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

At the start of last year, the Ewoma Ukeleghe Skin Care Clinic was busier than ever.

“We were full and had big plans to develop the business,” recalls the founder of SKNDOCTOR. “But then Covid hit and the reservation after the reservation was canceled. My appointments went to zero and all of a sudden my calendar was empty which was very scary.

Ukeleghe says it was a “disruptive” and “confusing” time, but instead of panicking, she did what she thinks all good entrepreneurs do: adapt. “You cry and make peace with the fact that life won’t be the same as it used to be – so you hurry up and do whatever it takes to keep the business going.”

For Ukeleghe, that meant focusing on e-commerce, Zoom consultations, and social media marketing. “I am very fortunate that we have prospered,” she said.

Improvisation and perseverance secured the founder her place as a finalist for this year’s Black British Business Awards, for which The telegraph is a media partner. The event, now in its eighth year, celebrates the achievements of some of the UK’s top business leaders and entrepreneurs.

This year’s finalists shared their hard-earned business lessons ahead of the virtual October ceremony, in hopes it can help the next generation.

Vese Ahoghovbia, founder of Philly & Friends, also believes adaptability is key.

“People think the path is easy, but it’s not,” says the entrepreneur, whose company specializes in children’s books, toys and games. “I started out thinking that I was going to take the publishing route, but I didn’t expect to move on to other products.

“It’s great to have a vision, but flexibility and openness are needed to enable growth. “