Making Black Brands Matter – Lawrencia Nelson Discovers her Calling to Promote Black Businesses

Lawrencia Nelson fell in love with sales soon after starting her professional career. With a natural gift for persuasion, Lawrencia combined her skills for sales with her love of communications and came up with Lena Media Consultancy. The business promotes Black owned brands. This is her story of how she found her calling and passion in life.

I am a Writer and the Founder of Lena Media Consultancy. Lena Media is a brand building agency that works with niche brands to create awareness and connect them to their audience.

After graduating with a BA hons in Media, I fell into the world of sales in 2012 and I have never looked back. I was told I had a natural gift for selling and had a tone that people felt comfortable with.

I started in recruitment as a Consultant then worked my way up to a Business Development Executive. I did not see myself as selling a product. My approach was to talk to a friend about a new amazing product that I had come across, persuading them to try for themselves. I guess I was a natural. Till this day, I am still selling. I speak to prospective clients about Lena Media! The world of sales opened doors for me. It gave me a diverse range of transferable skills.

From a writer to a brand consultant, can you connect the dots in your career?

I started a blog back in 2016. I always loved to write but I never had the confidence to start. I was apprehensive that no-one would be interested in what I had to say. Honestly, my blog just grew, I started pitching my articles to publications for features. I was also interviewing entrepreneurs from different industries but mostly lifestyle entrepreneurs. I loved that there were so many entrepreneurs from ethnic minority backgrounds who wanted their voices heard. I was inspired by the moves they were making from all over the world.

Some of the favourite interviews I have undertaken include one with Ghanaian powerhouses Valerie Obaze and Menaye Donkor. This was for a publication in the UK called ‘Black Hair & Beauty’. These entrepreneurs had great energy and most importantly great brands. In 2018, I decided to become a brand consultant. I wanted to help entrepreneurs gain awareness. I felt I had the network to do so. I got my first client which was a massive sunscreen brand for Black women in the US in 2018. I re-branded the Lena Media Consultancy late last year.

What inspired the creation of Lena Media?

I started Lena Media because I am passionate about the growth of black owned brands. I wanted to connect the brands to mainstream press. We are living in a time where there are so many black entrepreneurs doing amazing things, creating iconic brands.

Growing up, I suffered from acne and was constantly recommended a product , which may not have catered for a black girl. Now fast forward twenty years, we have individuals creating vegan and organic skin brands catering for people who look like me. They care about what we put on our skin. I love this term which I heard recently from a client ’catered for us by us’. My daughter is growing up in a world where her favourite hair products are created by people that look like her. Representation is key, and it matters to the highest level

Why the lifestyle, beauty and fashion industry?

Initially when I started my blog, it was mainly about entrepreneurship, my passion for Ghana and other topics. One day, I decided to write a blog based on the ‘Representation of black women in the media and interviewed a few Influencers. I sent the article to a number of publications and I wasn’t expecting for it to do as well as it did. From there, my passion for beauty grew.

Why do black owned brands matter in your line of industry?

It matters due to last year’s tragic events in America with the George Floyd case, which highlighted that black people need to be heard and considered much more. There are amazing black owned brands which need attention.

Please share your experience of re-branding through a pandemic. What has been the outcome?

Initially I thought it would be difficult but the pandemic was some what of a blessing. The world stood still. It gave me a chance to restructure and pivot the business. I had time to really think and work on how the agency can work remotely.

What impact has Lena Media had in your line of industry?

Right now Lena Media is still a small agency but more people are beginning to know about us because we deliver on what we say! Also, I think we are unique as there are not many agencies in the UK which solely work with black owned brands.

What didn’t you know when you started in business that you know now?

That entrepreneurship can be lonely. There are times when you really need to motivate yourself, it can be difficult. You have no manager nor director to show the way. You are the director! Entrepreneurship is daunting.One month it’s amazing and the next month it’s slow. It really does vary!

Any standout lessons you’ve picked?

Hard work and determination really pay off and also having a faith. The harder you work, the better the results.

Share your future projections – of yourself and Lena Media.

Not to give too much away, I hope for the agency to grow and have an international hub. To empower women all around the world and show them it is possible to achieve whatever they want.