A Plymouth entrepreneur who set up a completely new fitness experience, underpinned by her commitment to diversity and inclusion, has described how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a “rollercoaster of emotions” as her business finally emerges from lockdown restrictions.

Nadia Millinship, a single parent of two children, founded Club Kombat in 2018. Originally solely based at Revolution in Derry’s Cross, Plymouth, a venue Nadia chose because of its accessibility for people with disabilities, Club Kombat combines kickboxing and mixed martial arts to create a high intensity, unique fitness workout. Each cardio interval – packed full of ‘Kombat’ moves – is followed by a strength training exercise to tone and build the entire body.

Under Nadia’s model, the venue is utilised with groups at different stations around the space, as instructors move through each group to support and coach each exercise safely and efficiently. Whistles are used over the music to alert everyone about the change, and visual cues allow everyone to be able to look and follow the movements. The sessions, which include regular appearances from DJs, have been a real hit.

“I wanted to set up a business where people from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds would be able to take part in a fitness class with a mix of kickboxing and combat moves to give a full body workout,” said Nadia, who has recently completed her Masters’ degree in Entrepreneurship for Creative Practice, specialising in embedded diversity in fitness, at Plymouth College of Art. “I did not want it to be just another fitness class as it was important to me that I broke down barriers to enable people from all backgrounds and situations to be able to benefit from better health and a more positive mindset as part of a wider inclusive community.”

Nadia made steady progress in her first 18 months, hosting fitness classes every Wednesday evening and building her Facebook community, and was even awarded a Diversity Business Incubator Champion Award in January 2020. However, with Covid-19 restrictions in place and the Revolution venue being temporarily closed, she adapted quickly to take her fitness offering online and host her classes from her back garden.

“Such an exceptional event forced me to pivot and make swift decisions to ensure that my offering remained relevant and to keep my business afloat,” Nadia explained. “This meant a change to how I structure my working week and also consider how my children could also feature positively in my content to demonstrate the role of fitness in improving physical and mental health for all the family. Ironically, however, the move online has got me closer to the digital delivery model that I previously had in mind because it enables anyone to access my classes, including those who have no childcare support. I have also had people on my online classes who have been recovering from Covid-19.”

Through this difficult period, Nadia has been supported by YTKO’s GrowSmart programme, a national online learning platform giving SMEs the knowledge, skills and insight to scale up their businesses, teaching practical ways to reach markets and increase sales and profitability, as well as maintaining and improving productivity, equivalent to an intensive two-week course. “This has forced me to focus more and prioritise the activities that will monetise quickly and also be even more entrepreneurial in my approach,” Nadia said. “But you also need to keep calm and carry on at times like this. By believing in yourself you can get through this – remember why you started it in the first place.”

With lockdown restrictions slowly being lifted, Nadia plans to resume her classes at Revolution as well as continuing her online provision. “I would like to see Club Kombat go from strength to strength within this online platform, as well as building my new Nadia K Coaching brand,” she revealed. “My aim is to continue online and create more opportunities for instructors to join my platform, offering more options for people especially those who are underrepresented. I will also be running events in the nightclubs, starting in Plymouth but with a plan to recruit ambassadors in different areas, bringing members of the community together through fitness. I have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and have had to remain positive and resilient with the hope that all my efforts will pay off. But I am feeling excited about what lies ahead.”

Nadia is one of over 22,000 businesses and nearly 31,000 disadvantaged entrepreneurs to have been supported by YTKO over a 14-year period. Analysis of 36 funded programmes across the South West, South East, London, East of England and Midlands, published in March 2021, showed YTKO assisted 30,752 entrepreneurs (including 47% who were previously out of work, 44% in receipt of benefits and 27% with entry-level qualifications), and 22,508 growth-ambitious businesses. It also revealed that 51% of those supported by YTKO were female entrepreneurs and 20% Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicity (BAME), compared to national averages of an estimated 23% and 5% respectively. Overall, YTKO’s performance delivered a ‘conservative’ net impact of £282 million GVA, a £362 million triple bottom line impact and a ROI of £10.70 for every £1 invested.

“We are incredibly proud of achieving such high levels of both improved productivity and job creation, increasing the competitiveness of the UK economy during the longest period of economic uncertainty in the UK,” said YTKO Group CEO Bev Hurley CBE. “It also robustly demonstrates that financial and social exclusion can be overcome, and therefore how we are impacting directly on the levelling up agenda and left-behind places. We have addressed issues around gender diversity and the under-representation of both women and BAME, pioneering a more inclusive economy. For well over a decade, we have supported more women starting and growing businesses than men, in contrast to the national picture. I am so proud that, as an SME ourselves, our teams have delivered such a major impact through our social mission – but we are not stopping here.”

For more information, contact;

http://clubkombat.com/ and https://www.ytko.com/

On the last day of Black History Month 2020, it’s an honour to pay tribute to the extraordinary achievements of Dr Miranda Brawn. Her portfolio career includes Lawyer, Diversity Leader Pioneer, Board Advisor, Finance, Technology and Regulatory Expert, Success Coach, Mentor, Media Contributor, Author, Executive Producer and as well as International Motivational Speaker. She is the Founder and CEO of The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation which is a leading award-winning charity empowering thousands of young lives.

Dr Miranda Brawn has come to exemplify the best of Black British attainment. So to conclude Black History Month, we present an interview celebrating Dr Brawn’s significant contribution and dedication to improving the lives of others. 

Dr Miranda Brawn, you have an impressive career and have won many accolades. You have worked as a board advisor and senior executive in high flying jobs in banking, finance and law where you have negotiated deals worth trillions of dollars over the years. What is it like working in those environments when there were few women and even fewer women of colour at that level?

