The Edit Daily - Lionesses of Africa

Gender equality can’t wait

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:13:16 +0000

Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Today is International Women's Day, a time when everyone is called upon to come together and help forge women's equality. Collectively, the hope is that we can all #BreakTheBias, the theme for this year’s commemorative day, and celebrate women's achievements, raise awareness against bias, and take action for equality. Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead, in life and in business. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field. It’s time to make change happen and #BreakTheBias that is holding women back. This year’s #BreakTheBias campaign asks everyone to actively call out and highlight gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping when it happens. International Women's Day, held on 8 March each year since 1911, was created to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and also to be a call to action to make positive change happen in the lives of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. So what better day to remind everyone that women's equality can't wait. It's going to take everyone to think and be inclusive - all the time, everywhere. So let’s #BreakTheBias! Find out more about International Women’s Day www.internationalwomensday.com

Will COVID-19 create more women entrepreneurs?

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 13:13:00 +0000

A new study published by the software accounting firm, FreeAgent, has unearthed some interesting findings about women choosing to become entrepreneurs as a result of the impact of COVID-19. Apart from those who needed to embark upon an entrepreneurial life because of redundancy or being furloughed for weeks and months during the pandemic, many more are making proactive life choices to start businesses. The experience of having to remote work, or find alternative sources of self employment from home, have created a wake-up call for many women. They have taken the time to reassess what they want from life and work; what really matters in terms of health and wellbeing; and how they want to better manage family and work life. Thirty-three per cent of the study’s participants said their need to achieve better work/life balance was the primary reason for starting their entrepreneurial journeys. It meant they could spend more quality time with their children; choose when and how to work; and importantly, manage their childcare costs more effectively. But ultimately, it seems the freedom to be able to choose what type of work they wanted to do, and how to do it, to be in control of their destinies, was the most popular reason amongst women to start a business during the COVID-19 pandemic. 41.7% of women surveyed wanted to build a work-life that would fit in with their wider aspirations and responsibilities. So the pandemic has given them the courage to take the plunge, start their businesses, and change their lives.

The global pandemic has created an entrepreneurship boom

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:50:39 +0000

It’s official - this is a boom time for entrepreneurs and startups. The global pandemic has acted as a catalyst for more and more people around the world to take their futures into their own hands and to create their own businesses. This apparent surge in startups is attributed in part to many people being retrenched or furloughed at the height of the pandemic and starting their own businesses to take control back of their lives. The Financial Times newspaper looked at official statistics in various countries and found increases in startups were at all-time highs. In July 2020, the US recorded a 95% increase in the number of applications to start new businesses compared to the previous year. In the UK in the same period, there was a 30% increase in new businesses registered, and in France, a 20% increase which represented a historical maximum figure. In the post-Covid-19 economy, analysts are now predicting that the growth in entrepreneurship will continue, providing some positive relief from the negative sentiments coming from the corporate world. National and local economies need small businesses to launch and succeed if they are to contribute to the growing need for job creation. In the Lionesses of Africa community, the need to support women-owned startups on their growth journeys is being recognized by some of the new partnerships now being announced. September will see the launch of the Sunlight X Lionesses of Africa Accelerator programme, an initiative aimed at helping 300 women entrepreneurs in South Africa to grow their businesses to the next level. Partnerships such as these are making a difference, and Africa needs more of them if we are to create the vast number of jobs that are needed.

Delighting customers is the way to achieve customer satisfaction

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 08:54:33 +0000

Smart businesses no longer just talk about giving great customer service. Instead, they aim to delight their customers, to give them a new standard of customer experience. But what does it take to delight a customer, what does it really mean? Ultimately, if you can delight your customers, you are giving them the highest level of customer satisfaction and an experience that goes above and beyond what they expect. Delighting your customers is good for them, and it is good for business. Why? Because delighted customers become loyal customers, they keep coming back, and importantly they tell other people about their wonderful experience. Delighted customers are likely to spend more, make more regular purchases, and talk about their experiences to other people, helping you attract new customers along the way. So at a practical level, what does customer delight look like and how can you replicate it in your own business? An example could be in the way you reward your customers for their decision to buy from you. This could be a small surprise gift with every purchase; or mailing out a free promotional product; or sending a birthday greetings email to your regular customers to show them how much you value them and their business. If you want to think about how you can delight your customers, let these words by the great Maya Angelou inspire you. She says, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” That’s what delighting your customers is all about!

Be authentic in your business storytelling

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 13:40:47 +0000

As a business owner, knowing how to tell your unique business story is such a powerful skill to have when connecting with customers. But that story needs to be truly authentic if you are to gain the trust and loyalty of those customers. Customers today are much more knowledgeable about the products and services they are looking for, and they don’t need an ‘over the top’ marketing pitch to make them buy. Instead, they are interested in the business behind the brand, the maker behind the product, the specialist behind the service. Remember that your business story is unique to you, and it doesn’t need to be elaborate, just authentic and real. Customers want to feel they have an emotional connection to a brand and that it resonates with them. So a good tip is to share your personal brand journey, talking about how the business was launched, what inspired you, how you innovated to create your products and services. It is also fascinating for customers to get an insight into how your products are made, who creates them, if local materials or ingredients are used, and how local communities might benefit. Use such details to create a brand story that is both interesting and authentic to you. It’s also important to remember that as your business grows, so does your story, so keep refreshing it as you go and keep those customers interested and coming back to know more.

Localize your supply chains

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 12:48:30 +0000

One of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs over the past year has been the disruption of supply chains and the challenge of getting raw materials into businesses and finished goods out and delivered to customers. Such disruption has posed not only a serious challenge but also a threat to many business operations. So what are the mainstream management consultancies recommending as a way out of this dilemma? Localizing local supply chains is being seen as the solution. By sourcing raw materials, products, services and expertise locally, everyone wins. Neighbourhood business eco-systems are strengthened; local businesses can keep their production going and get their goods to market; and local consumers have the opportunity to buy and support local business that in turn creates local jobs. This shift from global to local, and a rethink of business models that focus less on mass efficiency and more on local resilience, provides benefits for everyone along the supply chain.

How is your digital wellbeing?

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 15:46:33 +0000

With an increasing number of women entrepreneurs having to take their businesses online, it means that more of us are spending greater amounts of time in the digital world - and it could be impacting on our wellbeing. There are positives and negatives to this new way of living and working. On the plus side, entrepreneurs are able to maximize their productivity through digitized processes, with online marketing and communication meaning less travel time to promote their businesses to customers face-to-face. Another plus is that innovation can thrive, with team members encouraged to think about new ways of doing business and engaging with customers, or creating new and exciting products and services. On the flip side, spending more time doing business and working in the digital environment, often from home instead of the office, means less human interaction, more onscreen time, a blurring of the lines between home and work life. As business will continue to be done increasingly digitally as the world finds a way of working with the pandemic, it’s important to balance digital wellbeing with time to maintain health, personal relationships, and the role women play in greater society. So, have you checked your digital wellbeing lately?

Let’s see more digital decency this year

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:42:40 +0000

As we all know and appreciate, technology plays an important tole in making our personal and business lives function more efficiently. We have become used to being digitally connected 24/7, ready to react, respond and comment to the never-ending barrage of messages, news, enquiries, and the sheer weight of visual content that is streamed to our consciousness each day. Being permanently connected, always-on, and exposed to an audience that might be interested in what we have to say, brings with it great responsibility. Acknowledging how the world has changed over the past year due to the pandemic, it has never been more important to make our digital connections count, but also to make those connections kinder, more decent. Just because we have an opinion about another person’s way of doing business, or the quality of their products and services, or the way we feel about their brand, doesn’t mean we should broadcast our thoughts to the world. So much of what is shared online to shame founders and their businesses could just as easily be solved with a direct note to share feedback. Let’s put ourselves in their shoes and think about how we would feel if our customers or stakeholders were using the power of digital media to constantly share their negative feedback instead of talking to us directly and giving us the opportunity to address those criticisms in person. The anonymity of the digital world makes it all too easy to criticize with impunity. So let’s take the time to remember that behind every business and brand are passionate entrepreneurs, trying to make a living, and let’s see a little more digital decency this year.

Plan for what you know

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 14:10:32 +0000

If 2020 taught the world anything it’s that you can only plan for what you know. Life has a way of interrupting the best made plans, and in the past year which has been devastated by COVID-19, businesses were caught unawares and plans had to quickly change. Today, women entrepreneurs know the value of being agile in their businesses, learning how to pivot towards opportunities whilst things are uncertain. Think about how many businesses you know which pivoted during the pandemic - there are those who moved from fashion design and creation to PPE manufacturing; or from perfume manufacturing to hand sanitizer production; all to meet a need and to create an opportunity to keep businesses going during tough times. Those businesses that have survived, and indeed thrived, during these uncertain and extremely challenging times are those whose founders have adapted their plans for what they know now. They have shifted their business offerings to meet market demand, taken their operations digital, and learned the value of the personal touch, even if only online, to ensure that customers feel connected to the brand. That way, when the global recovery becomes a reality, and life and business returns to some kind of normality, customers will remember that connection and return. So going forward, the lesson learned is to plan for what you know!

The future of the High Street is independent retail

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:17:37 +0000

If you walk down any big retail high street in the world, the chances are good that you will see the impact of the pandemic reflected in the stores and the brand names that have now disappeared. Some of the familiar retail brand names that have been anchor tenants on global high streets for years no longer exist or have now taken their business solely online. As retail high streets have long been the heartbeat of local communities around the world, what can be done to rebuild them for the people who depend on them for goods, services and importantly, employment? Many retail experts are suggesting that the answer lies in independent shops run by entrepreneurs who bring their passion, energy, commitment and jobs back to local retail high streets. This is good news for women entrepreneurs in the retail sector who have previously been nudged out of the prime retail locations by the bigger players. Now, independent retail is being seen in a positive new light, and the solution to reinvigorating local communities who depend on thriving retail high streets in so many ways. Independent retailers, your time is now!

The golden rules of pitching

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 16:37:34 +0000

Some entrepreneurs are natural at pitching their businesses to potential investors, others find it hard and often stressful. But it doesn’t have to be if you follow some simple but effective tips. Guy Kawasaki, the renowned American marketing guru, author, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist, suggests following his 10-20-30 Rule of Presentation if you really want to make a pitch count. He may have created this golden rule more than a decade ago, but it still works really effectively. If you are giving a pitch presentation, and using slides to get your message across, the 10-20-30 rule says you should use just ten slides, your presentation should last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points. The topics for the ten slides should focus on the problem, the solution, the business model, the underlying technology, sales and marketing, the competition, the team, projections and milestones, status and timeline, and summary and call to action. So, if you want to make your pitch work for you and help you to close the deal, then remember the 10-20-30 golden rule. Happy pitching!

From corporate to entrepreneurship

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 11:54:07 +0000

There is a quiet revolution underway, brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and one that is creating a new movement of women entrepreneurs globally. The latest annual Women in the Workplace study undertaken by consulting firm, McKinsey & Co, has found that at least one in four women are considering leaving the corporate world to start a business of their own. The overall consensus from those making this move was that corporate life no longer aligns with their core values, something that became more apparent during lengthy lockdown periods spent remote working. The opportunity to give up the daily long commute in traffic, abandon the suits and heels for more casual workwear, and remove the unnecessarily long meeting schedules in the office, highlighted what was really valuable on the work front. Women instead rediscovered themselves, allowed themselves to find their passions, and make the realization that taking ownership of life by starting a values based business just made sense. These women are now building businesses that work for them, and are no longer sacrificing their aspirations and needs in the corporate world, instead creating businesses that harness their strengths and passion for what they do.

