UK Black Business Week | UK Black Business Show

Urgency. That is what you need.   And that is what sets winners apart from the rest. Many successful people know it: ✨ An idea delayed is an idea donated to someone else ✨   Mellody Hobson talked about this on Emma Grede’s Aspire. Dr. Raphael Sofoluke also shared this on Lámidé Elizabeth's Building Wealth Without Borders. Let's look at Dr. Raphael Sofoluke's journey in a bit more detail.   Raphael almost postponed the first UK Black Business Show by a year to align with Black History Month. But His brother said: “Do it now, who knows who else might have the same idea?”   With billions of people in the world, chances are someone else is thinking the same thing. The only way to win?   Start. Now.   Dr. Raphael Sofoluke shared that many people have come to him over the years, each saying they had the exact same idea as the UK Black Business Show.   Yet, he is the one we know.   Why? Because he acted with urgency, while others hesitated.   We think we have time. We do not. Do not wait. Start. Execute. Win.   ✨ Psalm 90:12 — So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. ✨ Happy Friday 🥳

Walking into the the UK's first UK Black Business Week | UK Black Business Show in London is something I'll never forget. I attended the very first show. Entering the doors of the Queen Elizabeth building in London surrounded by my community. I was greeted with a fleet of black business owners and attended a range of seminars. BIG BIG shout out to the organisers, this event has grown into a movement! I still attend today and look forward to this year. If you've ever attended, show the organisers some love in the comments 🎉 . . . . . . 👋 Hi, I’m Le’Siran — Trauma-Informed Safeguarding Specialist. I help social workers and organisations address burnout & workplace trauma, by building psychologically safe & trauma-informed systems through 1:1 coaching, training, key note speaking and online hubs. I am the founder of two businesses: 1. Social Work Coaching Hub 2. Black & Diverse Safeguarding Professionals CIC . . . . . #blackbusinesshowuk #blackownedbusiness

We’re delighted to announce Scarlette Douglas as the Host of the Black Tech Achievement Awards 2026. An award-winning TV presenter, property developer, and media entrepreneur, Scarlette brings authority, credibility, and cultural impact to a night dedicated to celebrating Black excellence in technology. With a career spanning BBC One, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, and Discovery+, she has fronted some of the UK’s most recognisable programmes and is a trusted voice across media, business, and entrepreneurship. We couldn’t ask for a better host to lead a night honouring the individuals and organisations shaping the future of tech. 📅 27 March 2026 📍 London #BTAAwards #BlackTech #TechLeadership #Innovation #MediaLeadership #DiversityInTech

If you work in tech, take a moment to look around your organisation. There is almost certainly someone doing exceptional work, quietly driving impact, lifting others as they climb, or shaping the future of technology in ways that deserve wider recognition. Nominations for the Black Tech Achievement Awards 2026 are open, and putting someone forward is one of the simplest but most meaningful ways to spotlight Black excellence across UK tech. Sharing nominations matters more than people realise. Many submissions happen because someone saw a post, felt encouraged, and decided to act. One nomination can create a ripple effect across an entire organisation. If you’re a leader, manager, colleague, or ally, I’d strongly encourage you to nominate someone from your team or network. Recognition changes visibility, confidence, and opportunity. Let’s make sure outstanding work doesn’t go unnoticed. If your organisation is also looking to actively support and celebrate Black talent in tech, there are opportunities to get involved at a broader level too. Here’s to recognising the people shaping the future of UK tech.

Thank you to the The Times for writing about my journey, where it all began and what I’m building now. 🗞️ This year marks the 10th edition of the UK Black Business Show! A platform born from bold vision and a belief that Black entrepreneurs and professionals deserve greater visibility, access and opportunity. My focus remains on redefining how industries engage with and serve Black talent, not as an afterthought, but as a core part of the economic conversation. I’m looking forward to shaping the next chapter across both live and digital platforms with Legacy Black and the UK Black Business Show.

Meet Dr. Raphael Sofoluke A builder. A community architect. A man audacious enough to believe bigger than his resources. Dr. Raphael is one of those leaders whose impact you might feel before you fully understand the scale of what he’s built. He is the founder of UK Black Business Week and the UK Black Business Show — platforms that have transformed the landscape for Black entrepreneurs, professionals, creatives, and leaders across the UK. But what most people don’t see is how it started. In 2017, his first event welcomed around 500 people. No huge network. No permission slips. No templates. Just conviction. Fast forward to today, and UK Black Business Week now attracts over 16,000 attendees across the week, with 8,500 people in a single day. That’s not luck. That’s audacity compounded by consistency. What stood out most in our conversation wasn’t just the growth — it was Raphael’s philosophy. He believes: • Community is the foundation of growth • Visibility is a product of value, not self-promotion • You don’t wait to be chosen — you build in public • And naming something based on what you believe it will become is an act of faith When told early on that a Black business event would “only work with music and food,” he refused to compromise the vision. He trusted the intelligence, ambition, and hunger of the community he was serving — and history proved him right. Dr. Raphael reminds us that: • Belief can outweigh resources • Obedience often looks like audacity • Character is what keeps you in the room • And visibility scales fastest when others talk about you in rooms you’re not in He also made this clear: Media isn’t about self-promotion — it’s about owning the narrative. Because when you don’t tell your story, someone else will. His work has opened doors, created jobs, brokered sponsorships, and built bridges between communities and boardrooms — not by chasing clout, but by serving consistently. ✨ Visibility Series ✨ We are live every single day from now until 15th January on YouTube at 7pm GST / 2pm EST, featuring influential voices who are using visibility to create impact, income, and influence — with integrity. If you want to understand how audacity, community, and consistency unlock real opportunity… 👇🏽 Sign up below to tune in live to the YouTube Visibility Series. https://lnkd.in/dCNVjzYB Visibility isn’t about being loud. It’s about being convicted.

Black Tech Achievement Awards UK is back on the 27th March at JW Marriott Grosvenor House🌟 Join us for our biggest ever awards!! Once again we will be bringing together a room of Black tech talent & Allies in order to highlight the achievements of rising stars, experienced professionals, entrepreneurs and progressive companies. ‼️ Nominate someone or yourself before the deadline closes on the 26th Jan ‼️ Link below https://lnkd.in/ekpUVgTQ