Making History While Learning the Ropes

I started my banking and finance career as a teenager and initially I never looked at my age, gender or even race as a factor. In fact, I did not realise at the time that I was making history when I initially joined banking as the youngest and one of the first women of colour on the trading floor. The reality is that I just wanted to learn the ropes very quickly and perform my role well. 

Banking especially when I was working in operations and on the trading floor as a sales trader had numerous moments of constant laughter and banter. There were many days when I loved going to work as it suited my personality. I had always loved networking and making new friends during my full-time studies. Hence, I have ended up making some great friends across many industries not just within finance over the years. 

I have had the pleasure to work with some of the smartest and funniest people. That said, there have also been some very interesting challenges along the way which were dealt with successfully. However, I am pleased to say that I have also had some great bosses who have been very supportive of my career and are good friends of mine to this day! 

The legal industry has a more serious tone and my roles as a senior banking lawyer differed greatly in comparison to my earlier roles. After a few years in the industry, it became apparent to me that there were diversity and inclusion gaps in the workplace including banking, finance and law at all levels, especially at the senior levels. 

Making Diversity more than a 2020 Moment!

I wanted to play my part to help address the issue with solutions and actions rather than talking about the problem. Gender diversity has improved over the years including at senior levels. Race still has a long way to go. In fact, according to the Spencer Stuart Index Report, race diversity is nearly 20 years behind gender! This led to my work in diversity for over 20 years to the current day. I wanted to play my part to eliminate the gaps for all diversity strands including race and gender. 

My recent advisory work during 2020 includes working with top global organisations, universities, schools, the Cabinet Office and 10 Downing Street as well as sharing my business and diversity views with the BBC, Bloomberg, Brummell Magazine and other media platforms. 

Diversity, equity and inclusion has to start from the top and be represented throughout the industry and organisations. Not just at the graduate level roles. The challenge is to ensure that diversity is not just a trend! We need to make this a movement leading to real change and not just a 2020 moment.  

Your desire to give back led to motivational speaking, becoming an author and success coach. Interesting quotes describe you as the ‘ female version of Toby Robbins and Les Brown’ and ‘one of the best women of colour speakers on the planet’. What recognition. It speaks of your ability to inspire and touch lives?

I am very blessed to get invited to talk across the world to inspire and motivate audiences at some of the best universities and organisations. This is also with top global leaders and speakers. For example, I shared the same platform with the best global motivational speakers such as Les Brown and Jack Canfield, recently in Los Angeles during Summer 2020. 

My portfolio career roles have organically grown. Many wanted to hear my story to help inspire them and their children. Due to public demand, I have also penned my story and key success tips in my first published book, due in 2021. This will enable my message to have further global reach. There will be great insights and surprises in there! 

In my international talks, I teach the audience to dare to make their dreams come true following my 20 years plus studies, on the laws of success. It includes recent wealth talks on how to inspire current and next generations through smart investing and making savvy financial decisions to have the option to retire early. My life purpose is “to educate, inspire and empower people to live their full potential while helping to eliminate the diversity, inclusion, equity and equality gaps.” I just love to help, inspire and touch lives for the better through my success coaching and mentoring work too. It is greatly rewarding.

You have made an impact as a fashion diversity advisor and brand ambassador to various fashion brands. How did you instigate changes and come to design the dress that carries your name, ‘The Miranda Dress?’ 

My diversity, equity and inclusion work spans across all industries including fashion and technology. I have worked with some of the world-renowned companies such as Jimmy Choo, Dior, Piaget and female brands like The Fold London, FashTech Company, Flair Atelier and more recently Libby London. I am their newest woman of influence brand ambassador. In fact, I wanted to be a fashion journalist for a short period of time when I was at school. Fashion has always been a passion of mine. 

Sharing a Passion for Fashion with Vogue Editor Edward Enninful

I like to instigate changes in all industries by using my voice and providing advice on how to take action to make real change. I am the diversity advisor for Flair Atelier and loved the experience of using their personal tailoring service to design my own dress called “The Miranda Dress”. This is a fantastic brand which uses the best Italian fabrics similar to designer Valentino. 

I can recall meeting Edward Enninful OBE, the Editor of British Vogue, a few years ago at 10 Downing Street during an International Women’s Day reception. Edward and I had follow-up meetings at the British Vogue Headquarters in Mayfair to discuss our shared passion and actions to diversify the fashion industry. I truly believe that together we can change the world and create change!  In fact, in 2019 The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation launched a creative (fashion) scholarship to play our part to help eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion gaps in the fashion industry.

Founding the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation has brought together all your talents, experience and mission to improve inequality in UK. You have initiated a diversity scholarship and work in education. What does the scholarship programme entail? 

The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation was launched in January 2016. It is a multi-award-winning Charity focused on education, self-confidence building, career development and networking opportunities to uncover diverse talent with the potential for leadership success in the workplace. 

Our annual diversity leadership scholarship programme has led the way in terms of innovative scholarships to include funding, mentoring and work experience for future diversity leaders. There is a separate mentoring programme, diversity leadership lecture events, talks and access to diverse talent. We also design and deliver innovative educational, diversity leadership programmes and skills-building workshops to empower young people across the board. 

We cater for young people from all ethnicities and diverse backgrounds taking their first step towards their chosen career. There are many ways to support our work. A few examples include volunteering https://www.tmbdlf.com/volunteer and/or making a cash donation https://www.tmbdlf.com/how-you-can-donate via our website www.tmbdlf.com. 

The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation has teamed up with international law firm, Hogan Lovells for your 5th Diversity Leadership Annual Lecture on inclusion and Black Lives Matter. What are the messages you wanted the audience to receive?

