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.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

When I speak to women entrepreneurs each day, one of the things they feedback probably more than anything else is how valuable they find it to hear the inspirational startup stories of other women entrepreneurs - told in their own voices and often with great honesty and frankness. These stories remind them that they are not alone, and the challenges they are facing are not unique, but shared amongst all those women who bravely go out there each day and build their businesses. There is something really powerful about finding your voice and using it to engage others on your entrepreneurial journey. I often talk about the fact that as business founders, we are our own best salespeople, and our voices count when we are trying to get our businesses and brands seen and heard above the noise in the marketplace. Increasingly, customers want to know the backstory of the products they buy and the brands they give their loyalty to, so every woman entrepreneur’s voice and story counts. Finding your voice and writing your startup story is part of the journey to becoming the author of your own successful life.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

It’s human nature - we all need people to look up to in our lives, people who inspire us and motivate us to achieve our goals, who show us that the seemingly impossible can be done. As women entrepreneurs, that’s particularly the case as we look to seek out and look up to those women who have successfully blazed the business building trail before us. I remember in the early days of my entrepreneurial journey being inspired by such women as Anita Roddick, founder of the ethical, cruelty free cosmetics company, The Body Shop, in the UK. For me, she was a great example of someone who had a real passion and was driven to make a difference in the world through her business and brand, and she left a legacy for so many other women entrepreneurs to follow. As she once famously said, “In business, you persuade people with passion, so you’ve got to have a product or service you feel emotionally charged about. Then you can tell stories about it that will inspire others.” Having such role models in our lives is so important as they show us what can be achieved with the right combination of determination, hard work, perseverance, and a ‘must-do’ spirit.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I am a great believer in the power of collection action, and as women entrepreneurs if we each take small, daily actions that will strengthen Africa’s pride of women entrepreneurs, we can make a big difference. Have you thought about where you shop, what you buy, where those products are made, and how you are supporting other women entrepreneurs who are making products and creating services that you might need? As a collective of women entrepreneurs on the African continent, we have the power to support one another in so many ways, helping each other to thrive and grow, simply by the actions and decisions we make each day. By making conscious decisions to buy from one another, to mentor one another, to bring each other’s businesses into our own supply chains, we are individually taking one small step for women’s entrepreneurship, but collectively making one giant leap for economic change for women in Africa.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

If you are one of those women entrepreneurs who is constantly striving to be at the top of her business game, but who also underestimates her ability to succeed, or worries about not really belonging to the ‘successful entrepreneurs club’, then you could be battling Imposter Syndrome. It’s that fear of not believing you are worthy of the success you have achieved, or thinking that you have got to where you are today more by luck than management. If that resonates with you, then you are not alone. I was re-reading Valerie Young’s book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, this past weekend which is a fascinating read on this subject which afflicts many women entrepreneurs, and many successful women in general. Did you know for example that Oscar winning actresses Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep have both experienced nagging feelings that their awards and accolades were somehow not deserved? However, it appears there is a way of looking at Imposter Syndrome from the flip side. The author suggests that our fears of being inadequate pale into insignificance when compared with our fears of being extraordinary, and that if we embrace a can-do attitude and envision success as a hard won and well-deserved badge of honor, life will look a whole lot different.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

So how was your World Chocolate Day this past weekend? I hope we managed to inspire you all last week with our special articles and radio interviews with some of Africa’s most talented women chocolatiers, and encouraged you to seek them out and taste for yourselves the incredible chocolates they are producing. These women entrepreneurs tend to share something powerful in common. They have a real passion for what they do, and a drive to get the world to sit up and take notice of the important value chain that can be created when Africa’s finest cacao beans are processed locally to produce world-class, proudly African chocolate. So, if you didn’t manage to enjoy a chocolate experience on World Chocolate Day itself, don’t worry - you can still vicariously visit and get to know each of these game-changing women chocolatiers through their stories. Or better still, listen to the latest episode of the Lioness Radio Show which features two of Africa’s women chocolatiers who are taking the continent’s cacao beans to a whole new level. Enjoy!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Did you know that according to the World Cocoa Foundation, approximately 70% of the world’s cocoa currently comes from West and Central Africa and the vast majority of this cocoa is grown on nearly two million small, independent family farms that are less than 2 hectares in size? And for decades, most of that cocoa left the continent to be turned into products for the world to enjoy, instead of creating an extended value chain here on the African continent. But that is now changing thanks to some pioneering women entrepreneur chocolatiers who are busy creating some of the finest home-grown chocolate experiences on the planet! Tomorrow, 7 July, is World Chocolate Day and if you have ever needed an excuse to indulge in your favourite chocolate treat, then this is it! Whether you are tempted by a glorious hot chocolate made from the finest African grown cocoa, or a handcrafted truffle filled with exquisitely scented ganache, this is your day to indulge. So to celebrate this special day, we would encourage you all to read the stories of Africa’s visionary women entrepreneur chocolatiers. Immerse yourselves in their fascinating stories and whilst you’re at it, why not treat yourself to some of the truly world-class chocolates these women are creating? Happy World Chocolate Day!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

