‘Stop procrastinating and go for it’ say Britain’s top black entrepreneurs

At the beginning of final year, Ewoma Ukeleghe’s skincare clinic was busier than it experienced ever been.

“We were being fully booked and experienced massive strategies to scale the business,” remembers the founder of SKNDOCTOR. “But then Covid strike and reserving after reserving was cancelled. My appointments went to zero and all of a sudden my calendar was empty, which was pretty scary.”

Ukeleghe claims it was a “disruptive” and “confusing” time, but instead of panicking, she did what she thinks all excellent entrepreneurs do: adapt. “You mourn and make peace with the truth lifestyle is not likely to be the identical as it was right before – then you hustle and do whichever it can take to hold the business likely.”

For Ukeleghe, that intended concentrating on e-commerce, Zoom consultations and social media marketing and advertising. “I’m pretty lucky that we thrived,” she claims.

Improvisation and perseverance are what secured the founder her spot as a finalist for this year’s Black British Company Awards, for which The Telegraph is a media associate. The function, now in its eighth year, celebrates the achievements of some of the UK’s leading corporate bosses and entrepreneurs.

This year’s finalists have been sharing their tough-acquired business classes in advance of October’s virtual ceremony, in the hope it may well enable the upcoming era.

Vese Aghoghovbia, founder of Philly & Good friends, also believes adaptability is important. 

“People think the path is uncomplicated, but it is not,” claims the entrepreneur, whose organization specialises in children’s textbooks, toys and online games. “I began out pondering I was likely down the publishing route, but I under no circumstances predicted to evolve into other items.

“It’s terrific to have a eyesight, but adaptability and open-mindedness are what is needed to enable advancement.”