Community retail on the rise

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 14:50:32 +0000

Talk to any entrepreneur who is in the retail sector and they will tell you that they are hoping for consumer confidence to return in the year ahead, whether online or in-store. But what are the global retail sector trend experts predicting for 2021, and what does it mean for all those women entrepreneurs who so badly need an uptick in sales this year? Well firstly, trend forecasters are seeing the demise of the over-represented global chain store on our city and town high streets and shopping malls. Instead, niche independent retail stores are forecast to be the enterprises that will grow in the year ahead as shoppers seek a different, safer, more individual shopping experience. Another retail trend forecast is that e-commerce will continue to grow, with independent online retail brands also getting a slice of the action. 2021 is likely to see these niche brands building bigger and more loyal customer bases by tapping into the desire for more personalized service offerings. It’s all about creating retail experiences that respond to what consumers need and feel comfortable with. So how is your business responding to such needs this year?

If you want to scale, delegate key tasks

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 11:31:18 +0000

Scaling up a business brings its own challenges for women entrepreneurs, and one of those challenges is finding the time to focus on the things that matter most to growth and handing over key tasks to others. In other words, delegation! So what are the benefits of delegating all those non-revenue generating tasks to other skilled and experienced people when you are looking to scale up? Firstly, delegating means you free up your valuable time to focus on the business growth. Secondly, you can really harness the talent and core competencies of others, allowing them to contribute fully to the business. Thirdly, you can achieve greater efficiencies in the business if you are laser focused on growth and your team is focused on operational productivity to help you get there. As a business founder, scaling is a highly strategic, time-consuming and complex process, one that requires your full attention. So it is essential that you delegate all those tasks that do not contribute directly to the leadership role you need to take in the business.

Time to hit the refresh button

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 08:56:53 +0000

It’s that time of the year, and what a year this has been, to think about potentially refreshing our products, services, brands, and perhaps our businesses as a whole as we get ready for the new year ahead. The act of refreshing and reinventing our businesses is part of the journey, and as entrepreneurs, we are often excited at the prospect of renewal. It provides the ideal opportunity to revisit our original purpose, to make changes in order to reach our goals, to ensure we don’t remain static. After such a challenging year, preparing our business, and indeed ourselves, for a refresh can be an exciting prospect. It can present an opportunity to learn, to grow, to experiment, to reinvent. It doesn’t mean we have to change everything in our businesses and our lives, it just means hitting the refresh button and shaking things up a little. It’s not just a good thing to do for our businesses, but also for ourselves as women entrepreneurs in order to keep our passion, our enthusiasm and creativity levels high. As the globally best-selling author and luxury brand expert, Mireille Guiliano says, “Just as established products and brands need updating to stay alive and vibrant, you periodically need to refresh or reinvent yourself." Wise words indeed!

When life knocks you down, get back up

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 11:47:07 +0000

There is a key trait that is an essential for any woman entrepreneur and that is when life knocks you down, and it inevitably will on this journey, you need to get back up and start again. You need to remember all those times you have persevered in the past. Remember how you felt and how you summoned up the courage to look beyond the immediate difficulties and focus on what could lie ahead. Remember how you gave yourself positive affirmations, telling yourself ‘you’ve got this’, and how it made you feel better equipped to deal with the tough times. It’s all about developing your mental strength. As the best selling author, Sanjo Jendayi, says, “Champions don't give up; they get up!” So when your life and your confidence takes a knock, pick yourself up, give yourself a healthy dose of positive self-talk, and get back on your entrepreneurial journey.

Employ smart people

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 14:19:54 +0000

Steve Jobs once said the now famous words, “It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” For many entrepreneurs, there is often an inherent dread of hiring people who on paper appear to be smarter or more knowledgeable than they are in key aspects of the business. It is often a matter of ego, or an inbuilt inferiority complex that rears its head at times like these. But look at it another way - if this were a competition, you are already the winner because you have started a successful business and they haven’t. Now you are in the position of looking for great talent to help take your business to the next level. As Steve Jobs said, always look to bring smart people into your business because they will each bring something uniquely valuable, skills and insights that you need to help you realize your vision.

Women entrepreneurs a force for job creation

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 13:29:52 +0000

Across the African continent, many countries were already experiencing a jobs crisis before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and this challenge has now become significantly bigger. The UK’s Development Finance Institution, the CDC Group estimates that between now and 2030, Africa’s working-age population is expected to grow by forty per cent to 1 billion, which implies that the rate of job creation must increase by around 12 million jobs per year to prevent unemployment from rising. We know that job creation is probably the single biggest political and social priority across the continent. We also know that job creation is very near and dear to many of the women entrepreneurs across our community. They see the impacts of unemployment in their communities every day, and experience the responsibility and the pressure to create new sustainable jobs through their businesses. Many women entrepreneurs are trailblazers in this regard and have become an inspiration to others when it comes to job creation. Women such as Divine Ndhlukula, founder of Securico Security Services, who has long been the biggest employer of women in Zimbabwe outside of government. Divine, and other women entrepreneurs like her in Africa, live their mission of using their businesses to be a force for positive change, with job creation at the heart of that change.

Sell experiences not just products

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 11:27:17 +0000

We all usually look forward to it - it’s those final weeks of the year when under normal circumstances some of the best retail business sales are achieved. However, given the huge challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is now a rush for retailers large and small to try and make up for lost sales in these days leading up to the festive season next month. As a result, brand marketers are looking at the most effective and direct ways of reaching their customers with special offers, new product launches, tempting discounts, anything to get them into their stores, physically or online. As email inboxes and mobile message boxes start rapidly filling up with marketing mailers from brands trying to sell us every type of gift idea in preparation for the festive season ahead, it can all feel overwhelming! For entrepreneurs trying to gain a foothold in this retail madness, it’s essential to find a way of standing out from the crowd. So why not invite your customers to a free online or in-person consultation or product demonstration; organize a product launch event online or in-store; create a unique experience as a way of getting your products noticed - and importantly sold. Selling experiences, not just products, could be the way to go this year and cut through the retail noise.

It’s possible to bootstrap and go big

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:12:12 +0000

Bootstrapping is a term we know all too well as women entrepreneurs. It’s the act of building a business from the ground up using personal savings in the early days until, with a lot of luck and a huge amount of hard work, those all important first sales come rolling in. Did you know that the term Bootstrapping has its origin in the early 19th century, meaning “to pull up by one's own bootstraps”, eventually becoming a well-used metaphor for achieving success with no outside financial support. Talk to the majority of women entrepreneurs who have built highly successful businesses and brands about how they financed them in the early days and the chances are good they will say they bootstrapped. Take the example of Sara Blakely, founder of revolutionary underwear company Spanx. At the age of 27, she launched her business with an innovative new product idea, a big vision, and funded it using all $5,000 of her personal savings. She even wrote a patent application and filed it herself to save on legal fees. Today, Sara still owns 100 percent of Spanx, her products are sold in more than 50 countries, she was named the world's youngest, self-made female billionaire by Forbes Magazine in 2012, and hasn’t taken a penny from outside investors to get there. She is proof positive that it’s possible to bootstrap and go big!

Fashion forward thinking

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 09 Nov 2020 10:14:51 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly made a big negative impact on the global fashion industry this year, but the sector is still an important one across the African continent from an economic development, job creation and skills development perspective. Fashion remains big business in Africa. According to data from Euromonitor International, the combined clothing and footwear market in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be worth US$ 31 billion. Importantly, the fashion industry is a women centric sector, providing economic development and job opportunities across the entire value chain, beginning with the smallholder farmers producing the raw materials for textile production, through to the fashion designers who light up the world’s runways with the designs we all go on to wear. As the African Development Bank says in its Fashionomics: Investing in the Creative Industries report, “At each step of the value chain, more value is added and additional jobs are created.” So this week, at Lionesses of Africa we will be recognizing the thousands of talented and hard working women entrepreneurs in Africa who are building great businesses and brands, and creating thousands of much needed jobs in the fashion sector.

There’s no such thing as a quick fix

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 11:57:11 +0000

We have all seen them - those television adverts that make really big promises to fix your problems without any effort. Those typical ‘lose weight quickly without exercising or eating healthily’ products come to mind as an example. For those consumers who are desperate enough for a solution but don’t want to make the necessary life changes that would fix the problem for good, these products could seem tempting. It’s the same in business - if you are struggling to deal with a problem or a pain point that is keeping you awake at night, it can be tempting to try and find a quick fix. But the bottom line is that there is no such thing - all you are doing is deferring, putting off the inevitable decision or action that needs to be taken. As hard as it is at the time to own up to and deal with any problem you are facing, it has to be done. You need to stop procrastinating, trust your instincts, and find the essential solutions to those problems for the long term. Once again, remember that there is no such thing as a ‘quick fix’.

The Touchless Economy and Customer Experience

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 10:34:03 +0000

Since March of this year, when life as we knew it changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the way we shop, run our lives and run our businesses has seen us transition to the ‘touchless economy’. New customer habits have been formed as a result. In greater numbers we now look online to source the goods we need. We order groceries from online retailers and have them delivered to our doors. We pay our bills online instead of going into a bank or store. And, we send money to family members online instead of queuing in person at a cashpoint. Our customer experience (CX) in this new ‘touchless economy’ matters - a lot. As business owners, we need to create meaningful customer experiences in this increasingly competitive digital economy. How do we do this? It starts with getting the basics right - good products, good prices, good quality, means good experience. It means delivering on our brand promise to our customers. It means creating memorable experiences for our customers, experiences that not only keep them returning, but also encourage them to recommend our businesses to others. In this growing ‘touchless economy,’ our businesses need to focus on a great customer experience if we are to compete and find our niche.

Bring positive people into your life

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 09:53:04 +0000

Have you noticed that, sometimes, the people closest to you can be the ones who are also sometimes inadvertently negative too? You know those times, when they offer unhelpful or unsolicited advice when you just don’t need to hear it. It happens to every entrepreneur at some point on the journey. But there comes a time when you need to be surrounded by people who can really empathize with what you are going through. Importantly, people who can bring some positivity into your life to counterbalance the challenges. You need mentors not naysayers; coaches not detractors; cheerleaders not pessimists. Bringing positive people into your life can help you stay the course when things get tough, whereas negative people make you doubt yourself and the choices you have made. So as difficult a decision it is to make, stepping back from the negative people on your entrepreneurial journey will not only benefit you from an emotional perspective, but your business will ultimately benefit too.

Positive habits drive a positive business

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 16:48:35 +0000

Are you are looking to take your business to the next level? Are you wondering how to move yourself and your employees in the right direction, and at speed? It might be time to introduce some new positive habits into your life and business. Many successful entrepreneurs talk about how incorporating the right habits into the business culture, and getting everyone to adopt those habits as part of their daily routines, is key to success. Business guru and author, Anthony Robbins, believes that one of the best habits you can develop is a powerful early morning routine in the workplace. Start your working day by spending 10 minutes focusing everyone’s efforts on the big picture for the business, the end goals to be achieved, and then the specific tasks to be undertaken. By creating this positive 10 minute habit every day, and allowing it to grow throughout the business, it will drive positive behaviours that are all aligned to the overall vision. Remember, it takes between 18 and 254 days for a habit to solidify in the mind, but once it is there, the rewards will follow and key goals will be achieved. So if you really want to take your business to the next level, start building these positive habits now.

