Barbara Kleinschmidt, South African entrepreneur tapping the healing properties of Aloe Ferox for her brand

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Barbara Kleinschmidt, founder and Director, Totally Wild (Pty) Ltd (South Africa)

Startup Story

With 30 years of experience in the aloe industry, Barbara Kleinschmidt is a founder and Director of Totally Wild (Pty) Ltd, a 13 year old Cape Town based company, specializing in natural and organic products, made from South Africa's wild-grown, indigenous Aloe ferox plants. Barbara, a single mom with 3 grown up sons, has always had a strong interest in naturopathy, traditional and natural medicines, and focuses on products that will help to improve the health of their customers. In addition, the aloe industry in South Africa relies on a large rural workforce to harvest and pre-process the aloe leaves, providing jobs and upliftment for entire communities who were previously disadvantaged.

Legalpreneur: The Business Owner's Guide To Legally Protecting Your Business by Andrea Sager

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

Andrea Sager is the CEO and founder of The Legalpreneur and the author of fascinating new book, Legalpreneur: The Business Owner's Guide To Legally Protecting Your Business. Throughout this book, you'll be introduced to Andrea's million-dollar Legalpreneur framework - a step-by-step guide to help you legally secure your business. This is not just another business self-help book, filled with dense lessons and non-relatable stories. This book is a story about how to build the company of your dreams, through tried and trusted methods. Whether you're an up-and-coming entrepreneur, a seasoned Etsy seller, or a mom and pop shop looking to expand, Legalpreneur: The Business Owner's Guide to Legally Protecting Your Business is the only book you will need.

Lioness Launch / Mozambican people management consulting business, Mbira Advisory, launches new employee wellbeing service

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

People management consulting specialist, Shádia Gafur Chachine, founder of Mbira Advisory in Mozambique, is passionate about contributing to the wellbeing of employees. Her business is launching a new service which makes a diagnosis to understand the bottlenecks related to behavioral and inter-personal skills of the company's employees. Thereafter, it creates programs and activities aimed at mental, physical and psychological health. Namely 15 mins of yoga, breathing exercises, simple postures; anti-stress exercises, conversations about different themes such as healthy habits and nutrition, experiences, blockages, fears and beliefs, etc.

‘They also serve who only stand and wait.’ - the dangers of the Matthew Effect.

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department

We have always been slightly troubled by the Parable of the Talents from the Book of Matthew (a Talent was worth around 6,000 Denarii, which given a single Denarii was a payment for a day’s work in the fields, this was about 20 year’s labour!). With our background in Investment Banking one could be forgiven for thinking we too would understand the rewards for the servants who turned this huge sum into something far larger, and the servant who buried it away to ensure that he lost none before his Master returned, being scorned (it actually says: “…cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” - Yikes!).

The Pros of Running My Own Business

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile

I have been running a business since 2014 and I can confirm it feels like I have been studying towards a masters of sorts. There are so many things I have discovered, learned and realized in the past 9 years. Some of which I wonder if I would have learned had I been in another industry or type of career. I also suspect each business owner has their own learning based on the industry they are in. Here is a list of the top 3 things I think are most important…

4 Habits to Create a Powerful Personal Brand

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

How do you know if you’re a powerful personal brand? It’s very simple. Are people excited to work with you? What do people expect of you when they engage with you? If you think back to university or college, you were forced to do group projects. There was always that person who did nothing and took the credit. It was easier to do their part because you knew it wouldn’t be done to the standard appropriate for your team. You didn’t say that person was a poor personal brand. However, you did associate them with labels such as unreliable, a taker and lazy.

How to find product-market fit

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Felicity Cowie, author of Exposure

In my earlier blog for LoA, What Exactly is Media Relations, I said there are at least eight mega benefits of media relations for any business to consider…

The Long and Winding Road of a Deceased Estate

January 22, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw

Every attorney will tell you that it is critical to have a professionally drafted will and to ensure that you appoint the right executor to administer the deceased estate. Ultimately it aims to ensure that the administration of the deceased estate runs smoothly and without the added trauma of conflict. The question is, then, why are some deceased estates still marked with so much difficulty? Why does gut-wrenching conflict shadow so many legacies? Even when there is a Will?

Judith Marera, a renewable energy sector champion in Zimbabwe

January 15, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Lanforce Energy, a Zimbabwean for-profit social enterprise creating affordable access to renewable energy

Judith Marera is the founder and CEO of Lanforce Energy a women-led, for-profit social enterprise in the renewable energy sector. Born and raised in rural Zimbabwe she realised the challenges that women and children go through in search of firewood for cooking. Human Resource practitioner by profession, having worked for both private and the public sector. Her background supplemented with her experience at the Meteorological Services Department and the World Meteorological Organisation, urged her to find solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. She is a Woman in Africa 2021 laureate (WIA54), 2021 Tony Elumelu Foundation entrepreneurship program beneficiary, 2021 Small and Medium Enterprises Association Zimbabwe (SMEAZ)and the Chartered Institute of Project Managers Zimbabwe (CIPMZ) award winner. 2021 Uplink World Economic Forum Climate Justice Challenge Top Innovator.

