Working Moms’ Club Call to Action

May 12, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Tapula, founder & director of Bhekizenzo Foundation

Working mommies, how do we celebrate Mother’s Day? Do we spend time with our families and just do what we do every day – be mothers by cleaning after everyone and making sure everyone is eating healthy food? Do we appreciate a night out and a candle lit dinner with our partners? Do we stay in our bubble of being a mother or do we reach out to other mothers and celebrate the day together? I propose this day can be used to chat to other working mothers, advising each other on our businesses and sharing stories.

Kabwe Mulolo, a South African recruitment entrepreneur helping the construction and engineering industry to find the right people

May 5, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Kabwe Mulolo, founder of Construct Executive Search (CES) (South Africa) — **Kabwe Mulolo**, founder of Construct Executive Search (CES) (South Africa)

A company is only ever as good as its people, and that’s why it is so important to hire the right people with the right skills in order to grow and thrive. In South Africa, one company, Construct Executive Search founded by Kabwe Mulolo, is building a great reputation for specialized recruitment, helping businesses in the construction, technical and engineering sectors find the professional staff they need.

Mozambique’s women entrepreneurs shine at the country’s first Lioness Lean In event of the year

May 5, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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On a perfect, blue sky morning in Maputo, Mozambique, over 120 women entrepreneurs gathered together for the first Lioness Lean In of the year in the country. The aim was to inspire one another, to connect for business, and to listen to successful women business builders and product creators share their stories. As always, it was an unforgettable morning, with business done, new relationships formed, and a significant amount of entrepreneurial energy in the air.

Quote of the Day by Karen Wessels

May 3, 2019 Melanie Hawken

“I believe in the power of reciprocity. First add value and then ask for assistance or help with whatever it is that you require.”

Karen Wessels, co-founder of SnappSales and VA Connect (South Africa)

Courageous conversations 101

May 2, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner: author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress

Asking for a raise. Ending a relationship. Giving a critical performance review. Saying no to someone in need. Confronting disrespectful or hurtful behaviour. Disagreeing with the majority in a group. Apologizing.

Cindy Leah, a South African photographer creating opportunities for other women photographers on the continent to thrive

April 28, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Cindy Leah, founder of The African Pictionary (South Africa) — **Cindy Leah**, founder of The African Pictionary (South Africa)

Take two challenges - one, the need to address the gender pay gap for Africa’s women entrepreneurs; and two, the need for consumers to source world-class images on Africa; and you have a recipe for a great business. The highly creative Cindy Leah, founder of The African Pictionary, is on a mission to create a business that provides an impactful solution to both challenges.

LIONESS LAUNCH: Liberian entrepreneur Lena Marshall launches new specialist Food Safety training programme for the country’s street food sellers

April 28, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Lena Marshall, founder of Marshall and Nimene Group of Companies (Liberia) — **Lena Marshall**, founder of Marshall and Nimene Group of Companies (Liberia)

Across Liberia’s cities, women who make their living as street food sellers are about to get the opportunity to access critical basic food hygiene training because they are selling foodstuffs for public consumption. Lena Marshall, founder of Marshall and Nimene Group of Companies in Liberia has developed specialist food hygiene training courses specifically aimed at training these women food sellers. The course is being offered as part of Lena’s Women Empowerment Program.

Grit & Grind: 10 Principles for Living An Extraordinary Life by Rhonda Vetere

April 28, 2019 Melanie Hawken

It's not WHAT challenges you face in life but HOW you face them that determines how fast you reach your goals. Rhonda Vetere, seasoned C-Suite technology veteran and author of the new book Grit & Grind, knows first-hand that there's no such thing as a perfect, struggle-free life. In her work as a Global Technology Executive, she's faced down some of the biggest financial crises of modern times, and she knows it's not WHAT challenges you face in life but HOW you face them that matters.

A Tool to Succeed Through Uncertain Circumstances

April 28, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho

If you work in public relations, probably you’ve written press releases (or at least drafts of them) even before the event took place. That’s a smart move as you have too much to do and it helps to stay on top of the work load.

Entrepreneur Advice from Joy Ndungutse: Passion can get you to where you want to be in business

April 19, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Joy Ndungutse and Janet Nkubana, co-founders of Gahaya Links Cooperatives (Rwanda)

You need to be passionate about what you're doing....

“Something small can create an impact, .... You don’t have to have a lot of money to start a business. You can start small, but you must have a passion for what you’re doing.”

Joy Ndungutse and Janet Nkubana, co-founders of Gahaya Links Cooperatives (Rwanda)

Quote of the Day by Swaady Martin

April 17, 2019 Melanie Hawken

"Our (African) artisans are not set-up to scale their activities and are often paralyzed by the prospect of growing their business beyond the “enough-to-live” stage."