Create a strong culture if you want to scale

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 09:07:55 +0000

What makes a healthy and rapidly scaleable company differentiate itself from the pack? The answer is a strong, positive internal culture that is led by example from the top, and bought into as a concept and a ‘way of being’ by everyone who works for the business. A great example of how establishing such a culture can make a big, bold vision a reality can be seen in the example of the tech-based digital disruptor of the early 2000s, Skype. The founders believed from the outset in establishing a unique culture that would enable a rapid and healthy scale-up. As the company evolved from startup to significant industry disruptor, the company’s unique internal culture provided the anchor. With a focus on having a global mindset, a revolutionary ambition, a distrust of hierarchy, and an absolute obsession with customers, this culture was carried by the business and all its employees across the world as it expanded. Though Skype as a business evolved as it grew into so many different global markets, the fundamental tenets of Skype’s culture remained. The lesson for women entrepreneurs to learn here is that if you want to scale your business, and take your employees along with you on the crazy journey ahead, creating a strong culture internally driven by a big vision, is essential.

Employees working from home the new trend

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 19:52:20 +0000

The recent announcement by Microsoft that their employees will now have the option of working from home permanently in response to the ongoing impact of Covid-19, marks a rapid shift away from traditional office working and the start of a growing new trend. The announcement follows similar decisions by Facebook and Twitter, which have also said remote work will be a permanent option for employees. A Microsoft spokesperson said of the new guidance, "Our goal is to evolve the way we work over time with intention—guided by employee input, data, and our commitment to support individual work styles and business needs while living our culture.” There seems to be a consensus that the pandemic is now permanently shifting the way we work. According to a PWC survey, about 55% of employers said they expected staff to work from home at least part of the week after concerns about how the virus passes, and more than 80% of employees said they supported that idea. This growing trend on the part of these global business giants is having a positive impact on the way that entrepreneurs who choose to run their businesses from home are now viewed by big companies. There is much more understanding and appreciation of what it takes to operate efficiently and professionally in a home-work environment, and small businesses are hopefully no longer going to be viewed negatively for their choice to operate from home.

Combatting consumer decision fatigue

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:27:53 +0000

It is easy to think that giving customers large amounts of choice in the products and services they can buy from our businesses is a good thing - but is it really? Research suggests that those companies that offer fewer choices, but instead a simple, high quality, memorable experience, actually get rewarded with happy and loyal customers. It comes down to dealing with decision fatigue in the most effective way. These days, customers are continually bombarded by businesses and brands vying for their attention, either through advertising or direct marketing, each one promising an even greater range of options to choose from. It can be overwhelming for the customer, leading to decision fatigue and switch-off. The additional downside for you as an entrepreneur is that it can also mean your brand gets lost in all the market noise, as a result the customer never really gets to see what you have to offer. So when you are planning your next marketing campaign, make small changes that will bring big results, by creating simple, engaging, customer centric offers that will make decision-making easy.

Fear of failure can motivate us to success

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 11:38:18 +0000

Statistics globally for entrepreneur failure rates can usually make for sobering reading. It is thought that almost a quarter of business startups will not make it through their first year, and only around half will manage to make it to their fifth anniversary. The numbers get even smaller around the 10 year success mark. Interestingly, women entrepreneurs tend to find it more difficult to deal with business failure than their male counterparts, often feeling that sense of failure very personally. The end result is that women entrepreneurs have a tendency to drive themselves to achieve business success by making fewer costly mistakes, not taking big risks, and growing more patiently, all because they fear failure. What is encouraging is the level of business resilience that women show, with around two thirds of women entrepreneurs indicating they would pick themselves up following a business failure, learn the lessons, and try again. So while fear of failure is a reality and a natural part of the entrepreneurial journey, being able to harness that fear and use it as a tool for personal and business growth is what can motivate us to achieve eventual success. Now that is a skillset that women need to possess and nurture.

Why creativity is a critical success factor in business

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 12:12:08 +0000

We perhaps don’t automatically think of entrepreneurs as being creative, unless they are working directly in the field of design or communications for example. But in fact, it is a critical factor for success in business building. Creativity is now being seen as an integral element of good business acumen - it helps to push boundaries, to open up mindsets, to free up thinking, and prevent stagnation. Creative thinking can be a game-changer in business as it plays a part in identifying potential new ways of doing things, or where gaps exist in the market for innovation. Creativity is also a cost-effective strategy to increase workplace productivity as it encourages employees to fulfill their potential and make meaningful contributions to the success of the business. It is thought that businesses probably only utilize around half of their employees’ potential by not encouraging workplace creativity. As a result, they miss out on a vast repository of creative ideas that remain untapped, instead of creating an environment where employees are encouraged to think creatively and help the business to innovate and stay ahead of the competition. So, how do you now feel about introducing more creativity into your business?

Acknowledge your wins

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 09:00:15 +0000

This has been a strange and challenging year for so many women entrepreneurs across the continent, and indeed around the world. Plans carefully formulated at the beginning of the year with big ambitions and goals have had to be re-engineered, relaunched and sometimes even scrapped. It has been a time of reinvention, pivoting, and in many cases just getting through with the hope of better times ahead. So as we now move into the final quarter of the year, it is the perfect time to take a moment to acknowledge your wins - to list down the positive things you have achieved in your business and your life as an entrepreneur over these difficult past months. List them all, starting with the big achievements. Perhaps you won or indeed maintained a big corporate customer, or pivoted the business to meet changing market needs, in turn creating a new, much needed product or service that customers want to buy. Also list the small achievements - maybe a new skill learned, or an award won - they are just as valid in these tough times. Hopefully by the time you have completed your lists, you will be able to take a moment to reflect just how far you have actually come, and how resilient both you and your business have become as a result of this experience.

Accelerate your business through collaboration

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 08:58:00 +0000

They say in business that if you want to go further, go together, and one of the most effective ways that women entrepreneurs can further their businesses and break into new markets is through collaboration. It can often be a daunting prospect, trying to expand your business by looking at selling your products and services outside of your geographic or sector comfort zone. By collaborating with others who have experience in those markets and a strong track record of success, the road to expansion can look a little less intimidating. Business collaboration speeds up and multiplies your ability to expand and reach those all important new market opportunities. That collaboration could take the form of a partnership with a fellow entrepreneur who can distribute or promote your product or service in a new market, or a specialist manufacturer who can help you to scale your product output to meet supply demands. Whatever form of collaboration works for you, it can be the most effective way to find customers and increase your revenues. Women entrepreneurs typically possess personal qualities that make collaboration a viable business acceleration option, including open mindedness, the desire to make things work and try new things, business development and management skills. The trick to collaborative success is to find partners who have good synergy and complement your business; to set shared goals and objectives from the outset; to develop a strong operational plan with your partner where everyone is clear on their roles and responsibilities; and to establish the ground-rules of what a “win-win” collaboration would look like. That’s how to make your collaboration work and help you to accelerate your way to success.

AR technology revolutionizes customer experience

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:12:55 +0000

Remember the days when, as a consumer, you would have to use the power of your own imagination to visualize how a new piece of furniture or a paint colour would look in your home, or how a make-up product would look on your face? Now, the increasing and innovative use of AR (Augmented Reality) by businesses looking to gain the competitive edge by creating new virtual consumer experiences. Early adopters are using AR for ‘at home’ product demonstrations that engage customers at a whole new level. For example, global furniture pioneer, IKEA, uses an AR app to provide users with the technology to see exactly how their furniture and decor items will look in the comfort of their homes, using their digital devices. Customers can virtually visualize products in their personal living and work spaces before they purchase, ensuring they have a better brand and product experience. Leading cosmetics firm L’Oreal also utilizes AR technology to assist their customers “try on” different makeup colors and looks, without having to physically apply any cosmetic products. These pioneering brands are embracing the power of AR to connect with their valued customers who may not be coming into the traditional stores right now, ensuring they do not lose that brand loyalty or market share. AR is something for every brand to think about going forward as the world of retail shifts to meet the challenges of the new Covid-19 business environment.

The need for gender equality in investing

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 15:06:46 +0000

The investment business has long been a male dominated environment. Take a look at investment management in all its forms right now - mutual, hedge, private equity, and venture capital funds - and the lack of women fund managers is all too obvious. Women control between 1% and 3.5% of assets under management, depending on specific class. Only 2% of mutual funds are managed exclusively by women portfolio managers, and in the hedge fund universe, a mere 4% of the portfolio managers are women, but only 1.5% of the assets under their control. Private equity is the only subsector in which the percent of women-controlled assets exceeds 3%, which is still small. The lack of women fund managers could be a contributing factor to the continuing challenge of women entrepreneurs getting access to funding, in all its forms. A recent IFC study suggested that investment decision-making is usually done by a small group of people, and if the group does not have gender balance, then you are not getting a balanced decision-making perspective. This situation is reflected in the fact that only 7 percent of emerging market private equity and venture capital is invested in women-led companies. Yet, female partners invested in almost twice as many female entrepreneurs as male partners. Ask any woman entrepreneur who is in need of funding right now and she will tell you the need for gender equality in investing has never been greater. Ultimately, getting better gender representation in investment firms just makes good business sense for everyone involved, it just needs to happen faster!

Happy employees mean happy customers

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 18:19:27 +0000

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and remind yourself of the last time you personally had a great customer experience. The chances are that your memorable experience was the result of an interaction with a staff member, someone who gave you great service or who was attentive to your needs, or who went the extra mile to make you feel special. Now ask yourself, are your own customers getting that kind of experience from your own staff members? Numerous research studies show a strong correlation between employee experience and customer experience. If your employees feel valued, feel they are all individual brand ambassadors, feel proud of the company they work for, they will feel empowered to create a positive experience for your customers. It starts with ensuring a great employee experience in your business, one that is based on continual engagement, communication, feedback, and shared brand pride. And that experience starts from the top, with you as founder of the business, sharing your vision, your passion, your energy and enthusiasm, and bringing every individual employee with you.

Go the extra mile

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 14:00:20 +0000

Going the extra mile is one of those mottos that is spoken about often but very rarely actually done, particularly in business. Yet it can be an amazing differentiator for those entrepreneurs that really do put in that extra effort to ensure their customers get the best experience. Going that extra mile could mean starting the work day a little earlier to ensure that you have time to engage with your employees to get them motivated and sharing your goals for the day ahead. Or it could mean rolling up your sleeves and staying late to help your team to pack boxes and get that important big order out of the door on-time to your customer. Or it could simply mean setting aside time each day to make personal calls to your customers to check on their satisfaction levels on products and services delivered. Going the extra mile is an attitude - it is saying to your customers, we value you, we are here to make sure your customer experience is a good one, we care about what you think and we are hear to listen to your feedback in order to keep improving our service delivery. So if you want to move ahead in business and keep your customers moving with you, then keep going the extra mile - it works!

Self care is an investment

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 07:13:44 +0000

Burn-out, it’s a feeling all too many women entrepreneurs are experiencing right now. Let’s be honest, we have probably all been there at some point on this crazy entrepreneurial journey - working too many long hours, giving up our weekends for months at a time, sacrificing valuable family time because the business demands everything from us. At times like these, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and depression can make an appearance in our lives, ultimately leading to burn-out. That’s why it’s important to remind ourselves that self care is not a luxury or something to be done in the future when we have more time. It’s an essential strategy and an investment in our personal health and wellbeing, and the future health and sustainability of our business. So instead of feeling guilty when you need to take time for yourself each day, whether that is to do a yoga class, or chat with friends and family over a cup of tea, or treating yourself to a spa treatment, don’t feel your time could be better spent. Remember that self care means you are investing in yourself AND your business.

Find your childlike curiosity

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 20:15:54 +0000

Do you ever think back to when you were a child and remember how curious you were, how open to learning and trying new things? In our busy lives as women entrepreneurs who are building our businesses at the same time as managing our family lives, playing our parts in the growth of our communities, contributing to the development of our business sectors, don’t you sometimes wish you could recapture that childlike curiosity? As entrepreneurs, it’s important to keep our businesses, products and services fresh so that they stay relevant to our customers and keep up with the changing environment we live in today. So remaining curious, open to new ideas and innovations, is so important. Yet many of us are fearful of change and the unknown - we feel more comfortable with the status quo, doing things the same way we have always done. But that is not the way to fulfill our potential, both personally and in business. The English philosopher and writer, Alan Watts, said on this subject, “By replacing fear of the unknown with curiosity, we open ourselves up to an infinite stream of possibility. We can let fear rule our lives or we can become childlike with curiosity, pushing our boundaries, leaping out of our comfort zones, and accepting what life puts before us.” Now that’s a great way of looking at our lives differently and living them to the fullest.

Turn a setback into an opportunity

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 15:50:02 +0000

Women entrepreneurs are great planners - but there are times when even the most detailed and well-thought out plans can encounter a hurdle that seems just too big to overcome. That’s life, as well as business. Setbacks like these happen, you only have to look at the impact of the current Covid-19 pandemic to appreciate that some things are out of our control and just have to be responded to differently. The result is that, at times like these, it may require a rethink or an adjustment to your original business strategy or business model. But remember, setbacks can also present opportunities. During times of adversity, women entrepreneurs find new sources of strength and resilience, and importantly, they get creative. Setbacks can provide a unique chance to do things differently, to try new approaches, to experiment with new products and services to take to market. They can also allow you to consider a more radical pivot in the business to take advantage of an identified need. A setback can encourage you to develop new ideas and tactics for how you want to run your business in the future, helping you to prepare for and withstand setbacks in the future. So don’t be afraid to change direction if you need to, and view every setback as a potential opportunity instead of a threat.

Failure is a learning opportunity

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:42:14 +0000

Pick up any book on entrepreneurship and you will see chapter after chapter written on the subject of failure. It’s perhaps not surprising - failure is an inevitable part of the journey of building new businesses, innovating, and trying new things. Not every business will go on to become a success, and many will fail along the way. So why then do so many entrepreneurs still struggle with feeling a sense of shame when their businesses fail? This is an attitude that needs to change. It’s true that it’s a wonderful feeling to have a successful business, particularly when it fulfills the ambitions and vision you had for it when you started out. But the reality is that failure is where real learning, growth, and ultimately personal change happens as an entrepreneur. Instead of seeing failure simply as a negative in your life, embrace and own your mistakes and learn those essential lessons that will take you one step further to achieving the success you crave. Don’t be afraid to fail, remember that many of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world have experienced failure not once, but many times during their journeys to success. You only have to read the personal stories of Richard Branson, Ariana Huffington, Bill Gates and so many others to see they have all experienced failure before achieving the success they have gone on to enjoy in later years. So, never feel shame when you fail - instead, see it as a learning experience to help you get it right next time!

Ask your peer network for validation

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 09:27:04 +0000

In business there will always be difficult decisions to make - how to launch, when to grow, who to hire, when to test a new product, which new market to try and break into. The list of big and potentially difficult decisions to make is endless. Often it can seem like we are on our own on this lonely and tough decision-making journey as founders of our businesses. Add to that the tendency of women entrepreneurs to be self-critical when difficult decisions have to be made that could potentially take the business to the next level. That’s when it is good to have the support and insights of your peers, your fellow women entrepreneurs who know exactly what you are going through, and who are ideally placed to listen to your plans and the decisions you have to make. This validation is both encouraging and essential, as it provides that non-bias feedback you need to ensure you make the right decision that is best for you and ultimately for the business. Remember that every woman entrepreneur has been faced with difficult decisions to make of their own along their business building journeys, so you are not alone. Tap into your peer network and get the validation you need to make the right decisions.

Confidence + authenticity = success

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 10:25:11 +0000

Think of successful entrepreneurs and one word that might come to mind to describe them would be confident. Confidence is a core skill that women entrepreneurs need to master if they are to fulfill their business goals, but for many it may not come naturally. Although it is possible to appear as confident when talking enthusiastically about a product or service on offer, that confidence may be short lived as nagging doubts and concerns about where the next sale, customer, or cheque is coming from are never far away. The good news is that confidence is a skill that can be learned and practiced, but it is important to remember that it should also be accompanied by authenticity. To appear as confident to a new potential customer, or to a room full of strangers when you are speaking or presenting your business, does not mean you have to have the loudest voice. It is more about talking the language of confidence, speaking with genuine passion for what you do, engaging your customers or audience in your unique business story, and above all, being your authentic self. That winning combination will instill a sense of confidence not only in yourself but all those around you, and that in turn will lead to success.

Motivate your way to success

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 08:12:53 +0000

So just how many motivational podcasts have you listened to over the past few months? How many self motivation books have you read, or workshops have you attended to keep your entrepreneurial spirits high and your business mind focused? If you are anything like the women entrepreneurs who are part of our Lionesses of Africa community, then the answer is probably quite a lot. As business founders, it is our responsibility to keep going during challenging times, to keep pushing ourselves to find solutions, and importantly, to keep everyone else motivated around us. The good news is that there is such a wealth of resources to tap into when we need a good boost of motivational support and advice, thanks to the fast-paced digital world we live in. One of the best ways to get a good dose of inspiration is to listen to the words and insights of other, more experienced women entrepreneurs who have gone before you. Hear how they have successfully dealt with their challenges, their failures, their doubts, and ultimately how they have achieved their goals, despite the inevitable hard times. If you find yourself in need of some Lioness inspiration, then look no further than our Business Unusual platform where you can listen to inspirational podcasts and read some insightful articles. Motivate your way to success Lionesses!

Why listening is good for business

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 09:19:12 +0000

Many business owners think that communicating with customers is a one way street - putting lots of information and messages out there and hoping that some will stick, resulting in greater brand awareness and ultimately sales. But the fact is that listening to customers is just as critical for business, and an essential part of all communication planning. There is a great example of a business that spent months innovating and developing a new product, finally getting it ready to test with consumers before launching into mass production for the marketplace. During the first phase of testing, it was noticed that consumers were using the product incorrectly, meaning that the business had to spend time and effort in explaining how to properly use the product for best effect. The business soon realized that they needed to listen to their consumers, to find out what the problem was, and then fix it using that invaluable feedback. The ability to listen, and then learn, is a key trait of highly successful entrepreneurs. Richard Branson says on the subject of listening, “If you want to stand out as a leader, a good place to begin is by listening. Great listeners are often terrific at uncovering and putting in place strategies and plans that have a big impact.” So, how good are your listening skills and are you putting them to good use for the business?

Taking ambition to the next level

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 07:43:42 +0000

As women entrepreneurs, we all have ambitions for ourselves and our businesses. For some, that ambition could be to build a business that can take care of ourselves and our families, and create a legacy of opportunities for our children in the future. For others, that ambition takes the form of fulfilling a personal passion for creativity, providing a vehicle to design beautiful products for the world to buy. But there is another group of women entrepreneurs for whom ambition means something very different. These women are driven to keep building, innovating, growing, diversifying - they constantly push boundaries, looking to create the next big thing that can change the world and people’s lives. They have ambitions beyond their own businesses and are deeply driven to achieve success in all aspects of their entrepreneur journeys. This type of woman entrepreneur may be smaller in number but their impact is significant, as they are leaders who inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Dan Sullivan, a leading global business coach and founder of The Strategic Coach, says: “I estimate that for every 400 entrepreneurs in the world, one of them will become an ambition entrepreneur who will continually create entirely new kinds of products and services, new approaches, new ideas, and new strategies, which will then be utilized by the other 399 entrepreneurs for the rest of their careers.” So the question is, are you simply ambitious, or are you an ambition entrepreneur?

Think Big Picture

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 07:42:51 +0000

Every business needs to have a clear strategy, a roadmap for implementation, and tangible goals for everyone to work towards in order to achieve that all important success. That strategy helps every to have a shared sense of purpose and a clear understanding of the role they have to play, helping to shape decisions and guide actions. Having short-term goals is good for day to day operations, keeping people focused on delivery and productivity, but as founders it is important to ensure that the strategy doesn’t lose it’s focus on the big picture, the ultimate end goal. It is all too easy to become reactive when times are challenging and to lose that sense of purpose when you are concentrating on keeping the business going by achieving short term goals out of necessity. But the role of a founder is to maintain a line of sight over both sets of goals, as that is essential to ensure the business not just survives but thrives over the long-term. Sporting icon and entrepreneur, Roger Federer, has some great insights on this subject, and he has used them well to build his own global business and brand. He says, "As great as it is to achieve short-term goals, you need to use them to motivate and inspire you – always keeping your eye on the long-term plan and the big picture." Wise words!

Hit the pause button

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 17:48:46 +0000

How familiar is this scenario? It is 11pm, you are still at your laptop trying to finish and send out a proposal to win some much needed new business, and you have been working since 5am that morning? At the same time, you are constantly checking your phone for messages, responding as you go, not giving anything 100% attention, and simply taking the concept of multi-tasking too far. You ate a quick sandwich and grabbed a quick coffee on the go for lunch, and have just remembered that you are yet to have dinner. You are feeling stressed, tired, emotionally drained and your productivity levels are going down. On top of all that, you are missing out on quality time with your family and friends because you are working non-stop. The concept of work-life balance remains just that in your life, a concept. If all that sounds all too familiar in your entrepreneurial life, then it might be time to hit the pause button. Burn-out amongst entrepreneurs is all too common, and no matter how pressurized your business life is, it’s essential to try and get some quality YOU time into your daily life too. Plan your daily diary to include regular breaks, and also try and finish your working day at a reasonable hour, so that you can get that all important family relaxation time. Remember, your business depends on you staying fit and healthy, so take your YOU time seriously!

Self starters make better entrepreneurs

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 09:07:15 +0000

Look up the definition of a self starter, and you will see it pretty much describes one of the key traits of being an entrepreneur. A self starter is a person who works on or undertakes a project on their own initiative, without needing to be told what to do or to be supervised by others. A self starter motivates themselves to complete key tasks and projects according to set deadlines, and can work well alone. Typical words used to describe a self starter are also those often used to describe entrepreneurs - go-getter, boot-strapper, high-flyer, hustler, opportunist. So, it stands to reason that self starters make better entrepreneurs. They know that if something needs doing, they roll up their sleeves and just get on with the job. They are highly proactive, not waiting for others to give the go-ahead. Instead, they see the opportunity or the project at hand and they formulate the strategy and action plan to get the job done, efficiently and effectively. That’s a self starter - that’s an entrepreneur who turns ideas into reality instead of just talk.

