“Be realistically audacious” : Teniola Adejuwon on the 500 StartUps accelerator experience
Podozi.com is a beauty ecommerce platform that gives African women access to both local and international beauty brands. Co-founders, Teniola Adejuwon and Wale Babatunde, recently completed a 4-month accelerator programme with 500 StartUps, a leading venture capital fund in Silicon Valley. To date, 500 StartUps has invested in over 1,500 businesses across 50 countries worldwide. […]
Kah Walla: Starting a business in Cameroon is easier than before
Kah Walla is one of Cameroon’s most successful female entrepreneurs. When she started her consulting firm 20 years ago, she says she never stopped to consider how unusual, and challenging, it would be for a woman in her 20s to begin a business in Cameroon. Despite being a woman and facing the hurdles of the […]
Nneka Offor: Digital publishing can transform learning in Africa
The digital revolution doesn’t start and end with social media. Some entrepreneurs are pushing the revolution into other parts of life. Take education and reading for example, 20 percent of Nigerians who go online do so to read something new. Nneka Offor is at the forefront, pushing eBooks and eLearning to change the way Africans […]
Aphia Sekyerehene: I design clothes for non-conforming women
Aphia Sekyerehene is an emerging fashion designer, choreographer, singer and event decorator who discovered her passion for fashion at age 14. However, she could not fully pursue her passion until her 20s. Even now after going through design school and establishing her brand, Aphia still feels unsatisfied. She believes that starting her career later in […]
Olebogeng Sentsho: We must be Afrocentric in our approach to mining and the economy
The mining industry may not be first choice for a young woman looking to start a profitable venture. Not for Olebogeng Sentsho. Olebogeng is a one woman force shaking things up for the better in the South African mining and waste management industry. Her company Yeabo Mining is completely owned by black women but it […]
Ifedolapo Olayemi-Okewole: A woman should be happy on her wedding day
Here comes the bride! She may be looking kind of stressed but it’s her big day. Preparing for a wedding can be hectic but thanks to the Internet, brides can ease the burden a bit. Hadassah Bridals is a growing brand that delivers wedding gowns to brides through its website. Its founder Ifedolapo Olayemi-Okewole recently […]
Tariro Makina: Billing per hour doesn’t work in Africa
Virtual reality is the world we’re living in. Tariro Makina knows this, that’s why she set up Twenty47 Virtual Assistant, a business that provides social media strategy and email management, among other services to clients. SLA contributor Glenda Makumbe caught up with Tariro in Harare, where they talked about starting a business in Zimbabwe while remaining […]
Ledet Muleta: I had to ask myself, “What is the loudest way to make a statement?”
Mental health is rarely approached with the care and attention it deserves in both African and African Diasporic communities. Nurse turned filmmaker Ledet Muleta hopes to change this statusquo. She started Medixaa Health Services to address the lack of proper mental health care in many African countries. Now Ledet wants to push further with her most […]
Ruramiso Mashumba: More young women should consider farming
How many young women farmers do you know? None? Say hi to Ruramiso Mashumba. Ruramiso runs a horticulture farm in Marondera, Zimbabwe where she grows crops for export to the European Union and other African countries. Her passion for farming started as a child and though Ruramiso has worked abroad she returned to Zimbabwe to […]
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao: Following my life long dream makes the best use of my time
According to Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao the qualities necessary for a successful beauty entrepreneur are determination, passion, instinct, financial savvy and strong communication skills. Just having a good idea isn’t enough. Zeze is the founder of Malée, a range of luxury fragrance and body care products that draws inspiration from the traditional beauty secrets found across Africa. […]