{"id":17754,"date":"2025-06-27T01:14:18","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T01:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/17754\/"},"modified":"2025-06-27T01:14:18","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T01:14:18","slug":"leading-with-purpose-introducing-the-2025-veuve-clicquot-bold-woman-award-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/17754\/","title":{"rendered":"Leading With Purpose: Introducing The 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award Finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now in its fourth year in South Africa, the Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot continues to highlight the power and potential of women who are redefining the business world. The six exceptional finalists for the 2025 edition are transforming entrepreneurship across sectors\u2014from health and wellness to energy\u2014ushering in a new era of leadership rooted in purpose, resilience, and innovation. Each embodies the boldness that has characterised the award since its inception over 50 years ago.<\/p>\n

Inspired by the legacy of Madame Clicquot, who boldly took the reins of the Maison at the age of 27, in an era when women couldn\u2019t even open a bank account, the award celebrates women who share her pioneering spirit. A true innovator, Madame Clicquot transformed the champagne industry by creating the first riddling table, the first vintage champagne, and the first ros\u00e9 champagne. Today, she is known as\u00a0La Grande Dame of Champagne, and this award honours contemporary women who share her fearless determination. These are leaders with an audacious approach, bold ideas, and a drive to create lasting impact in their industries and communities.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s judging panel includes past Bold Woman Award winners Amanda Dambuza (Founder and CEO of Uyandiswa Group) and Morongwe Mokone (Co-Founder of Mo\u2019s Crib) alongside leadership and business experts Erik Kruger, Happy Ralinala, Timothy Maurice Webster, and Aimee Kellen, Regional Marketing Director for Mo\u00ebt Hennessy Middle East and Africa.<\/p>\n

The Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot features two categories: the Bold Woman Award and the Bold Future Award. Winners in both categories will join a global network of accomplished female entrepreneurs who, like Madame Clicquot, are reshaping the future of business through their exceptional achievements, innovation, and vision.<\/p>\n

BOLD WOMAN AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bold Woman Award recognises women in business who have built and sustained significant success, growth, and innovation for more than five years. The finalists selected this year are:<\/p>\n

Botheo Lentsoane \u2013 Founder, Khetho Healthcare<\/strong><\/p>\n

A healthcare innovator, Botheo Lentsoane is transforming how hearing and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) are addressed across marginalised communities in Southern Africa. Her company, Khetho Healthcare, connects health professionals with work and training opportunities via its Health Connect App and partners with insurers, banks, and universities to create a more inclusive ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Botheo\u2019s vision is a continent-wide healthcare ecosystem focused on equity and innovation; she also helped establish Botswana\u2019s first speech therapy curriculum and is pioneering newborn hearing screening initiatives. Her work is reshaping healthcare access for vulnerable groups, particularly in rural and under-resourced regions.<\/p>\n

What does it mean to you to be a bold woman\u201d?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means being fearless and unapologetic. It means embracing the power of femininity and leading with purpose\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retang Phaahla \u2013 CEO & Founder, Set\u0161ong Tea Crafters<\/strong><\/p>\n

A former quantity surveyor turned social entrepreneur, Retang Phaahla founded Set\u0161ong Tea Crafters to celebrate Indigenous tea knowledge while driving rural development. Based in Sekhukhune, Limpopo, the majority women-owned social enterprise collaborates with communities to produce a range of health-promoting teas (known for calming nerves, relieving tension, and supporting balanced blood pressure), and hosts cultural tours to promote eco-tourism and preserve heritage.<\/p>\n

Set\u0161ong\u2019s business model has created sustainable income streams for rural women while reviving ancient botanical traditions.<\/p>\n

What sets women apart in business?<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen bring a unique balance of empathy and resilience. We are often able to build businesses that are not only innovative but also deeply rooted in community and the upliftment of others. Our ability to lead with both heart and strategy sets us apart\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sydelle Willow Smith \u2013 Co-Founder of Sunshine Cinema<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sydelle co-founded Africa\u2019s first solar-powered mobile cinema, Sunshine Cinema, which empowers youth in townships and rural areas to become Impact Facilitators. These Impact Facilitators are entrepreneurial changemakers who use cinema kits to host community screenings that drive awareness and access. This unique model blends storytelling, sustainability, and grassroots entrepreneurship to spark local impact and scalable change across Southern Africa. With over 1,000 screenings and more than 300,000 people reached, the initiative has created meaningful employment while addressing critical social issues.<\/p>\n