Learn to delegate

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 09:46:03 +0000

Delegating effectively is a key trait of great entrepreneurs, and delegation is essential to the future success of any business, especially as it grows beyond the startup phase. Good delegators tend to achieve higher and faster growth rates than those with less of this talent; they tend to generate higher revenues over shorter periods of time; and they tend to create more jobs at a faster rate too. Gallup identifies six key differences between entrepreneurs who are good delegators and those who find delegating difficult. Firstly, delegators know that they can't accomplish everything themselves, so they are willing to relinquish tasks to others. Secondly, delegators develop team capacity using a strengths-based approach, to get more done, faster. Thirdly, delegators ensure that employees have everything they need to do their jobs for maximum productivity. Fourthly, delegators focus on outcomes, not processes. Fifthly, delegators encourage new ideas and approaches to accomplishing goals, empowering employees to take ownership of key tasks. Finally, delegators communicate frequently with employees, creating an open atmosphere of constructive feedback and shared goals. So, if you want to move your business to the next level, then learn the art of delegation.

The power of the perfect pitch

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 07:57:21 +0000

Being able to pitch your business, brand and products to potential customers is a core skill for any woman entrepreneur, and pitching is definitely an art-form - but one that everyone can master with plenty of planning and practice. This past month, Lionesses of Africa partnered with Volkswagen South Africa, to host the first VW Lionesses Den pitch competition. At stake, the opportunity to secure vital cash injection into the winning businesses, at a time when cashflow is everything to any business during this tough time. With our teams watching over 400 video pitches, it gave us the ideal opportunity to really see the approaches taken by women entrepreneurs to pitching. Congratulations to Ntokozo Mbuli, founder of television production company Sugar Bean Pictures, who took away the big competition prize by wowing all the judges with her powerful pitch. This is definitely a woman entrepreneur to watch over the coming months and years! If there is one overall learning to take from this experience, it is that the women who take their pitching really seriously, who prepare their presentations diligently and professionally, who rehearse until they perfect their messages, are the ones who stand out from the crowd. In the competitive world of business, the lessons are the same - if you want to get your business and brand noticed by potential customers, you have to present yourself professionally, passionately, and convincingly. That takes work and practice, lots of it - but ultimately it’s worth it when you win the business!

Pitch for the win

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 10:52:23 +0000

So what happens when you receive that call or email you have been waiting for - the one that tells you your business has been shortlisted to pitch for that all important big contract? The one that could be the game-changing contract you have been waiting for to really grow your business to the next level? Once the excitement has died down, then reality hits - are you pitch ready? Do you have that winning business pitch researched, prepared, and rehearsed? If not, then the real work starts now. You can prepare all the presentations, business plans, product demonstrations you like, but if you are not 100% ready to powerfully pitch them to those critical buyers, then it is all in vain. Remember, you need to share your unique story, talk about what makes your business different from the pack, be professional, be well prepared, and importantly know your data in great detail. You are pitching for the win, so make it count!

Are you adapting to a changed world?

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 13:47:15 +0000

We are all experiencing a changed world now, no matter where we live or what we do, Covid-19 has changed so many aspects of our lives and we are having to adapt according to the new rules. It’s the same for our businesses. We all started the year with a clear vision of where we were going, what we wanted to achieve, and then circumstances out of our control changed everything. For many entrepreneurs, this time has often felt like swimming upstream, knowing that change is necessary for the business to survive these challenging times, but finding that change hard. Reinventing and adapting to thrive is not a new concept for entrepreneurs, it has always been part of the journey. In his famous book, ‘Invent, Reinvent, Thrive’, Lloyd Shefsky talks about how successful entrepreneurs need to strike a delicate balance between sticking to their vision and adapting to a changed world’. He says, “It’s much like driving a car - you always are looking forward but peripheral vision lets you know if somebody on the side is entering your lane or doing something ridiculous, so that you can back off and prevent an accident.” It’s all about adapting to change, reinventing to meet the new situation, surviving and going on to thrive as a result.

Ideas are worthless without implementation

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 17:44:20 +0000

“Ideas are a dime a dozen. People who implement them are priceless.” Those were the words of Mary Kay Ash, the legendary American businesswoman and founder of the hugely successful Mary Kay Cosmetics company. And she should know! Having built her business from the ground up, she created a global empire which, when she died, had more than $1.2 billion in sales and an international sales force of more than eight hundred thousand in at least three dozen countries, plus a personal fortune of $98 million. What separates entrepreneurs from the rest of the world is that they know how to make ideas real - how to turn that spark into a full-blown business. They put in the long hours, the hard work, the investment into turning those ideas into what they hope will be viable businesses. Anyone can have an idea, but implementing that idea is what very few people do - that’s why entrepreneurs are a breed apart!

Women entrepreneurs and economic bounce back

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 20:30:19 +0000

With the global economy now reeling from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and many countries now entering difficult periods of recession, attention is turning to small businesses as ways of boosting local economic growth. There is a recognition that entrepreneurs, and particularly women entrepreneurs, are key to keeping local communities going. They create jobs for local people, they introduce new products, services and technology solutions into local markets, and they support local needs. To see the impact that women entrepreneurs make in tough economic times like these, you only have to look back at their role as big job creators and stabilizers of the economy following the 2008-2009 Great Recession. For example in the US, women-led businesses added around 1.8 million jobs between 2007-12. Given the critical role played by entrepreneurship in fueling economic growth, there is an even greater need for big corporates and governments to provide more access to market opportunities for women entrepreneurs, providing them with the opportunity to both survive and thrive during this time. Investors also need to deploy more capital to support women-owned businesses to aid their future growth, as the world emerges from the Covid-19 recession. Given that women-led businesses in a post-recession environment have been shown to create significant numbers of new jobs, supporting them in these impact driven ways just makes sense.

Harness the power of your leadership voice

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 11:25:04 +0000

If you want a great brand ambassador, one that has a powerful voice for your business, then look no further than yourself as founder. As a passionate business owner and as the creator of your brand vision, your leadership voice is important as it is the one that will resonate most powerfully with your customers. The question is, are you really harnessing the power of your voice to make those all important connections with your customers? Are you being heard, are you getting your brand message and positioning across? Are you using your voice as an industry influencer and thought leader? Your customers, your employees, your partners, your investors are all looking to you to be a leader. So are you taking your own leadership skills seriously and are you investing in continually developing them to benefit both yourself as an entrepreneur, and of course, your business and brand. Having strong leadership skills are key to the success of your business, you need them in every facet of your life, from inspiring your employees, through to negotiating with suppliers and distributors. Make that investment today in improving your leadership skills so that the business can benefit tomorrow.

How are your negotiating skills?

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 05:23:08 +0000

Talk to any number of women entrepreneurs and many of them will tell you that they love the process of creating their products or conceptualizing their service offerings, but they are not nearly so comfortable about negotiating those business deals. Taking the time and making the effort to learn the art of negotiation is definitely time well spent for any woman entrepreneur who wants to seriously grow their business. Successful negotiation requires good interpersonal and communication skills, whether you are closing a deal, building win-win client relationships, or leveraging supply chains. If you have the right negotiation skills in place, it can lead to better supplier relationships, enhanced competitive advantage, and the ability to manage potential conflicts. Other benefits include helping you to prepare and plan efficiently, present better business propositions, think clearly and rapidly under pressure, and enhance your powers of persuasion in a sales environment. So, how are your negotiation skills?

Slow and steady wins the race

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 08:50:08 +0000

They say that patience is a virtue, but as entrepreneurs it is not a trait that is familiar to many. We tend to be passionate, overly enthusiastic, business warriors who dash in where others fear to tread, often regretting the speed at which take the leap without having spent the time to really reflect on our decisions. Patience is a highly underrated skill for entrepreneurs, and it is one we need to pay closer attention to, as there are times when patience can pay real dividends. For example, think about how important it is to bring the right people with the right skills and personality into your business, and how taking your time to make the right decision on those people is critical. Exercising patience, doing the research, getting referrals, scanning the marketplace for that people talent, is a necessity. Remember the old fable, ’The Tortoise and the Hare’ - slow and steady wins the race - it’s all about being patient.

Adapt or get left behind

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 13:38:32 +0000

Adaptability - it’s a word that is synonymous with entrepreneurs. It’s defined as the ability or willingness to change in order to suit different conditions. In business, change is constant, and in order to survive and thrive, it’s essential to remain open to new ideas in response to the marketplace. You need to keep testing your strategy, your business plan, and your product offerings to ensure they remain vital and relevant. You need to keep talking to your customers, getting feedback, finding out what they need and want in a changing world. You need to identify possible risks to your business due to changing market demands or realities, and develop mitigation strategies before those risks turn into a crisis. Importantly, you also need to be really honest with yourself and change the direction of your business if you feel it is becoming out of touch with the marketplace. Just think back to those iconic business names of the past that failed to adapt to the changing world, and as a result, were left behind - Kodak, the camera and film brand that didn’t see the digital picture revolution coming, is a classic example. Adaptability is a key quality for success - make sure it is a trait you develop too.

Keep investing in you

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 09:26:35 +0000

It doesn’t matter how long you have been an entrepreneur, how many businesses you have built over the years, how much experience you have - there is always something new to learn. Investing in your own personal development as a business founder is key to its longevity. As any successful entrepreneur will tell you, it’s essential to keep up with new trends, new ways of doing things, new technology, new ways of thinking in order to stay relevant to your customers and your marketplace. That means you have to stay at the top of your game. Investing in your personal development can take so many forms - it could be reading the latest business management books; attending practical webinars; taking a short course at a local college; or downloading a new digital business tool or app that could revolutionize your business. Today there are a wealth of expert self development resources just a click away on your laptop, so there is no excuse. And remember, as you invest in yourself and your own personal development, keep paying it forward and share that knowledge with the next generation of women entrepreneurs who are coming up behind you.

Success breeds confidence

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 09:23:00 +0000

Take a moment to think about the women entrepreneurs who inspire you the most, the women entrepreneurs you look up to, the women entrepreneurs you aspire to emulate one day. What stands out about them, what do they share in common? Chances are that a key trait they all share is Confidence. It’s what sets them apart from other entrepreneurs, it’s what attracts people to want to do business with them, and it’s what enables them to get up each morning and feel they can achieve their goals. So how can we all gain that essential confidence that will help us in our business and personal lives? Success is what breeds real confidence, and you need to celebrate each small success you achieve, using it as a building block to bigger things. It’s all about validating yourself and your business idea; it’s about proving to yourself that you are authentic, valuable, worthy of success. The more success you achieve, the more confidence you’ll have to keep going, and the more successful you will become. Confidence and success go hand in hand!

What’s your competitive edge?

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 09:19:00 +0000

Everyone needs a competitive edge in business. It’s what allows you to appeal to more customers, generate more sales, produce a better price point for your products or services in the marketplace, and genuinely achieve greater success. Basically, your competitive edge creates an advantage for your business over others offering similar things. A competitive edge can take many forms, and it is particularly useful for both startups and growth companies to identify just what that competitive edge looks like for them. For example, it could be your pricing structure that gives you the advantage in the marketplace; or the power of your unique brand; or it could be the personal customer support services you offer; or perhaps it is your experience and in-depth knowledge of your business offering that appeals to new and existing customers alike. So, find your competitive edge, ensure your customers know what differentiates you in the marketplace, and use that edge to achieve your business goals.

