2Inspire Network International Women's Day Profile: Sherica Spence, Co-Founder of Skye Alexandra House

In this special edition of the 2Inspire Network business profile we meet, Sherica Spence, the co-founder of Skye Alexandra house. Skye Alexandra House is a semi independent living service for vulnerable young women aged 16-18, which also provides services on personal development, personal well being, one to one support, life skills and help preparing for further work and education. Read about Sherica's vision for empowerment and motivation for young women in this fantastic profile piece.

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?

Typical day for me is sending and replying to emails, seeking sponsors and partnerships, delivering workshops in secondary schools to young women. I LIVE on my phone lol!

What made you start the business and how did you get started? I started this business because I saw a need to help and empower young women; I noticed that there weren’t many services out there available and dedicated to the well being and personal development of the young women today.

I got started by first researching the businesses in the area in the borough in which I live, looking at the services in which they offer and provided etc., through this I noticed that none of them had the services in which I was looking to provided so I got on the task of securing the house in which I was going to start my business in. 

What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in the business world to date? My greatest accomplishment to date is the amazing business partner which I have joined forces with, she shares the same vision to empower change in women and compliments me in many ways being that there are things I am totally pants with that she is amazing and vice verse. There is a great balance and respect for the vision, which I feel is very important in any business partnership.

What has been your biggest challenge in business so far?

Biggest challenge by far is the reconstruction of the house. There is quite a bit of work that needs to be done on it so we have been very busy organising fundraisers etc in order to raise funds to get the house ready for the summer.

What are your future plans for the business?

Future plans will be to have at least 2 Skye Alexandra House in each borough than who knows world domination!

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Gosh in all honest there is nothing I would do differently as i feel every hurdle and blockage in which I have come across since starting has all been to strengthen my faith, walk and journey in making sure this vision comes to light. Each of these things just causes you to take a time to stop breath and re-evaluate situations that may occur.

Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams?

We are living in a world today where women are made to look like sexual beings. I am trying to break this mould by showing these women that there is more to being a woman than being a sexual fantasy to someone. I’m trying to show them that whatever you dream of doing you can go out there and achieve it. That there is no limitation, the only thing that is stopping you is yourself, this is something I took long to realise. I had the potential and the fire in me burning to go but I use to hold pity parties on my past. I’m trying to show young women that yes things happening in your life but do not allow it to define who you are as a person. Use it a seed to grow stronger as a person and fight harder.

What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?

RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH, a good heart and the passion to see positive change in others.

What or who inspires you in business and why?

Wow there is so many people who inspire me hard to pick just one. So I’m going to go with the person to date which is Steve Chalke he is the founder of the Oasis Trust he opened his first hostel for vulnerable women in Peckham, as this field that I am in it was inspiring to see how much he has achieved and the difference in which he has made in people’s lives all over the UK

What is your favourite inspirational quote? “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” –Michael Jordan





Contact Details

Email: s.spence@live.co.uk
Number: 07944 480 782
Twitter: skyealexandra86

2Inspire Inspire Profile Interview: NoScrunchie

In this profile interview we meet Leillah Sekalala, the founder of NoScrunchie. NoScrunchie is the UK’s only Afro salon finder, with peer reviews. Use NoScrunchie to find a good Afro salon near you or review one that you have been to. Read about Leillah's inspirational business story here.

 

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?  

There are no typical days at NoScrunchie or at any start up, I think. We do everything from calling up salons, responding to emails, looking for new marketing and networking opportunities, social media, accounts, VAT returns, writing blog posts. It just depends what day it is and what deadlines are approaching.

We try and go for at least 2 networking evenings a week. At this stage, we need to meet as many people as possible to get our ideas out there.

What made you start the business and what steps did you take to start operating as a business? 
We had been thinking about the salon ratings side of the website for a few years but it was not until we figured out the product to sell and the price points that we started the business.

We wrote a business plan after doing some research.

We registered the company with companies house, bought our domain names and we were ready to go!


What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in the business world to date?
We have not made a year yet but a few moments we will remember are our first sale and being asked to be the salon finder link on www.blackhairmagazine.co.uk.


What has been your biggest challenge in business so far?
Biggest challenge has been getting our name out there on the little resources that we have.

