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 the fast pace to forget some of the milestones, easy to remember the significant ones but sometimes the little ones which mean a lot get lost in the mix.

The two big achievements that spring to mind is that we won the SME News Best Business support initiative for East London in May this year. After a difficult couple of years throwing all our resources at helping the business community survive the pandemic we were delighted and for all involved in the BEC this was very welcome. We all like external validation let’s be honest.

 Secondly, we opened Three Sixty workrooms in July 2022, we are immensely proud of the space it’s a great space. I am not going to wear rose coloured glasses it still is a challenge in making it wash its face financially, but we have everything in place to make it successful. We found a company to support with the branding and the marketing which really got behind Three Sixty, and all this without ever having met face to face and being in various parts of the world. The power of technology, and thanks go to Jax and her team at Innocom. However, opening a new space was always going to be a challenge in the middle of a recession but we are not giving up.

With regards to what the BEC does best well we continued to support over 5000 businesses in 2022.  We delivered training on business planning, financial forecasting, brand story, social media and marketing and a few others to over 1200 business start-ups and SME’s.  Our reach on this training stretches wider than Barking and Dagenham and the surrounding areas in fact on some of the courses it has gone global with participants logging in from the US, Japan, and South Africa regardless of the time differences.

At the BEC we do things differently when it comes to business mentoring; there are support services who provide business mentoring; but our model is to use industry experts to provide the mentoring support. We want business owners with current knowledge to deliver this vital element of our service and we are delighted that in 2022 we delivered 1035 hours of mentoring.  In financial terms this is an investment for us of over £50k per year. Our mentors are fabulous, and we are lucky they are part of the BEC family, special thanks go to Andre Arundell and Paul Creavin for superb work this year in difficult circumstances and our congratulations to Andre for completing his MBA.

This was a great achievement with a family, a business to run and supporting the BEC and we are proud of him.

We are acutely aware of the situation in Barking and Dagenham with the recession and at the BEC we are committed to creating jobs for local people. We have begun work to bring all our outsourced roles in house and we have just recruited our caretaking team who will replace the security company we chose who were a start up themselves all those years ago. We will miss Blue Light and Sean Keelan, but the relationship will not be lost, I am sure.

We have continued to embrace partnerships there is one we are so proud of and that is the BD collective of which the BEC is a founding supporter. The BD collective is a network of networks which is reshaping how the social sector work together. In the last year we have seen such a change in the way organisations work together in trust and partnership as well as bringing in over £2.6 million pounds in contracts for services and through external funders into the borough supporting vital work with all residents. It has been a roller coaster of an initiative but its great to see it working in practice. The learning from this is brilliant and I would urge everyone who works for local government and public health to look at the art of the possible.

From a personal perspective it has been a year of highs and lows, I step down as Chair of a board after 15 years at the end of the year of which I am incredibly proud. It gave me a love of arts and culture which will be life long and I have met some great people. I am equally proud that the BEC is now the custodians of a great piece of art by Grayson Perry which was unveiled last week. The sculpture is a typical house on the Becontree estate which was one hundred years old last year. I still live in a road with houses like this, so it has huge sentimental value too. It was great to work with Create London to bring this to life.

Final note to thank my fabulous team at the BEC, we have a small core team who continue to be impressive none more than my work wife the long-suffering Donna Finley our fabulous Operations Director. Lastly to thank my great board of directors who support the BEC in a way that is hard to explain, always there but never micromanaging and that makes every day different at the BEC.

From all of us at the BEC happy holidays and here’s to 2023 whatever that may bring we can face it together 😊

Inspiration Lives Here by Grayson Perry. Commissioned by Create London, funded by Art Fund.

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 business with a focus on providing a voice for the marginalised and under-voiced in theatre. 

SVG Productions creates films and stage shows that tackle difficult social and faith-based issues with humour and sensitivity. Some of the topics they have covered include domestic violence, eating disorders, gun culture, Christian life in the 21st century and loneliness. Through her work in SVG productions, she hopes to create a better understanding of these issues and make a difference in the world.

This Black History Month, the Barking Enterprise Centre gives the spotlight to Silvano through a Q&A format as we get access to her work and challenges as both a black woman entrepreneur and filmmaker. 

