Black-Owned-Business-Pulse

Black-Owned Business Pulse

Nobeel Media team went to the streets to test the pulse and business temperature across the United Kingdom, from Black Country to Birmingham, Luton, London, and across different spheres and industries, read from the exceptional network of business owners we have been privileged to speak with and be inspired.

London; Meet Faustina, the Founder of Divas of Colour International Women’s Forum

Can we get to know you?
My name is Faustina, and I’m a married mom of four kids. I’m from Nigeria, but I live in the UK. Academically, I studied nursing, but I have an interest in business and marketing and everything that has to do with branding and product development.

Tell us about your Business.
I relocated to the UK when I got married and had three daughters. As a stay-at-home mom, I felt overwhelmed with ideas and started a blog called My Black Woman in 2009, connecting with Black women launching their businesses. I helped microbusinesses owned by women of color with branding and product descriptions. In 2012, we launched C-Hub magazine under the Faunteewrites group, which publishes for independent authors. In 2014, I created the Divas of Colour International Women’s Forum to provide learning and networking opportunities for women. I restructured and opened an online retail store in late 2022 with an emphasis on high-end fashion and self-care items after COVID disrupted our events in 2020.

A quick highlight of your success story:
One of my success stories would be raising my children while building my business. My daughters published their first books, with my younger daughter focusing on autism. Additionally, I secured a five-year partnership with Worldremit for Divas of Colour events. We’re now rebuilding after COVID, as the sector remains uncertain.

Please share one challenge you’ve faced and how you overcame it:
The major challenge has been securing funding and finding the right partners, especially with increased competition from larger corporations in the event space. To address this, we relaunched Divas of Colour in 2023 as a membership organization, offering resources and discussions on entrepreneurship and well-being to support women.

Share one message for those just starting in your field:

Narrow down your focus and avoid distractions. Initially, I was fixated on event attendance, equating success with high delegate numbers. It’s crucial to define success based on engagement, speaker quality, or impact rather than just attendance. Also, choose mentors wisely; ensure they’re experienced in business and not potential competitors. Be cautious about who you involve in your business.

Birmingham; What It’s Like Being a Loctician for Over 12 Years

Introduce yourself and tell us what you do:
My name is Charis, and I am a loctician. I specialise in natural hair locks and have been running my business for the last 12 years.

What inspired you to become a loctician?
I started doing hair as a teenager, focusing on braids and weaving. I always enjoyed it, but my journey into locks began when I briefly moved back to the Caribbean, where many people wear their hair in locks naturally. At the time, I was struggling to find a job, but I was consistently getting more clients for hair services. That’s when I decided to make it my full-time focus, as job opportunities were limited.

What’s your success story?
I officially started my business 12 years ago, working from home. Clients would come to the family home; I’d wash their hair in the tub upstairs, and we’d do the interlocking and tidying in the living room. That’s how it all began. Now, I have a home with a designated workspace, and things have been progressing well ever since.

What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge came when I had my daughter. Balancing being a mom, an entrepreneur, and a loctician was tough. For the first three years, I worked part-time. My mom helped by looking after my daughter a few days a week, and I would work around that schedule, splitting the week between us. I was open with my clients about my situation, and they’ve been incredibly supportive. I’m very grateful for their understanding and loyalty.

What advice would you give to someone starting in your field, especially in the UK?
Don’t be afraid to start small. Stay humble, ensure your workspace is clean and presentable, and focus on building your clientele. Don’t hesitate to register with HMRC and do things the right way—it offers more long-term benefits. Take your time, be patient, and trust the process. It will all work out.

Midlands; The Man Who Wears Many Hats: IT and Business Ventures

Introduce yourself and tell us what you do:
My name is Dimeji Oderinde, and I wear many hats as an IT professional. I currently work with Birmingham City University and also run two startups in the UK, one of which operates in Nigeria. My UK-based startup is called CGZABETH Limited, and the other is Haikio Ovid Lab.

What do your businesses focus on?
Haikio Ovid Lab is a software development company that specializes in delivering innovative solutions. CGZABETH Limited offers a broader range of high-tech services beyond just software development. We support businesses of all sizes small, medium, and large with comprehensive IT services. This includes everything from computer setup and repairs to network configuration. We have a fantastic team of over 16 professionals. In addition, we provide logistics services in the UK, with vehicles available to help transport goods locally.

What inspired you to enter these different business sectors?
I believe that dreams can guide us in powerful ways. My journey began in Nigeria, where I studied engineering and developed a passion for technology. However, I didn’t have the opportunity to fully explore this passion at the time. After losing my job at a bank due to flooding, I took some time to reflect on my next steps. I eventually moved to the UK to study Digital and Technology Solutions, which opened my eyes to a variety of scalable services and helped me take significant steps toward realizing my dreams.

Can you share a success story?
One of my most memorable experiences was my very first job in 2022, which involved cleaning a house. I did it all by myself, and it took about two to three hours. I took some pictures to showcase my work, and that experience was incredibly rewarding. Fast forward two years and three months, and now we have expanded to a dedicated team of over 16 staff members in our cleaning business.