TO MARK Black Pound Day this month, The Voice spoke to Black business owners about their journeys so far, the challenges they’ve faced and the advice they’d give to other Black business owners.

The business owners

Yosi Odufuwa and Lara Ashani created La Bello Beauty which, they say is the number one retailer of synthetic wigs and hair products in Europe.

They started out in 2011 and now have operations as far afield as Chicago and Lagos.

Elizabeth Puddicombe created Puds and Co which is a social-first marketing agency that works with small and international brands.

Josh Akapo, Jaydon Sullivon and Thomas Wisdom founded creative agency Archtype which works to create moments in culture through merchandising, design and digital experiences. You might have heard from some of them in lockdown favourite No Signal Radio.

How did they start out?

Each business’ journey is very different. For some, personal problems gave them business ideas. Others fell into business ownership after pursuing different careers. Some have been entrepreneurs since school.

Lara lost the back and sides of her hair during a bad case of alopecia. Unable to afford human hair wigs, she began wearing synthetic ones.

Eventually it led her to her business. She said: “There is such a stigma around [synthetic wigs] being an ‘aunty-wig’ and we wanted to change that narrative.

“I realised there are a lot of people who would benefit from a more trendy, youthful brand in the synthetic industry.”

From humble beginnings (around $800) the brand has expanded. Yosi shared that she never anticipated such growth but the company now turns over six figures and has customers worldwide.

For Elizabeth, the journey was just as unexpected. She began her career as a journalist, interning with Black Beauty and Hair magazine. At that time, she focused on helping the magazine reach younger audiences online. In the end, she ran their social media for a year, as a freelancer.

After working at a few places, she developed a vision of how to do things differently: taking to audiences rather than at them. It’s why her agency is social-first.

Archtype’s founders started small scale in sixth form. Now, they have worked for the famous Stormzy, at DLT brunch and even with Lovebox!

What about the challenges?

It’s hard to gain respect in any industry, but as a Black, young woman Elizabeth believes she’s faced specific challenges.

Knowing her value has also been hard for her, she told us: “You’re always being negotiated down which isn’t great for business.

“When you compromise, you get stuck in a cycle.”

Josh also talked about how prejudice can be a big problem. He started a group focused on Black people in creative agencies.

He said: “It turned out a lot of Black agency founders were being overlooked.”

Investment was another hurdle, he explained: “We ended up using a lot of our own money to build the business.”

How have you overcome difficulties?

Confidence is something that comes up often. But Elizabeth also talks about being selective with clients, though she acknowledges it’s not an option for everyone starting out.

She says: “We’ve turned down work that doesn’t align with our goals and values. We seek to work with companies who understand us.

“We know the quality we bring, and we know that we’re amazing!”

Josh said to overcome such challenges, Black-owned business growth is important, but it’s not the only factor.

He added: “We need to go beyond representation as our marking point for what looks like success.

“It’s not just about being Black, it’s about breaking down the systemic structural barriers that are affecting us.” 

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

For Yosi, the advice is to seize the day. She says: “Overthinking can carry many negative aspects, and stop you from pushing forwards. If you dive straight into it – you can overcome.”

Lara agrees, but adds that it’s important to know what makes your business stand out. She tells us: “We live in a world where everyone is trying to become a business owner, everyone’s trying to do something for themselves. 

“Represent a different solution or have a unique impact.” 

Josh echoed this sentiment, and said all business owners should consider some key questions: “What solutions can you provide? What problems can you fix better than anyone else?” 

Elizabeth says that the people around you make all the difference, and that it’s about more than just your colleagues.

She explains: “A network to support you, a support system in friends and family is so important.”

Then, the importance of boundaries comes up. This is something that Elizabeth admits to struggling with herself: “I’m someone who would work till 4-5am and it’s not healthy!”

Happiness also came up more than once.

Josh pointed out that it’s not always smooth sailing, but business ownership should not be joyless. He explained: “What you want to do is not always what you’ll start doing. But you must solve people’s problems first, and then delve into the stuff that brings you joy

“Always keep that end goal in mind.” 

And Elizabeth said finding fun in the everyday was key.

Interviews have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Black Pound Day is a monthly initiative that aims to help Black business owners grow. It encourages consumers to purchase from Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs.