come as no surprise that women entrepreneurs are naturally talented at harnessing the power of crowdsourcing for their businesses. Think about it - as women we are no strangers to asking other women in our networks for help and advice on how to get something done, or where to find a particular product, or how and where to get the best bargain. As a woman entrepreneur building a business with often stretched financial resources, the ability to come up with creative strategies, access other people’s knowledge, connections, and resources is crucial. Therefore, tapping into our natural abilities as crowdsourcers and harnessing the power of collective knowledge and networks can be a real asset.

For many women entrepreneurs, their business building journeys do not start with a ‘Eureka’ or ‘Lightbulb’ moment, instead they are the result of a measured and well thought out lifestyle decision to start companies to better balance their work and family lives. By choosing to step away from the world of corporate and instead enter the world of entrepreneurship, women have the opportunity to achieve economic independence whilst at the same time satisfying their combined needs to build family and business simultaneously. And it’s not always just about the money - although that’s an important factor. Many women are choosing to run their own businesses from home to better control work and personal lifestyle, and harnessing the power of the digital economy to help them to realize their goals. As creating wealth for the sake of it is often not their primary focus, many women owned businesses remain smaller by choice - and it works for them both on a personal level and for their families.

Africa is bracing itself for a transport revolution as more countries are recognizing the need for intelligent mobility and embracing new technology. And the need has never been greater. The latest World Economic Forum competitiveness data highlights the fact that only three African countries make it into the top 50 global list for the quality of their roads, rail and ports infrastructure. An intelligent mobility revolution means finding smart ways of electrifying, automating and digitalizing existing transport infrastructure in order to give every citizen access to safe, reliable and efficient modes of transport. If Africa is to realize its significant potential, its entrepreneurs and business builders need efficient, reliable transport and logistics infrastructure that connects their products and people to important local, regional and global markets. With intelligent mobility comes opportunity, possibility, and ultimately rewards, not just for entrepreneurs but for the continent’s citizens. The time for that mobility revolution is now.

The world of PR is changing, and with the rapidly evolving, 24/7 social media driven world we live in, it means that the notion of PR as we know it is changing in business. Any mystique that existed around this industry has gone, and for startup entrepreneurs there is a realization that there is no one better at selling their businesses and getting their brand messages out there than themselves. So if you are a startup entrepreneur and looking to DIY your PR, here are a few helpful tips to remember. Firstly, always accept that coffee invitation, you never know where it will lead. Secondly, get to know your customers, what they need and want, their buying patterns and habits, and tap into those needs with your messaging. Thirdly, when pitching your stories to news media, do your research and ensure your stories will resonate with their specific audiences. Fourthly, harness the power of social media, it could be your best way of quickly reaching audiences and getting people talking. Finally, first impressions count - make sure your stories and messages are well written, visually well presented, and impactful. And remember, good PR takes time but it’s worth the effort. 

If you want to build a business that goes the distance, what’s the key trait you need to possess by the bucketload? Self belief! It’s essential. Passion might get you started, enthusiasm and energy will keep you going in the early days, but self-belief is what will ensure you reach the finish line. Many successful women entrepreneurs will tell you that it was only their self belief that allowed them to bounce back from the continual rejections, naysayers, and inevitable challenges faced along the journey. Self belief gives you the courage to keep picking up the phone and making those cold sales calls regardless of the number of rejections you get; or to keep standing up in front of an audience to pitch your business when your heart is racing and your palms are sweating with nerves; or to keep presenting your innovative ideas to conservative-minded business leaders who think they have seen it all before. There is a great quote on the subject of self belief by South African entrepreneur, Nobesuthu Ndlovu, founder of fashion retail company, Burgundy Fly, who says, "There will always be reasons as to why you shouldn't start a business; focusing on the cons and on the negatives for most ideas is a sure way to ensure failure. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that not only are you in a positive headspace, but also that you believe in yourself and your capabilities, all the way through the journey."

Let’s face it, you can have a great business in Africa that creates world class products and services, but if your productivity and growth is hampered by poor infrastructure such as continual power interruptions, loadshedding, poor roads, or unreliable internet connections, it can be frustrating. Economic development requires a good basic infrastructure framework and that includes good roads, consistent power supply, access to reliable and affordable internet, and transportation facilities such as railroads and waterways. Many small manufacturers from Johannesburg to Lagos have to battle daily with power blackouts and surges, causing equipment damage and reduced productivity. Bigger businesses have to invest in power generators, making production more expensive and products less competitive in the market. Moving goods from one part of the country or continent to another takes a lot longer than necessary due to poor infrastructure and incurring higher costs. This is particularly challenging for those who deal with perishable goods, as by the time they get to their destinations some of their product is already damaged. If Africa really wants to grow a thriving entrepreneurial community, it needs an efficient infrastructure to support it.