Khalia Ismain, co-founder of Jamii, explains the value of building a community and why shopping with community-owned businesses is important.

Lunch and Learn: The value of building a community

Webinar

 Lunch and Learn, Vodafone Business ambassador 

 offers key insights into the value of building a community.

Khalia is the co-founder of Jamii, an online marketplace and discovery platform for black creators and makers in the UK. Launched in 2016, Jamii is home to more than 250 makers and has organically grown a community of more than 38,000 people keen to align their purchase with purpose.

Named as one of HSBC's "Top 25 Black Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2021", Khalia is on a mission to make shopping with community-owned businesses as easy as possible.

business.connected: Grow your business with free digital training

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The business.connected hub is a free online training programme of workshops, webinars and e-learning modules designed to help businesses go digital, adopt new technology, and stay safe online. 

Find out why shopping with community-owned businesses is so important.

Winner of Management Today&apos;s 35 under 35, Polina Changuleva is a multi award-winning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion specialist. Founder of the world&apos;s first Joyful Inclusion consultancy - Same But Different she works with the brands of tomorrow to build a future in which we embrace each other&apos;s differences and celebrate our similarities.
Having previously led the Women’s Inclusion Network at Yahoo - one of the biggest names in tech, she has worked for some of the world’s biggest brands as a Cultural Advisor and Racial Justice advocate. Some of these brands include Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Reward Gateway, Xbox and more.
Polina has continuously challenged the status quo and continues to do so through her work at Same But Different Consultancy, the UK&apos;s 50:50 Parliament Diversity Committee and her work supporting minority-led businesses.
Having spent the last decade working in media and tech, Polina is a global expert and international speaker on all things diversity and inclusion, partnerships and tech.
Prior to starting her consultancy, Polina has led and grown numerous award winning, multi-million partnerships for Xbox Advertising across 16 markets, creating pioneering brand partnerships with some of the world’s biggest brands incl. McDonalds, Burberry, Lego, Paco Rabanne, BMW, Deliveroo, Adidas and many more.
In 2023 Polina launched Brand Partnerships House - a community of over 600 founders, creatives and change makers on a mission to leverage the power of partnerships as a business growth tool. Those businesses have gone on to secure partnerships with the likes of Soho House, Meta, Samsung, yhangry, Mildred’s, TikTok and more.

DEI Specialist and Partnerships Consultant

Lunch and Learn: How to identify the right brand partners

Discover the key elements that define a good brand fit and how to recognise opportunities that align with your values.

I am on a mission to level out the international playing field for ESL entrepreneurs by developing their marketing communications in English and helping them build global brands. I CAN HELP YOU IF: ?? You&apos;re a non-native English-speaking business owner (with or without a team) who wants to sell services internationally. ?? You&apos;re a non-native English-speaking business owner (with or without a team) who wants to sell services to a specific English-speaking market. WHAT YOU&apos;LL GET: ?? Get visible and credible in the international market and build meaningful relationships with English-speaking audiences. ?? Stand out globally in your niche and be recognised as a go-to expert in your field to attract international speaking opportunities as well as English-speaking clients. ?? We achieve this by helping you implement a variety of strategies that build your brand equity. WHAT IS BRAND EQUITY AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE: Brand equity represents the power of a brand - that&apos;s what allows T-shirts with certain logos to cost 10 times more than others, for example. WHY CHOOSE ME: ?? I&apos;ve helped service-based businesses from 18 countries build brands that attract and engage English-speaking international audiences. ?? My methods are based on the brand equity framework developed by the father of branding, David Aaker in 1990, which has been used by millions of businesses to build strong brands. ?? I&apos;ve been recognised for my contribution to the field of marketing and advertising by Marketing 2.0 - the Global Gathering of Brand Builders and Marketers - with an Outstanding Leadership Award. ?? I graduated top of my class with Distinction from my MSc in International Marketing, and my dissertation on brand equity building for services was one of the strongest research pieces of the year. ?? I am a guest lecturer in Strategic Brand Management at Edinburgh Napier University and a trusted brand strategy guest expert at the Business Gateway, the largest organisation supporting start-ups in the UK. ?? I am a business owner and the brand manager of my company that markets internationally. ?? I have lived in 7 different countries, so I have a great understanding of intercultural communication. GET IN TOUCH: Currently, only EN-ABLE provides brand strategy consulting specifically for non-native English speakers who want to attract English-speaking clients and operate internationally. Want to create a global impact and be paid generously for it? Send me a message to get started!