Adapting to meet the new business reality

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 07:17:00 +0000

With the impact of Covid-19, most women entrepreneurs have experienced a decrease in sales, with customers delaying their purchasing decisions or cancelling them completely due to the ongoing economic uncertainty. As a result, the focus is now on practically adapting to meet this new business reality, and it requires a combination of measures to ensure the business survives and thrives. Many are adjusting their products or services to meet new needs and stay relevant to their customers in a changing economic climate. Some are securing financing so that they can stay in business not just during this current tough time, but to be ready to react to an anticipated surge in business when economies reopen. Women business owners are also taking steps to cut unnecessary expenses, taking a critical look at those areas of the business that can be made more efficient. Some are shifting their existing business models to digital instead of in-person, investing in new technology to ensure their businesses are geared up to deal with the demands of new online consumers. Being able to adapt to this new business reality is part of the entrepreneur journey - how ready are you?

Test your products in the marketplace

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:48:58 +0000

Anyone can have a good idea, but turning that idea into a viable product that customers actually want to buy is another matter. That’s why for most people, their ideas remain just that. It is particularly the case in the food and drink sector. Think about how many people have told you over the years about a tried and tested family recipe they have, which has been passed down through the generations and is now ripe for commercialization. Turning that old family recipe into a product that is customer and market ready can be a long and tortuous process if you have visions of it sitting on a supermarket shelf one day. But it doesn’t mean you can’t make it happen. Start by finding a mentor, someone who has been in the food and drink business for many years and who has the right experience you need. Invest your time and effort in your product development and start small in order to test your product with consumers and get that all important feedback. Go to farmers markets, small shows and build up your community of consumers and champions. Gain all the insights you need that are essential to testing your product viability. Remember, getting a viable, scaleable product to market is a marathon, not a sprint.

Keep learning to keep building

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 07:40:34 +0000

They say that the more you know, the less you fear. Perhaps that’s why so many entrepreneurs have a thirst for learning as they build their businesses. Often a fear of failure is at the heart of that desire to learn as it is often rooted in doubts about personal abilities or lack of practical business experience. Education, training and information seeking are a powerful antidote to such fears and they can take many forms - it does not mean you have to return to a formal classroom. You might need to develop specific skills in business administration, it’s why some women entrepreneurs choose to do a part-time MBA whilst they are building their businesses. Or perhaps there is a need to implement more stringent quality controls around the products you are developing for your customers, and as a result, you need to undertake a specialist training programme. Whatever the need, a commitment to continual learning on your entrepreneur journey can help you to deal with the challenges and the unknowns you will face. Ultimately, it will help you to mitigate the fear of failure.

Taking digital networking to the next level

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 05:08:24 +0000

If you want to get seen and heard by as many potential customers, future business partners, collaborators, and importantly funders, then networking is the fastest way to get there. And in this era when networking can be done digitally, bringing a world of important business connections to your laptop, there is no excuse. You are potentially one click and one screen share away from making those meaningful connections you need to grow your business. Today, there are so many virtual networking opportunities to choose from, and it can be overwhelming at times. The trick to successful digital networking is to be very clear about what you are trying to achieve and to set yourself key goals for every event you attend. Do your research in advance of the event to find out who will be attending; prepare for your sessions to ensure you are informed and engaged; create a wish-list of all those people you want to talk to; and importantly obtain their contact details for quick follow up once the event is over. Every digital networking event can be a valuable business growth experience - make the most of it!

Focus on Focus

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 11:16:24 +0000

How focused are you on what matters in your business? Are you spending time on focusing on the things that will have the biggest impact on the bottom line and your key goals, or are you easily distracted by the next big idea or project? The key to success is knowing where your business is today, where you would like it to go tomorrow, and what your vision is for the future - and then being lazer focused on working to achieve that vision. It’s all about focus! Steve Jobs once famously said on the subject, “People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” So if you find yourself taking your eye off the ball and getting off track, take a step back, revisit your vision and goals, and refocus.

Keep learning and pushing your knowledge boundaries

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 13:02:26 +0000

You know the saying, “You are never too old to learn”? Well, in business the ability to keep learning is an essential tool on the road to success. Learning can help entrepreneurs to better assess and deal with challenges and problems. It can help to lesson the fear that comes from inexperience in business, or in specialist areas of expertise, such as financial management or technical production capability. Learning can take many forms, and it doesn’t always have to be formal. Admittedly, it can be a wonderful shared experience to enroll yourself on a formal programme of study to further your own personal learning and development, such as an MBA. But just as impactful on you and your business, learning can take the form of a practical online programme. For example, you may want to learn how to take your business digital, and therefore a practical e-commerce training programme could be the answer. Or perhaps you recognize that your business needs better sales and marketing strategic planning, so a short course by a specialist training provider could be useful. What is important is opening your mind to keep learning, keep pushing your own personal knowledge boundaries, so that both you and your business can really fulfill their potential. Make that learning investment now.

Working from home

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 10:39:52 +0000

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed many things in our lives, but one of the interesting trends to emerge in business is that of home working. As everyone from CEOs of big companies through to startup founders have had to get used to running their businesses from their homes - and actually make this new way of doing things work for them. The reality check has been surprising for many people - they now realize that great work can be done from any location and it does not require an expensive office space in a prime location to get things done. It’s quite the opposite in fact, and this is where the trend is now entrenching itself in business thinking. Working from home can achieve the same, often better results. How? By empowering people with the choice to be in their life-enhancing environment, by cutting wasteful commuting time, by eliminating unnecessary meetings, and allowing for personal time-management. Now that everyone has experienced this new normal in working environments, attitudes have changed, there is now no stigma related to choosing to work from home. This could be good news for women entrepreneurs who are building businesses that need to fit in with their other life commitments. It is also good news for their employees who want to work for a company that understands the need for flexibility, at the same time empowering them to perform at their best, even if they are working from home.

The beauty business trend is local

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 07:06:38 +0000

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, an interesting trend has emerged globally - the rise of women wanting to work from home, and in particular to become cosmetics sellers in their friends, family and community networks. Cosmetics giant, Avon, which boasts 5 million commissioned sales agents globally, has reported a 114% surge in sign-ups from women interested in becoming cosmetics sellers during the recent lockdowns. The company said the pandemic had prompted many people to look for new ways of earning cash, and that, amid a looming jobs crisis, more women were looking for opportunities to supplement their income. This trend could create interesting new market opportunities for women-owned African cosmetics brands to tap into this growing reseller interest at a local level. By accessing friends, family and local community consumer networks through commissioned local women sales agents, it could be a win-win. Women beauty business entrepreneurs need to grow new market opportunities for their products, and women need to find new ways of earning cash during these tough economic times.

Small acts of kindness count

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 28 Jul 2020 15:00:46 +0000

How often are you emotionally touched when someone shows kindness to you and your business unexpectedly? It is a wonderful feeling. That kindness can be shown in the smallest of ways, but still makes the biggest impact. It can take the form of an unexpected note from a happy customer to say how much your products or services mean to them. Or perhaps a box of cookies made for you by an employee who appreciates the job opportunity you are creating for them through your business. Or a complete stranger who rushes to help you open a door or carry your bags and boxes to your car as you struggle to manage on your own. Small acts of kindness can make a world of difference to those who receive them. As entrepreneurs, we are often in need of a kind word or act, one that can keep us going when things are tough. So, let’s take a moment to stop, look at our fellow business builders, notice their challenges, and reach out with a small act of kindness.

Conquering the fear of failure

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:57:59 +0000

There is probably not a single entrepreneur out there who hasn’t experienced failure at some point. As all successful entrepreneurs will tell you, it’s all part of the journey, and many of them have failed multiple times before finally achieving their goals and dreams. But for many, the fear of failure can be overwhelming, and that is because there is so much responsibility carried on the shoulders of business founders. A great example of this can be seen in the words of Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of the multi-billion-dollar yoghurt company Chobani. When asked whether he was ever afraid while building his hugely successful business, he said: “Every day. The worry got bigger and bigger as people increasingly relied on the company, making their future decisions. Because if I had failed, a lot of lives were going to be affected by it.” The lesson to be learned here is that fear of failure is indeed a part of our entrepreneurial lives. But what matters is having the ability to look fear in the eyes, to use it as a motivational tool, and to keep relentlessly pursuing those business building goals despite the presence of fear.

Celebrate your wins

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 13:00:44 +0000

This has been a tough few months for many entrepreneurs and at times it probably feels like it has been a continual up-hill struggle. That’s why it’s important to relieve the stress by taking time to acknowledge any of the positive things that are happening and turn them into celebrations. Take a moment to acknowledge when you and your team achieved a key goal. Celebrate each significant new sale and recognize the efforts of your employees when they achieve their targets. Share great customer feedback with your employees and make them feel valued. Organize a regular virtual team meeting to celebrate all the good things that have happened that week or month. Acknowledge and reward individual employees who are innovating, who are thinking of new ideas for the business. Even if it’s just a quick ‘shout out’ on social media to recognize a good effort. Just a quick reminder that it’s all worth it! Celebrating our wins is so important for maintaining morale in challenging times, and we all need to know that our efforts are being noticed and making a difference. Remember, when we feel good about the work we are doing, and it is valued, we are more productive, so everyone wins. That’s worth celebrating!

Working from home is the new normal

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 12:35:10 +0000

How much has changed in a short space of time. Who would have thought just six months ago that working from home would become the new normal, both for ourselves as entrepreneurs, and also for our employees. This workplace revolution is a current reality, with big and small businesses now re-evaluating their physical workspace requirements for the future. No longer is the lure of the big, expensive, shiny new office tower a priority. Now the focus is on how to invest in technology to ensure that every employee can be as productive as possible, wherever they work. From an employee perspective, there are mixed feelings about this new normal working environment. Most people do not miss the commuting to work each day, the hassle of being stuck in traffic or on cramped public transport for hours - such a source of stress and wasted time. However, on the flip side, many people find working from home has too many distractions, and the lack of psychological and physical separation of work and home life can be hard. One of the key ingredients of business success is to enable everyone to be at their most productive, whether that is home-working or in a formal workplace environment. Make your employees part of the solution and then everyone wins!

Find your inner hero

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 10:24:09 +0000

If you find that you are in need of a boost right now, due to the pressures of being an entrepreneur in this strange period of time, then help is at hand. Recent psychology research has identified four psychological states, ‘hero qualities’, that when combined can boost our resilience and our ability to cope with whatever life throws at us. These hero qualities are hopefulness, self-efficacy (our belief in our abilities), resilience, and optimism. It makes sense doesn’t it - if we find our sense of hope sinking because all we read in the news is worrying, then we need a good boost from our hero qualities. And we can change our psychological states as we need. For example, to stay hopeful, we need to focus on the future, to keep planning ahead, to set targets and goals. Research suggests that if we stay optimistic, and look to the future instead of dwelling on the things we cannot change, we are more likely to bounce back from tough times. The hero quality of resilience means that when we encounter failure, we can pick ourselves up and try again. Ultimately, if we embrace all our inner hero qualities, they will give us the boost we need to not just cope, but to thrive.

