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 yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Later this month, I will be speaking at the India-South Africa Business Summit in Johannesburg talking about women’s entrepreneurship and the opportunities for business and collaboration between the two countries. It is another example of how new and exciting market opportunities are beginning to open up for women entrepreneurs in Africa who have globally relevant products and services and are ready to do business in those markets. It’s all about collaboration too, with opportunities for women-owned businesses and brands to connect with their counterparts in each country to develop new and exciting partnerships. These are exciting times for women entrepreneurs who want to tap into the current global interest for world-class, innovative products, businesses and brands that have a great African back-story. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was doing some research this week on global entrepreneurship trends, preparing for a forthcoming speech, and I found myself re-reading the 2018 BNP Paribas Global Entrepreneur Report. One of the findings caught my eye again - the surge in the number of businesses looking to not just make a profit, but also an impact. According to the report, it’s become a defining criterion of professional success for 39% of the survey’s respondents, compared to 10% just two years ago. This represents a real ‘sea change’ in the world of entrepreneurship, and particularly in the women’s entrepreneurship space. Businesses that make a positive impact with their ethos, their products and services, and their approach to doing more sustainable business, are being viewed more positively by society and customers alike. This is also reflected in the world of impact investment, with the report highlighting that in the last 12 months, the majority of Elite Entrepreneurs surveyed state they have invested part of their wealth to achieving socially responsible outcomes. 80% of them believe that entrepreneurship is the most effective way to generate a positive local or global impact. Couldn’t agree more! 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

There is nothing quite like putting yourself, your business and your product out there in the marketplace and getting people to take notice. And, the important thing to remember is that you never know who is potentially watching. I received a great message last week from author Nathalie Molina Nino - you may have read our review of her new book Leapfrog - The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs (which is well worth a read by the way!) Sat in her office in the US, she saw our review and said: “ I'm honored to imagine that any Lioness of Africa might read this and leapfrog her business to the next level with the help of the fabulous experts featured throughout! Thank you!” It’s a reminder that we just need to get our businesses, products and brands into the marketplace so they can make that all important connection with customers and audiences - and you never know how far they could reach. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I’m starting this morning on a personal note as today is my wedding anniversary, always a special time for celebration in my annual calendar and relevant to this blog as my husband is also my business partner. Days like these remind me about the importance of celebrating not just the big things in our personal and business lives, like an anniversary, but also the small everyday things that just make life more interesting and fulfilling. It could be a celebration of a new project going live, or a new client win, or a business goal reached. Whatever milestone means something to you on your personal or business journey, take the time to reflect and celebrate how far you have come - it will help you on the road still to be travelled. There is a great quote by Brad Sugars, the international business coach, who says: “Work hard for the big things in life, but celebrate the small things too.” Great advice that resonates with me this morning!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As I travel so much, I love listening to podcast radio shows whilst I am on the road or sitting in airports waiting for planes. They are powerful ways of connecting with people, and obviously so accessible on our phones and other electronic devices. For me, it’s all about getting insights from people around the world on their specialist areas of expertise, and getting to know them through their own voices and perspectives. Radio is a very personal communications medium, and highly accessible for everyone. It was for this reason that we launched the Lioness Radio Show, our weekly podcast that goes out to our network and that gives voice to Africa’s inspirational women entrepreneurs. If you haven’t yet listened to the show, and it’s a great way to meet and get to know some of the continent’s most interesting and successful women business and brand builders, then click here for our latest episode. We hope you love listening to it as much as we love introducing you to the many inspirational Lionesses in our network.  

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was sitting in one of my favourite cafes recently, enjoying a cup of tea and working on my laptop, watching the world go by. I noticed the cafe owner doing something she does very regularly - sitting down at one of the tables in the courtyard, experiencing customer service at first hand. In a relaxed way, she was able to observe how her fellow customers experienced her cafe’s service, their comfort levels, the way the food and drinks were served, the interaction between staff and customers, the overall ambience she was creating. It was her way of putting herself into her customer’s shoes, giving her the insights she needed to find ways of improving the overall customer experience in her cafe. It is precisely this attention to detail and this care for the customer that separates out the good businesses from the great businesses. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was chatting last week with a wonderful woman entrepreneur, Hazel Aggrey-Orleans, founder of Eki Orleans, who is passionate about building an eco-conscious luxury fashion business, one that treads lightly on the world we live in, whilst at the same time making a profit. She is a great example of what is becoming a growing attitude and approach in the world of entrepreneurship - businesses that combine passion with profit,   together with an ethical and eco-friendly way of producing the products they sell. As the world is battling major environmental challenges, more and more businesses are realizing that they need to be part of the eco-solution, not the problem. It’s great to see progressive, passionate women entrepreneurs from across the African continent looking to build businesses that are focused on ethical production methods, natural materials, waste reduction, and recycled packaging. We can all make a contribution in our own way to building more sustainable businesses.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