Award-Winning Brand Strategist and Co-Founder

Entrepreneurs who speak English as a second language 

Boost your engagement with English-speaking audiences to increase revenue and drive business growth.



I started my first business at 17. Back in the 80&apos;s there was no internet, no support and I didn&apos;t have a network of friends or family that could help. Over the next 40 years I have started many more from a courier company to an in-flight catering business.
As I gained experience, I would willingly share it with others. Sometimes people just want to bounce ideas around with someone that has experience and knowledge that leave you motivated and better informed. Unfortunately, not everyone has that important network so I decided to volunteer for The Prince&apos;s Trust.
Having someone believe your idea and you as an individual is invaluable, especially when no one else does. One of my first Prince&apos;s Trust mentees would give me a dozen reasons to pack it all in and I would give him a dozen to keep going. He eventually went on to win the prestigious Pride of Britain Awards. I volunteered for the Trust for over a decade not just as an advisor but the interim Chair of the awards panel.
I am a qualified business advisor, an accomplished business mentor and an accredited business coach. But most of all, I have decades of experience supporting start-ups. My personalised approach to support gives clients the confidence to implement ideas with the skills and resources to hand. My entrepreneurial mindset helps them identify a wider audience for their products or services.
In my last role I was the lead for Enterprise &amp; Innovation within a housing association. I helped to start and support over 300 businesses and social enterprises across the North-West of England. I ensured start-ups had access to funding, support and premises.
I am also the Director of a waste management company, an innovating and patent pending service that increases the capacity of communal bins with a mobile compacting service.
My ongoing mission is to provide professional entrepreneurial support and advice to individuals looking to start up or grow their business.

Business Start-up Consultant

90 minute zoom consultation

90 minutes to discuss your business idea or challenges getting started. Most topics can be discussed although I do not give financial advice. Please make notes as the conversation will develop into an exciting action plan enabling you to be confident about your next steps.

I&apos;m an award-winning freelance digital marketing strategist with a laser focus on helping businesses to leverage the power of social media to grow.
??Proven Track Record
I have experience of working with some of the world&apos;s most renowned brands. I&apos;ve led the social strategy and increased the digital footprint of businesses like Mars, Ineos Grenadier, Seagate, Arla Dairy, Capri-Sun, Warner Bros Discovery, and many more. I&apos;ve navigated the ever-evolving digital landscape, consistently driving exceptional results and achieving measurable success for my clients across all social channels.
?? Results Drive Approach
I&apos;m a seasoned Social Media Strategist with over a decade of experience in crafting compelling digital narratives that not only captivate audiences but also drive tangible results. I offer innovative digital strategies focused on delivering ROI and go beyond achieving vanity metrics such as followers and engagements.&nbsp;&nbsp;
??Strategic Insight
Leveraging my experience, data-driven insights, and market trends, I craft bespoke strategies that align with your brand&apos;s unique identity and goals. Whether it&apos;s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or boosting sales, I devise roadmaps that ensure your social media presence is achieving your wider marketing and business objectives. From channel audits to crafting compelling social media campaigns that generate buzz and engagement, I can take your social media channels to the next level!

Social Media Consultant

Sheeza Anjum

I&apos;m an award-winning freelance digital marketing strategist with a laser focus on helping businesses to leverage the power of social media to grow.
📈Proven Track Record
I have experience of working with some of the world&apos;s most renowned brands. I&apos;ve led the social strategy and increased the digital footprint of businesses like Mars, Ineos Grenadier, Seagate, Arla Dairy, Capri-Sun, Warner Bros Discovery, and many more. I&apos;ve navigated the ever-evolving digital

Lunch and Learn: The value of building a community

Free video training, exclusive offers and workshops

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