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Posted: Thu 1st Oct 2026
October is Black History Month in the UK, a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions and impact of Black communities across the country.
The theme of Black History Month UK 2026 is "Honouring our communities", recognising the people who make a difference every day, from volunteers and teachers to entrepreneurs and business owners. It's a reminder that creating positive change doesn't always happen on a large scale.
Sometimes it's about building something meaningful, supporting others and inspiring the people around you.
For many founders, running a business is about more than generating income. It's about creating opportunities, building community and leaving a positive legacy. Every challenge overcome and every milestone achieved can inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
This Black History Month, we're celebrating Black founders who are growing successful businesses in London. Meet two entrepreneurs we've supported through Grow London Local and hear their advice on starting a business, building a network and finding support along the way.
At Grow London Local, we thrive if you thrive. If you're thinking about starting or growing your own business, explore our free business support resources or book a free one-to-one consultation with an expert adviser.
From sustainable event styling to luxury home fragrances, these founders share the lessons they've learned from building a business in London.
Mercedes with her trusted van (copyright: Mercedes Gale Parr, courtesy of 4YaParty)
Mercedes Gale Parr is the founder of 4YaParty, a sustainable wedding and event styling business serving London, Kent and parts of Essex. With more than 100 five-star reviews, she specialises in eco-friendly celebrations and inclusive event design.
After going through a difficult period in her life, Mercedes discovered a passion for designing and organising events for friends and family. What began as a creative outlet became 4YaParty, a successful business helping clients create memorable celebrations while reducing waste.
My business was definitely a leap of faith. I left my teaching career due to problems with my pregnancy. Supporting family and friends with their events kept me busy and stopped me from spiralling into depression, which is when I discovered a real creative outlet and a passion for event design. After designing a few family events and parties, my mum suggested I turn this into a business, and the rest was history.
I don't think I would do anything differently. It's taken me eight years to get to where I am, and I think that is because I took my time with every decision. I didn't rush anything to keep up with appearances.
Networking has been a huge part of growing my business. I have a wonderful community of people in all different industries and within the wedding industry whom I've met through networking. I've made great connections and gained significant business through networking. It can be daunting at first, but when you're passionate about your small business, it gets easier to talk about it! Running a business can be very lonely; networking brings you the colleagues you don't get as a one-person band.
Take your time; success doesn't have to be a fancy car or a big house! Success is working for yourself. Success is being able to do the school run because you decide your hours. Success is being able to say yes or no to a new client without worrying about not getting that booking. Appreciate all of the little steps that you make in your business and don't watch what other people are doing.
Precious at a workshop (copyright: Gia Como, courtesy of Gia Como)
Instagram: @gia_como_home
Gia Como is a luxury home fragrance and experiences brand creating candles, diffusers, room perfumes and bespoke fragrances, alongside candle-making experiences and private workshops.
For founder Precious, fragrance is about more than scent. It's about the memories and emotions it evokes. Many of Gia Como's fragrances are inspired by people, places and meaningful moments, helping customers create personal connections through scent.
Precious also works with businesses to develop bespoke fragrances and gifting experiences tailored to their brand.
I definitely took the leap. Gia Como started from a personal experience with scented candles and wanting to create something that I genuinely felt was missing from the market.
I didn’t have everything figured out when I started. I had an idea, a lot of research to do and a willingness to learn as I went. Over time, the business has developed from simply making candles into a wider fragrance and experiences brand with bespoke products, workshops and corporate work.
Looking back, I think taking that first step was more important than having the perfect plan. A lot of what I know now has come from actually doing it, making mistakes, listening to customers and figuring things out along the way.
I’d probably spend less time waiting until I felt completely ready.
When you’re starting out, it’s very easy to think you need to have everything perfect before you put yourself out there — the branding, website, products, pricing, social media and so on. In reality, you learn so much more once you actually start.
I’d also invest more time earlier on into understanding the business side, particularly pricing, finances and processes. Being creative is one thing, but building a business means learning how to manage the less exciting parts too.
Absolutely. Some of the opportunities Gia Como has had have come through simply meeting people, having conversations and allowing people to understand what we do.
Networking has also helped me realise that you don’t have to build a business completely on your own. Other founders understand the challenges in a way that people outside of business sometimes don’t, and having people you can learn from, ask questions and share opportunities with has been really valuable.
I’ve also found that genuine relationships are much more important than simply collecting contacts. Some of the most useful opportunities have come from people who have remembered Gia Como, recommended us or connected us with someone else.
My biggest piece of advice would be to actually look for the support that’s available and don’t be afraid to put yourself forward.
There are so many organisations, networks, programmes and events across London, but you often have to be proactive about finding them. I’d also say don’t underestimate the value of telling people what you do. You never know who someone knows or where a conversation might lead.
And finally, don’t feel like you have to have everything figured out before asking for help. Sometimes the best support comes from simply being honest about where you are and what you need next.
We’re proud to support Black founders in London. If you’re looking for support yourself, we have plenty of useful resources on our website.
You can also join us at our free in-person events to network with other like-minded founders.
No matter where you're based in London, you'll find relevant support and guidance on business planning, sales and marketing and much more, as well as opportunities to connect with like-minded business owners. Visit Grow London Local now
