“Those who are already entrenched, select people.”

August 11, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

As we write this the Olympics is moving into its second week, and African athletes are starting to lengthen their stride and impact more of the medal table. With such a fabulously varied and diversified continent, it is fascinating to note the way the medals flow from the south as we move from Swimming (Tatjana Smith setting the pool alight!) and 100 metres track (with both South Africa and Botswana in the final), up and into the Kenyan and Ethiopian dominance of middle and long distance running. Dominance it is too as Kenya took Gold and Silver in the 5000 metres (take a massive bow Beatrice Chebet - Gold, and Faith Kipyegon - Silver) and in the Men’s 10,000 track Uganda took an incredible Gold with a new World Record through the power that is Joshua Cheptegei, with Eithopia’s Berihu Aregawi just behind.

Refilwe Sebothoma, a visionary entrepreneur combating energy poverty by making LPG accessible in marginalised communities

August 11, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Refilwe Sebothoma, founder, Hakem Energies (South Africa)

Startup Story

Refilwe Sebothoma, founder of Hakem Energies in South Africa, continues to grow as a visionary entrepreneur with proven business savvy and qualities. Harnessing her business acumen, she founded her businesses in monopolized industries and established them as high-growth start-ups which are highly recognized and are now medium and large businesses. Her purpose is about impacting and empowering the lives of ordinary people through her work because she believes that when individuals are empowered and self-sufficient, they can go back to their communities and replicate that impact. She loves to spend time mentoring, coaching, and sharing her journey with upcoming entrepreneurs as part of her paying it forward. The business has created jobs for 9 local people.

Gisela Monteiro, a Mozambican natural cosmetics and artisanal perfume brand builder

August 11, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Gisela Leonor Monteiro, founder, Sublime Produtos Cosmeticos Naturais (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Gisela Leonor Monteiro is the founder of Sublime Produtos Cosmeticos Naturais in Mozambique, a business dedicated to the production of 100% natural cosmetics and artisanal perfumes. Having completed a hotel and tourism course as a student, she embarked on her entrepreneurship journey when she was 26 years old after taking cooking courses, cooking for events, and providing meals to companies close to her area of residence. She worked in several businesses, including catering, event promotion, culinary training, and clothing sales, always with the dream of becoming a businesswoman. Her entrepreneurial journey kickstarted after participating in business management and financial education courses, undertaking transformational training at IDEIALAB, the FEMTECH training program, FÓRMULA MILIONÁRIA and OFFICINA DE NEGÓCIOS with coach Arcelio Tivane.

Isabelle Kamariza, a nutrition security leader in Rwanda

August 11, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Solid’Africa, creating nutrition security for all by increasing the awareness, affordability, and availability of healthy meals in Rwanda’s vulnerable communities.

Isabelle Kamariza, founder and president of Solid'Africa, is a dedicated leader in addressing Rwanda's nutrition gap. Recognizing nutrition as a fundamental human right, she has developed a holistic approach to nutrition security, focusing on the entire process from farm to fork. By emphasizing local, sustainable agriculture, Isabelle tackles the root causes of nutrition insecurity. Through providing healthy and balanced meals to patients and students, building nutrition awareness, and dedicating efforts to agriculture, she addresses broader nutrition challenges. Isabelle's innovative approach shifts the conversation from food security to nutrition security, aiming to create lasting change in the lives of those most vulnerable. Solid’Africa launched in 2010 and today has created jobs for 211 employees.

Marieke de Ruyter de Wildt, an agri-techpreneur focused on improving traceability, transparency and sustainability in global food supply chains

August 6, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Marieke de Ruyter de Wildt, founder and CEO, Open Food Chain (The Netherlands)

Startup Story

Marieke de Ruyter de Wildt is the founder and CEO of Open Food Chain in The Netherlands. She is a seasoned and award-winning entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience in agri-tech. Open Food Chain is focused on improving traceability, transparency and sustainability in global food supply chains. She founded the business 7 years ago and now employs about 20 people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds. Her vision is to bring the new internet to the food system and launch the first bitcoin for food.

Introducing the holistic Absa Women and Youth Proposition

August 4, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner

An interview with Khanya Matshikwe, Head: Proposition Enablement - SME Relationship Banking – Strategy & Customer Value Management, Absa

In this week’s edition of Lioness Weekender, we are focusing on how women entrepreneurs can get access to better financial advice and support for their businesses, to help them to grow and thrive. So to learn more, who better to speak to than Khanya Matshikwe, Head: Proposition Enablement - SME Relationship Banking – Strategy & Customer Value Management at Absa. Khanya will be a familiar face and name if you have attended one of the popular Lioness Business Agility webinars over the past year, where she provides great insight and information on what Absa is practically doing to support women-led SMEs.

Women and Entrepreneurship - How Do We Beat The Odds? by Chariel Dye

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Women and Entrepreneurship, “How Do We Beat The Odds?” written by Chariel Dye, is about the resilient entrepreneur woman of today. Many women of the new millenia have begun to step out of the era of employment and into the era of entrepreneurship. They understand the need to create financial freedom for themselves. This book is a platform that helps them to understand the steps needed to break through the barriers of entrepreneurship.

10 Questions to Harmonise Work, Life, and Time - Part 2

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

The real way to harmony is to interrupt the inner conflict between how you would like to spend your time and how you think you should be spending it. I am not here to provide a magic formula to create harmony with how you divide your time. However, I can gift you ten questions from Oliver Burkeman's book, Four Thousand Weeks, which provide some thought-provoking questions to help you determine what matters for you now. I say now because these choices will ultimately change based on life stage, circumstances and values, which are constantly evolving.