 Tell us more about SVG Productions

SVG Productions is a creative business producing films and stage shows and offering creative solutions for workshops and conferences. Much of our work focuses on social and faith issues, tackling more difficult subjects with a combination of humour and sensitivity. We have covered topics such as domestic violence, eating disorders, gun culture, Christian life in the 21st century and loneliness to name a few.

We generate bespoke pieces for commissioners wishing to utilise the power of the arts in conveying their message.  From short sketches that can be performed as part of a conference to full-length productions suitable for main events, we can get our client's message across in an entertaining and thought-provoking way. 

In addition to this, I have also just launched a separate side to the business where I offer coaching for anyone interested in writing scripts, memoirs and novels. 

What inspired you to start your own business?

I have always had a flare for creativity and knew from a small child this was the path I wanted to take. My parents did not think creative work was sustainable and encouraged me to study ‘proper’ subjects at college. I wrote and produced my first play at the age of seventeen and later went on to study performing arts at University. After graduation, I followed parental advice to get a ‘proper job’. I worked at the BBC for a number of years and, after an initial eighteen-month sabbatical, resigned in 2013 to pursue my dream of acting and writing full-time. I somehow fell into producing and setting up SVG Productions. My vision was to provide a voice for the marginalised and under-voiced in theatre. 

How has your business changed or evolved since you first started it?

In the early days, my business was about writing and producing plays but it has evolved over the years. I went on to create films which was an entirely different ballgame and there was so much to learn. On the back of what I was doing, I was also offered speaking engagements which led to me setting up a speaking side to the business. Then, during the pandemic when all plays and filming were cancelled I introduced a new arm to the business in which I coach other writers. The coaching is for scriptwriters and authors helping them to get the submission of their manuscript ready. And, as a published author, I now also provide a service helping people who have written their first book get it published.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

One of the biggest challenges facing black entrepreneurs in my option is overcoming stereotypes. Many business owners still have to fight the perception that their business is ‘less professional’ than that of their white counterparts. Accessing finance can also be problematic for many. 

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life?

Life for many people is busy in today’s world. For me, personally, the best way to balance running a business and other life priorities is to have a routine. I try to wake up and go to bed at a similar time most days and do my praying and reading at the same time each morning. My workout mornings are Mon-Wed and Fri and I do my best to attend the same exercise classes every week, scheduling meetings etc. around these times where I can so I don’t lose rhythm.  I also love writing To-Do lists each day and feel a sense of joy and satisfaction as I tick each item off throughout the day. Additionally, I have an accountability partner. This is someone I speak to each week and give an account of how I have spent my time. I think this is important as it keeps me focused knowing that, despite being my own boss, there is still someone else I need to report back to about my accomplishments and achievements for the week. Finally, I'm a great multitasker! 

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

My advice to anyone in the black community looking to start a business is first and foremost, don’t think of yourself as a black person wanting to start a business, just think of yourself as a person wanting to start a business. Do as much research as you can both inside and outside of your community. Approach others for help. See what your local Borough has to offer. The Barking Learning Centre offered me a lot of useful advice and help in the early days and it was all free. Make sure you have the support of family and close friends as it will be vital. Don’t be afraid to tweak your business plans slightly if what you first imagined doing does not work out. Give yourself time - Rome wasn’t built in a day but it was worked on every day.

How can people reach your business?

For my coaching and writing services I can be reached on https://www.silvanogriffith.co.uk/author  while for my production company, go to  https://www.svgproductions.co.uk   silvano@svgproductions.co.uk

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 plus sizes that actually fit. So she decided to do something about it and started an in-house bridal boutique L'amour Curves that specialises in stunning and affordable plus-size wedding dresses for the more curvaceous bride.

This Black History Month, the Barking Enterprise Centre shares the spotlight with Gloria through a Q&A format as we get access to her work and challenges as both a black woman entrepreneur and a wedding gown designer. 

Tell us more about L'amour Curves

L'amour Curves is an in-house bridal boutique based in London, specialising in stunning and affordable plus-size wedding dresses for the more curvaceous bride. With timeless, modern designs, paying attention to detail and not wavering on quality, we strive to ensure our brides have the most memorable day ever. 