Jessica Cumbana, a Mozambican social entrepreneur reducing the gender gap in STEM through coding

January 15, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Jessica Cumbana, project manager, Girls Can Code Club (Mozambique)

Startup Story

Jessica Cumbana is a 23-year-old Mozambican social entrepreneur and business analyst. She is the founder of the Elevate Youth Program, a project designed to empower young people and create development opportunities through training and programs. She is also the project manager of the Girls Can Code Club, a project developed with the aim of reducing the gender gap in the STEM field. A business administration degree holder, Jessica has always believed in using the transforming power of business to positively impact the world, having lived by this philosophy.

Kato Mokabathebe, a creative entrepreneur building a one-stop digital agency in Botswana

January 15, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Kato Mokabathebe, founder and Creative Director, Colourbox Pty Ltd (Botswana)

Startup Story

In today’s highly competitive business world, it is essential to make your brand work for you in the digital marketplace. That’s where Kato Mokabathebe, founder and Creative Director at Colourbox Pty Ltd in Botswana, comes to the rescue. Her creative digital agency brands, digitizes, and markets corporate brands. She is an entrepreneur with a degree in Multimedia Design and a major in Media Innovation. She is passionate about business, creativity, and applying technology to connect people skills. The company started in 2018 and currently has three employees and one freelancer. When she is not at Colourbox, Kato enjoys doing voluntary community work, traveling, and spending time in nature because it fuels her creative spirit.

Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity by Miriam Schulman

January 15, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

If you are a creative who wants to transform your passion into a profitable business, then you need to read the great new book, Artpreneur: The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity by Miriam Schulman. Whether you’re a musician, photographer, painter, writer, dancer, singer, or any other creative with aspirations of making a living from your art, this is the perfect time to turn your creative ideas into a sustainable business. With gatekeepers no longer controlling the market, anyone with a laptop and a dream can make a thriving living from their creativity. Miriam Schulman shows you how.

2023 - Simplify and move mountains!

January 14, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lionesses of Africa Operations Dept

A new year, a new look, new thoughts, drive and direction…all these plans you had as you sat deep into the evenings during the quiet festive season. You get back into the office with (if you have been lucky enough to see the Ocean) the grains of sand still scratching between your toes and… nothing has changed.

Not sure if your business needs a rebrand?

January 14, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Cindy Maléombho-Codo

A rebrand can be a powerful tool for your business. It can help you change your image, connect with new customers, and tap into new markets. But why exactly should a company consider a rebrand? This article will explore why a rebrand can be a valuable asset for your business. You may be thinking your business is doing just fine, but if you're not seeing the growth you want, it might be time for a rebrand.

Creating Money Savvy Kids for the future

January 14, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Kathryn Main

Ask any child what they want to be when they grow up and you will hear things like; “I want to be a doctor”, “I want to be a pilot”, “I want to travel the world” or “I want to save the whales”, but dreams cost money and if dreams cost money why are we teaching our children to live the life of their means and not live the life of their dreams? Financial freedom starts with financial education!

5 Crucial Interpersonal Skills For A Successful Career

January 14, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Our interpersonal or people skills come down to how well we interact with people around us and the strength of our relationships. We already know that performance doesn't count for everything, and the higher up the ladder you go, the more critical your people skills become. You will inevitably experience difficult situations at the workplace, which are further inflamed by complex personalities.

How to build your pipeline faster

January 14, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Felicity Cowie, The Media Relations Coach

In my earlier blogs for Lionesses of Africa, What Exactly is Media Relations, I said there are at least eight mega benefits of media relations for any business to consider…

The Creative Business Handbook: Follow Your Passions and Be Your Own Boss by Alicia Puig and Ekaterina Popova

January 8, 2023 Melanie Hawken

Book Review

If you are a creative looking to build a business from your endeavours, then The Creative Business Handbook: Follow Your Passions and Be Your Own Boss by Alicia Puig and Ekaterina Popova is the book for you. Offering veteran insight and friendly, actionable advice from two self-made women who manage three six-figure businesses, this practical handbook acts as a roadmap to guide anyone wanting to build a profitable venture out of their creative passion.

From Designing a Customer Experience Business Unit to Organisational Transformation

January 8, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Mandisa Makubalo

When organisations talk about wanting to set up a new business unit, there is often so much confusion within the organisation and outside the organisation. This confusion could be justified by the fact that most individuals both internally and externally are not part of the boardroom conversations where decisions are made. To some this decision is seen as a response to a business need; to some this introduction is met with great resistance as they feel left out and anxious about the thought of new people coming into the organisation. There’s concerns about who will be promoted, some immediately make accusations about unfair recruitment practices like “they already know who they want for those roles” which begins to threaten their relationship with the organisation.

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