The fifth Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Annual Lecture event was kindly hosted and sponsored by Hogan Lovells in 2020. This year was our first global and virtual lecture called “Black Lives Matter: Drive Change Through Everyday Inclusion.” In fact, it was also our biggest and best to date! The lecture was open to everyone wanting to learn how to make a difference with racial equity and overall inclusion. We always aim to educate, empower and inspire. The Power of Inclusion is key to the workplace today. Inclusive workplaces are more productive, commercially successful and have a happier and more engaged workforce.

‘Each One Reach One and Teach One’

It was a pleasure to celebrate our fifth anniversary on 1st October 2020 with National Inclusion Week and the first day of UK Black History Month and Global Diversity Awareness Month with our audience. 

Yet, I had pointed out for numerous years that every day should be a celebration of the contributions of Black people to society and inclusion in all its form. This year’s theme for National Inclusion Week was Each One, Reach One and I added Teach One as education plays a key role in our Charity’s work. It is about individuals and organisations connecting with either someone else, or another organisation, to help understand the opportunity of inclusion and connecting. 

First, I explained the differences between diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity and equality. Then I discussed where we are with the Black Lives Matter movement for racial equity in and out of the workplace. This included the impact of COVID-19 on the BAME communities and the fact that the term “BAME” needs to be changed. The lecture was closed by sharing how each of us can help to move the needle with everyday inclusion from an organisational and individual perspective. 

The lecture event also included top leaders, a panel discussion by Hogan Lovells and announcement of our scholarship winners who shared their experiences with us. The recorded diversity leadership lecture can be viewed via The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation’s recently launched You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56x5J_9j4Ds&t=17s

We have awarded nearly two hundred scholarships for 2020/21 to help support our diverse future leaders especially those who have been affected by COVID-19. 

Out of the many awards you have won and the power lists in which you have been featured. Which of these stand out for you?

All of my awards and power list placements are important to me as a special recognition and reward of my hard work. I would say, the last major award was “Woman of the Year 2019” at Europe’s largest finance and diversity awards called ‘Women in Finance Awards.’ 

I was also part of the twelve impactful women personally chosen for the “Celebrating Women in the City” photography exhibition by Hannah Starkley. This was for International Women’s Day 2020 at the Guildhall Art Gallery. My photograph will be a permanent fixture for many centuries to come at the gallery in the heart of the City of London. This was important to me as a proud mixed-race lady to have the privilege to represent the fastest growing ethnic group in the UK. 

Finally, as an exclusive, I am listed in the Top 10 Inspirational Women 2020 for a special publication’s anniversary which will be revealed late November 2020. This will be a wonderful honour, to have been selected for the amazing power list celebrating ten highly inspirational women from the past decade.

Who were the leaders who encouraged you to dream big when you were young?

My parents and world-famous boxing heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali. His famous quote “If Your Dreams Don’t Scare You They Aren’t Big Enough” says it all!

You have accomplished so much at a young age. Do you still have goals on the horizon?

I feel like I am just getting started. 2020 has been a great year for me. I cannot wait for the 2021 magic to commence! Watch this space for a special innovative project which will be launched in H1 2021, my book launch in H2 2021 and follow me on social media for so much more on the horizon.  

For more about Dr Miranda K. Brawn Esq visit: 

Website: www.mirandabrawn.com

Twitter: @brawnm

Instagram: @MKB_Global 

Email: [email protected]

For more about The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation visit: 

Website: www.tmbdlf.com

Twitter: @MBDiversityLead

Instagram: @tmbdlfoundation 

Email: [email protected]

African Town, the brain child of Chief Uzo Owunne, Chairman of the International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) started in July 2019 as a concept pitched at the 7th African Ambassadors and Diaspora Interactive Forum (AAIF) by Mark Higham and Yemisi Mokulo, seasoned gurus in translating ideas into reality.

What started as a mere idea has now become a reality when the team of five representing the project, were invited to the London Mayor’s office to pitch their concept to the Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal. Mr Rajesh Agrawal said with excitement, “this is what London needs post Brexit! Something that will link UK with Africa! There is nothing of the sort and it’s been long overdue!”

The African Town promotion team were, on the spot, offered two locations in London. One has already been looked at but dismissed for not being suitable for an African Town. The team, consisting of  Richmond MacGrey, Chief Uzo Uwunne, Mark Higham, Antony Laurent, Mercy Francis (pictured above) are still exploring and are in conversation with the London Development Team.

They have also become partners of the Mayor’s Initiative for London Towns and Businesses and were invited to the Mayors Ball, held at City Hall on the 17th December 2019. This was a warm reception with steel band, drinks and canapés and a great opportunity to network.

The team have been meeting with potential investors and engaging with similar projects to the African Town. One is the Enyimba Economic Town in Nigeria based in Abia State.  The team met with a representative from the Enyimba Economic City project to discuss a possible nexus with the African Town Project and share synergy. The Enyimba project is a special economic zone in Nigeria developed mainly for export. The intention is that the Enyimba project will become the preferred investment destination in Nigeria.

The African Town team took on Deputy Mayor Rajesh Agrawal’s suggestion to promote their idea at the forthcoming African Investment Summit In January 2020. This was after the realisation of Brexit on the 31st of January 2020. The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called a gathering of African leaders to promote trade links post Brexit.

The African summit brought together 21 African leaders who met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The Heads of State included President Sisi of Egypt, President Kenyatta of Kenya, President Buhari of Nigeria , President Akufo-Addo of Ghana and President Kagame of Rwanda. They were present at the Summit to discuss and sign deals worth billions. The African Investment Summit was a clear attempt at Britain wooing African countries post Brexit to widen and secure trading opportunities.

For the African Town team, the summit chimed with their vision of an African Town in London that offered direct links and supply chains from Africa to London.

‘Britain trading on a big scale with Africa, the same way it trades with Asia’, was Chief Uzu’s dream. He envisioned a place where African restaurants offer the best of African cuisine, much like China Town in the heart of London.Yet Chief Uzu’s vision is bigger.  He wants to replicate the American version of an African Town in London that is tailored to Africans living in UK. A place to showcase British African culture to visitors and residents alike.