No-one said being an entrepreneur was easy - if it was, everyone would be doing it. And talk to any successful serial entrepreneur and they will tell you that the secret is to stay focused and keep going through even the toughest moments - and there will be lots of those along the way! I have always been a ‘glass half full’ kind of person, seeing the positive and keeping an eye on the bigger picture at all times, even when the going is tough. So here is my tried and tested technique for getting through the inevitable hurdles you will encounter along the way, and battling through those days when you doubt yourself and this crazy entrepreneurial life you have chosen. I start by reminding myself of the 5 things I am most grateful for in my life and I take a moment to celebrate those things. I also remind myself of the reasons I chose to become an entrepreneur in the first place instead of embarking on a safe corporate career. I revisit my Big Hairy Audacious Goals list and remember why I am inspired to do what I do as an impact driven entrepreneur. And finally, I look those tough challenges squarely in the eye and tell myself I’ve got this!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

I often get asked by the hundreds of women entrepreneurs I meet each month if there is a way of telling the Lionesses of Africa community as a whole, across the continent and the globe, of the exciting new products and services they are launching. Well, we have listened to you all and now there is! Our new regular feature, Lioness Launch, has been created to give you all the opportunity to share your exciting news about your new product and services as they are being launched. The Lionesses of Africa editorial team is on standby to create some great Lioness Launch feature articles to be shared across our community and on all our platforms. We begin this week with news from the uber successful Suzie Wokabi, founder of Kenya’s first cosmetics brand SuzieBeauty, which has gone from strength to strength globally. She has just launched her brand new skincare range for customers, and we feature the news of the glamorous launch event to celebrate this game-changing new aspect of her business. Check out our Lioness Launch feature and Suzie’s exciting new announcement. If you are launching a great new product or service and you would like to share it with our community, send us a note to loacontent@gmail.com and mark your Lioness Launch. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

What comes to mind when you think of community? You probably think of the communities you personally spend time in, made up of lots of tiers of people all of whom bring their individual personalities, experiences, knowledge, hopes and dreams to the group. A mixture of energetic youngsters, experienced members with a track record and specialist knowledge and expertise to hand, and elders who bring their years of life and invaluable insights to the table. These communities work and thrive because of the multi-layers of people who belong to them and who bring something new to the conversation. It’s the same when building a networking community in business, and it’s worth remembering what works in your own personal community and replicating that in the business sense - bringing together a combination of youthful enthusiasm with highly experienced entrepreneurs who have been there and earned the respect and trust that goes with building successful businesses. The secret to building a powerful networking community is getting all these tiers in place and having everyone bring their own personal experience and insights to help others.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

There is nothing quite as exciting as seeing women entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa community collaborating, sharing ideas and expertise, and taking their brands into new areas and to new audiences. We would love to see more of it happening across the continent and in the Diaspora. So to encourage this new spirit of collaboration, you may have noticed that this week we launched a new feature on all our platforms and newsletters - Lioness CoLab. We shared the story of how jewellery designer Clare Appleyard of Katannuta Diamonds and Vicky Bain of Chocoloza collaborated on a beautiful new Chocolate and Diamonds Launch in Johannesburg, South Africa. Going forward each week, we will be showcasing and telling more stories of inspirational women entrepreneurs who are collaborating to create exciting new products, service offerings, and sometimes even new businesses and brands. You will be amazed at just how many wonderful collaborations are taking place in our community right now. Take a look at our new Lioness CoLab page to meet just a few of the inspirational Lioness collaborators who have caught our eye recently. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As a child, do you remember reading the story of the tortoise and the hare? A tortoise and hare decide to have a race, an unmatched competitive duo on the face of it. As the hare speeds out of the starting blocks so confident in his lead, he decides to take a nap along the route whilst the tortoise keeps going at his own pace, eventually crossing the line before the hare. The moral of the story is that slow and steady wins the race. I was thinking about this story in the context of women’s entrepreneurship and musing over some of the key factors that lead to women building successful businesses steadily over time. While their male entrepreneur counterparts are likely to take greater risks to grow their businesses quickly and then find a quick exit route, women typically aim for controlled growth for the long game and avoid taking gambles. This ultimately leads to them building sustainable businesses that go the distance. It’s something to think about the next time someone asks you why you are building your business at a slower and more measured pace.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

Have you noticed that when women entrepreneurs meet and support one another, great things happen - business is done, collaborations start, and mutually beneficial networks are opened. But it’s so much more than that. I have noticed through our Lionesses of Africa network and at our regular Lioness Lean In events around the continent that not just professional relationships grow, but also long-lasting friendships are formed. And that has certainly been my personal experience as an entrepreneur. I am a great believer in the power of women entrepreneurs to go much further in life and in business when they have great support systems and networks, and strong friendships to support them through the good times and the bad. So in addition to the business benefits that can be gained from building working relationships with your fellow women entrepreneurs with whom you share so much in common, the added bonus is that they can translate into great friendships! What could be better!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

