Narrative for Black entrepreneurs needs to change, says scale up founder
Published: 16 October 2024
Business leaders can change the narrative around Black entrepreneurship away from negative stereotypes, a founder who grew his business with Business Growth West Midlands support has said as Black History Month is celebrated.
Uko Umotong, director and co-founder of UB Healthcare, Solihull-based specialists in solutions for NHS funded care, complex case management and patient flow, believes successful entrepreneurs from the Black community should be celebrated for their achievements with less focus on those who overcome challenges in their upbringing or the areas where they grew up.
In the UK, Black History Month happens every October, giving everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture.
The theme for this year’s celebration month is “reclaiming narratives”. Organisers say: “This theme is not just about revisiting history. It’s about taking ownership of the stories that define our culture, our contributions, and our very identity.”
Following a successful corporate career which included spells working for the Post Office and Bank of Ireland, Uko and co-founder Harry Bourton have grown their business with support from Business Growth West Midlands to establish a team of 18 people in two years, with 50 associates working alongside the staff on contract work for the NHS.
Uko feels strongly that Black entrepreneurs are limited by the coverage for success stories, a narrative he believes he needs to change to encourage the next generation.
Uko said: “We need to change the narrative that many Black entrepreneurs achieve their success despite being impacted by challenging backgrounds, which is a negative stereotype.
“There are young Black people who have smashed it and been successful in their own right. They do not get profiled as much.
“I am a member of Black C-Suite, Owners and Non-Executives (BCON), which meets quarterly in Birmingham to encourage the next generation of Black Leader and business people.
“There are people who have launched or grown businesses to be very successful but they do not get profiled as much.
“Black people in positions of influence need to influence positively to improve our outcomes.
“If you get the best people involved you get the best outcome. I want more Black people who have been successful celebrated to create opportunities around mentoring the next generation.”
Uko recommends Black entrepreneurs should engage with Business Growth West Midlands to unlock new opportunities. BGWM provides fully funded guidance and support programmes for business leaders and entrepreneurs with an ambition to grow, with no cost to you.
Uko said: “If you have ideas and ambitions, going to Business Growth West Midlands will get you the help to realise your goals.
“They can help you at an early stage. Black businesses can talk to themselves and the community but if you want to grow beyond that you need to reach everyone and everywhere.
“You do not want to limit your opportunities. You need to go beyond your horizons and Business Growth West Midlands can help you do that.
“You need to surround yourself with people who have achieved and who want to achieve. To get to the next stage you need to find the people who are at that stage and get their help.
“You need to find new networks to find people. Business Growth West Midlands can help connect you to the right audience.”
Engaging with Business Growth West Midlands enabled UB Healthcare to unlock new opportunities, says Uko.
He said: “You have to align and associate with anyone who can help you so that you get the structure right.
“Business Growth West Midlands have helped us access the apprenticeship levy, enabling us to get funding for apprentices in the early days.
“Our account manager Charlotte Bowden has been brilliant in signposting us to people who helped us access grants. We wanted to streamline our operational delivery and they helped us so we could simplify things as we grow.
“Business Growth West Midlands helped us get a grant to get the help of a consultancy, which completely transformed how we work. We could not have made this progress without the help of Business Growth West Midlands.”
Now UB Healthcare is setting its sights on building new partnerships overseas. Uko said: “We do not want to be over-reliant on the UK and the NHS and have been looking at opportunities internationally.
“We are doing advisory work with some organisations overseas. They have big ambitions for the future of healthcare and we will be attending Arab Health Conference in Dubai. The connections were made with support from Business Growth West Midlands.”
Uko acknowledges that a successful corporate career had not prepared him for striking out on his own. He said: “I have been a senior leader in a number of large organisations including the Post Office but I had not appreciated my own value.
“I have transitioned from building a business for someone else to setting up and doing it for myself.
“You have to back yourself because no one else is going to back you. You may not get every decision right and you will find that the bigger your business becomes, the bigger the challenges become.”
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