Focus on what you can control

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 13:03:58 +0000

There is a well-known quote that says, “Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t.” Wise words indeed at this current time, when so much in our lives and our business environments seems to be out of our control. It is at times like these that as entrepreneurs we need to ensure our focus is not distracted by all the negative noise and news around us. We can stay informed, of course - it’s essential to keep updated on what could possibly affect us and our businesses. But we need to stay firmly focused on what we can actually control day-to-day ourselves. We need to take the time to revisit our business plans; or our product delivery models; or our customer marketing and communications strategies. We need to look at how we can leverage the power of digital to enhance our current business models. Or how we might need to replace aspects of the business that are now impacted by market restrictions or contractions. Ultimately, it’s about being realistic and understanding that the more energy we expend on those things that we actually have no control over, the less time we have to spend in the ways that can make the most difference.

What to do when your confidence takes a knock

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 11:57:12 +0000

There is not a single entrepreneur out there who has not experienced rejection, setbacks, and negativity at some time in their lives - it is all part of the business building journey. But knowing that fact doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. It is only human nature for our confidence to take a knock at times like these. So, how do you build up resilience to help you deal with these experiences? Perhaps one practical way to give your confidence a much needed boost, and put a smile back on your face, is to remind yourself of better times, past achievements, and positive feedback. Why not create a Smile File for yourself? What exactly is a Smile File you might ask? It’s a digital folder where you can put all your great customer testimonials, emails congratulating you on a great product or service, comments from your social media platforms from happy customers, or simple messages sent to you from brand supporters. It’s a digital place you can browse through when you are feeling down, when things are tough, and you need a welcome confidence booster that you are doing lots of things right! Create that Smile File of your own today, you never know when you might need it!

How to avoid analysis paralysis in your business

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 05:29:59 +0000

Have you had that experience of just feeling stuck in your business? Did you make a list of goals you wanted to reach by this time in the business year, but because of circumstances out of your control, they haven’t materialized? Do you feel you are just not making progress because you keep reviewing your strategies and plans, trying new things, but nothing seems to be moving you forward? Are you questioning your decisions and actions constantly? If you answer is yes to these questions, you could be suffering from analysis paralysis - that state when you over-analyse your decision-making so much that you just can’t see clearly anymore. This type of experience falls into four key categories - Decision fatigue, Perfectionism, Fear of being wrong, Fear of change. Analysis paralysis can be really hard to confront when it is happening, but it can also create great learning opportunities. At times like these, it’s important to remember that analysis paralysis is only a symptom, not the problem itself. Try and take a macro level look at the underlying problems you are experiencing, and not get too caught up at a micro level, as that is when perspective is so much harder to achieve.

The rise of the urban agripreneur

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 12:35:26 +0000

Something positive is happening in our cities, on our rooftops, in our urban waste spaces - and it is being led by a new generation of eco-conscious women entrepreneurs. As many people are thinking about becoming more resilient, more self-sufficient during the time of Coronavirus, there is a desire to reconnect people with their food and the environment through urban agriculture. Permaculture is a set of design principles centered on replicating natural ecosystems in our urban spaces - and it is becoming an interesting new space for women entrepreneurs to move into for their impact-driven businesses. They are finding innovative new ways of promoting sustainability and self-reliance by creating managed agri-ecosystems modeled on natural ones, right in our backyards. Josephine Katumba, founder of Biakudia Urban Farming Solutions, is a South African agripreneur building a successful business by turning waste spaces into urban farms. As a result, she is empowering local communities to become food self-sufficient, and transforming underutilized spaces in the city into magnificent urban farms. Josephine is not alone - she is part of a growing number of women entrepreneurs in Africa who are finding solutions to urban food security and building community resilience.

It’s time for an Omnichannel approach to selling

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 10 Jul 2020 05:56:47 +0000

Since the introduction of restricted business environments with social distancing, lockdowns, remote working orders, and other retail challenges, businesses have had to take a more innovative approach to their sales strategies. It’s all about evolving the customer experience, regardless of how they are able or choose to engage with your business and brand. That’s where an Omnichannel approach to selling is key. If you haven’t heard of it before, it is a multichannel approach to sales that seeks to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience, whether they're shopping online from a desktop or mobile device, by telephone, or in a brick-and-mortar store. For entrepreneurs, this means rethinking the way your employees sell; it means looking differently at how you allocate your sales budget, to address both digital and in-person engagement needs; it means considering new ways of communicating with customers and offering new ways for them to do business with you. An Omnichannel sales approach provides opportunities to have different types of conversations with your customers, different kinds of experiences, and hopefully, also allows you to attract extra customers as you are meeting their needs. So, is it time you thought about introducing your own Omnichannel sales strategy into your business?

When life hands you lemons…

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 16:41:00 +0000

How many people do you know in your family, your community, your personal networks who are now considering becoming entrepreneurs? It could be out of necessity, because they have been furloughed or been retrenched because of the economic downturn caused by the Coronavirus. Or it could be as a result of having experienced the empowering feeling of working outside of the traditional workplace environment through the pandemic and resulting lockdowns. Suddenly, getting to spend more time at home with family whilst balancing work commitments, and realizing that quality of life means taking control of your economic destiny, leads to thoughts of starting a business. We all know the saying “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade”, and that’s is exactly how entrepreneurs think and respond to the challenges that life inevitably throws at us. So that is perhaps why more and more people are now thinking about bootstrapping a business from home at this time. This bootstrap mentality, which combines a heady combination of big ideas, mixed with a need for frugality, innovation and agility, is necessary for success, not just early on but also as the business grows. And for all those who think that starting a business in the middle of a pandemic might not be the wisest move, think again. As big businesses and brands take strain in this changing world, room is being made for agile and innovative startups with new ideas to find their place in the market. Lemonade anyone?

Create your business relaunch strategy

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 07:35:27 +0000

The next few months are going to be critical ones for women entrepreneurs who are looking to relaunch their businesses and brands, and gain much-needed consumer attention and sales. To get the traction needed, the best approach is to develop a detailed business relaunch strategy, in order to get the required results and, importantly, to maintain focus on what matters - getting those sales done. The strategy should focus on your business recovery priorities. Ask yourself some important questions when formulating your relaunch strategy - what stock needs to be moved urgently? What new products need to be developed to meet new market needs and what does the competition look like? Which market segments offer the biggest opportunity to close sales? Which territories or countries offer the most exciting and potentially lucrative market opportunities? By assessing each business priority, combined with identifying sales opportunities in key markets, this relaunch strategy will help you to determine a recovery timeline for each aspect of your business, and importantly, get it moving.

3 Eco-Business Trends for 2020

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 07:10:26 +0000

More and more consumers are making conscious purchasing decisions with their hard-earned money. They are looking to do business with a company and a brand whose ethos is similar to their own. They want to see greater sustainability in the products they are choosing to buy. These conscious consumers, and they are growing in number globally, are concerned about the environment and the impact their purchases are making. This shift in consumer behaviour is resulting in 3 eco-business trends emerging this year. Trend 1 is in sustainable fashion - millennials and GenZ consumers are leading the growing interest in buying sustainable, not disposable fashion, and supporting niche brands. Trend 2 is the use of recycled plastic to create innovative new raw material - entrepreneurs such as The Joinery in Cape Town are creating cutting edge new eco fabric and sustainable luxury products from recycled plastic bottles. Trend 3 is in sustainable packaging - consumers are looking for products that are not packed in single use plastic, but instead are shipped, packed and displayed in environmentally friendly ways. These trends are being driven by conscious consumers who want to tread more lightly on the earth, and want the businesses and brands they support to do the same.

Put your business into safe mode

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 10:15:06 +0000

As entrepreneurs are now focused on how to practically relaunch into a very uncertain marketplace, taking a ‘safe mode’ approach will make sense for many. It is right to think about ‘cash flow’ now, not just ‘profit’, although everyone wants to make money. But after the months of lockdown, a small loss beats a big loss, a small profit is better than no profit, and cash flow is everything. You need to generate ready cash to pay your bills as they fall due – as this will keep you solvent. Getting sales through the door is obviously the priority, but in a tough marketplace, this will be hard in the short term. In safe mode, you need to think smartly about how you could sweat your assets to generate much-needed cash flow. Do you have excess stock that could be sold on elsewhere – even at a small loss? Can you sell your products and services directly to customers instead of going through your normal supply chains? Can you cut your physical retail or service presence to save costs and instead focus on digital sales? Can you trim budgets that are no longer relevant or effective, for example, traditional media advertising - could you switch to social media to promote your business instead? Safe mode also means going back to focus on your core business.

Your employees are your idea bank

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 08:46:43 +0000

We all know that our businesses are only as good as our people - they are our brand ambassadors, they are the machine that drives our productivity, they are the energy that keeps our products and services moving to our customers. And we value our employees for all of those contributions. But our employees are also potentially our idea bank, and we could have an untapped resource of ingenuity and inventiveness that could help both them and our businesses survive and thrive. As business owners, we sometimes think that we are responsible for generating all the good ideas, but the fact is that our employees know and experience our businesses differently - they bring another perspective. As a result, they may have new ideas on how to improve productivity, or to enhance the customer experience, or even ideas for new products and services. They may be closer to our customers on a daily basis and better understand their needs. Encourage your employees to feel embraced by the business, to innovate, to generate new ideas. Incentivize them, reward them for their idea contributions. They will probably surprise you, and the business will be all the better for their input.

Reward those loyal customers

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 08:46:00 +0000

There is a saying that goes, you only know who your real friends are during tough times, and the same could be applied to our business lives. A lot customers will come and go when the economy is going through upheaval, but those customers who stand by you, who are loyal, deserve to be recognised and rewarded. After all, they are the life-blood of your business, and it is useful to remember just how much time, effort and money it takes to earn a new customer - it’s in your best interests to keep them. This is the time to show your gratitude for their loyalty to your business, your brand, and your products and services. If your business doesn’t currently have a loyalty programme, then this is a good time to create one. Consider offering unique discount promotions on future purchases. Send a personal message as the founder to your loyal customers, thanking them for their ongoing support and share your vision for the business with them. Personalize the customer experience with your brand, get to know them, make them feel special. Show your appreciation for their support by sending a birthday message and special free gift or discount offer. Reward their loyalty, your business needs them.

Customers are feeling stressed too

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 09:33:33 +0000

Every entrepreneur is now focused on how quickly they can relaunch, reopen, reconnect with their customers, and start doing business again. This has been the most stressful of times, and now it’s about trying to bounce back and recoup the losses as quickly as possible. But there is one important factor we need to remember. As much as we have all been taking strain as entrepreneurs, it’s the same for our customers. We may open our doors again, relaunch our products and services with renewed energy, and be full of excitement about doing business again, but our customers may be slow to return. They too will have been experiencing personal hardships because of the pandemic and its economic impact. Their lives will also have been negatively impacted and they will be in recovery mode too. So it is increasingly important to connect with those customers in an empathetic way, to communicate rather than hard sell, no matter how much you need that sale and the money right now. Remember, we are all in this together, and a kinder approach to the way we do business may serve us well at this critical time.

Communicate from the heart

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 10:31:04 +0000

Customers are demanding more now from the businesses and brands they choose to buy from. For many, it is no longer simply a case of making a purchase without engaging with those who have produced it. Customers want to know about the people and the story behind the brand - and not only that, they want that story and those people to be authentic. Customers are far more savvy in today’s marketplace, they can see through a marketing or PR campaign. They will make a decision to buy based on whether the business and brand resonates with them. Customers increasingly want to make an emotional purchase decision, one that fits with their own personal values, and they are seeking out companies who can deliver to those values. One of the most powerful ways that a brand can make such a strong and authentic customer connection is when the founder speaks directly from the heart directly to that customer. Telling the brand story personally resonates at such a powerful level, and ultimately, the founder of the business is the best person to communicate it. Such an approach will result in both improved sales and greater brand connectivity.

