By Blossom Ukoha Singapore’s entrepreneurial landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, and women are increasingly at the centre of it. What was once a smaller segment of the business community has grown into a substantial economic force, creating companies, generating billions in revenue and employing hundreds of thousands of people. The growth is not simply anecdotal. Singapore Department of Statistics data, released in 2024 and subsequently cited by Singapore government officials, provides a clear picture of how far women’s entrepreneurship has advanced. At the same time, data from ACCA, OCBC and HSBC shows that the next challenge is no longer simply encouraging women to start businesses, but helping more of them scale. A Growing Force in Singapore’s Economy The most striking evidence is the number of women-owned companies. According to the Singapore Department of Statistics, the number of women-owned companies more than doubled from 16,300 in 2010 to 36,000 in…

“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai There is a quiet strength that lives within many women, especially in moments when life does not go as planned. It shows up when doors close, when opportunities slip away, and when the world suggests you are not enough. It is the strength to rise anyway, to begin again, and to believe again. For Sibongile Sambo, that strength transformed a painful rejection into a powerful legacy that continues to inspire women across Africa. A Dream Grounded, But Not Broken Sibongile’s journey began in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, where she was born in 1974. Like many young women with ambition, she carried a dream that felt both exciting and attainable. She wanted to become a flight attendant with South African Airways. She pursued this dream with determination, believing she had what…

“If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” — Shirley Chisholm There is a quiet urgency in these words by Shirley Chisholm, a reminder that power is not neutral. Decisions are made every day that shape economies, policies, and lived realities. And when women are not present where those decisions are finalized, they are often left navigating systems that were never designed with them in mind. Today, women are increasingly visible in leadership spaces. But visibility is not the same as authority. And until women sit fully at decision tables, not as participants but as power holders, leadership remains incomplete. Power Is Not Presence—It Is Influence Women have long been present in the workforce, in governance structures, and in institutions that drive progress. Yet, presence alone does not translate into influence. Power lies in the ability to shape direction, approve outcomes, and determine priorities. A feminine…