Being a plus-size lady myself, I understand the frustration of walking into a shop and trying on beautiful clothes but being disappointed that there are never plus-sizes that actually fit.  We specialize in plus size bridalwear, veils, jewellery and accessories from British designers made to the highest quality.  Our tagline is: “Helping you look your best and feel even better”.  We have a body-positive ethos and believe that all shapes and sizes are beautiful!  If you are looking for a plus-size wedding dress that fits, then L’amour Curves Bridal Boutique is the plus-size bridal shop for you.

What inspired you to start your own business?

What started my journey down this route was the frustration of trailing around bridal shops, looking for a dress for my daughter who was also a plus-size bride and not being able to find anything suitable. We both felt frustrated by the fact that 99% of the shops we visited only went up to size14/16 and did not have dresses to fit curvy ladies. My daughter was actually told to hold the dress up against her and imagine what she would look like in it.  

The one shop we were able to find a couple of dresses to fit cost more than a month’s salary, and we were not willing to pay so much for a dress that she would be wearing for only a short period of time despite wanting a beautiful dress for her special day. We ended up buying her dress from an online website which needed quite a lot of alterations to fit and this gave me my light bulb moment.

"There is a gap in the market for reasonably priced plus size wedding dresses that can actually be tried on and fit comfortably" was the thought buzzing around in my head, and that is how L'amour Curves Bridal Boutique was born.  

With a lot of research, I took some courses in wedding planning and small business setups, sourced suppliers here in the UK and decided to open my in-house boutique focusing on curvy brides.  We choose to give our brides a private appointment (only one bride in the boutique at any one time) which they find very relaxing and comfortable and makes them feel special. L'amour Curves Plus Size Bridal is affordable with dresses starting from £499 with a luxury boutique experience and very high-quality customer service.

How has your business changed or evolved since you first started it?

My business is a fairly new one.  I was about to launch the business in April 2020 and as we all know that is when the pandemic started.  I had to close down and throughout the lockdowns, was unable to open as my business involves person-to-person contact.

I actually reopened about September 2021, but business was very slow, so, I decided to focus on marketing and using my social media (which my daughter helps me with) to increase my client footfall.  I also started attending wedding fairs and joining a few networking groups. I attended the Harrogate Bridal Show in September 2021 and the London Bridal show in March 2022.  My website has been updated and I am now being found on Google, Facebook and Instagram.  

Give me a year and I am sure I will be able to give you the great changes that I am expectant and looking forward to for my business.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

Black Entrepreneurs have been affected by the recent pandemic as their businesses tend to operate within the sectors heavily impacted by the virus such as health and social care, hospitality and retail.  The lockdowns have been instrumental in the closures of lots of small businesses.

Another challenge facing the black entrepreneur is the lack of available funding and resources required from the government, high street banks and investors.  The lack of support is evident when you find that most black entrepreneurs tend to turn to family and friends for investments because they are unable to get start-up loans, business bank accounts and even overdraft facilities.

A lot of black-owned businesses tend to be run by sole traders as lack of funds to pay staff results in the owner having to perform every function of the business by themselves. Lack of funding also makes it difficult to scale their businesses and expand.

Even though it is a difficult subject for some, discrimination and racial equality are challenges black-owned businesses have to face when it comes to achieving a successful business.

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life?

I believe that achieving a work-life balance should be an entrepreneur’s ultimate goal.  Working hard to grow your business and succeed is important, but overdoing it can have negative effects.  The point of achieving success is to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

I use to-do lists, try to work reasonable hours, learn to delegate and say no when I need to. I take breaks during work hours and when I leave the office, I leave work there.  I make sure I schedule time for myself, family and friends because I think it helps my physical and mental health.  I take time to relax spending time with my husband, children and grandchildren.

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

Do a lot of research, and identify the needs of the communities where you would like to operate the business.  Educate yourself and find out as much as you can about your chosen industry.

Remember your goals and what you would like to achieve, be prepared to work hard, be resilient, focused and persevere, with a mindset of understanding that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Try saving some money towards starting the business so when you approach investors/family/friends for help with funding, they know you are serious and are more willing to help.  Start small, making the most of whatever capital you can get and build on it to grow the business.  Use social media to your advantage.

