#SBTopWomen

Enterprise Supplier Development - A Powerful Economic Transformation Tool 🌐
By Nonhlanhla Mbokane, Founder and CEO of NSP Occupational Therapy Services and Front Row Medics

Starting and growing a women-owned business requires more than passion, courage and  a good business idea. It requires access to funding, access to markets, access to  mentorship, access to procurement opportunities, access to business networks, and  access to decision-makers who are willing to open doors that have historically remained  closed.

For many women, especially black women entrepreneurs, the journey of building a  business is not simply about registering a company and offering a product or service. It  is about entering spaces where access is often controlled, where opportunities are  circulated through established networks, and where new entrants must work twice as hard to prove credibility. It is about navigating red tape, breaking through gatekeeping,  surviving financial pressure, and building a business in an environment that may not  always be designed for emerging entrepreneurs to succeed.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition of Standard Bank Top Women Leaders here: hubs.la/Q04F5HT10

#ESD #Economy #Transformation #SBTopWomen #Publication #TopcoMedia

Partnerships: Strategic Relationships Can Transform Your Business 🤝📈
✍️ By Prof Linda Meyer, MD @Rosebank_Int and Visiting Professor @MandelaUni

In business, what you know will only take you so far. Who you know and more importantly, who knows you can be the difference between stagnation and exponential growth. Making the right connections is not simply a networking exercise; it is a strategic growth asset that unlocks access to private knowledge, exclusive resources, and entirely new markets. For female founders and leaders, building these strategic relationships can be a critical catalyst that helps you overcome historical barriers to funding, scale your operations, and accelerate your career momentum in ways that individual effort alone rarely achieves.

According to Stellenbosch Business School, Women own roughly 22% of all registered businesses in South Africa. While the early-stage entrepreneurial activity rate for women sits around 9.7%, they face significant hurdles. Female founders receive only about 10% of available funding and hold just 4.1% of established, mature businesses compared to 7.9% of men.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition of Standard Bank Top Women Leaders here: hubs.la/Q04D-F560

#Partnerships #BusinessTransformation #WomenLeadership #SBTopWomen #Publication #TopcoMedia

Meet four more esteemed judges joining the Standard Bank Top Women Awards 2026:

Navlika Varma, Nishi Haripursad, Pamela Niemand and Ronel Cara.

Celebrating leadership, experience and impact.

#SBTWAwards #TopcoMedia

An evening of excellence, inspiration and celebration awaits. ✨

Join us for the 2026 Standard Bank Top Women Awards, as we honour the extraordinary women, leaders and organisations driving progress in gender empowerment.

Gather your colleagues, clients and business associates for an evening of recognition, meaningful connections and celebration.

📅 03 December 2026
📍 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg

Make it an evening worth sharing.

Explore attendance and table opportunities: hubs.la/Q04DRb1D0

#SBTopWomen #TopcoMedia

African Markets - Growing Business Across The Continent 🌍
✍️By Sam Gqomo, Managing Director at WGN Africa & President @Womandla1

For many businesses looking to expand across Africa, the first questions are often about capital, market access or regulation. While these are undoubtedly important, they are not always the greatest determinants of success. More often than not, business growth across the continent happens at the speed of trust.

Markets may differ in language, culture and business practice, but one principle remains constant: people do business with organisations they know, trust and believe will create mutual value. Strategic partnerships have become one of the most effective ways to accelerate market entry, unlock new opportunities and build sustainable growth across borders.

📌 Read the full article from the latest edition of Standard Bank Top Women Leaders here: hubs.la/Q04DLB9V0

#AfricaRising #BusinessTransformation #Economy #SBTopWomen #Publication #TopcoMedia