The African Town team also connected with the team from Pumela, the South African brand at the IMO event which took place before Christmas 2019. They attended a Technology & Innovation pitching and networking event hosted by the Leader in Innovation Fellowship Programme. The Leader in Innovation Fellowship Programme (LIF) brings together emerging leaders in the global innovation community, providing access to high-quality skills training focused on commercialisation, peers networking opportunities in UK and around the world and growth experiences with immediate and long term benefits for their innovations.

The African Town Project, shared with the South Africans a masterclass on pitching headed by Mark Higham in which the best ideas won airtime at Colourful Radio in London.This has opened up a channel to work with Africa Town Project.

The African Town project seeks to engage with all levels of interested parties from businesses, educational organisations, governments and institutions wishing to bridge the gap between Africa and UK. It proposes to form partnerships with as many people and communities to help build a lasting legacy for African people living in the diaspora. The dialogue has just begun. We hope many more join the conversation.

By Mbeke Waseme

Pegasus Opera Company (POC) was established by Lloyd Newton in 1992. He was a Jamaican opera singer who found it difficult to secure work in the UK.  The company’s strap line is Harmony in Diversity. They are based in Brixton and were created to represent the diversity of London and of course, to provide opportunities for opera singers from the BAME community.

Pegasus has shown that diversity is positive and possible for over 25 years.  POC has flagship status by Signup, the Government’s Music Manifesto National Singing Programme produced by Youth Music. Pegasus is one of six organisations that train singers to work with primary school teachers in London.  They also collaborate with the London Youth Orchestra.

I have had an on-going battle with opera. I recall being taken to the opera in London as a high school student and immediately falling asleep. I love music and theatre. I often went to see plays on my own as a teenager but the opera and I did not get along. The performers, music, and styles did not connect with me. When I booked my ticket for Pegasus Opera Company, I was making another attempt to connect with this genre of music at a Lambeth Council Black History event.

On entering Brixton library, I found a room filled to capacity and dominated by mature black men, women, young people and families.  As I sat listening, watching and feeling the performances of familiar songs from, Paul Robeson and Willard White and hearing new local numbers from Barbados alongside Yoruba classical music, I realised I had been converted and loved what I was experiencing!  The drama, performance, and pureness of these voices sent my spirits dancing and celebrating.  My conversion had taken place with ease.

In 1986, the founder, Lloyd Newton and his successor, Alison Buchanon were both in the highly successful production of Porgy and Bess, produced by the prestigious and elite Glyndebourne Festival Opera in Sussex. This was repeated in 1992 at the Royal Opera House in London.  Despite the success of the productions, the doors for most Black Opera singers remained closed. So Pegasus Opera Company was born to address the imbalance. Of course, there were exceptions that offered opportunities, such as The English Touring Opera Company, ran by James Conway who always embraced diversity. The English Touring Opera Company is one of the few opera companies that collaborated with Lloyd.

In 1996, POC received charitable status.  Alison was on the board by this time as the Assistant Artistic Director.  Sadly, Lloyd died in 2016 from cancer and in answer to the request in his will, Alison took over to continue his legacy and vision.

As a student, Alison was discovered at the age of 13.  At 16, she won opera singing competitions as well as excelling in her studies.  On requesting to perform a piece by Richard Strauss, the German composer, her singing teacher told her that she could not perform that piece, as there were no known black people in the courts of Germany where it is set.

Many white teachers, have the view that ‘black people have no place in opera unless they are playing the roles of devils or maids’.  Alison heard these views many times throughout her career.  Fortunately, through Pegasus, she has been able to play a wide range of roles and acknowledges that all stories are human dealing with love, families, happiness, betrayal, etc.  One of the most prominent international African American opera singers, Leontyne Price performed Morgan by R Strauss at the White House. She, alongside Jesse Norman who passed away in October 2019 and Willard White, all serve as fabulous role models for Alison.  Alison lives between the UK and the US and continues to work and provide opportunities for BAME opera singers.

Alison has had many high points in her career. She won big competitions at The Guildhall School of Music and studied at the elite Curtis Institute of Music in London.  More financial investment for diverse groups like Pegasus now exist which is positive and has resulted in more people experiencing opera with diverse castes, making it an accessible music genre.

POC performed at a gala at Bloomsbury Theatre in honour of Stephen Lawrence.  POC has given four performances at Sadler’s Wells Theatre of Koanga by Frederick Delius, to mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade where it attracted a forty-five percent BAME audience.  They will continue to champion the works of Black composers and explore new commissions in 2020 that may include an opera on the Windrush story and the Brixton uprisings.

In the UK, opera is presented as a predominantly white art experience. However, as I looked around the room at Brixton library, the black and brown faces were all fully engaged and as thrilled as I was at viewing this experience.  Alison’s parents are from Jamaica and Barbados, like Jamaican singer Willard White many Caribbean children grew up with pianos at home or had access to them. Trinidad has produced many opera singers and artists like Courtney Pine and Dean Fraser who were both classically trained.

Pegasus continues to do work in schools and to have a weekly choir that meets at Brixton library every Monday.   It is a community choir, open to anyone and a great opportunity to meet new people and promote health and well-being.

What are your plans for the evening of December 18th? The Pegasus Opera Company is staging a special show on on that date at Lambeth Town Hall (see above).  For more information about the show and Pegasus Opera Company see link  https://bit.ly/2X1gEm3

B

By Mercy Francis

It was a breath taking fashion show from Kwame Koranteng, the Ghanaian born designer, showing his latest collection, appropriately in time for the holiday season, entitled the Savannah collection. The show took place at the prestigious Tiger restaurant in the heart of London’s West End.