Choose a niche, target your audience and be specific, understand your value and don’t feel you have to compromise.  Take chances by reaching out to mentors and people you would like to work with through networking in the community.

How can people reach your business? 

Website:     www.lamourcurves.com 
Instagram & Facebook:    @lamourcurves
Email:     info@lamourcurves.com
Telephone:  07726222577

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 we are featuring Cashain David who owns and runs Kromanti Rum

As an entrepreneur,  Cashain finds fulfilment in running a rum start-up inspired by secret recipes and stories handed down through generations of Caribbean families, many of whom are from the Windrush generation. Using this knowledge, he was able to create truly spiritual and authentic rums that capture the essence of the lived 'Rum' experience of black communities. 

Let us take a look at his experiences as a black entrepreneur and his passion for rum through this Q&A chat. 

Tell us more about your business.

At the Kromanti Distillery & Blending House, we are passionate about the social and cultural meaning of Rum and how it reinforces bonds, history and a sense of belonging.

What inspired you to start your own business?

The business was registered in 2019, but really took shape in 2022 during the first Covid lockdown in response to the dramatic loss of elders in the Black community and a burning desire to retain and bring to life some of the stories from the older generation in order to pass them on to the next generations.

The project started by recording personal stories, recipes and sayings; and later transformed into a business as feedback at our first public rum tasting confirmed the idea that personal stories drive engagement. 

How has your business changed or evolved since you first started it?

I am an undercover entrepreneur. During the day I worked in Mental Health responding to the challenges presented by the recent pandemic. In the darker hours, I found fulfillment in running a Rum start-up inspired by secret recipes and stories handed down through generations of Caribbean families, many of whom are from the Windrush generation. Using this knowledge, I was able to create truly spiritual and authentic Rums that capture the essence of the lived 'Rum' experience of our communities. We're always discovering new recipes, uncovering stories and interesting facts.

My initial business plan projected sales of £8,000 and this was doubled in the first year along with an award for our Rum in the International Wines & Spirits Competition ! The business worked on awareness of the brand through social media channels and achieved significant attention of online media in both the Rum Industry and wider online media.

To support Black History Month in 2021, dating app Bumble launched an initiative called ‘Small Business Grants’. The scheme pledged to provide ten black owned businesses with a share of £50,000 to support them in their recovery post-pandemic; Kromanti was one of the lucky recipients and using the funds provided by Bumble, Kromanti has created a video series which reinforces connections between the younger and older generation. These videos capture conversations about the interviewee’s life experiences with Rum and how it goes beyond being an alcoholic drink. Like Bumble, rum is about togetherness and sharing a moment.

The last 12 months has been a whirlwind of great feedback, good sales and an increasing level of awareness on social media and traditional media outlets resulting in the business obtaining its first global investor from the drinks industry. The plans for the next period involve further work on our branding and testing out different methods to engage with customers through our unique form of storytelling through ‘live’ events as we enter the on-trade.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

1. Being Taken Seriously - the implicit association with a Black person is not 'business owner' and this then creates a barrier that needs to be overcome.

2. Equal Access to Funding - there now seems to be more low level startup funding, but as you step up into the next ladder, you will need to show collateral and pipeline to scale. These are also based on a belief in the ability to execute.

3. Lack of a Network of Supportive Institutions - This is a big one as you can be locked out of larger and more central networks who limit access to those who already look like them in lifestyle and education background.

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life?

Moving from a 9-5 job to being a business owner meant that I had to start managing my own time, plan my activities, and commit to my chosen priorities. More importantly, I needed to know exactly what satisfied me emotionally and what doesn’t didn't. In doing this I needed to be clear about what creates value for my customers, but also me and my family.

My best pieces of advice that help me in ensuring my work-life balance are;

• Plan your day, week, month, and year related to your business and non-business activities. Your plan must be based on your business and personal goals.
• Control your promises and achievement of everything that you plan for your business and your personal life.
• Create a list of top priorities. Forget low-priority items, don’t bother yourself with them.
• Use the same planner for work and non-work activities.
• Promise only what you can deliver to family and your clients/customers.
• Clearly define what is expected of you when it comes to your company and your family.
• Start listening to your body.

