Inspiring future black business success
Four of the UK's leading black business role models will reveal the secrets of their success at 'The Rise and Rise of the Black British Entrepreneurs' discussion panel and networking reception at The British Library on Monday 15 May.
The panel comprises Tim Campbell, the winner of BBC2's The Apprentice in 2005, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, also known as 'The Black Farmer' with his range of Black Farmer brands of sausages, Charles Ejogo the founder of Umbrolly and Yana Johnson founder of Yana Cosmetics. The discussion will be chaired by radio presenter Dotun Adebayo (Radio Five Live and BBC London).
The black business community forms a vital part of London's economy. Today there are more than 10,000 black-owned private sector businesses in London. Black businesses no longer simply specialise in a few industries, serving niche markets, but cover many mainstream market sectors. Their combined annual turnover exceeds £4.5 billion*, and they provide over 70,000 jobs to London's economy.
In celebration of this success, the British Library is holding a panel discussion with four inspirational black entrepreneurs, allowing audience members the opportunity to learn from their experiences and to be inspired by their example.
The discussion will also focus on the particular challenges facing black businesses - getting access to finance, both private and public, finding suitable and affordable business premises, and finding the right kind of business support.
'The Rise and Rise of the Black British Entrepreneurs' is latest of a hugely successful series of sell-out role model events staged by the British Library's Business & IP Centre.
Isabel Oswell, Head of Business Marketing said: "For anyone who is thinking of starting their own business, the British Library's Business & IP Centre is a must. It's a fantastic, free resource with market research, news, company and financial databases, mailing lists and intellectual property information. A team of information experts are on hand to help users find the information they need and we run free workshops and clinics on a range of relevant topics from how to protect your ideas and designs to how to write a business plan."
David Lammy, Tottenham MP & Minister for Culture, comments: "I am delighted that the British Library is hosting such an important discussion. Black-owned businesses are vital to the capital's economy; this event not only celebrates that fact, but also promises to be a great opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to hear first-hand about how to succeed in the private sector."
'The Rise & Rise of Black British Entrepreneurs' role model discussion panel runs from 6.30pm to 8.00pm on Monday 15 May 2006 at The British Library Conference Centre and is followed by a drinks reception until 9.00pm. Tickets, priced £10 (£7.50 concessions) are limited to 255 and are available by phone +44 (0) 20 7412 7222, email boxoffice@bl.uk or in person at the Information Desk at The British Library.
For further information and images please contact: Ben Sanderson at the British Library Press Office (telephone +44 (0)1937 546126, email: ben.sanderson@bl.uk) or Lawrence Christensen (telephone +44 (0)20 7412 7114, email: lawrence.christensen@bl.uk)
The Rise and Rise of Black British Entrepreneurs Panel
Moderator
Dotun Adebayo, Radio Five Live and BBC London Presenter, will chair the discussion. Dotun currently hosts his own show, Up All Night on national BBC Radio Five Live as well as BBC Radio London. As a child, he appeared on stage and in films. He was Music Editor at the Voice newspaper, has written and presented documentaries for Channel 4, and founded the X Press, which publishes black fiction. He is currently working on his first novel, Promised Land, charting 50 years in the lives of Britain's richest black family.
Panel
Yana Johnson
Yana Johnson is the founder of Yana Cosmetics, delivering solutions that capture the ethnic and European market alike. Prior to launching her own line of cosmetics for women of colour, Yana had a successful career in music. She wrote songs with Shola Ama, Roachford, Massive Attack, and Ritchie Rich. Yana has won a number of awards including, Black Enterprise, European Federation of Black Women Business Owners, Global Women Inventors Innovators Award and Mahogany Brides. She is now focused on expanding her Yana cosmetics brand into new markets.
Tim Campbell
Tim Campbell, 28, of Jamaican origin was born in East London, Plaistow where he still lives with his family. Tim achieved instant celebrity status when he secured a £100,000 a year job with Sir Alan Sugar after winning BBC2's The Apprentice in 2005. No doubt his psychology degree from Middlesex University helped him to win the series. Tim's current role is as Project Director of Integra, a face care system for Amstrad's health and beauty division.
Charles Ejogo
Charles Ejogo is founder of Umbrolly. Charles began his career in the City but it was being made redundant as a 25-year old that spurred him on to set up his own business. The idea for umbrella vending machines came to him while stuck on the London Underground on a rainy day. It took a lot of persistent negotiation to secure the rights to install vending machines at tube stations. Despite failing to close a deal on BBC2's Dragons Den, Charles has secured business angel funding and has ambitious plans for overseas expansion including Continental Europe, the United States and Australia.
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones
Also known as 'The Black Farmer', Wilfred has been a success in various fields. He produced and directed food and drink programmes for BBC TV before founding his own food and drink marketing company, working with brands such as Lloyd Grossman and Kettle Chips. Finally, he realised his ambition of having his own food brand when he bought a farm on the Devon/Cornwall border marketing The Black Farmer range of sausages and sauces. In January 2005, Wilfred set up The Black Farmer Rural Scholarship to give inner-city teenagers a taste of rural life under his personal mentoring.
Notes to Editors
- The British Library - is the national library of the United Kingdom. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. Further information is available on the Library's website at www.bl.uk, which currently records almost 2 million 'hits' or visits per month.
- Access to the British Library's Business & IP Centre is free. Users need a Reader's Pass, for more information visit: www.bl.uk/bipc
- The London Development Agency is the Mayor's agency for business and jobs. The LDA prepares the Mayor's business plan for London and mobilises the support and resources of hundreds of partner organisations to help build a thriving economy for London's people, businesses and communities. The LDA is dedicated to improving sustainability, health and equality of opportunity for Londoners.
- In May 2005, the Centre was awarded a £1 million capital injection by the London Development Agency to help fund its transformation from a successful pilot project to a permanent national resource.The enhanced Business & IP Centre's refit launched on 9 March offers:
- Impartial library information experts trained in the needs of SMEs and entrepreneurs to guide users to the full range of resources
- Workshops and clinics run by British Library and its business partners on subjects including: using intellectual property resources to check if ideas are novel, how to protect your ideas & designs, capitalising on market research resources, financing, marketing and selling skills, and pinpointing customers. Some of these workshops have a specific focus on supporting the needs of women, black and minority ethnic groups, and entrepreneurs with disabilities.
- Business partners supporting the Business & IP Centre include ABi Associates, Business Link for London, Business Plan Services, Camden Business Forum, Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys, Dynamic Asian Women's Network, Everywoman, ideas21, Innovation Central, Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys, London Chamber of Commerce & Industry, oneLondon, Own It, UK Patent Office
- A networking area for SMEs to meet and network with other SMEs, find out about the Library's full range of services and get inspiration from success stories about products and services conceived by other Centre users.
- Wireless internet access (WiFi) so users can connect to the internet and access e-mail from the Centre by using the Library's own pay-as-you-go service
- Large-scale role model events - featuring successful entrepreneurs - to inspire, entertain and guide aspiring entrepreneurs on setting up and running a successful business and for SMEs to network. Previous examples include the sell-out 'Mothers of Invention', the 'Silk Road to Success' Asian Business events and the 'Creative Entrepreneurs' events.
* Source: Redefining London's BME owned businesses, March 2005, LDA
