I need to revert to chill mood. But I want to share a few reflections on Race Reflections & the journey so far. 7 months in. You can learn more about Race Reflections here: http://www.racereflections.co.uk 

I have been equality work all my career pretty much, and studied race, racism & equality one way or the other throughout my studies, writing seriously for 7 years or so but as social enterprise Race Reflections started in may 2020, about 3 weeks before the murder of George Floyd.

As some know I was on furlough with time, trying to distract myself from an ongoing-battle but also really sick of current ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ provisions. Increasingly concerned by the lack of structural thinking, the whitewashing of so called ‘unconscious’ thinking...

I decided to do my own thing. I decided on an impulse. I had been thinking about starting an enterprise for a while but it seemed now with 80% of my salary getting in...I could finally take the chance with reduced risk. I set up in about a month, developed the website w/ no help.

Spoke to a couple consultants about targets, strategy & where I wanted to go. Initially wanted it to be a side hustle , we planned for that. I spoke to him 2.5 months later. The yearly targets had already been met & exceeded. I had to change direction and think bigger...

And we continued to get enquiries & request of for work. I turned a few things down I was uncomfortable about. But even then found myself working 15-16-17-18 hours everyday, unable to sleep, a curse & a blessing, I guess.

That’s when I recruited a team for support. And we have steadily grown. I did not expect this trajectory and from that point on everything has been adjusting to the speed of things, again a curse & a blessing. Still plenty of challenges & I want to share some of them...

I am going to speak as as candidly as I can as black women and new (social) entrepreneur.

1) underselling what we have to offer or assuming others will not be interested in our offering.

This was my first mistake.

I knew* I had something unique. I knew it was high quality but I just presumed few would see this or get it or want it. I was wrong. I am glad I was wrong. But this initial positioning meant I was not as prepared as I could have & it created stress which could have been mitigated

2) Not keeping the balance right between head and heart. I went in this with my heart. I made way too many decisions with my heart. I recognise this now.

This has meant sticking to things I should have let go much sooner. If this is a weakness of yours, ok, you’re a nice person

You better learn fast, this will get you into all sorts of trouble in business. I was not prepared for predatory and I mean predatory...predatory and exploitative behaviour & individuals.

Perhaps this was naive on my part, but I did not see it coming.

You have to realise & realise quickly not everyone who seeks you or want to be associated with you has your best interest at heart. This is painful learning but it is necessary learning. Learnt this the hard way.

Mistake number 3) Making assumptions about what people want. Find out. Ask!!! And learn as you go. That is really important. Be prepared to change direction as long as you don’t comprise your core offering & values.

I did not think online learning was going to work, it has. It is constantly being asked. I was initially reserved on it. It’s not always about you...

I wanted to learn on this...but I will add another, which links to mistake number 1...4) Fear of money. We do not like to speak of about it the fear of money. We’re told, no...it’s because we are punished as women to ask for & talk about money...

Both propositions are true. There are structural issues & gender related (x race) disadvantage and I can only speak for me...but I had an issue with money. And a serious one.

Whenever my husband would say oh, you might become a millionaire (even as a joke), I would dismiss it with the quickness. Whenever I try to forecast how we’d do as a business, I’d keep my mind to sums that feel comfortable for me nothing beyond low 6 figures, then blockage.

It took a lot of thinking to realise I was imposing a ceiling above my own head. A bar I decided was high enough for me. I had internalised the notion that money was not something for me.

The context is inner city background, migration background, discrimination background. Scarcity & deprivation the name of the game. I wrote about this before. It takes a lot to move out of this way of thinking/being. But that is not all...