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

Be clear about your 'why.' This industry is swamped with new businesses that are riding on the crest of the Rum Boom and to have sustainability, you will need to have a clear personal mission to get you through the dark periods in sales, and future disruptions such as lockdowns.

How can people reach your business? 

Website: www.kromantirum.com

Email: cashain@kromantirum.com
Instagram: @kromanti_rum

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, Desiree Design, and is collaborating with female founders all around the world. 

This Black History Month, the Barking Enterprise Centre is giving the spotlight to Bibiana through a Q&A format as we get access to her work and challenges as both a black woman entrepreneur and a creative designer. 

Tell us more about your business

I’m the founder and creative director of Desiree Design Studio—a full-service creative studio based in London specialising in visual identities, art direction, digital design, print design, editorial design and web design.

We are fully run by females and work with female founders and companies of all sizes to build covetable brands. Our approach is a synchronous exploration of data and aesthetic–creating meaningful designs that are proven and intentional.

We believe that originality begins where replication ends which is why we create with intention. Our mission is to embrace difference, look beyond trends and design for tomorrow.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I started my first business which was a makeup line when I was 16 years old. I had a small amount of knowledge of graphic design and media from school but no experience in branding or running a business. I didn’t even know you could hire brand designers and even if I did there was no way I would’ve been able to afford it so I did everything on my own (logo on my phone, website on big cartel, and business cards on photoshop). 

There was a huge gap between what I wanted for my brand and what my brand actually looked like. So I started teaching myself. I asked Google about a thousand questions and watching "How-to's" on Youtube literally became my new Netflix. I’ve always been a creative person, and my creativity paired with my passion to learn about branding led me to create Desiree Design Studio. 

How has your business changed or evolved since you first started it?

I started as a freelancer because ​​I thought that what I wanted was success. But what I really wanted was to build a community of business-minded women who strive for success and being able to help them with my knowledge of branding made me realise I needed to think big and along came my design studio.

3 years later we are a growing (80% WOC) female-led studio collaborating with female founders all around the World. 

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

I do believe as a young black female (especially in the design industry which is largely dominated by white men), I have to work twice as hard just to achieve half of what other people are able to achieve. At the back of my mind, and other black creatives' minds, is the fear of being judged by our skin colour or not having access to certain opportunities, even if we are good at what we do. Or simply looking around at school, work or networking events and not seeing anyone that looks like us. 

Many 'creative industries' are traditionally male spheres. It’s worrying that even companies targeted at women or WOC are run by senior design and strategy positions filled by white men. I think it’s so important for young black women like myself to infiltrate these traditionally male spheres and provide a voice for our community to be heard in the creative industries. 

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life?

I’m in my final year of university, so juggling work, education and a social life can be challenging. However, I’ve found systems that work for me and created habits that have helped me find a balance. 

For example, if I can, I like to schedule all work-related meetings on a Monday that way I get meetings out of my hair for the rest of the week. 

I also schedule absolutely everything I do into my calendar (even things like running errands) this allows me to time block efficiently at the start of every week. By time blocking I get things done based on priority. 

Lastly, I make sure I separate work and personal life. During covid time this became one big blur and I found I’d get either get easily distracted while working or work too harder without breaks. Separating work and personal life lets me create that perfect balance. 

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

My biggest advice would be to put yourself out there. No matter what industry you want to start out in, research and find out as much as you can about the industry. Then make yourself seen. 

Network. Go to events. Message people on social media. Email brands, investors, press, whoever. Get your family and friends to share your business. Don't underestimate the power of networking and word-of-mouth. Don’t ever stop promoting yourself and putting yourself out there. 

People that acknowledge who you are and resonate with what your business stands for, will always be there to support you like a tribe. But they can’t do that unless they know who you are. So take the time to build your brand's awareness.

With her dedication to her craft and working with more women in the male-dominated creative industry, Bibiana is an inspiration to many young women of colour who are seeking to enter the creative industry. Her story proves that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. 

If you wish to work or get in touch with Desiree Design Studio, you may contact Bibiana through her website www.desireedesign.co.uk or email her at bibiana@desireedesign.co.uk

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 modern medicine. Anna realised that the key to their good health was the power of nature. 

When she moved to the UK, she was dismayed to see that many people here were unaware of the benefits of organic and natural health remedies. undeterred, she decided to open her own store, Naabi Organic Health.