Swaady Martin, founder and CEO of the SWAADY GROUP

Nigeria’s Mo Abudu, founder of EbonyLife Media, receives 2019 Médailles d’Honneur at Cannes

April 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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The CEO of EbonyLife Media, Mo Abudu, has been recognized for her significant contribution to the media industry and awarded the 2019 Médailles d’Honneur at the MIPTV ceremony in Cannes, France, on April 8, 2019. She makes history as the first African and Nigerian recipient of this prestigious award, given to senior executives who have made their mark in the global television industry, as well as contributed to the development of the international television community.

Itweva Nogueira, an Angolan entrepreneur providing specialist legal advice to big and small businesses

April 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Itweva Nogueira, founder of law firm I. N sociedade de Advogados (Angola) — **Itweva Nogueira**, founder of law firm I. N sociedade de Advogados (Angola)

In business, having a good source of legal advice is essential in order to deal effectively with all the challenges that present themselves along the journey. In Angola, one woman entrepreneur lawyer is creating a highly successful business that is helping businesses large and small with their legal needs. Itweva Nogueira, founder of law firm I. N sociedade de Advogados is just the legal advisor that entrepreneurs and business leaders need on their side.

Dorothy Mofomme, a South African entrepreneur building innovative, specialist technology solutions for Africa’s railway sector

April 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Dorothy Mofomme, founder of Valotech228 (South Africa) — **Dorothy Mofomme**, founder of Valotech228 (South Africa)

The railway sector has always been a tough one, particularly for ambitious women entrepreneurs to enter. But for entrepreneur Dorothy Mofomme, founder of Valotech228 in South Africa, she saw the railway sector as one filled with businesss opportunities and one that had the potential to create employment for young people. Her growing business is testimony to her tenacity and vast specialist experience.

Work Wife: The Power of Female Friendship to Drive Successful Businesses by Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur

April 13, 2019 Melanie Hawken

When Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur met in college in 2002, they bonded instantly. Fast-forward to 2010, when they founded the popular fashion and design website Of a Kind. Now, in their first book, Work Wife, Cerulo and Mazur bring to light the unique power of female friendship to fuel successful businesses. Drawing on their own experiences, as well as the stories of other thriving “work wives,” they highlight the ways in which vulnerability, openness, and compassion — qualities central to so many women’s relationships — lend themselves to professional accomplishment and innovation.

LIONESS LAUNCH: Renowned South African spa product brand, Elim Spa Products, launches new UV Spritzer to protect delicate hands

April 13, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Shantelle Booysen, founder of Elim Spa Products (South Africa) — **Shantelle Booysen**, founder of Elim Spa Products (South Africa)

Customers who regularly use UV lights in salons will have a new product to help them protect the delicate skin on their hands during these sessions, thanks to a great new UV spritzer being launched by Elim Spa Products in South Africa. Founder Shantelle Booysen is not only creating greater awareness amongst women of the need to protect their skin when using UV lamps in salons, but is also now creating a specialist skincare solution with the launch of her new UV spritzer.

3 things to start doing today to be the best version of yourself

April 13, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu

We fear taking risks. We are told to focus on one thing! We maintain the status quo. We do not apply for our dream jobs because we do not tick all the boxes. We are scared of registering for that course that everyone says is difficult. We are okay with blending in because no one will criticise us. But is this the way to live? Are we truly living if we are living in fear? I reckon not.

A deeper look into our career journey

April 13, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner, author, entrepreneur, thought leader, and founder of Beyond the Dress

As entrepreneurs, we are always on the go. We are everything to everybody both in the business and in our personal lives. We know how demanding our roles are as women so it is vitally important we schedule what Essentialism author, Greg McKeown, calls a quarterly offsite meeting with yourself. This can be a half or full day that you schedule into the diary just for you to take a few hours and press pause. This allows us the space to reflect on our priorities and what is truly the most important thing we need to be focusing on for 2019. I can hear you thinking, ‘I could never take that time off’ but it will be the greatest investment for yourself. If we don’t have a clear view of our goals and priorities, we are making decisions with no road map.

Johannesburg’s women entrepreneurs come out in force to share, inspire and connect at the Lioness Lean in event on 5 April

April 10, 2019 Melanie Hawken

There is always incredible energy at a Lioness Lean In event in Johannesburg, and the latest event on 5 April was no exception. The focus of the morning was on celebrating women entrepreneurs in South Africa as the key drivers of socio-economic growth and impact. And, the women entrepreneurs on the speaker panel were truly inspirational examples of this.