With support from Mastercard, Be the Business is empowering ethnic minority business owners from small and medium-sized businesses around the country
With support from Mastercard, Be the Business is empowering ethnic minority business owners from small and medium-sized businesses around the country
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Our mission
Working together to help ethnic minority business owners grow in the digital economy
Our mission at Be the Business is to get the UK economy back on its feet by supporting the key people who make this happen – small business owners.
Whilst we have had some success working with small business owners overall in the last four years, our challenge has been to effectively reach some of the most entrepreneurial minds in the country – business owners from Black, Asian and other minority backgrounds.
Research consistently shows that outcomes for ethnic minority business owners and entrepreneurs are worse than those for the general business population in the areas of productivity, turnover and non-financial goals, despite higher-than-average levels of entrepreneurialism and innovation. We want to help change this.
As a partner of Mastercard’s Strive UK initiative, our programme aims to transform the performance of black, Asian and other minority businesses in the UK by connecting leaders from this community to the resources they need to succeed in the digital economy.
Striving Forward is the fortnightly newsletter of our Strive programme. Each edition contains a spotlight on an inspirational business owner from an ethnic minority background, one actionable business idea you can use, and details of events and other resources you can take advantage of. Have a look at our newsletter archive if you'd like to get a better idea of what each one contains.
Stories
Be inspired by these success stories
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I gained different perspectives from people who aren’t in my industry
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My board helped me to turn my mission into a real business
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I’ve now got goals designed to be realistic and achievable
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This kind of help will categorically help you run a better business
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Starting a business with one-to-one knowledge from an expert
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My board helped fill the gaps in my business
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My mentor provided a vital sounding board for my business
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My mentor challenged me in a good way
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Identify your business’s gaps with expert insight.
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My board helped me become a better leader
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My mentor helped provide clarity to get my voice out there
How we can help
Our programmes
Mentoring
Boards
Tech adoption
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Case studies
Video case studies
Lola Bejide
"My business has definitely been rewarded by having a mentor." With 20 years of experience in investment banking as a senior business manager, Lola Bejide started her own business, Soluman Consultancy. Two years in, she realised she needed a mentor and found Be the Business Mentoring after an online search. The results, Lola said, speak for themselves. Hear how being clear on her objectives helped Lola get the most from her mentor in the video.
Morin George-Douglas
"Having a mentor opens a different perspective and allows you to grow." Morin George-Douglas had always been an employee, but she took the leap to open her own business, Tamayo, when her previous employer closed. By working with a Be the Business mentor, she’s been able to talk through her vision and strategy, gaining confidence and new perspectives in the process. Watch the video to hear Morin’s experience of Be the Business Mentoring.
Ainara Adnan
"We entrepreneurs think we can do everything and that’s a fallacy – we need people." Ainara Adnan, founder of womenswear brand Nea Wear, felt that she had outgrown herself and was battling imposter syndrome when she found Be the Business Mentoring. Being paired with a fellow female entrepreneur boosted her self-confidence and helped her become a better leader. Watch the video to hear Ainara’s experience of Be the Business Mentoring in her own words.