It's very hard to do good quality marketing on a tight budget.

What are your future plans for the business? 
Our future plans are to have at least 1000 salons on the site in another 6 months.

The rest of the plans are top secret at the moment. 

 If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently? 
I would have started sooner, maybe 3 years earlier!


What’s the best compliment you could receive in business?
The best compliment that we receive is ‘this is something that Afro Caribbean women need!’ Its really good to hear that there is a need for our service.


Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams? 
A lot of young women are not as confident as the young men out there and they need an extra boost from us the old hands. Its really hard as ayoung girl when you are battling so many insecurities to realise how important your dreams are.


What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry? 
Do your research and write a business plan!


What or who inspires you in business and why? 
Anybody who is running a profit making business inspires me. But if I am to pick one person, I would choose Karren Brady.


What is your favourite inspirational quote?
It usually takes a decade or two before overnight success kicks in. Scott Robert Lim.


NoScrunchie
www.noscrunchie.com

2Inspire Business Profile: Sophia A Jackson, Founder of Afridiziak Theatre News

Sophia A Jackson has become synonymous with Africa-Caribbean theatre in the UK, her passion for the theatrical arts has led her to build a brand over the past 5 years that has  become the go-to online resource for African-Caribbean theatre. Read this inspirational interview with Sophia and be encouraged that following your passion can really lead to your dreams coming true!

Sophia A Jackson

Please tell us what is a typical business day for you?

A typical day includes liaising with my web developer (and brother, Basil Lumsden) on keeping my site, Afridiziak Theatre News fresh with all the latest news on African-Caribbean theatre. I am the editor and founder of the site and I have a pool of contributors. Updates  include reviews of African-Caribbean plays and interviews with those who work behind the scenes and on the stage.  Afridiziak Theatre News is the only website dedicated to African-Caribbean theatre so we work with clients who want to ensure their audiences are diverse. As we are a digital publication much of my time is spent socialising on Facebook and Twitter, sending out e-newsletters and spreading awareness on the latest productions.

What made you start the business and how did you get started?

I was working at New Nation newspaper as their events listings editor. When the publication went into Administration I saw that as an ideal opportunity to launch a website dedicated to African-Caribbean theatre as it was an area of the arts that I was passionate about. It was also an opportunity to put my skills and experience from gaining a Masters in Journalism to good use. I asked my brother Basil to join me on the journey as he is an excellent web developer and we took it from there.

 

What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment in the business world to date?

In September, Afridiziak Theatre News will be five years old. In that time, the site has flourished and the brand has strengthened.  It’s wonderful seeing the publication and my PR and marketing skills grow.  Deciding to revamp the site’s design in January 2012 made a positive impact on how Afridiziak Theatre News is perceived in the corporate world and this is what we wanted.

Sophia with Whoopi Goldberg

What has been your biggest challenge in business so far?

 At first when Afridiziak Theatre News was launched, we were not taken seriously – press ticket / review requests were ignored or tickets allocated would be in the lap of the Gods. I felt as if we had to earn the respect of the theatre industry which is a lot more elite than I thought before venturing into this area.

What are your future plans for the business?

I plan to hold an event to celebrate the five year anniversary this autumn and I’m also in conversations with peers about collaborative working, too. It’s an exciting time for Afridiziak Theatre News.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have a stronger belief in what I could achieve and my business succeeding.

 

 

Why is it so important to inspire young women in particular to follow their dreams?

Not everyone comes from a supportive background so by inspiring the next generation you are giving back to the community and building a strong foundation for the future.

What advice would you give to somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?

Build your contacts, appreciate when people introduce you to their contacts and nurture the contacts that have been with you from the beginning. Also, that it’s all about taking that first bold step and then taking daily steps to get where you want to be.

What or who inspires you in business and why?

 I am inspired by the work ethic of many of my peers who are also my friends – their achievements remind me that I must continue to up my game and that dreams do come true.

What is your favourite inspirational quote?

If your dreams don’t scare you then they are not big enough!

Contact details

Afridiziak Theatre News
Editor/founder:  Sophia A Jackson

Tel: +447855 86 77 78
Email: sophia@afridiziak.com

Web: www.afridiziak.com

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