A filmmaker by training, Sydelle uses visual media as a tool for education, advocacy, and economic opportunity.<\/p>\n

What are your hopes for the future of women in business?<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope we move beyond representation toward real transformation, where women don\u2019t have to shrink or overperform to be seen as worthy. I want to see women thriving on their own terms, shaping regenerative economies, and building work cultures that prioritise sustainability, joy, and justice\u201d.<\/p>\n

BOLD FUTURE AWARD<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bold Future Award celebrates emerging leaders whose businesses are less than five years old and who have already demonstrated remarkable innovation and evolution in their fields. The 2025 finalists are:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Phindi Cebekhulu-Msomi \u2013 Founder & CEO, Hazile Group<\/strong><\/p>\n

A social entrepreneur and thought leader in climate resilience, Dr. Phindi leads Hazile Group, a black woman-led enterprise driving climate-smart solutions in agriculture, energy, and water. The company\u2019s core mission is to address food insecurity, water scarcity, and energy transition while uplifting marginalised communities. Hazile\u2019s focus on rural development, empowering farmers, and integrating climate-smart technologies directly supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals, notably zero hunger, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and climate action.<\/p>\n

She also runs Acumind Consulting, guiding organisations toward inclusive, values-driven leadership and ESG strategies. With clients across Southern Africa, her work bridges environmental innovation with social impact and policy change.<\/p>\n

What does it mean to you to be a bold woman?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means challenging the status quo, leading with authenticity, and inspiring others through purposeful action. It\u2019s about transforming challenges into opportunities and paving the way for future generations of women leaders\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Phumzile Khoza \u2013 Founder, Lathitha Biodiesel<\/strong><\/p>\n

From selling homemade skirts at 13 to launching Lathitha Biodiesel in 2021, Phumzile\u2019s journey is rooted in resilience and reinvention. Her award-winning green energy company turns waste cooking oil into biodiesel, improving air quality while creating jobs and green skills in local townships.<\/p>\n

Through Lathitha, Phumzile is driving climate action and youth employment with the aim of expanding across Africa, Brazil, and Europe. Her Green Energy Skills Development Hub equips young people with vital green skills, while her company reduces waste oil pollution and empowers communities through the circular economy.<\/p>\n

What sets women apart in business?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t just build for profit; we build with heart for people and the planet. This deep sense of purpose positions women entrepreneurs to lead the next era of business\u2014one that\u2019s inclusive, sustainable, and truly transformative\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Vanessa Mhlom \u2013 Founder & CEO, Pleroma Patch<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vanessa created Pleroma Patch, a modern wellness brand pioneering a simpler, smarter way to care for your body, through transdermal vitamin patches designed for modern life. She was inspired to create the brand after confronting burnout and hormonal imbalances firsthand. Pleroma\u2019s discreet, plant-based patches support sleep, recovery, and menstrual health, all underpinned by Vanessa\u2019s intentional research, formulation, and ethical sourcing.<\/p>\n

Driven by her belief that dignified self-care should be a right, not a luxury, she is developing the \u2018Patch It Forward\u2019 initiative, a give-back model that channels a portion of each purchase toward expanding access to wellness essentials like menstrual and sleep support for underserved women and girls.<\/p>\n

What are your hopes for the future of women in business?<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to see a future where women\u2019s ideas shape markets and policies. I want women to be funded because our vision is valued. Above all, I hope the next generation of girls grows up knowing that leadership is their birthright and that they never need permission to make an impact\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Now in its fourth year in South Africa, the Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot continues to highlight…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17755,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[64,607,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-17754","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entrepreneurship","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-entrepreneurship","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114752681752769496","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17754"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17754\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}