The Journey of Empowerment: From Single Mother to Successful Entrepreneur

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

The journey of a single mother to becoming a successful entrepreneur is a story of resilience, determination, and courage. It is a journey that can inspire and motivate many other women to believe in their potential and pursue their dreams, regardless of the challenges. In this article, we will explore the essential steps of this transformation, offering practical tips and inspiring stories to empower each reader to follow her own path to success.

ESG Integration: A Game-Changer in Corporate Governance

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho

The nature of business has evolved, and corporate considerations are not what they once were. Gone are the days of profitability and outsized returns at all costs. The world is currently facing many urgent challenges, from climate change to environmental degradation, and social inequality. These challenges are putting a significant strain on organisations, and governments alike. A study by the World Economic Forum found that 85% of CEOs believe that environmental risks will have a significant impact on their businesses in the next five years.

Empowering Growth: Businesswomen and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Tsitsi Mutendi

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals serve as a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. For women entrepreneurs, aligning their businesses with the SDGs presents a unique opportunity to drive positive social, environmental, and economic impact while also fostering business growth. This article explores how women entrepreneurs can contribute to the SDGs, and offers practical strategies for integrating these goals into their business operations.

Márcia Nangy O’Connell, a Mozambican entrepreneur reimagining traditional design

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

DATHONGA, a sustainable design business merging traditional techniques with contemporary artistic sensibilities in Mozambique

Márcia Nangy O’Connell, or Marcita as she is affectionately known, is the founder and artistic director of Dathonga Designs in Mozambique. Since 2010, she has established herself in the world of Mozambican design. Dathonga has participated in national and international fairs, showcasing the beauty of Mozambican crafts to audiences in South Africa, USA, Denmark, Spain, Germany and, recently, at South African Fashion Week. Márcia’s commitment goes beyond her own brand. In 2010, she created Galeria Dathonga in Inhambane, providing a platform for other Mozambican and African artists to showcase their work.

Rejane & Krissie Gwynne, two South African entrepreneurs building an ethical fashion brand celebrating African textiles

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Rejane Gwynne and Krissie Gwynne, co-founders, OYOO Style (South Africa)

Startup Story

Rejane Gwynne and partner Krissie Gwynne are co-founders of OYOO Style in South Africa, an ethical fashion and homeware range made from African textiles. The business supports skills development for local seamstresses, and also has a focus on sustainability with its no waste approach to production. The entrepreneurial pair met in the UK and after 16 years abroad they returned to South Africa to be closer to family and to explore the beautiful African continent. OYOO Style was created in 2021 and has 3 employees.

Dr Michélle Booysen, a South African entrepreneur providing businesses with specialist expertise to integrate change and improve performance

August 3, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Startup Story

Dr Michélle Booysen is the CEO of the Pétanque NXT Group, providing business leaders with the clarity to implement necessary changes swiftly and effectively, through its offices in South Africa and The Netherlands. Michélle is a consultant with over 35 years of experience spanning the legal profession and economics, driven by a passion for using enterprise as a catalyst for societal progress. She holds a PhD in Economics, a Bachelor of Law and Economics degree, and a multitude of other academic and practical application qualifications. Michélle specializes in integrating change and performance improvement by mapping and analyzing business processes. The business was founded in 2002 and today employs 17 people.

The Rise Of The Female Entrepreneur: 23 Female Entrepreneurs Share Their Journeys To Success by Lindsey Meredith

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

As the world celebrates the achievements of women, "Rise of the Female Entrepreneur" by Lindsey Meredith and her fellow women business builders, contributes to the narrative, amplifying the voices of these trailblazers. Each story is a testament to the limitless potential within every woman to create, lead, and thrive in the entrepreneurial landscape.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going” - Jim Ryun

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

The self made billionaire J.D.Rockefeller, who some consider the richest man ever (we don’t, for us Mansa Musa, Mali’s ancient ruler covers that accolade and ticks our ‘Africa is best’ box - just saying!), was obsessed with rules and habits that drove his own demeanour (always punctual, always well dressed, even in the early days when he was starting out with nothing), that drove how he ran his huge company, and also drove his dealings with others.

Step into the Spotlight: How to Overcome Your Fear of Visibility and Showcase Your Expertise

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

Fear of public speaking is said to be more terrifying than death for many. I grew up as a very shy child, but once I entered the competitive word of work, I quickly realised that shyness was a luxury I couldn't afford. Especially as an entrepreneur, and particularly in the knowledge economy, stepping into the spotlight is non-negotiable. So how you can overcome your fear of visibility and showcase your expertise with confidence?

10 Questions to Harmonise Work, Life, and Time - Part 1

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Consider how you feel when you perceive that you have wasted your time versus used it efficiently; it's not really about the quantity of time available but the choices you make on how to invest it that create the illusion of harmony. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even when you enjoy what you're doing, you may feel guilty because you feel like you should be working on something else.

Overcoming Financial Challenges with Creativity and Determination

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

Facing financial challenges is a reality for many of us. However, with creativity and determination, we can turn these difficulties into opportunities for growth and success. Let’s explore practical and inspiring strategies to overcome these obstacles, which, with resilience, transform adversities into impressive achievements.

Unlock Your Organisation’s Potential with Personal Development Assessments

July 28, 2024 Melanie Hawken

by Paula Quinsee

In today’s competitive business landscape, the development of your employees is not just a strategy - it’s essential for the success of your people and organisation. At Engaged Humans, we believe that understanding and nurturing your employees can lead to a more positive and productive work environment. That's why we incorporate the PDA assessment platform into our people processes.

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