Although organic products are often seen as affluent items, Anna is committed to making her store accessible to everyone.  Her store, Naabi Organic, carries a wide range of products, from herbal teas to essential oils, all of which can help improve your health and well-being.  She believes that everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits of natural health, regardless of their income level. 

This Black History Month, the Barking Enterprise Centre will give the spotlight to Anna through a Q&A format as we get access to her work and challenges as both a black woman entrepreneur and organic and wellness advocate. 

Tell us more about Naabi Organic Health

Naabi Organic Health provides natural health and well-being products in many aspects of health and offers advice on how to keep well and how to prevent some preventable conditions.

What inspired you to start your own business?

Natural health has always been a fascinating subject to me, growing up in Africa where I observed my grandparents treat most conditions naturally and observed how they stayed well and strong for a very very long time. I often think I should do something to help people to maintain health and well-being naturally. However, I took a career in pharmacy, which did not really meet what I was looking for.

It took some time to summon up the courage to embark on this part of opening up an organic health store. The industry is seen as one belonging to the rich powerful and giant organisations. So here we are now, 5 years into the business, with all its challenges. I feel happy to be doing this business at this point in my life, as a small black businesswoman in an industry that is considered as one belonging only to the rich and powerful.

How has your business changed or evolved since you first started it?

Yes, for one thing, the pandemic of the past few years has not made any business easy, however, many people are beginning to change the way they view life and take more note of their health and well-being. In fact, their general outlook on health and well-being is becoming much better

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

I can say for me, which I think some Black entrepreneurs would agree with, as I have spoken to a few, are ourselves and our own Black community. Having my business in a community with a lot of Blacks, I find that we rather support the trade of nationalities than our fellow Blacks in a similar business. Not sure if they think that as a Black person you can not do things as good as others, but I believe that we can do not just as good, but even better in our chosen business. Another challenge is the lack of support in terms of gaining access to publicising our businesses. Access to business funds is another challenge.

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life? 

Family life is vitally important to me, hence I prioritise my family life and my worship. This means keeping my business hours as specified.

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

I would say that despite the challenges, it is worth doing something that you believe in. I would also say, to do a lot of research into whatever you want to do, before embarking on it. Be patient, and be ready to meet a lot of obstacles, but be assured that if you keep going and with the right support, you will get to where you want to be. After all, the most successful black entrepreneurs such as Oprah Winfrey, Johnson & Sheila and many others went through many challenges to get to where they are at present.

How can people reach your business? 

You can reach us at 32A Dagenham Heathway Shopping Mall RM10 8RE or at our website, www.naabihealth.com

For over 25 years, Delia Muhammad has been helping women embrace pregnancy
minus the fear. 

As a speaker, psychotherapist, life coach, and birth educator, Delia has advised, counselled, and supported women and mothers through their fears in pregnancy and relationships. She is the founder of Pregnancy Without Fear, a podcast that offers resources and support for pregnant women. 

As part of our Black Spotlight series in celebration of Black History Month, we at the Barking Enterprise Centre give the spotlight to Delia through a Q&A format as we get access to her work and challenges as both a black woman entrepreneur and as a birth educator. 

Tell us more about Pregnancy Without Fear.

Pregnancy Without Fear is an online podcasting website for pregnant ones- interviewing health professionals in the maternity field who share their knowledge and skills to enhance the confidence of pregnant women. 

What inspired you to start your own business?

My work started in 1995 and it has not stopped. With the internet, I am now able to connect with millions around the world.

How has your business changed or evolved since you first started it?

I started as a doula (birth partner), qualified as a midwife, international VBAC coach (Vaginal birth after caesarean) and podcast host. In some instances, I have been an online doula for labourers in other countries.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

Connecting and communicating, as well as economics.

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life?

Set schedules and meetings for certain days and times

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

Find a MENTOR. Someone who is an expert (if possible). Someone who can see your vision and help it to grow.

We thank Delia for sharing her advocacy on birth education with the BEC this Black History Month. Truly, her methods have helped countless women to overcome their fears and embrace pregnancy with confidence. If you're looking for support during your pregnancy, or if you're struggling with fear or anxiety relating to it, reach out to Delia Muhammad through her website www.pregnancywithoutfear.com. You deserve to enjoy this special time in your life without fear holding you back.

