The March edition of the SheMeansBusinessDialogue, hosted by the NECA’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW), brought together women entrepreneurs and business leaders for an impactful session centered on building strong, ethical, and sustainable brands.
The virtual dialogue featured renowned business psychologist and growth coach, Maureen Ada-Leonard, who delivered an insightful presentation on “Building Strong and Ethical Brands.” The session explored how entrepreneurs can intentionally develop brands that inspire trust, create lasting value, and remain competitive in today’s evolving marketplace.
Welcoming participants to the session, representatives of NNEW emphasized the importance of practical business knowledge and continuous learning in helping women-led businesses grow sustainably. Participants were encouraged to apply insights from previous sessions while strengthening their entrepreneurial capacity through ethical leadership and strategic thinking.
In her presentation, Maureen Ada-Leonard explained that building a viable brand goes beyond logos and marketing, stressing that sustainable brands are built through intentional planning, structure, consistency, and alignment with clear vision and mission statements.
She highlighted different dimensions of ethics that influence business success, including regulatory ethics, institutional ethics, inspirational ethics, and personal ethics. According to her, personal ethos — such as integrity, transparency, consistency, and accountability — forms the foundation upon which strong brands are built.
Maureen further explained that ethical brands thrive when business values, culture, and behavior are aligned. She emphasized that entrepreneurs must create enabling environments that support their vision while cultivating workplace cultures that reflect professionalism, trustworthiness, and excellence.
The session also explored the role of perception in branding. Participants learned that while businesses may not fully control public perception, they can intentionally shape it through excellent customer service, quality products, effective marketing, and consistent customer experiences. She noted that positive perceptions build customer loyalty and trust, while unethical practices can damage reputation and weaken business sustainability.
Encouraging participants to focus on long-term value creation rather than short-term profit, Maureen stressed the importance of customer-centric business strategies, delayed gratification, and continuous improvement. She advised entrepreneurs to exceed customer expectations, remain adaptable to changing market trends, and consistently improve on their strengths and weaknesses.
The highly interactive session allowed participants to share personal insights and key takeaways from the discussion. Many attendees highlighted the importance of identifying unique value propositions, maintaining consistent customer experiences, and building businesses grounded in ethical practices.
The meeting also featured announcements of upcoming NNEW initiatives and programmes, including a World Oral Health Day event and a NNEW Academy webinar focused on decision-making strategies for entrepreneurs.
The session concluded with expressions of appreciation to the guest speaker, organizers, and participants for contributing to another impactful edition of the She Means Business Dialogue.
Through initiatives such as the She Means Business Dialogue, NNEW continues to empower women entrepreneurs with practical knowledge, ethical leadership insights, and business strategies designed to foster sustainable growth and long-term success.