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Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Meet the Foodies


    This event brings together food business owners who have carved out their own unique spaces and are revolutionising the vibrant culinary world. From reimagining classic beans and crafting innovative ready meals, to blending diverse cultures through vegan Caribbean cuisine, West African snacks, and Mauritian restaurant experiences.

    From navigating a saturated market to promoting change, our panellists will share the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journeys, offering valuable insights and practical advice.

    On the day, you can expect to:

    • hear first-hand accounts of building a food business from the ground up, including overcoming obstacles and celebrating wins
    • learn how to creatively build a loyal and growing social media following and generate revenue
    • discuss the challenges and opportunities of operating a food business in today's market, including adapting to changing trends and consumer preferences
    • explore innovative approaches to scaling and sustaining a thriving food business
    • uncover the growing importance of health and wellness within the food industry
    • see how cultural backgrounds are transformed into valuable opportunities for new customer markets
    • connect with fellow food enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and our speakers
    • enjoy a delicious product tasting from one of our featured speakers.

Speakers

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The Beat Goes On: Black Voices in the British Music Industry


In celebration of the British Library’s “Beyond the Bassline” exhibition, we’ve assembled some ground-breaking Black entrepreneurs who’ve transformed the British music industry to share the secrets of their success, including the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journeys.

At £2.5 billion, the UK is home to Europe's most valuable digital music economy (Statista, 2021, 2023). However, despite the undeniable contribution of Black music artists and entrepreneurs to these figures, 2021’s Black Lives in Music report found that among Black music professionals, 73% experienced direct or indirect racism and noted disparities in respondent’s earnings and ability to gain music funding.

As part of our Inspiring Entrepreneurs series, this event provides a unique chance to hear our panel discuss the challenges and realities of the industry and share their experiences leveraging their creative talent to drive positive change for other artists and innovators. So if you’re thinking about starting a business, or already running one, join us to gain insight into their journey – or simply be inspired!

On the day, you can expect to:

Examine how entrepreneurship has evolved in the music industry, focusing on the journey of Black music in Britain and how this has been impacted by trends and other cultural shiftsLearn how music artists and creatives are transforming wider popular culture and redefining BlacknessAnalyse diverse business models utilized in the industryDiscover new opportunities and potential pitfallsPut your specific questions to our expert panel.

Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Disruptors and Influencers


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Topics of discussion will include:

The reality of starting a business and getting into entrepreneurship as a woman todayThe ways in which women are rising in recovery within a post-pandemic worldThe opportunities our speakers have found to break barriers, especially receiving funding as a woman, visibility in the press and being recognised by key stakeholders.The International Women’s Day 2023 of Embrace Equity, and how we can best embrace and encourage diversity and inclusion in business for colleagues and peers from marginalised communities.
Guests will hear insights into how to emerge from the unique difficulties of the past few years and still have your business remain in good shape even with increased costs and challenges.

Michael Cashman

Speaker Position

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