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 churches, charities, gospel artists and organisations over the years such as Pentecostal Credit Union, Street Pastors, Wise Women Awards, Redeemed Christian Church of God, and New Testament Church of God, among others.

Marcia is passionate about using her skills and experience to help churches and Christian organisations to effectively communicate their message to the wider community. 

In addition to her work in faith-based PR, Marcia is also a regular commentator on religious affairs for a number of national and regional media outlets. What sets Marcia apart from other PR professionals is her passion for her work and her deep understanding of the nuances of faith-based communications.

As a result, she has built an impressive roster of clients who return to her time and time again for advice and guidance.

This Black History Month, the Barking Enterprise Centre will give the spotlight to Marcia through a Q&A format as we get access into her work and challenges as both a black woman entrepreneur and public relations practitioner.

Tell us more about your business

My business specialises in providing PR and promotional services for businesses, charities, gospel artists and churches that want to reach the Black Christian community - a large and vibrant sector of the black community at large. My clients has included The Metropolitan Police, The Wise Women Awards, the BBC, Big Life Films, Syco Music, Sony Music, Angie Le Mar, Pentecostal Credit Union and many more.

What inspired you to start your own PR firm?

I was formerly a journalist and recognised that faith groups did not understand how to fully utilise the media. I decided it would be a good thing to set up a business providing PR and media services.

How has your PR business changed or evolved since you first started it?

Joining social media has made a major change to my business. It's the place I get most of my clients and the arena I use to promote my clients activities. I have also expanded the range of services I offer including Masterclasses and aside from running campaigns for clients I have started writing out personalised PR strategies that people can undertake themselves.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Black entrepreneurs today?

The biggest challenges facing black entrepreneurs are the following:

1. Mindset. Black Entrepreneurs must believe they can build successful businesses despite the challenges.

2. The Information gap - Black Entrepreneurs, like all entrepreneurs, must take advantage of the information/free courses/workshops that are available to help expand their knowledge about what it takes to build a successful business and things that they can do to build a success.

3. The go it alone syndrome - Black entrepreneurs (some) are not always willing to buy in services that can play a major part in taking their business to the next level and instead try to do everything themselves even when they lack the knowledge, know-how or contacts.

How do you balance running a business with other priorities in your life?

I can sometimes spend too much time on my business. I've learnt to take time out to chill and relax and do things that I enjoy.

What advice would you give to people in the Black community who are thinking about starting their own business?

My advice would be to go for it. Take advantage of the free information and courses that are available to business start ups.

Marcia has been a pillar in the Black community and beyond for her work as an entrepreneur and public relations practitioner. In fact,  she has been hailed as Wise Women Inspirational Woman of the Year Award winner and Legacy Lifetime Achievement Award for Mobilising Faith Communities. In October 2020 Marcia was listed in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List and awarded an MBE for services to Inter Faith Relations.

This Black History Month, the Barking Enterprise Centre especially wishes Marcia all the best as she continues serving black faith groups through her God-given talents in public relations and media.

If you are looking for PR help for your faith group or organisation, reach out to Marcia on her website www.marciadixonpr.co.uk.

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 was lush just what the doctor ordered.

We caught up on all the things we have missed, and of course, the conversation shifted to memories of great nights out. We soon realised that every memory involves eating out in places we have loved; and as they both have their own hospitality businesses, we of course talked about them getting back to what they love most.

The apple does not fall from the tree in this case; I loved working in hospitality and was in senior position for a large hotel chain for many years, and then moved over to Operations Manager at Earls Court Exhibition Centre before it became a housing estate of course.

In the day job, I have been in many meetings over all the lockdowns about how we support businesses. Of course, it’s what the BEC does, and it’s great to work in partnership with Barking and Dagenham Council, Be First and other partners, to ensure that we are all on the same page and delivering as much support as possible.

The grant system has not been easy for businesses to negotiate, and after the first grant, the decision from Government to this being discretionary, has meant that every local authority has been able to tailor support to the businesses most affected. However, behind the system inside the council, this has been a logistical nightmare in terms of making the payments, as it is linked to the business rates system. So, all sorts of technical wizardry were needed to make this happen. Hats off to our friends in the Business Rates team who have absolutely worked their socks off to ensure payments went out timely and to genuine businesses in need.