Necessity is the mother of reinvention

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 11:46:41 +0000

We all know the well-known proverb, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, but perhaps in these strange times, that should change to ‘reinvention’. Take a moment to reflect on just how many of the biggest and most successful companies globally have built continual business reinvention into their DNA. Companies such as Amazon and Netflix always appear to be one step ahead of the competition, continually reinventing their product offerings and their brand positioning with their customers. Remember, Amazon started life as an online bookstore, and Netflix started out as a business shipping DVDs. Both companies recognize that to remain relevant and competitive, they have to constantly keep ahead of the market and customer demands that change with incredible speed. It is the same for any of our businesses, large or small. In these challenging times, when no-one really knows what the future business landscape will look like post-Covid, we all have to be constantly open to change, and to adapting our businesses to meet new needs. As suggested, necessity really is the mother of reinvention in today’s new world.

Let go of your ego

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 11:44:00 +0000

One business reality of the current pandemic is that women entrepreneurs who had spent months, and possibly even years, securing game-changing funding for their businesses, found everything changed overnight. As markets plummeted and share prices fell, investors started to get nervous and withdraw their support for certain businesses, or limit their investment to fit the new business reality. At Lionesses of Africa, we have listened to our women entrepreneurs share their personal experiences of having to pivot their business strategies rapidly to adapt to limited or non-existing funds. They have had to make sacrifices, revise forecasts and business growth plans, and instead look at lower valuations of their businesses in order to get any new investment. Many women have spoken about having to leave their egos at the door of those investor meetings, and make tough choices and compromises in order to move the business forward. These challenging times are a real test of mental and emotional toughness, and your ego will need to find its place as you deal with the new business realities facing us all.

Your story is your unique selling point

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 13:06:46 +0000

As business starts to reopen, and marketplaces become accessible again, there is going to be a huge amount of competition, with everyone trying to get their brands noticed again. So how you do stand out from the crowd, how do you get your share of voice, how do you get consumers to see and hear you? One way is to leverage what makes your business and your brand unique - your story. Every entrepreneur has a story to tell, how they started the business, what the inspiration was for creating a product or service offering, how they overcame adversity and achieved success. That story is what makes you unique, what separates you from the crowd. Use every opportunity now to make sure your current customers know your updated story, what is happening in your business, what new things you have planned, and how important they are to the future path your story will take. For those new customers you want to attract, start telling your story loud and clear, through your website, your social media channels, through platforms such as Lionesses of Africa - remember, we share the inspirational stories of women entrepreneurs from across the continent every day. Remember, your story is your unique selling point - share your story today!

Rethinking business etiquette

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 11:05:39 +0000

The New York Times published a really interesting article this month which centered around interviews with over 500 leading epidemiologists on when they would expect to perform normal activities again post Covid-19. It was a fascinating read, and tells us a lot about how social and business etiquette may change for the long-term. Many epidemiologists said unless there’s an effective vaccine or treatment first, it will be more than a year before many say they will be willing to go to concerts, sporting events or religious services. And some may never greet people with hugs or handshakes again. That last point is interesting because these are established forms of business etiquette - the handshake is not just a greeting, it can be a way of sealing a deal, of agreeing a partnership, an informal contract. Although as a temporary response, in-person business meetings prior to major lockdowns consisted of greetings by nudging covered elbows or clicking shoes together. But reality is setting in that until a vaccine or treatment is found, we may have seen the last of the handshake in business - and it may never return. It could be time to rethink business etiquette for the future.

In praise of purposeful brands

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 09:09:15 +0000

There is an interesting shift taking place in the global marketplace, one where consumers are making conscious purchasing decisions based on how they view the ethical positions of brands. No longer is it simply enough to have brand appeal based on aesthetics - instead, consumers want to know the companies and brands they are buying from are ethical, honest, environmentally friendly, trustworthy, and people oriented. Instead of customers buying with their eyes and their wallets, they are now buying with their hearts and minds. They want to know that their hard-earned money is going to a business that is aligned to their values, their purpose, their concerns in life. Trend forecasters are predicting that in these current challenging times, when everyone is re-evaluating their lives in some way or another, that the search for purposeful brands will be increasingly on consumer minds. Those businesses that recognize this shift and pivot accordingly will be the ones that are likely to maintain pace with the changing world and what it demands from a consumer perspective.

Reimagine your business model

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 13:35:09 +0000

Everyone is facing the same challenge right now, how to bounce back post-Covid, and if possible, return even stronger to make up for lost time and revenues. If lessons are to be learned from dealing with the impact of this crisis, it’s that our businesses definitely need to be more agile and open to change. It’s essential to think strategically at this time. Firstly, focus on recovering those lost revenues - look at how you can change your tactics to engage your priority customers in order to close those much-needed sales. Secondly, restructure the way you operate if you need to - possibly move to digital instead of physical business or retail. Thirdly, rethink the way your people work - perhaps having your team members work from home is better than everyone being in one workplace. Fourthly, accelerate your move to digitize your business in whatever aspects you can. If there is anything this pandemic and its impact on business has taught us, it’s that digital solutions are the only way to stay in business during a crisis. So, this is the time to see how you can reimagine your business model, in order to stay relevant and viable going forward.

Change-ready employees are essential

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 14:33:43 +0000

Ask any big company or organisation about what change management means to them, and they will say it is key element in their strategic plan, planning for change and being prepared for it. Up until this point in time, it has not been a business planning imperative for many women entrepreneurs, particularly those with small to medium sized businesses. However, in this uncertain economic climate, having people around you who are able to respond well to change, who are adaptable, and real team players, is essential. The new workplace requires that every team member knows how to adapt to changing circumstances quickly and effectively, being able to pivot where necessary to meet the demands of the market. Women entrepreneurs need to know they have resilient, change-ready employees who are capable of responding to change as it happens. The ability to be able to accept and react to change positively and proactively, and importantly be part of the solution, is now being seen as an essential skill.

Dealing with post lockdown anxiety

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 14:15:47 +0000

Now that many of us are emerging from the lockdowns in our countries, there are different ways of looking at the experience. Some are able to reflect relatively positively on the enforced period of time spent working from home. They have found themselves able to get more done remotely, without all the usual workplace distractions, and to just stay focused on the job at hand. For others, the experience has been a worrying and distressing one, not able to keep the business going because of severe restrictions, and dealing with cashflow and employee care challenges, to name but a few. What is common for everyone is a feeling of post-lockdown anxiety creeping in - no-one really knows what is going to happen next. There is just so much uncertainty about trying to return to normal life when you know the world and the business environment is anything but normal right now. Anxiety experts suggest that the way to deal with this situation is to focus on the things you can control, instead of the things you can’t, and try not to think too far ahead, That way, life won’t feel quite so overwhelming.

A green recovery is needed more than ever

Melanie Hawken — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:42:38 +0000

It is perhaps human nature to try and find any positive to emerge from the tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic - we have seen this in our embracing of our healthcare workers who have been battling this crisis since day one, saving precious lives. It has made us place an even greater value on the healthcare profession and their invaluable place in our society. However, another less visible positive has emerged from this devastating crisis. Our planet is beginning to bounce back from the devastating consequences of carbon emissions, due to the forced shutdown of industry during this time. As a result, it has allowed the human race to stop, think, and wake up to the fact that negative environmental impacts make future pandemics more likely to occur. The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that global warming, if not stopped, will possibly accelerate the creation of more new viruses in the future. As the world has been forced to pause, reflect, and recover, perhaps it is the time to also ensure the planet’s health is restored. A green recovery, where we look to run industry and business differently with less impact on the planet, will ensure it can take care of us and our future generations.

We all need a little help on this journey

Melanie Hawken — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 10:49:08 +0000

In business, it can be so hard to ask for help when we most need it. As entrepreneurs, we tend to feel that we have to find the solutions to challenges and difficult situations ourselves. As a result, we often stretch ourselves and our resources to the limit, not wanting to ask for assistance for fear of being seen as a failure. But when things get tough, it is exactly the time to ask for help, to put that ego away, and get the specialist advice and support that will make the difference. Start by identifying exactly what type of assistance you need, and then doing your research to find the right person to help. Next, be honest about the situation you are in, and where you need support. Ask questions, lots of them, and remember there is no such thing as a stupid question when you are building a business and need help. Be open to learning, to making changes, and to taking on board suggestions - after all, if you are going to ask for help and advice, make sure you are open to taking it. Your business will thank you for it!

Collaboration is the new competitive advantage

Melanie Hawken — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 14:48:19 +0000

Collaboration is the new buzz word in entrepreneurial circles. After all, when the going gets tough, it is good to have someone alongside you on the journey to make it a little easier and a lot less stressful. But collaboration isn’t just about the feel-good factor in business, there are practical reasons why it makes sense. A recent study by CB Insights Growth Collective found that 79 percent of high-performing companies looked to collaboration as a way of getting ahead in business. Collaboration is also a way of finding solutions to really tough challenges and problems. The COVID-19 response has showcased just what can be achieved when companies and organisations collaborate to find solutions to the most difficult challenges. It is also true that times of crisis stimulate greater cooperation as a result of altruism and the desire to do good and make an impact. However, encouraging a spirit of collaboration shouldn’t just be about responding to a pandemic - it makes good business sense too. By putting in place strong, impactful partnerships and collaborations with like-minded entrepreneurs and organisations, real and lasting change can happen. That’s why collaboration should be a foundation stone of every business strategy.

Communicate and connect with empathy

Melanie Hawken — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 13:37:45 +0000

At times like these, there is a fine line for women entrepreneurs who want to continue to communicate and engage with their customers for business, whilst still being empathetic in these challenging times. The last thing you want to do is appear to be opportunistic or inconsiderate during this pandemic. After all, as much as you and your business are taking strain, you have to remember that your customers are also facing huge challenges of their own. However, reaching out and communicating to your customers, to tell them you are thinking of them, to show you care, is so important. So here are a few tips to keeping your customer communication going in the right way during this time. Send personalized messages to your customers to say hello; share uplifting and inspirational news about your business and brand as it happens; remind them you are there for them; and share news about how your brand is making a positive difference to the community, the sector, and your employees. Ultimately, your customers are part of your community, so let them feel your love and support. They will remember the way you reached out to them, long after the crisis is over.

Leverage your advantage through learning

Melanie Hawken — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 10:49:22 +0000

This enforced period of time being at home and not in our usual business environments has meant more time for women entrepreneurs to focus on self development. What better time to learn new skills, update existing ones, read and keep updated on new trends? At Lionesses of Africa, we have seen a definite increase in the number of women entrepreneurs who are seeing this as an opportunity instead of a challenge. They are using this time to gain a competitive edge through learning and development, in preparation for when they can relaunch their businesses. They are condensing what would normally be a longer learning and development time into a short, results-driven timeframe. They are doing their research on new potential market opportunities, they are doing their homework on the competition, they are looking for gaps to innovate, and they are enhancing their own skills and knowledge in the process. Where others have seen this as an enforced downtime or damage control period, savvy women entrepreneurs have seen it as a unique period of time where advantage through learning can be gained.