To mark the start of Black History Month we are shining a spotlight on 10 black-owned start-ups we think you should know about.
Last year, BusinessLive launched its black-owned business campaign to champion black entrepreneurs and highlight their importance to the 海角视频 economy.
Since then we have been featuring businesses from around Britain every month in our #IAMBOB news round-up.
Businesses will play a major part in the country's recovery post-pandemic, but it's not just big corporates that are important, it's start-ups too.
New companies not only innovate and disrupt the market, they create jobs and competition.
So we have decided to take a look at 10 black-owned start-ups we think should be on everyone's radar. In no particular order...
Aaron Wallace
The grooming brand for men was founded by South London barber Aaron Wallace and Lina Gadi in 2017 and launched to the public in 2019. The company sells hair and beard care products made of natural ingredients and is stocked by ASOS, Liberty London, Saks Fifth Avenue and Zalando.
Aaron Wallace has also just launched into 190 Sainsbury’s stores around the 海角视频.
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“We are extremely excited to partner with Sainsbury’s,” said Mr Wallace. “The deal will ensure that, as black men, we no longer need to go out of our way to search for hair and beard care products that work.”
Mr Wallace was inspired to set up his company during his time as a barber, and seeing first-hand the challenges faced by clients when it came to haircare and skincare.
“As a black man, I could personally relate to their frustrations and decided to do something about it,” he said.
He and Ms Gadi spent the next two years working alongside formulation experts and manufacturers to develop and test products that would work to improve afro hair and skin.
“We are a small but very ambitious company with the aim of becoming 海角视频 market leaders within our niche,” he added.
The company has ambitions to add two more major retailers to its list of stockists in the next 12 months.
Afrori Books
Afrori Books is an online bookshop that specialises in black authors.
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Just one year after launching online, Carolynn Bain is now making plans to open a physical shop in Brighton on October 20.
The company launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £10,000 to transform the downstairs space at Lighthouse charity’s building in Kensington Street.
On opening the business last year, Ms Bain said the store’s email and social media account was hit with a flurry of racial abuse.
“There were a lot of people who thought we were wrong,” she said. "However, in the last year we have seen publishers having to do extra print runs because we have promoted a book and it has sold out. The work we do is important and it is making a difference.”
Ms Bain said she set up her company after friends asked her where they could get the books she had on her shelf.
“It was clear that there was a shortage of places where books by black authors could be found and that generally there was a lack of a platform promoting black authors which was contributing to the fact that readers could not find these books," she explained.
Ms Bain is now planning to hire staff for the store.
She added: “The shop will be a safe community place for Brighton and the surrounding area. It is the only bookshop of its kind in the whole of Sussex.”
SoulFood Vendor
Richard Dyer opened his new Caribbean restaurant business in Plymouth in June - but has ambitious plans for branches around the 海角视频.
The licensed diner serves up dishes including jerk chicken, curry goat, handmade steak burgers and vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Mr Dyer, who has created 10 jobs at his new eatery, is already eyeing expanding the brand wider.
“I want to open more of these up and down the country,” the 35-year-old said. ”I’d like to open in Cornwall, particularly on the beaches, and Exeter, Bristol and London. Hopefully this will be the first of many.
“I want to put Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine on the map, a place where everyone can have a taste of paradise.”
Mr Dyer worked with Jade Lavers and Ederveral Ferreira to establish the business as a small diner inside Plymouth Market in February 2020.
Despite months of not being able to trade, the company eventually started operating as a takeaway. It was so successful that the team started work on the next phase of the business’ development - the launch of a full restaurant.
Mmi3nsa
Mmi3nsa (pronounced me - en – sa) was created and launched by Joana Boateng and her daughter Maya Rose in the summer of 2020 with the idea of blending traditional sustainable African crafts with contemporary design.
The company’s first jewellery collection consists of sterling silver and gold-plated pieces incorporating recycled glass beads handmade from Ghana.
“As a new brand, sustainability is at the heart of all our operations and business decisions,” said Ms Boateng.
“Our supply chain is made up of a community of artisans and 海角视频-based suppliers with a philosophy that aligns with ours. We maintain a small inventory so we can track and monitor each part from the supplier to the person assembling the final product.”
Mmi3nsa means “three” in Twi, and was conceived as an idea that allowed Ms Boateng to work creatively and turn her passion into an e-business enterprise, she said.
She is planning to build the brand over the next year and create a community of followers, and pursue additional marketing channels.
“The most important thing is to be in a position to continue to do what we like to do,” she added.
Waldron & Co Financial Planning
Nathan Waldron is a former banker who launched his wealth management company after being made redundant.
The 36-year-old Staffordshire-based entrepreneur has clocked up more than 15 years in the finance industry, firstly working as a banker at Barclays and then as an adviser at financial planning company Prudential.
His company launched in 2021 and offers a full range of financial advice for clients across the 海角视频.
He said: "I had considered setting up on my own in the past but I thought I was a bit too early in my career, but it has always been something I’ve wanted to do.
"Being made redundant obviously forced me to take the leap, but I think it’s a wonderful opportunity and I believe I can definitely do it."
Waldron & Co Financial Planning offers advice on all areas of financial planning including pensions, insurance, estate planning and investments.
He added: "Obviously I want to grow the business and create new jobs, but my main ambition is to educate people and give them a clearer understanding of finance – it’s not just for people who have lots of money.”
Kimeze
The unisex eyewear brand was established in 2021 by sisters Clare and Christina Kimeze after they struggled to find glasses that fitted them.
They said they were “shocked” to discover that most established eyewear brands designed just for caucasian features.
“Although there had been an east Asian fit around since the 1980s nobody manufactured eyewear specifically for black people,” they said.
“What was more shocking, when we later spoke to eyewear professionals and manufacturers, was that they understood there to be a distinct need when compared with the other two groups but had made a conscious decision not to do anything about it."
So the duo decided to do something about it.
“Our range is the world’s first range of opticals and sunglasses for black and brown facial features," they added.
All Kimeze’s products are handmade in Italy, with cutting-edge design and premium materials. Opticals and sunglasses start from £185, rising to £285 for the rhinestone Damba or Nanteza.
Afrolift
The directory of 海角视频 black-owned businesses was started by George Oduro, head of commercial partnerships at NatWest, in November 2020.
Mr Oduro said he was “triggered” to do something after the killing of George Floyd in the US last year.
“I work in a digital team in NatWest, so I was thinking about what I could do to help and progress the success of black businesses,” he explained.
He said he started looking and was wondering why there wasn't a directory of businesses and he began thinking about building something himself.
“Over the next three four months I built something but it took way longer than someone with the expertise as I had to teach myself.
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“The plan is to formally have a consultancy business and I will try to connect corporates with SMEs, such as Natwest, with a pool of companies.”
Mr Oduro said he believes “most companies” want to make a difference.
“I think it's a decent-sized group, but I think there is a much larger group which is worried they can't be perceived to be not doing anything so they are doing things on the face of it.”
He said companies needed to “reach out” to black staff - and listen to their experiences.
“There will be easy wins you can change. Be brave about it. The cost benefit is more favourable if you do take a stand. At the very least you're going to trigger a dialogue and it’s always better if people start talking.”
Little Omo
Little Omo is an educational brand that represents children of colour through its products.
The business was founded in 2020 by fashion stylist and designer Desriee Asomuyide.
She said she was inspired to set up her company after discovering the 海角视频 market for educational flashcards representing children of colour was “non-existent”.
“It was important that my one-year-old son Isaiah, and other children like him, are able to see themselves represented through educational and developmental resources,” she explained.
Ms Asomuyide said the meaning behind the brand name is of “great significance” and tells a story of her culture and Nigerian heritage.
Omo means "child" in the Yoruba language spoken mainly in the South West of Nigeria.
She said: “I have received an abundance of emails and messages from parents and guardians thanking me for creating such an impactful brand.
“Parents of dual-heritage, white, Asian and black children from the 海角视频, America and Australia have contacted me about the importance of my products for their children.
"It’s such an amazing feeling, as a mother and business owner, to know that I am creating products that are helping shape the children of tomorrow.”
There are currently three sets available: The alphabet, numbers and parts of the body, which are stocked with independent retailers in the 海角视频, Europe and Australia.
FANoty
A football app created by former Liverpool barman Dijon Moore during the pandemic has already secured sports legend Gary Lineker as a business partner and brand ambassador.
Mr Moore’s app combines a fantasy football element as well as news updates, quizzes and other interactive activity.
It was created alongside city app design firm Apposing - and has already proved a hit with fans, as well as being embraced by clubs including Sheffield United and Norwich City.
Mr Moore is now in talks with a list of Premier League and Championship outfits over lucrative agreements - and becoming a front and back-of-shirt sponsor for a top club.
"I always knew from the moment I had the idea there was a space in the market for this,” he said.
"All my market research told me fans would love the idea. But getting into a crowded market place and forging a new one is never easy, so I didn’t plan to take over the world in one season.
"I have the ambitious target of one million fans being on the app by the end of next season and am proud to say these projections are still on target."
Black Wall Street London (BWSL)
The Afrocentric exhibition, retail and business development hub was established by Natasha Vigille in 2020.
The company enables black-owned startups and existing businesses to exhibit and sell brands and products in the BWSL Camden store in London.
The organisation also hosts London-based events created to showcase black-owned businesses, spread brand awareness, business knowledge and the message of collaboration.
The organisation currently supports more than 100 active black-owned businesses through exhibition events, a virtual market and online live events.
Ms Vigille, who also owns luxury scented candle company Cornucopia Emporium, said she knew what was needed as a start-up business but was unable to place her products on retail shops and in department stores so she decided to do it herself.
“My passion is to provide accessible and affordable workspace and business trading space to black-owned businesses whilst providing a platform that gains exposure and the opportunity to spread brand awareness," she said.
The entrepreneur said she plans to create employment opportunities and hopes to secure BWSL as a permanent feature on Camden High Street.
Like this story? Why not sign up to get stories like this straight to your inbox. If you are a 海角视频-based black-owned company and have a story to tell, email hannah.baker@reachplc.com and you could feature in our next IAMBOB newsletter.