海角视频

A Birmingham businesswoman who survived breast cancer after having a mastectomy has said running her own company 鈥渒eeps her alive鈥�.

Rebbecca Hemmings delivers unconscious bias and cultural diversity training to organisations including the NHS and Criminal Justice System through her business Strawberry Words.

She set up the business in 2003 as a theatre company, but began focusing on training in 2013 and now works with universities, mental health organisations and local government bodies - in the 海角视频 and overseas.

The single mum said she was 鈥渋n shock鈥� when she found out about her cancer diagnosis in 2017.

鈥淚 was under a lot of stress at the time, running about nine different projects for my business, when I was told I had cancer,鈥� Ms Hemmings said.

Her friend Maggie, another business owner, offered to take over the running of Strawberry Words while she got well.

鈥淚 was very fortunate because it meant I didn鈥檛 have to worry about the day-to-day running of the business while I had my treatment,鈥� she said.

Ms Hemmings returned to her business just three months after having surgery and decided to get rid of her office and work from home.

鈥淪itting at my desk at home, I felt lost. My brain wasn鈥檛 ready for running a full-time business so I got a part-time job for two years. I knew I would go back [to Strawberry Words], but I needed to give myself more time.鈥�

Her advice to other business owners who go through trauma, like she did, is to seek counselling to deal with it.

鈥淲hen something huge happens, you need someone else to help you to look at that situation,鈥� she said.

鈥淯ntil you get a full understanding of what you have been through, those thoughts will plague you.

鈥淭here were moments when I thought I wanted to get rid of my business, but as time went on I realised it was just the sadness I had from having cancer. You need to deal with the pain so you can move on.鈥�

When she was finally able to start working full-time again, Ms Hemmings said she experienced a 鈥渕assive awakening鈥�.

She said: 鈥淲hen employed I just had to do what I was told, but I realised I enjoyed the challenge of running my own company and the journey to this big dream of success.

鈥淭he possibilities are endless and there are no limits to how successful you can be. It gives you a real sense of freedom.鈥�

Strawberry Words is now busier than ever - and was recently awarded special continuing professional development (CPD) accreditation, which is an industry standard for professional training.

The pandemic has also created an opportunity for the business, which has been able to expand its reach internationally by working virtually, including with organisations in the US, Ireland and Australia. Although the company still offers in-person sessions too.

鈥淲e have gone through Covid so it鈥檚 about making the most of this life and freeing up time to do things for me," she said.

鈥淚 am a lone parent so running my business online really works for me. I hope this flexible working is here to stay, particularly for women - and women with children, it offers more flexibility.

鈥淚f you can have a business meeting on Zoom and cut out travel, and the carbon emissions that go with that, then why not?鈥�

Ms Hemmings said there have 鈥渄efinitely been barriers鈥� she has faced during her business journey, but the death of George Floyd in the US in 2020 鈥渃hanged a lot of things鈥�.

She explained: 鈥淧eople like to be comfortable and cultural awareness is quite comfortable to deal with, but dealing with specific issues around race is very uncomfortable - and from last year it became a lot easier.鈥�

She believes the 海角视频 needs to do more to educate people about systemic racism, however.

"Until people understand it, then it is difficult for them to see how day-to-day decisions affect ethic minorities," she added. "[Once that is addressed] then the support will be natural. But at the moment, I feel like there is a resistance.鈥�

Know a black-owned business that has a story to tell? Send suggestions to hannah.baker@reachplc.com. You can also sign up to our black-owned business newsletter IAMBOB which covers all the news and views from Britain's black business community.