The month of April always reminds me about how important a sense of humor is when you are an entrepreneur - I think it’s because it starts with April Fool’s Day on the 1st of the month. Laughter and joy, the foundations of humor, are well known to relieve stress, improve morale, lift the spirits, and overall increase a sense of well-being. And let’s be honest, there will be many days when our entrepreneurial journeys will be tough and we will be in need of a good dose of laughter to get us through. A sense of humor is also definitely needed on those days when clients don’t pay on time, when suppliers don’t deliver, and when people generally let you down. So if you are experiencing one of those days (weeks or months!) when things are just not going right, treat yourself to a good laugh - read a funny book, watch your favourite comedy series on TV, go to a live comedy show - or just spend some time with a friend who makes you laugh. You will feel so much better for it.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Getting access to important new markets and networks is key for women entrepreneurs who are building global brands in Africa and the Diaspora. So on the evening of 26 April, Lionesses of Africa in partnership with Standard Bank Wealth International, will be bringing Start-up Night! Africa to London. Our latest event aims to showcase a number of exciting women-owned businesses and brands from across the African continent and from the Diaspora in London, that are ones to watch globally in 2018 and beyond. Africa has a wealth of exciting businesses and brands being created by passionate women entrepreneurs who want to extend the reach of their world-class products into more global markets. But getting access to those markets can often be a challenge and somewhat daunting. At Lionesses of Africa, we are creating powerful digital platforms and global events such as Start-up Night! Africa London, to provide that all important market access. If you are interested in finding out more, or would like to apply to attend, then go to www.lionessesofafrica.com/startup-night-africa or email admin@lionessesofafrica.com See you in London!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

When I was speaking at the Startup Night Africa event in Berlin last month, I had a number of audience members who approached me afterwards to comment on how passionately I spoke about women’s entrepreneurship in Africa, and how it made them connect with the work we are doing at Lionesses of Africa. It was a reminder about how as entrepreneurs and founders of our businesses, our ability to communicate our passion for what we do can be a great sales tool. As the old saying goes, “people do business with people”, and often it’s easy to forget that we are our own best spokespeople for our businesses, brands and products. We can connect on an emotional level with our audiences and our customers, making our passion for what we do and what we create, resonate with the people we are trying to reach. As Oprah Winfrey says, “ Passion is energy - feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was reading a fascinating article this past weekend about the legendary Warren Buffet, one of the world’s richest and arguably most influential people in business. He is well known for taking a long view when it comes to his investments, and 10 years ago, he made a highly publicized prediction on the eve of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Buffett said he was willing to bet anyone $500,000 that over ten years, an S&P index fund would outperform a collection of hedge funds (an index has been called the “most boring fund there is”, as it simply follows the market’s undulations, for better or for worse). One investment firm took him up on the bet, reasoning that they would have an 85% chance of winning. But Buffet knew that a decade is a long time, and anything can happen along the way, so he took a long term view of his prediction and bet, and ultimately won. The moral of this story is that successful entrepreneurs are often those who build businesses that are sustainable and in it for the long haul, with many a so-called overnight success story taking years of hard work to create.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I don’t know about you, but personally I love hearing about women entrepreneurs from across the African continent and the Diaspora who are successful. Those women who are building strong businesses, game-changing brands, world class products, and differentiated service offerings that win them fans both at home and globally. We all need inspiration and let’s face it, there is nothing quite as motivational than seeing our fellow women entrepreneurs making it in the world of business - it spurs us on to greater heights on our own journeys and shows us that it’s possible. I often speak about how important it is to acknowledge and recognize each other, to celebrate our successes together, to congratulate each other when we launch new innovations, products and services into the marketplace. As a growing community of women entrepreneurs in Africa, we are far more powerful when we genuinely support one another - after all, celebrating others’ success is good for everyone. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was thinking this morning about the power of creativity to turn fresh ideas into reality in business, probably stimulated by the book Creativity Rules that I reviewed last week on this subject by author and Stanford University professor, Tina Seelig (it’s a good read by the way, take a look at our review here). As entrepreneurs we have a tendency to be idea machines, but often we don’t turn those ideas into reality - what a waste! So it was interesting to read about a very practical 4 step approach called the Invention Cycle being suggested by Tina in the book to do just that. By combining imagination, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, it’s possible to bring ideas to life and into our businesses, creating something extraordinary that adds value. I will certainly be looking at how to get more creative in my own business thinking going forward.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

