March 22, 2024
A return to what I love.

Doing what you love is not something you do; it is who you are, so they say. It’s how you want to live life—all of us create the life we […]

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March 12, 2024
Celebrating Womens empowerment month - We go big in Barking and Dagenham!

I don’t know about you, but I have been feeling pretty glum lately, a lot going on at home and at work and let’s not get started with the weather. […]

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February 27, 2024
International Women’s Day 2024 – Why it matters to me, a personal perspective

It was the BEC’s 8th Anniversary in February and that means that we have been celebrating International Women’s Day the same number of years. Of course, we go big in […]

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February 20, 2024
Empowering Change: Shanice Bako's Journey Through Fashion, Social Justice, and Entrepreneurship

Shanice’s previous experience Shanice has a diverse background in stakeholder management, research, data analytics, and project management. Beginning at Kingston University, she managed student satisfaction data, in early 2016 before […]

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February 15, 2024
It’s the BEC’s 8th anniversary, how did that even happen!

February is an exciting month for us at the BEC – it is our 8th anniversary! If you are not familiar with our history, then you will not know that […]

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January 16, 2024
Why we want to grow food businesses in Barking and Dagenham

I think I have told you before I am a self-confessed foodie! For many years the hospitality industry was my career and I fell in love with exploring new concepts […]

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November 14, 2023
Social Enterprise is a booming business

Celebrating Social Enterprise Day If you know me well, you will know that I am passionate about business, its my job after all, but my greatest passion is business for […]

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September 26, 2023
Why is inclusion relevant to your business?

Years ago, a barista drew a smiley face on my coffee cup, and I’ve been loyal ever since. I had walked into this quiet independent cafe with my partner. As […]

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September 19, 2023
Regain Your Freedom - Balancing Work and Life

I think I have mentioned this before but sometimes I struggle with blogs especially when the idea or theme does not flow. This happened with this one and then I […]

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July 24, 2023
Why it felt like I was failing and how I bounced back!

I’m not in control. I’m not perfect and over the last few weeks I have felt completely overwhelmed by the simplest of tasks… So maybe that’s an exaggeration, but I […]

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June 6, 2023
Happy Earth Day 5th June 2023

The news, media and general wellbeing of businesses are not spreading the feeling of happiness. However, today is world environment day or as it is widely known Earth Day, it […]

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March 28, 2023
All four seasons in one day – Friday 24th March

I am working from home today, nothing unusual on a Friday it’s my catch-up day and planning time for the next week. It has taken me years to get in […]

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March 16, 2023
In Barking and Dagenham we are never subtle

As we all know the 8th of March was International Women’s Day over the last few years there has been an increase in supporters and a massive increase in objectors […]

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March 16, 2023
Reflections on February - it was a mixed bag

I was so looking forward to February 2023 it felt as though I was emerging from the winter fog of post-Christmas blues and a remarkably busy January (unusually so for […]

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December 30, 2022
Let’s embrace 2023

As we approach the end of the year, we reflect on the confluence of crises and disruptions that have tested small businesses like never before: surging inflation, the war in […]

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December 15, 2022
2022, what a year

As it comes to the end of the year, I like to look back on the BEC’s achievements and what we did in the year. It is so easy with […]

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October 27, 2022
Black film producer brings voice to marginalised and underrepresented talents

Silvano Griffith always had a passion for the arts, despite being discouraged from pursuing it by those around him. Nevertheless, he went on to found SVG Productions, a film production […]

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October 27, 2022
L’amour Curves: Helping brides find their perfect fit

Gloria Prescod, a plus size lady herself, understands the frustration of plus size brides trying on beautiful gowns in a shop only to be disappointed that there are never any […]

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October 27, 2022
Startup brings Caribbean authentic rum to the UK

As part of the Black History Month Spotlight Series, we at the Barking Enterprise Centre are featuring successful black entrepreneurs who are making a difference in the black community. Today […]

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October 27, 2022
Black woman designer breaks barriers in a white male-dominated space

Bibiana Obahor is a black woman designer who is breaking barriers in the creative industry. In a profession largely dominated by white men, she is now leading a female-led studio, […]