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.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As women entrepreneurs, we all know how hard this business building journey can be, and often it can seem like an uphill struggle and pretty lonely out there. It’s important to remember the difference we can make to a fellow woman entrepreneur, simply by acknowledging and recognizing them and their businesses. Think about how you would feel if you received an email or a handwritten note from a fellow woman business builder telling you how much they loved your new product, or admired the work you are doing, or enjoyed an event you had organized. It could be just the boost you need on a tough day. So let’s all support one another, make a small gesture count, and make another woman entrepreneur’s day by telling her how much you appreciate what she is doing. At the very least, it could brighten her day, but importantly, it might be just the incentive needed to help her through a tough patch or a difficult business problem.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

As entrepreneurs and women here on the African continent, we often forget that we have an intrinsic superpower that we can use to our advantage - and that is the power of the purse, our buying power. What big corporations, government, retailers, and business owners sometimes tend to forget is that women influence almost all purchasing decisions - from the cars we drive, to the houses we buy, to the retail products we consume, to the travel decisions we make, and so on. Our real superpower as women is our buying power and our influence over what sells in the marketplace. So with that in mind, as women entrepreneurs it makes sense to leverage that superpower when it comes to building our own businesses and creating products for the marketplace. By talking to women consumers and to our fellow women entrepreneurs, by listening to what they need and want, and by supporting one another in our businesses, we can really make that superpower of the purse work for us.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

For me, there is nothing quite as gratifying as seeing great women business builders succeed, it sends a clear message to the world that we’ve got this, that we are creating impact driven businesses that matter. But it’s even better when we see those women, and so many other women entrepreneurs, paying it forward and making a real difference in the lives of others. If there is one thing that everyone realizes, it’s that being an entrepreneur is tough enough without having to compete with each other, as is so often the case in the corporate world. Instead, by paying it forward and helping other women entrepreneurs on their journeys, these women gain mutual respect and propel their own businesses forward and others too. So today, why not take the same approach? Help another woman entrepreneur out by referring a business opportunity, or offering to pool resources and collaborate, or offering mentoring advice to deal with a particular challenge being experienced. It will make you feel good, but importantly, it will make a big difference to the life of a fellow entrepreneur.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

If there’s one thing I have learned over the years as an entrepreneur it’s that to succeed in business we have to excite others in the products we create, the services we offer, and the solutions to key challenges that we find. It’s the same when we have a new idea for a business or a new offering to our customers. If we can’t excite people about our ideas, then often they remain just that, ideas on paper. That’s why it has been interesting to see the women entrepreneurs from the Lionesses of Africa network in action, pitching at our Start-up Night! Africa events in key global cities. The ones who get results are those that most excite investors and potential partners in the audience. They turn their passion for what they do into pitches that resonate, that fire up the imagination. It’s worth spending quality time on getting your own pitch techniques perfected, so that when you have a new business idea to launch, you are ready to win over those customers and investors.

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

When I travel around the African continent visiting our Lionesses communities in each country, I often speak about how women entrepreneurs can leverage the power of the network to open up business and collaborative opportunities in different countries. But just looking at our Lionesses of Africa network and seeing the increasingly large numbers of users in countries and cities around the world, it becomes clear that women entrepreneurs in the Diaspora are interested in contributing to the continent’s success. And there is an important role they can play. At our recent Start-up Night! Africa events in London and Berlin, meeting and talking to highly experienced and knowledgeable women from the African Diaspora opened up opportunities for collaboration, for business, for investment and mentoring. Such connections emphasized the important role women entrepreneurs in the African Diaspora can play in bringing their global business smarts to the table and helping to shape the future of the continent through great collaboration, business building, and information sharing. 

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie

You all know the saying, ‘Content is King’, and in a world where we are bombarded with information and messages, 24/7, it’s becoming even more important as entrepreneurs to connect with our customers and audiences through great content. I have to say, at a personal level, that the Lionesses of Africa community has been built on a foundation of creating great daily content to inspire women entrepreneurs. It’s what we do every day, and as anyone who writes knows, it’s hard and time consuming, but absolutely vital to our community. And I have to say that the reason our content resonates with the women entrepreneurs in our network is that we understand the power of shared stories, wisdom and experience to help others on their own journeys. It’s why we have a great and constantly growing team of passionate, committed content contributors who share their own insights and stories each day. So this morning, I would like to say a big thank you to all our guest bloggers, our radio content creators, and our event content producers who help us to create powerful daily content that inspires and motivates our community each day. Your words and insights make a difference and you are all true Lionesses of Africa!

Have yourself an inspired entrepreneurial day! - Melanie