For many people around the world, today is a public holiday. But for entrepreneurs there is often no such thing as a holiday in the calendar, and business simply has to be slotted around family and other commitments on days like these. So while the phone doesn’t ring quite so much, and your email inbox slows down a little, it’s perhaps a good day to take some time out of that always busy schedule to reflect, to catch up on some business books you have been meaning to read (check out our Essential Reads on our website if you are looking for some inspiration www.lionessesofafrica.com/book-reviews), to revisit your priorities, and just decompress a little before the business week starts again in earnest tomorrow. Your mind and your business will thank you for it. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Can you believe it, the first quarter of the year is almost over. Is it my imagination or did it go by particularly quickly this year? It’s an urgent reminder to revisit the business strategy for the year; to look at the targets we set and evaluate where progress is being made, and where possible remedial action may need to be taken to ensure those all important goals are reached. Often we get caught up in the day to day business grind, and we perhaps don’t revisit the bigger picture for our business often enough. So as we hurtle purposefully into the second quarter of the year, it could be a good idea to set daily or weekly target reviews to stay on track. Electronic reminders at the end of each day are a great way to keep us focused firmly on those goals and not distracted by the everyday challenges that inevitably creep into our productivity.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Every week, I receive messages from aspirant women entrepreneurs across the African continent who are looking for advice on how and when to start a business and make the move from a ‘safe’ corporate career. My advice is often the same - there is no perfect time to start a business, often it’s a case of making the first brave move and just doing it. However, I am very conscious of the need to manage risk, as here in Africa many women are often the main breadwinners in their families, and giving up a stable corporate career with a regular salary for the uncertainty of entrepreneurship is simply not an option. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start a business anyway. Many women entrepreneurs around the world dip a toe into the business building world with a side-gig, working in corporate by day and starting a business in spare time, during evenings and weekends. It’s hard work but possible, and if you want it badly enough, you make it work. After all, life’s just too short to wait for the right time!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

The 2nd Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) has just been published, highlighting the progress and achievement of women entrepreneurs and business owners around the world - and, it makes for interesting reading in Africa. Ghana comes out on top globally, with the highest percentage of women business owners worldwide (46.4%), and Uganda comes in third (33.8%), according to the Index. The MIWE is a weighted index that helps to better understand and identify factors and conditions that are most conducive to closing the gender gap among business owners in any given economy. It examined 57 different economies around the globe (representing 78.6 percent of the world’s female labor force), including Botswana, Ethiopia, South Africa and Uganda, with Ghana, Nigeria and Malawi as new additions. The Index provides insight on which factors and conditions are most conducive to closing the gender gap among entrepreneurs/business owners in an economy. It also looks at which conditions are the biggest disablers or deterrents of women’s ability to thrive in the business world. It’s an interesting report and well worth a read.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As entrepreneurs, if we sat down to think about how much time we actually spend looking ahead, planning, visualizing where we want to be in our businesses 2, 5 and 10 years into the future, we would realize we are missing something pretty fundamental. We are not actually living in the moment! We can plan all we like, but if we don’t take the time to enjoy the small things that make life so special; or to celebrate each small (or big) win that happens in our businesses; or to just have fun with like-minded people on this crazy business building journey we are on, then we are not really living our best lives. It’s about being present, taking the time to enjoy the journey instead of constantly looking at the destination ahead. It’s about seeing time differently, as a series of moments to be relished and enjoyed, rather than stressful reminders of how much there is still to be done. Life is precious, let’s live more in the moment and really enjoy it!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I was sitting on a plane this week in Europe, chatting to a fellow woman entrepreneur from the UK who was a great example of how much of a balancing act it can be, building a business, taking care of family and managing often impossible logistics. She had her laptop in front of her, her lively one year old daughter on her knee looking to be entertained on the flight, and a deadline to meet before the plane landed in Zurich. She was travelling alone, being a mom and an entrepreneur at the same time, and trying to give attention to everything simultaneously. Many of us have been in similar positions ourselves, and therefore we know what it feels like. At times like these, it’s about being supportive to one another, seeing how we can help, and reminding one another that there is really no such thing as balance in the life of a woman entrepreneur. We just do the best we can!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie