As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, it’s an opportunity to recognise the growing contribution women entrepreneurs are making to the country’s SME sector. Across townships, cities and online marketplaces, women are building businesses, creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.
Despite ongoing challenges such as access to funding, networks and market opportunities, women continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation. Research from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) South Africa Women’s Entrepreneurship Report highlights the significant role women-owned businesses play in economic development, while also underscoring the need for better support to help more women scale from startups into established enterprises.
At the same time, advances in digital commerce, social selling and payment technology are creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach customers and grow. Understanding these shifts can help women business owners identify new opportunities, adapt to changing customer expectations and make informed decisions about where to invest their time and resources.
Here are five trends shaping women-led businesses in South Africa today.
1. Social commerce is connecting discovery and purchase
Social media is no longer just a marketing channel. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp are increasingly powering the entire customer journey, from product discovery and brand awareness to customer conversations and completed transactions. Women entrepreneurs can showcase products through posts, videos and live content, engage directly with prospective customers through comments and messaging, and convert interest into sales without customers ever leaving the platform ecosystem. For many SMEs, this creates a faster and more accessible path to market while reducing the costs associated with traditional retail channels.
Entrepreneurs and brands such as Lelive, founded by Amanda du-Pont, have demonstrated how strong storytelling and community-building can help grow a digitally led brand.
As social commerce matures, the businesses best positioned for growth will be those that can create a seamless path from product discovery to payment. Rather than losing customers during the buying process, merchants are increasingly looking for ways to complete transactions instantly through the channels where conversations are already happening.
Payfast by Network’s Payment Request enables businesses to send secure payment links via WhatsApp, email or social media, helping merchants convert customer interest into completed sales without requiring a website.
2. E-commerce is enabling women entrepreneurs to scale beyond local markets
South Africa’s e-commerce sector continues to grow rapidly. According to Statistics South Africa, e-commerce sales increased from R37.4 billion in 2018 to R86.8 billion in 2022, reflecting sustained growth in online shopping behaviour.
For women entrepreneurs, this growth is creating opportunities to transform side hustles and passion projects into scalable businesses that reach customers far beyond their immediate communities.
Fenn Collection, founded by Natalie Collard, demonstrates how digital commerce can help women entrepreneurs scale beyond local markets. What started as an idea during maternity leave evolved into a successful online store serving customers across South Africa and internationally. As the business grew, having a seamless online payment experience became increasingly important, helping customers complete purchases easily while supporting the brand’s expansion into new markets.
Similarly, Black Betty Design, founded by Kristin Weixelbaumer, illustrates the rise of omnichannel retail among women-led businesses. The brand has successfully combined its physical store presence with a strong e-commerce operation, giving customers the flexibility to engage with the brand both online and in person. This integrated approach allows the business to create a more consistent customer experience across multiple sales channels while expanding its reach beyond traditional retail.
These examples reflect a broader trend: women entrepreneurs increasingly view e-commerce not simply as an additional sales channel but as a platform for scaling their businesses.
As businesses expand, they need reliable payment infrastructure that integrates with popular e-commerce platforms and provides customers with multiple secure payment options at checkout.
3. Purpose-driven brands are standing out in competitive markets
Consumers are placing greater importance on the values behind the brands they support. Sustainability, ethical sourcing, local impact and community support are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions, particularly among younger consumers. Many women entrepreneurs are responding by building businesses with a clear purpose alongside commercial goal.
Fashion designer Sindiso Khumalo is a strong example. Her internationally recognised brand combines sustainability, heritage storytelling and artisan empowerment, demonstrating how purpose can become a meaningful point of differentiation.
For SMEs, purpose is increasingly becoming a competitive advantage. Businesses with a clear mission often build stronger customer loyalty, generate more authentic brand advocacy and create deeper emotional connections with their audiences.
4. Omnichannel selling is becoming the new normal
The distinction between online and offline retail continues to blur. Consumers increasingly move between digital and physical touchpoints before making a purchase, creating demand for seamless shopping experiences across channels.
For women entrepreneurs, this is creating opportunities to diversify how they sell. Many businesses now operate across multiple channels, combining websites, social media, pop-up markets, events and physical retail locations. This approach allows entrepreneurs to reach customers wherever they prefer to shop while reducing dependence on any single sales channel.
Markets, exhibitions and seasonal events remain valuable for testing products and building customer relationships, while online stores and social channels extend reach beyond geographic boundaries.
Entrepreneurs selling across multiple channels can use solutions such as Payfast by Network’s POS for face-to-face transactions and payment links for remote sales, helping create a consistent payment experience for customers regardless of where the sale takes place.
5. Data-driven decision-making is becoming a growth advantage
As digital commerce grows, SMEs have access to more business data than ever before. Sales trends, payment information and customer purchasing patterns can provide valuable insights into business performance.
This reflects a broader shift occurring across retail and e-commerce. Industry experts note that businesses are increasingly using digital data and cross-channel insights to understand customer behaviour and identify growth opportunities.
For women entrepreneurs looking to scale, access to real-time business information is helping support smarter decisions around inventory, marketing, product development and cash flow management. Reporting and transaction insights provide merchants with greater visibility into sales performance, helping them make informed business decisions as they grow.
How Payfast supports the growth of women-led businesses
Building a successful business often means overcoming challenges such as reaching new customers, managing cash flow, selling across multiple channels and creating seamless payment experiences. Payfast helps address these challenges by providing payment solutions designed for businesses at different stages of growth.
Helping businesses get paid wherever they sell
Whether customers are purchasing through an online store, responding to a social media promotion or shopping in person, businesses need convenient ways to accept payments. Payfast’s range of payment methods, gives customers flexibility while helping merchants simplify the checkout experience.
Supporting entrepreneurs beyond traditional e-commerce
Not every business starts with a website. Many entrepreneurs begin by selling through WhatsApp, social media, markets or events. Tools such as Payment Request and Payfast POS help these merchants start accepting digital payments quickly, without requiring complex technical infrastructure.
Built to support business growth
As businesses expand, their payment requirements evolve. From e-commerce integrations and payment reporting to access to business funding for qualifying merchants, Payfast provides tools that can help merchants manage growth more effectively.
Women entrepreneurs are driving the future of South African business
Women entrepreneurs are helping redefine what’s possible for South Africa’s SME economy. From digitally native e-commerce brands and purpose-driven businesses to omnichannel retailers and social sellers, women continue to find innovative ways to reach customers and grow.
While challenges remain, women entrepreneurs are finding new ways to build resilient businesses, reach customers and unlock growth. The businesses that succeed in the years ahead will be those that can adapt to changing customer behaviours, embrace new opportunities and continue innovating.
For women entrepreneurs looking to grow, the right tools and support can make all the difference. Explore Payfast’s payment solutions and discover how your business can accept payments, sell more easily and scale with confidence.