So, what are we doing next? Well, Barking and Dagenham does not have a huge night-time economy, and retail has been dwindling for some years. And of course, this last year with multiple lockdowns, existing customers have moved to online delivery.  However, we have a working group called reimagining high streets; now in Barking and Dagenham, we do not have a traditional high street. We have two town centres and a lot of smaller parades of shops, ‘neighbourhood retail’ as I like to call it.

There are big plans for Barking and Dagenham, film studios, the three markets of London, a food market, a new shopping centre in Barking Town Centre with spaces for bars and restaurants all exciting stuff in the pipeline. But for now, we need to focus on our resident businesses who are still around, and now that they can re-open, they are going to need help, lots of help.

So, we have come together as partners to provide a retail, hospitality and leisure support programme which will give any business in Barking and Dagenham one-to-one business support and bespoke programme to revitalise their business. For some, this will be restarting what they did before. Some of them will need to rethink their business model completely in line with the change in customer expectations.

We are proud and delighted to be working on this scheme, and if you want to find out more then follow this link: https://beccic.co.uk/recoveryprogramme/

Finally, please don’t feel obliged, but if you want to listen to my son talk about his journey to owning his own restaurant business, then click here: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/et0g76/

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 our one year on lockdown blogs, but I am in shock that we have had a whole year of this madness.

When I wandered round the BEC on that final day, checking doors and windows and then setting the alarm, I honestly thought that it would be for a couple of weeks. How naïve of me and the rest of the UK, I am sure. 

We have been in and out of the BEC three times in this year. We reopened on 22nd February, and hopefully that will be the last time we close. I know we did the right thing in January despite not being forced to; because we all felt we had a duty to our staff and wanted to support our borough to recover as it had the worst numbers of COVID-19 in London. The great news is, this has drastically improved and I would like to think that the closure of our large public buildings helped a little bit.

 One memory from the early COVID-19 days still makes me smile. We all started to get worried about this virus at the end of January and implemented a regime of hand sanitizer and constant hand washing. This led to the team all having very dry hands, so someone popped to Boots and bought some hand cream. Three days later, the team came to see me to ask if orange skin was a symptom of the virus. I looked at their palms and despite different ethnicities they all had orange palms like Oompah Loompahs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I looked up the symptoms but could not see this on the list, as I wandered into the reception to update them all, spotting the offending hand cream on the desk, which yes you have guessed turned out to be self-tan…mystery solved!

Oh, it still makes me smile!!

So back to my reflections. In the last year, I have had far too many conversations about cancelled weddings, holidays, and the lack of contact with our nearest and dearest and several friends became grandparents in lockdown and still have not had much contact with their grandchildren other than via a video call. Where would we be without technology? It really has been a lifeline in these strange times, despite being on it all day the irony of then speaking to your family in the evening. It is starting to get a little wearing now and I am counting down the sleeps to Easter Sunday, so I can see my family outside of course!

It has been over a year since we held a face-to-face event at the BEC, and we are missing having visitors to our buildings, it was our 5th birthday a few weeks ago, but sadly all celebrations are postponed until further notice. However, we have continued to deliver all our programmes online which have been incredibly successful, and we are having the conversation that we may never go back to face to face delivery of some elements. Potentially the future is a blended offer with face-to-face delivery and online support. Online delivery has enabled us to widen our reach and our audience has grown significantly.

 One thing I know we will continue to do as a business community, is think very carefully about whether there is a need for a face-to-face meeting or whether it can be done online. It makes me shudder when I think of the number of wasted hours travelling back and forth across London for meetings. Like many, I am certainly enjoying flexible working, a mixture of the office and home working, which has improved my productivity and ability to concentrate. 

 If you are thinking about returning to a base, then check out our office time share offer which might the solution you can find it here at https://beccic.co.uk/our-spaces/

 We have the road map which so far appears to be working. Let us hope it continues and we can all finally close the door on this year and start getting our lives in to a pattern that becomes our new normal…. Things have changed but life goes on! And if we can help, we will.