Kwame is an award-winning fashion legend in his own right enjoying his inaugural 7th anniversary show. Alfie Carreira (pictured below), the headlining top model and singer, took the runway by storm followed by models in brilliant tailored couture garments in an Afro-Western fusion style.

Kwame did not spare when it came to quality of the garments and high production values: It was all top class.
With A-listers on stage and off stage such as the former Miss Ghana 2018, Miss Akua Ohenewaa , modelling the Savannah collection and Singer Adelaide Mackenzie, who sang with Amy Winehouse and gave a tearfully moving performance. Rapper MorDan and Boy Nash provided high energy dance and entertainment.

The staging of the runway was mesmerising; thanks to masterful fashion choreography. At the interval, guests were treated to culinary delights and nibbles while networking with the amazing people present including the international model Aramatou Toure (winner of Top Model Season 9) and TV presenter Ashley Conrad of Video Blog and Shedzi of Yanga TV.

Karen Jones did not start her adult life with the same positive outlook. Her story resembles that of many women, particularly Mums going through the unhelpful process of yo-yo dieting after having children. Her inspiration to do something about it and then motivate others has moved many. In this extract she reaches out to more women by recapturing the main turning points in her life, starting with the joyful choice of her business name.

Happy You Happy Body came about because it’s the name of my book. I thought it would be the perfect umbrella name to cover my fitness, public speaking, talks and book.

I knew the ‘Happy You’ had to come before the ‘Happy Body’ as many people think that happiness is an outside job. They think they will be happy once they get something outside of themselves ie, the perfect body or weight. That’s not how happiness works. It’s an inside job. You choose to be happy from the inside out then it makes the getting fit and being a healthy weight much easier and happier experience. I know this to be true because I tried hating myself into change. That’s when it’s not so pleasant. It doesn’t work long term.

The Positive Light of Social Media

It’s freedom for me to post about positive things. I seem to get sent from wherever: Either from feeds or social media platforms. I might go to Google to choose an inspirational or motivational thought, type it in and see what comes up. I know if it lifts me, it’s sure to lift someone else. It motivates and inspires me to motivate and inspire someone else, it’s a two way street. I see social media in a positive light. I use it that way and that’s what comes back to me. I scroll passed the negative stuff. I know it’s there but it’s not for me. I don’t judge what others do. They do what’s right for them, I do what’s right for me. I do raise a lot of awareness on bullying and narcissistic abuse. I was once in a relationship. I stayed far longer than I should have, not knowing I was in an abusive relationship. Until I was in way too deep, scared to leave. Not knowing that my abuser had a personality disorder. It’s really important to raise awareness and let people know the signs to look out for. Even then, I do it in a positive light.

Uniqueness makes us Beautiful

Learn to love the skin you’re in. Aim for healthy over perfect weight. There’s no such thing as a perfect body, only a perfect body for you. Never measure yourself by anybody else’s body. You’re beautiful like you, they are beautiful like them. Our own uniqueness makes us beautiful. When we learn to love what we have been given and accept and love ourselves as we uniquely are, then the changes will come from a place of love than from a place of hating ourselves into change.

As far as the internet and magazines, most of it is fake. You have to see it for what it is. It can only put you under pressure, if you allow it. Learn to take from it what you want and navigate and educate yourself as to what’s right for you. Ask yourself lots of questions. Is what I’m reading or looking at nourishing my mind? Making me feel good or not? Learn to tune in or out of what is or what is not. We need to celebrate our bodies, cherish & look after them.

A Mission to Empower Mothers

I’m passionate about helping women and empowering them with exercise & healthy eating. I lean towards helping Mothers the most because I know exactly how it felt to be a young mum heavily overweight and how I lost that weight unhealthily. The thing is, if I can help the Mums, then the Mums can help the children. It will filter down. Mums lead by example. They can show their children how to be healthily. Men matter too. If women and men can be happy with their bodies, the world would be a much happier, better place. Better relationships with ourselves and with others. A world of happy, healthy bodies.

Spreading the Love through Fitness

My motivation to write my book was therapeutic. I wanted to help others with my knowledge. I love helping people. I’ve transformed my life with fitness by looking after, loving and taking care of my body. It has got me to where I am today – an awesome career doing what I love. It gave me the strength to get out of a toxic and unhappy relationship.

I use my voice to now spread the fitness word. I went on a book writing course which helped me to understand what I was doing which made the whole process easy. I wrote my book in around 12 weeks. I scheduled it in and made it happen. The same as running a marathon or training for a bikini fitness contest. If you schedule things in you make them happen.

Powerful Manifestations

I would love to appear on TV. That would be amazing. I love radio I love all platforms. I have been interviewed on a few podcasts now, they are really cool. I know I will go on TV. It’s just a matter of time, ha ha, power of manifestation.

I wish I knew the power of loving myself sooner. Being kinder to myself. Mistakes are to be learnt from. Be proud of who I am.

Happy Business Rewards

I came runner up for the second year running for a Women’s Champion Award for Kent Women in Business. I also came runner up for the second year running as a Health & Wellness Champion for the Kent Health & Beauty awards. It’s AMAZING, I really do feel like a champion. I never saw these coming. For me, I went from a stay-at-home Mum to a working Mum, rebuilding my life and career from the ground up. I have created a life that I love by helping others. How awesome is that!

For more about ‘Happy You Happy Body’ view: http://www.happyyouhappybody.co.uk/

She builds brands: That’s how Kubi Springer was introduced every time she took part in a speaking engagement. She became so successful that the three words stuck, cementing her reputation as one of the top brand developers in the world. Kubi has taken on the mission of championing women into top marketing positions, ensuring that their global purchasing power at 85% of all consumer spending, is properly reflected at the most senior levels. In this excerpt, Kubi outlines her vision to empower women, the importance of branding and how she successfully built an international reputation using those three words.

