#0034 Stay on business

Hey Loved One,

My favourite annual publication came out this week. The Powerlist is the Black British equivalent of the Forbes list or the Times Rich List and it focuses on listing the most influential Black people in the country.

Now my bonafides know that I am obsessed with this publication and have been collecting it for almost 10 years or so. Every year the colour of the cover changes and they finally gave us a red/burgundy one and put business man Dean Forbes in the number one slot. I've been telling you about this man for a while if you're an avid reader so we already knew he was one to watch.

As hundreds of likes and comments poured onto the posts of those who’d been included in the list, I couldn't help but notice a comment that asked but what does it all mean.

side eye

I can't help but think sometimes we can be a people who are never happy. In the grand scheme of things does it really mean anything? Are those on the list guaranteed access into the pearly gates? Nah, not really but the list has always been a positive way of seeing ourselves in spaces we may not have realised we occupy and hold prominent positions. From tech to finance to arts etc we exist - and are flourishing - in these spaces. And of course you could argue it's never going to be representative of all facets of our existence but it doesn't need to be. I'd response to that comment by saying its an acknowledgement of our achievements in our chosen spaces. It is an opportunity to show those that look like us - and those who don't - that we are here, we are successful and are changing our landscape by simply doing what we do best.

Random read: I loved this article with singer Victoria Monet where she discusses why it was important for her to invest her first big pay cheque in a tour. She says it was a decision that changed her life and is a lesson in betting on yourself.

What I couldn’t believe I was hearing

I have a two parter to this one:

The good part - In last week’s edition I shared how AI site ChatGPT can give you insights into yourself through the way you use it. This week, I went on training about fundraising and AI and the first day just blew my entire mind. If I went into everything I learnt I’d have to write a small ebook but I wanted to share this with my fellow business owners. Chad (as I call it) is built in part on books. Not only can it summarise the more salient points of a book but can help you with your strategic planning. Most people treat the platform like Google but where it’s usefulness kicks in is when you ask it questions the same way you would another person.

How can you use this to your business’ advantage? Think about a brand or thought leader you admire and ask Chad to assess whatever youre doing with their style in mind. For example, if you’re an emerging beauty brand wanting to take the world by storm with your marketing you may say:

“Act as the Chief Marketing Officer of Fenty Beauty or a marketing strategist with extensive experience in the beauty industry, create a strategy for me that will allow me to reach my target audience of 18- 25 year olds using digital platforms such as Tik Tok and Instagram. Our business motto is we want to make people to know we're the first they should come to if they want a brand that is ethical with vibrant colours to boot. When creating the plan use principles from Fenty Beauty and luxury businesses such as LVMH.” Here's the response if you're interested.

And this works for anything you're doing. Chad is at its best when you pour context into it, give it reference points and use it as a sounding board to inspire your thinking. I am telling you, it's a game changer. And don't just accept the first answer. Ask it to refine what it's written to check if it’s the best possible answer.

The bad part: I walked past a kid who told his mum “Not to be so stupid”. If you saw the way my neck snapped round. I had to remember my place. Hard.

What I'm reading

So yesterday I took a trip to London's Southbank to attend their Creative Future Writer's Day. Though it was the weekend I couldn't pass up the opportunity to meet potential new literary partners for clients looking for homes for their books. The team at Bloomsbury won my heart by bringing free proofs including Jimi Famurewa's Settlers: Journeys Through the Food, Faith and Culture of Black African London.

Jimi had me at food, African and London then slammed it home when he mentioned Krios of Sierra Leone within the first three or so pages.

The book is described as a journey into the extraordinary, vibrant world of Black African London which is shaping modern Britain.

This is a story that begins not with the 'Windrush Generation' of Caribbean immigrants to Britain, but with post-1960s arrivals from African countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Somalia. Some came from former British colonies in the wake of newfound independence; others arrived seeking prosperity and an English education for their children. Now, in the 2020s, their descendants have unleashed a tidal wave of creativity and cultural production stretching from Lambeth to Lagos, Islington to the Ivory Coast. Daniel Kaluuya and Skepta; John Boyega and Little Simz; Edward Enninful and Bukayo Saka - everywhere you look, across the fields of sport, business, fashion, the arts and beyond, there are the descendants of Black African families that were governed by many of the same immutable, shared traditions.

I first discovered Jimi when he interviewed John Boyega for GQ magazine a few years back and came to learn he is also a food critic and a regular judge on BBC’s Masterchef. This book is refreshing to me as I’ve rarely come across narratives of the Black experience in this country from an African perspective so email me if you know some I’m missing out on. Just hit the reply button.

As usual you can pick up this or any of the books I read from my online bookstore. NB: I do get a commission if you purchase through the link.

Memes that struck me this week

The first was sent by my friend Dave randomly. He's one of my favourite people to talk business with so to get this random acknowledgement and boost in my DMs was nice. He always times them well. The second I naturally stumbled across and resonated so hard with me this week. I'm learning never to do anything that's not beneficial to me, despite what others may want. There's no reward in compromising yourself.

What I'm watching

I'm a woman with many a celebrity husband. Micheal B Jordan. Trevor Noah. Each one gives me something and the husband I want to talk about today is Nigerian Brit historian, Dr. David Olusoga. I love a man who can teach you something and, I'm sorry, but have you seen this man ‘saunter’?! Well you can in the latest series of A House Through Time. In this fifth series he tells the stories of eleven ordinary families, some living in London and others in Berlin and charts the wins, the losses and the dangers of living in those properties during World War 2.

David is such an engaging historian, a stark contrast to what we'd previously presenters of history docs in the past. His ability to flex between the recent history often found on our curriculum as well as taking Black history and propelling it onto prime telly makes me want to give him a standing ovation. Even in this series where you'd expect only the stories of white Brits and Germans to be told, he discovers a Togolese man living in the Berlin property unravelling his story and describing his life in Nazi Germany through archival material.

I respect his craft and intellect but I also have eyes. He makes history hella sexy too. As ‘Yonce says “I ain’t sorry”.

Until next time