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October 27, 2022
Black Woman’s Interest in Natural Health Leads Her To Open Her Own Organic Store in Barking

Anna Opute's journey to becoming a natural health store owner began with her childhood in Africa. Her grandparents always seemed to stay well and healthy, despite not having access to […]

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October 27, 2022
Black Birth Educator Advocates for Pregnancy Without Fear

For over 25 years, Delia Muhammad has been helping women embrace pregnancyminus the fear.  As a speaker, psychotherapist, life coach, and birth educator, Delia has advised, counselled, and supported women […]

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October 11, 2022
Marcia Dixon -  the Black PR woman supporting faith communities in the UK

Meet Marcia Dixon, one of the most well-known PR specialists within Britain's black church community. A former journalist, and now a PR practitioner, she has worked with a number of […]

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April 8, 2021
Supporting recovery as lockdown restrictions lift?

We got to do something quite marvellous on Easter weekend. We spent the day with our grown-up sons outdoors and well wrapped up when the sun went in, but it […]

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March 23, 2021
COVID-19: One year on

I cannot believe that I am writing this, but it's one year since the first lockdown and I cannot quite believe it. I am sure we will all be writing […]

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March 18, 2021
Let’s Talk about Timeshare

When I was 18, I went on my first ever girls’ holiday with friends to Torremolinos. Now to set the scene, this is in the early 1980’s, and Torremolinos like […]

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March 1, 2021
Birthday vibes …5 years on

So, it was the BEC’s 5th birthday on Sunday 27th February, like the rest of the world it was not the birthday we had planned, no grand celebrations or get […]

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March 1, 2021
The lady wants an avocado!

If you know me well, or indeed a little bit, you will know that one of my passions, hobbies and interests in life is food and drink, more commonly known […]

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February 23, 2021
What you do outside of work matters – Finding that side hustle

There is no denying that I think everyone has found this latest lockdown the hardest as we approach the first anniversary of COVID-19 restrictions. Days merge into nights and weekends […]

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February 8, 2021
Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week 8th to 14th Feb

This is a blog of two halves, a duet so to speak! Bear with me…..I have a guest within this blog, who is keen to share her experience, but first […]

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February 2, 2021
Why it really is…time to talk

On Thursday, it is Time to Talk Day. A day to have conversations about well-being and mental health, timely right? And undeniably at some point, most people will have struggled […]

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January 19, 2021
Do you believe in business gurus? Finding the perfect one for you

The title of this blog might as well be: Do you believe in fairies? But reality is, some business owners completely buy into business gurus and heed their advice religiously. […]

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January 12, 2021
Lockdown 3! – Here we go again

In a previous blog at the end of last year I shared that I had spent New years day 2020 planning the BEC’s year …big mistake as we all know […]

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December 29, 2020
The new language of business

My digital marketing team who are fab by the way! Helpfully every month give me blog titles which I then go off and attempt to write. Madly it works mostly […]

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December 22, 2020
Business tips for coping with Covid-19

Well if you are like me then you thought that all this would be over by the end of Summer, but clearly despite great news about potential vaccines and the […]

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December 15, 2020
Reflections of 2020

I had a pretty testing 2019 on a personal level, losing both the ‘outlaws’ within the year. I recall on New Years eve/day thinking through all sorts of plans both […]

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December 8, 2020
The Impact of COVID-19 on Creative Industries

In 2007, I was asked to join the Board of a local arts organisations, which led grassroots participatory arts in the borough I call home. To cut a very long […]

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November 24, 2020
Workplace Stress - Is it a new negative transferable skill?

Stress in the workplace is a well-known problem widely written about and loads of material to help people cope, but now people are being advised to work from home where […]

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November 20, 2020
The BEC CIC CELEBRATES COMMITMENT TO REAL LIVING WAGE

The BEC CIC has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at the BEC CIC receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.30 in the […]

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November 17, 2020
Stop procrastinating and start doing!

Procrastinate ‘a verb – to delay or postpone action: put off doing something. Recognise anyone? Yes, without a shadow of a doubt we have all been there; and more recently, loss […]

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November 10, 2020
How the BEC is supporting co-working survival

Before COVID-19 over recent years, coworking spaces have seen a great surge in popularity as freelancers, sole traders and independent contractors alike have begun to recognise the benefits that come […]

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November 3, 2020
Press Release – Rent Freeze at the BEC Till Summer 2021

The Barking Enterprise Centres (BEC) has a long history of supporting small businesses locally by providing affordable accommodation, mentoring, and training. COVID-19 has not stopped us and over the last […]

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October 27, 2020
Why People Thrive in Coworking Spaces

If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted, it’s the importance of coworking spaces for employees of all kinds. Over the years, research has been carried out into […]

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October 20, 2020
4 Common Uses of Coworking Spaces

Coworking spaces have grown enormously in popularity over the past few years and they are rapidly becoming the norm. There is an increasing demand for this way of working, and […]

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October 13, 2020
The Pros and Cons of Socialising Online

One thing that the COVID-19 crisis has thrown into sharp relief is the importance of socialising at work. As more workers have been told to avoid their offices and to […]

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October 6, 2020
Employee Engagement During COVID-19

As more workers have been forced into a remote working situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have come to realise that engagement can be a challenge. With workers no […]

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September 22, 2020
How to launch a business in our new normal world

The global pandemic has caused a host of problems for businesses all over the world, but it has also presented some exciting new opportunities too. Depending on which sector you […]

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September 16, 2020
6 Strategies to Keep in mind as you re-think your business

There is no getting away from it, we have tried! The COVID-19 pandemic has caused chaos for business owners all over the world. While some diversified and continued, and others […]

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September 8, 2020
5 Reasons Coworking Spaces are still an option for starting up in the new normal

If there is one thing that the world of business and enterprise is going to take forward it’s the new normal of living with Covid-19 and the possibilities and potential of […]

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September 1, 2020
How do I know if a co-working space will work for me living in a COVID 19 world?

The new normal of coping in an uncertain COVID-19 climate could still be just the right time to start up a business. There will be a strong demand for companies […]

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August 25, 2020
Ways on how to prepare traditional offices ready for the new normal

If there’s one thing that we know for certain it’s that COVID-19 has changed the traditional office beyond all recognition. Now that organisations are considering all of the possibilities when […]

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August 18, 2020
How to Know If Your Business Idea Can Get Funding

All businesses begin with an idea. Whether you’re dreaming of a new service or a brand-new product, inspiration is your starting point. However, your business idea can only be brought […]

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August 11, 2020
Tips on How to Choose a Co-Founder For Your New Business

Launching any new business venture can be a challenge, but with a co-founder on board, the way ahead can be smoother and easier. Nevertheless, you need to ensure you have […]

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August 4, 2020
How customer relationships will change under the new normal

The world has joined forces to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, but when it comes to businesses, there has been one major difference – customer relationships. Now that the new normal […]

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July 21, 2020
Survival Plan Under the New Normal

If there’s one thing that we can take for granted it’s that change is life’s only constant! Yet, the COVID-19 pandemic has still caused a lot of disturbance for businesses […]

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July 21, 2020
5 Ways You Can Support Black Businesses Long Term

In the light of the recent George Floyd incident, it comes as no surprise that the world as a whole has been trying to balance the legacy of racial inequalities. […]

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July 7, 2020
How to Maximise E-Learning for a Small Business

E-learning is a phenomenon that has become a common feature of the corporate world. The affordable and convenient alternative to more traditional classroom learning models, e-learning has been designed to […]

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June 23, 2020
Here's How to Improve Your Negotiation Skills

Whether you’re keen to improve your success at work or in your personal life, negotiation skills are key. However, it can seem difficult to know where to start when it […]

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June 15, 2020
The Value of Social Enterprise: Recognising Its Contribution

When it comes to the macroeconomic perspective, there is still a persistent perception that a social enterprise is more like a charity than a “proper business”. Yet, there is a […]

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June 3, 2020
Building Partnerships With Value

For any enterprise to be successful, you need to be able to network and form partnerships that offer mutual value and benefit. However, creating that partnership is only a first […]

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