It all Begins with Consciousness

It is important for all businesses to consciously create their brand. This is because branding is more than logos and creative images, branding is a business driver. It is the vehicle that entices an organisation’s desired audience to buy-into their company and therefore both small and large businesses need it.

The process to building a commercially successful brand is multilayered, but here are some elements to consider:

1. People do not buy from their heads, they buy from their hearts. Therefore businesses should always develop their brands from a place of connecting to audiences’ emotions. Ultimately, a brand is an emotional connection with your target audience. Ask yourself; how will your audience feel when they encounter with your brand? How will they feel when they use your products or services? L’Oreal understand this well, which is why they do not sell product benefits they sell emotions by reminding women that their products will make them feel ‘worth it’.
2. What is your brand mission? Businesses need to ask, what is the purpose (or mission) for their brand. Understanding this will help inform every other aspect of brand development and brand marketing activities. For example; Facebook’s mission was to connect the world. Today one in three people who are on the internet, in the world, are on Facebook…mission accomplished.
3. What is your brand promise? The promise is what your customers or clients are paying for; for example; Nike promises its customers that they will feel like a Number 1 Sports Athletics Person when they wear their products, which is why every time I want to lose weight I buy Nike. Whereas, Adidas promises the cool factor. Both are selling trainers, but they have two very different promises.

When businesses do not define their brand, often their brand messages and marketing activities leave their market place confused and unclear, which results in lack of trust and no or limited sales.

Differentiating the Pull from the Push

Branding is the pull – it is the reason people come to you. Marketing is the push – it is the messages that you put out there. I often refer to branding like dating; when a brand is done well its desired audience feels a pull towards it, without even understanding why they like it so much, often, they just do.  But most start-ups mix up branding with marketing. They think it’s the same thing and then they spend their time marketing (i.e pushing out messages) without first creating their brand. They have not defined their brand essence, brand promise, brand mission, brand values….as a result, the brand marketing messages are all over the place.

In addition to the above, the other mistake is that they do not attach metrics and clear key performance indicators (KPIs) to their brand marketing activities. They fail to identify their brand marketing objectives; failing to ask the questions; should these activities be generating new leads, securing sales, creating repeat business, enhancing brand awareness? Is it to propel your digital footprint, change perception or attract new talent? If the answer is yes to any of the above, the next question is how will you measure the success? Most start-ups businesses do not think about this and thus do brand marketing activities in a vacuum forgetting that their brand is a vehicle to achieve business success.

Connecting with Female Consumers

The motivation behind SheBuildsBrands is to put the ‘SHE’ into brand marketing. 86.5% of all senior marketing positions are held by men (Source: Marketing Week), which is where we come in. We have over 50,000 women within our marketplace across the SheBuildsBrands member’s hub, social media followers and show listeners; collaboratively as a community we understand our trends, developments, needs and nuances as women. We are her, and she is us. We understand her pains and we speak her language. We help disruptive thinkers connect with female consumers….and believe us when we say dressing it in pink, won’t be enough! So the motivation was, and still is, to ensure her voice is heard, her money is not wasted and her purchasing power is not taken for granted. We are her, and she is us. And together we help businesses and women maximise their investment.

The figures are from a number of sources including the World Economic Forum and Yankelovich Monitor & Greenfield Online. The ‘Women Account for 85% of All Consumer Purchases’ statistics is based on the American market, however the Women Control over $20 trillion in Worldwide Spending’ is sourced from Muhtar Kent, Chairman of the Board and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company, October 2010 and is a global statistic.

Learning off other People’s Money

I would advise a young woman starting out to gain as much experience as possible. To learn off others people’s money. ‘Entrepreneurship’ is such a buzz word but how can you run a business if you have no understanding of the business? My advice would always be to work for established and reputable brands to gain as much experience as possible and to secure contacts. People often understand the importance of good contacts, but I like the saying – show me your network and I will show you, your net worth. Who you know will aid or hinder your professional and thus personal brand success.

SheBuildsBrands was a very organic process, I started working twenty-one years ago, in brand marketing, as an intern, my career then moved to being a freelancer, then a contractor, followed by consulting. By 2009 I simply had too many clients and had to build a core team, as it grew we naturally turned into an agency. Even the name She Builds Brands came about in a very organic way; as a consultant, I would be introduced at speaking engagements as ‘Meet Kubi Springer, She Builds Brands’. After a while my name become synonymous with those three words.

In the Company of Super Brands

I have had the privilege of working with some amazing brands from Nike, to L’Oreal, Blackberry to MTV, but one of my favourites was our most recent     campaign with Rolls Royce Motor Cars London. We did a partnership deal with them to create their London Fashion Week Campaign and Party. As part of the showcasing of some of their cars we had ‘live’ models photo-shoot during the event, with high-end models and Vogue photographers shooting the cars, whist party on-goers watched the shoot whilst dancing and having fun. It was a brilliant brand-activation project and as such attracted a huge amount of celebrity attendees and press coverage.

I think Steve Jobs, Victoria Beckham and Diddy are phenomenal brand marketers. They understand the power of branding and how to truly commercials brands. For me they, plus Carolyn Everson VP, Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook would be my brand icons.

Having it all as a Mother, Wife and Boss

So far my proudest achievements are; working in New York at Puff Daddy’s marketing agency, Blue Flame. Whilst there, as a young 20 year old, I learned first-hand the power of ‘I don’t think outside of the box, because there is no box’. The idea that there are no limits, unless I place them, set me free to see only the possibilities that a global career could give me.

The second was working in Malaysia with Female Founders, helping them launch their brands into the UK and USA market. This experience taught me just how similar we are as women globally. Whilst we may be culturally different, we really do experience the same challenges pertaining to starting and launching business. It was through working within these emerging markets that I saw just how powerful female consumers are and how, if brands understand how to effectively connect with them, they could be onto a real commercial winner.

