Short but sweet.
Black History Month is not over yet! Celebrating the businesses and founders who inspire me every single day.
Welcome back to "Moments," where I open up about my journey and experiences in the world of journalism and TV presenting, a first for me, as I've never shared this side of myself before. But with a newfound freedom in my middle age, I’m ready to dive in. This isn’t your typical industry newsletter. Drawing from my years of teaching, training, and mentoring hundreds of people in media and journalism, I’ll be sharing the insights I’ve used to help so many others maintain their mental wellbeing, grow their resilience, and advance their careers. You’ll get my personal take on navigating mid-life as a journalist, maintaining professionalism, and staying relevant in my 50s. I’ll also explore self-care, emotional health, and how I keep my passion for this unpredictable profession alive through it all!
Wow, can you believe there are only 10 weeks left in the year?
Time is flying by!
This week’s newsletter is a bit shorter than usual because I wanted to take a moment to connect with all of you more personally and shine a light on a few incredible people who truly deserve the spotlight before Black History Month comes to an end.
Some of you have mentioned wanting to write a guest post for the newsletter. I’d love to feature some guest contributions in December, so if you're interested, please reach out! Drop me an email or a comment, and I’ll be in touch to discuss it further, and see whether or not your idea works.
We’re approaching a huge milestone - 500 subscribers! 🎉
To celebrate, I’m thinking of doing a fun giveaway. I know 500 might seem small to some of you, but I’m beyond grateful for the community we’re building together. So here’s my question: what would you like to see in the Giveaway Box?!
Something that caught my eye:
Five Businesses That Inspire Me Daily:
When media narratives are far more inclined to share sad and bad news about Black people, for me Black History Month is about reclaiming those narratives and sharing the inspiring stories of people of African & Caribbean heritage in the UK.
Here are companies and their founders who fire me up every day!
About: Co-founded by Keshia East, a beauty influencer and makeup artist, and her sister Fleur East, a singer, presenter, and TV personality (You might have seen her on Strictly)
What they do: The Kurl Kitchen focuses on creating high-quality hair tools designed for textured and curly hair. They offer products that are gentler on curls, providing a kinder alternative to harsher tools. Their Ghanaian heritage is at the heart of the brand, as I discovered at the UK Black Business Show last weekend.
Impact: Keshia and Fleur are empowering women to embrace their natural curls through their innovative tools. By addressing the unique needs of textured hair, they are filling a crucial gap in the hair care market. Their growing influence is raising awareness around the importance of proper care for natural hair.
About: Founded by Jamelia Donaldson, an entrepreneur from Birmingham with a passion for natural hair care and Black beauty.
What they do: Treasure Tresses is a subscription box service that delivers curated hair care products tailored specifically for women with natural hair. Jamelia’s aim is to make high-quality products easily accessible to Black women.
Impact: Jamelia is transforming how Black women access hair care, creating a convenient, thoughtful solution for a market that is often underserved. By spotlighting Black-owned brands, she’s also contributing to the growth and visibility of businesses in the Black hair care industry. Treasure Tresses is helping women celebrate their natural beauty. Jamelia is a force of nature beating 1000+ application to Lloyds Business Banking to win her own TV ad on Channel 4.
About: Founded by Helena and Anthony Adimoha, a married couple from London who are passionate about craft beer and African culture.
What they do: EKO Brewery creates premium beers that blend traditional African ingredients with modern brewing techniques. Their beers celebrate African heritage and offer a unique twist on craft brewing. If you’re ever in Peckham, go visit their taproom. Their beers are yummy! I am still trying to get there, because I invested in their crowd funder earlier this year.
Impact: Helena and Anthony are breaking barriers in the predominantly white, male-dominated craft beer industry. By infusing African flavours and culture into their products, they’re adding diversity to the brewing landscape. Their success, including winning a Be Inclusive Hospitality Award, demonstrates the power of cultural representation and innovation in business.
About: Lorraine Copes, originally from the West Midlands, is a seasoned professional in the hospitality industry with over 20 years of experience working for some of the UK’s top hospitality brands. She founded Be Inclusive Hospitality to champion diversity within the sector. As her friend, I am super-proud of all the awards she’s won these last few years, for shining a much-needed light on Black professionals who people didn’t really know about
What they do: Be Inclusive Hospitality supports and promotes underrepresented businesses and individuals within the hospitality industry through networking, mentoring, and resources.
Impact: Lorraine is addressing the deep-rooted lack of diversity in hospitality by creating a platform that uplifts diverse voices and businesses. Through her work, she’s fostering a more inclusive and equitable hospitality industry, offering vital support for solopreneurs and businesses led by people from marginalised backgrounds.
And last but not least
The group is led by Dean Forbes and his wife, Danielle.
You’ll see Dean all over the media today, because he’s topped the annual 2025 Powerlist of the most influential Black people in Britain. He’s a millionaire. Yep, you read that correctly. A millionaire. His story is extraordinary: an exceptional corporate business man and philanthropist. And a true gent.
Earlier this year I hosted a fireside chat with him in front of a private audience in Kensington, to herald the launch the April 2024 issue of Black Business Magazine, where he was the cover star. Dean was mesmerising. And FFG are doing marvellous things to change narratives and support Black business. Go, FFG!
Do you support any local or grass-roots businesses? The local coffee shop or micropub? Maybe it’s your hairdressers or greengrocers? I’d love to know. Let me know who, where and why you like to shop there!
All inspirational, brilliant.