Lastly, the ability to juggle being a mother (to a five year old), a wife and a boss. I have always wanted to be an example for the next generation of women that we don’t need to choose. We can have it all, whatever our all is. It’s ours for the taking. It’s not easy doing the juggle, but it can be done.

For more on Kubi Springer view: www.SheBuildsBrands.com

My show is aired weekly on Tuesday and Wednesdays on Colourful Radio, it is a magazine and chat show and is broken down into two sections.

The first hour is taken up with articles from magazines and newspapers, it is light-hearted but relevant to what is happening in the community. I usually start the first 15 minutes with what I call my morning rant. I speak about anything that happens – if there was a bad connection on public transport, if passengers were arguing, things of interest to my listeners. The other three quarters is taken up with news.

In the 2nd hour, I focus on interviews with people making waves in the community or in industry.

The Largest Urban Radio Station in UK

The show is well listened to in the whole of the UK, Europe, USA, the Caribbean, Africa and beyond. We are the largest urban radio station in the UK and have won multiple awards for our shows and our fantastic range of music of course.

The people who contact the show are those who mainly run their own businesses or work from home. I suppose because they are busy it is easier for them to send a text message which is their main mode of contacting me while on air.

I receive my most amusing feedback when I am talking about relationships. I get comments from people who disagree with me, but as a whole I don’t make my show controversial as I don’t like the repercussions. I hate having an argument over the phone with people.

So for this reason I suppose I don’t have angry, ranting listeners, my listeners normally comment on the great work my guests are doing.

On Air with Destiny’s Child and Levi Roots

Over the years, there have been quite a few stand out interviews including Barack Obama’s Social Secretary, my interview with Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child not to mention Levi Roots.

But most recently interviewed a young man called Paul McKenzie. As a young teenager, he was expelled from school, went to prison and received a short sharp shock. However, there was a Prison Officer who paid special attention to him. He could see that prison life was not for Paul and as a result, helped to reform him.

Paul now goes into schools to inspire young children and help older ones keep off the streets, out of gun crime, out of drugs and ultimately out of prison. I had floods of people contacting me, wanting to give him support. It was amazing.

I would love to interview Michelle Obama, Martin Luther King Jr and of course, the Queen of talk shows herself, the lovely Oprah Winfrey. It’s my dream and I am sure one of these days I will surprise you all.

The Big Plan for Life

Believe it or not, being a radio host was not part of my big plan for my life, a few years ago I was a guest on the show with another presenter, the executive producers loved my personality and when the opportunity came up they requested that I become a host.

Needless to say I was shocked but took the challenge anyway. Only to find that this is what I was made for. Would I turn back the clock and not do this? Certainly not, I thoroughly enjoy it and since then I have taken a Radio Presenting course and now I am off to train to become a qualified journalist.

Opening an Affordable Nursery

I have had the pleasure of working for myself and running my own business for almost 15 years. After having twins and knowing how expensive it is to cover child care and not really getting a good service, I vowed that one day I would open my own nursery and show people how it is done.

I didn’t want to concentrate on the financial aspect and from my personal experience I found that because I had twins, people saw twice the money. This grieved me and my vow was to open an affordable nursery. It wasn’t till some years later when my children started going to secondary school did I achieve this.

My Unique Selling Point

We are different because of me. Sonia Poleon is the unique selling point. Most parents who come through our doors go on to tell other parents and some have had two or three children come through our doors.

We thrive on being friendly and welcoming, this is something that a lot of parents comment on when they first visit us. Our core staff have been with us over 10 years. Even the big chain nurseries do not have the atmosphere that both my staff and I have created.

We also cater to our community. The majority of our children are from African and Caribbean communities so we provide food they are familiar with, not forgetting their daily fruit and veg. All our food is cooked from fresh products daily.

In this day and age, childcare is really expensive but of course we need to operate at high standards but this does not mean we should falter on value. We understand that some parents struggle financially but they still need to work be-cause they have responsibilities. For this reason, we don’t increase fees for the duration of time the child is with us.

It all started in Housing

I have almost 20 years’ experience in the Housing Sector, actually my first degree was in housing. It’s a really great industry that I loved to bits. There are so many different aspects to housing. If you exhaust one there are plenty of other areas to choose from. I have worked as a Housing Officer, Lettings Officer, Arrears Officer, Voids Officer, Visiting Officer and Investigations Officer.

One of the most exciting positions was being a housing investigation officer. There was never a dull day and it is amazing what lengths people go through in order to obtain a property by deception.

Being Held Hostage by Tenants!

I have had a few bad experiences in housing. I remember once I was locked up in a property by tenants and they wouldn’t let me out. On another occasion I was held hostage in an office by a tenant that had just spent 15 years in prison for a murder.

I was extremely passionate about working for myself so I left social housing to start a Lettings Agency. With all the skills I had obtained over the years I decided to run my own business. I didn’t have any marketing skills so it proved difficult to build up the business.

I started with family and friends managing their rented properties but I noticed that it was only when they were in difficulties with bad tenants that they wanted my help. I found myself managing only difficult tenants and this is not what I wanted. Constantly going to court became stressful and I gave it up.

I then decided I should work with children and that’s when I opened my nursery.

Walking into the Coaching Business by Way of a Shoe Shop

But it didn’t stop there. I remember I was invited to speak at an event. I went early and sat with another speaker who went round the room asking everyone what kind of business they were going to start. I soon realised they were all starting businesses and I didn’t want to seem as though I was showing off, so I said I was going to start a “shoe shop”. After the seminar lots of people came up to me ask for my details.

I was shocked and realised I didn’t want to keep a lie so I took the task at hand and went on to open my beautiful shoe shop. Since then I found myself being invited to speak at different events. Women kept asking for business support which lead me to start a coaching business.

Achieving International Recognition

Now I find myself being a business coach. I am currently coaching 15 people who are all in the Anthology called Blind Spot, What The Eyes Didn’t See. I am an international best-selling author, my books sold in five different countries, I am also an award winning business woman.

My books have received recognition from USA where I was interviewed on TV in three different states, I have also been interviewed on TV in Jamaica. All this led me to find my latest passion which is being a TV Presenter. I now have my own show on TV in Jamaica called Visibility with Sonia Poleon.

Right now my focus is to go back to college and obtain my Journalism qualification and work on developing my TV presenting skills and developing my show where I interview dynamic people who are making waves in their community.

One of the most valuable lessons I have learnt is that when things don’t go according to plan, do not abandon it, just continue till you have accomplished what you set out to do. I think another one is that you should believe in yourself, when you do this the whole world will believe in you.

Anyway you’ll get all this and more when you tune into my show aired 10am to 12pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If you have a DAB radio you can find us by using our name Colourful Radio. www.ColourfulRadio.com and my website is www.Sonia-Poleon.com

When Angela Steele started in the construction industry way back in the nineties, winning an award for Construction Excellence was certainly not on the cards. Particularly since she was a young black woman from a London inner city, with no qualifications and no concrete plans of where she wanted to take her life. But then fate intervened and directed her towards a career path she felt passionate about. Angela found her calling and ever since the first tentative days as a trainee on a construction site, Angela has never looked back.

“I received a lot of negativity from family and friends from the very beginning. Everyone told me that construction was not a job for a woman. I hated school because they wouldn’t listen and kept pushing me into a direction I didn’t want. All I wanted was to be a painter and decorator,” says Angela with the enthusiasm of someone whose just started in the business.

The first of the series of divine interventions guided Angela towards a work/skills programme for young people at her local college. It was there she met her first mentor John, who recognized her talent and pushed her to achieve higher.

“I was thrown into the deep end. I walked onto a building site filled with white men who I knew were thinking ‘what the hell is she doing here’. Others mistook me for the cleaner. I had to prove myself. It was thanks to my trainer who taught me how to paint with both hands that I survived. He guided me like an Olympic coach and at the end of the course suggested that I should study a degree programme in Retail and Interior Design.”

Of course, Angela doubted her own abilities. For a young woman with a negative experience of education the thought of further academic activities was not appealing particularly because she was now living on her own with a young son to care for.

“My mentor saw my potential and believed in me. Even though I was facing financial constraints. He enabled me to do the HND Diploma course at the London School of Printing which changed my life forever.”

Angela loved being at college and lapped up everything. “College was liberating. The journey was amazing and opened up my world to new experiences. Before I had mixed with a crowd whose ambitions were to stay at home and chill and smoke. Now I was learning about my craft and new possibilities. I was thriving and feeling in my power.”

The second in the series of lucky interventions came in the form of a job interview with the head of Lewisham College at the end of her training programme. A chance telephone call in the middle of discussions opened up an opportunity for her to teach 14– 16 year old students. These were young people who’d finished school with no qualifications and found themselves  on a youth programme much like the one Angela had done all those years ago.

“Sitting at the head’s office discussing my application, a telephone call came about a tutor who’d gone off sick. The Head looked at me and suggested I step in and take the class. I’d no teaching experience and these kids were known to be challenging.” But Angela sailed through the 3 hour trial and gained the trust and respect of not only the students but her fellow tutors and colleagues. Angela had shown she had aptitude and more importantly she was able to connect with a group of young people who’d been written off by most educational institutions.

It was not surprising then that Angela was soon offered to design and manage her own teaching programme to 16 to 19 year olds, “the Skills for Choices” course. “I changed the whole syllabus and even introduced application procedures and interviews for students, raising the bar to get the students who really wanted to be there. “

Again Angela exceeded expectations with the course performance obtaining a 97% pass rates and glowing OFSTED reports. “The difference is that I understood the young learners. I saw myself in them. Above all I listened to what they wanted for their lives. I wanted to give them a break in life I had been given by my mentors. I wanted them to feel that everything was possible given the right tools.”

Angela’s reputation grew to the point she secured a management position and became the only black member of staff on the team. But with promotion came the ugly prospect of office politics coupled with the introduction of severe cuts to her beloved programme, all of which forced Angela to think of outside opportunities that would stretch her talent and creativity.

“I was hesitant at first as I had just bought my own home. It was not until one of mentors pointed out that the College was holding me back and that there were bigger things waiting for me out there that I took up the redundancy option.”

Thus Intodecor Ltd was born. Angela’s brilliant business idea to offer work experience to female trainees wanting a go at the construction industry.  “I wanted to empower young people and show them that they can achieve and change the course of their life stories.”

Through her business opening doors to young women, Angela has been able to change lives and even change the construction industry which is shamelessly still a male enclave. Her work reached the attention of the Kent Construction Forum who persuaded her to put herself forward for one of their prestigious awards. The rules were tough and the interview process was rigorous but Angela stayed true to her mission of exploding myths about expectations of young people who came from backgrounds like hers.

“During the talk I gave about my life journey, you could hear a pin drop in the hall filled with industry professionals – that’s how engaged the audience was. Afterwards I had a queue of people lining to interact and exchange ideas. “

Angela was presented with the Highly Commended Award for Achiever of the Year at the Constructing Excellence Awards in 2016, an accolade she is extremely proud of. As she reflects on her whirlwind career Angela still has goals she wishes to pursue like writing her life story as an inspiration to others and a way to thank those, particularly the three mentors who gave her so much hope and ignited her passion.

“I always think of the positives. I want to use the power I have been given to reach more people, particularly women of colour. I have been given many lucky breaks. I want to do the same to others”

For more information about Opportunities with Experience and Intodecor Ltd see: https://angelasteeleblog.wordpress.com/