Meet the Soho House x Black Pound Day entrepreneurs: Part two

Black Pound Day was set up by British rapper Swiss in June 2020 to create a sustainable way of supporting the Black community in the UK, providing a directory of more than 2,000 Black-owned businesses in the UK and beyond.

In February, Soho House partnered with Black Pound Day by offering complimentary Soho Works membership to budding entrepreneurs from the Black community. Additionally, we have helped with mentorship, social exposure and events as a way of supporting and promoting each of their brands.

Read on for the final part in our series that celebrates this partnership, and hear how four of the Soho House x Black Pound Day entrepreneurs are getting on.

Liha Okunniwa, LIHA Beauty

LIHA makes natural beauty products that blend West African botanicals with traditional English aromatherapy practices and folk remedies. It was founded by friends Liha Okunniwa and Abi Oyepitan, who are based in Cheltenham and Hackney in the UK respectively. 

What inspired you to start LIHA? 
‘In Yoruba culture, making oils, soaps and lotions from nuts, tree bark and plants is a skill that was traditionally learnt by all young women. We saw a gap in the market, as people were so unaware of shea butter and other African products like black soap. We wanted to fill it, so we did.’

How did you both meet? 
‘We met at Brunel University in 1998. Abi was running for Team GB and went on to compete in two Olympics, and I was a bit of an artsy slacker. We clicked and bonded over our natural hair, which was rare back then, and our love of all things skincare.’

Could you tell us about some of the ingredients you use in your products?
‘We source shea butter from Nigeria and Ghana. Our Gold and Ivory shea are slightly different in texture and quality. The gold is waxy and the ivory is grainy, but both are amazing for dry skin.’

What’s next for LIHA?
‘We’re currently closing our second round of investment and are really excited to embark on new product development, standalone retail pop-ups and some new concepts that we hope will keep challenging the industry.’

What words of advice would you give to your younger self? 
‘Stop caring what anyone else thinks. The more people say no, the more likely it will work.’

What Black History Month resource would you recommend to Soho House members? 
‘I’d say look into Seven African Powers: The Orishas by Monique Joiner Siedlak. Getting back in touch with African spirituality is so important after it has been stigmatised and sanctioned for so long.’

Follow @lihabeauty

Nicholas Bravette, Shabba Party

Shabba Party curates carnival-inspired parties in London and beyond. Expect to hear the best in dancehall, soca, reggae and afrobeats at one of its events. ‘I launched it back in 2015 because I noticed a lack of accessible parties in the capital that celebrated Black music and culture’, says founder Nicholas Bravette.

What role does Shabba Party play within the Black community? 
‘Shabba Party has definitely grown in stature and recognition over the years, as community values are at the heart of our operation. There’s a family feel to our events and they bring people together.’

How has the Black Pound Day initiative been useful to you?
‘It’s helped me identify many great businesses that I had previously been unaware of. The initiative is also helping to shine a light on Shabba Party, which will accelerate our growth.’

What has been a career highlight for you?
‘Working with UK legends that I grew up listening to: Rampage Sound, So Solid Crew, Heartless Crew, Maxwell D, and Donae’O. Recently, I met and hosted Beenie Man for one of his first UK performances in 13 years.’

What’s next for Shabba Party?
‘We intend to continue upscaling our events – working with bigger artists, venues and brand partners, and promoting the culture on a larger scale.’

What words of advice would you give to your younger self? 
‘Keep doing you, and don’t relax your hair.’

What Black History Month resource would you recommend to Soho House members? 
‘Towards Bicultural Competence: Beyond Black And White by Gloria Gordon.’

Follow @shabbaparty

Shannon Hanson, drenched

Founded in London by Shannon Hanson, drenched was born out of a collective need to stay healthy while promoting sustainable living. ‘As a brand, we create high-quality solutions to support the hydration and eco-friendly habits of our community through reusable products that complement the typical urban lifestyle,’ she explains. 

What inspired you to start drenched? 
‘There is a lack of representation of the Black community when it comes to sustainability. It’s easy to feel alienated from it at times. We wanted to change that with the creation of drenched, and show that sustainability can be inclusive. Sustainability is about doing what we can to protect our planet and our resources now and for future generations – it’s only right that the environmental movement is representative of all of us and inclusive of all genders, ages, sexual orientation, and race.’

Explain how drenched offers an eco-friendly approach to staying hydrated. 
‘Three words: Ditch. The. Plastic. Our aim is to minimise our ecological footprint on the planet, one reusable bottle at a time.’

What’s next for drenched?
‘We want to build our physical presence and get our beautiful bottles in some retail stores. If there are any retailers out there with great taste in eco-friendly products, feel free to get in touch with us!’

What words of advice would you give to your younger self? 
‘If ever you feel that a space excludes you for who you are or what you bring to the table, don’t ever change – just get your work tools out and build your own space.’

Follow @staydrenched

Angelica Bagot, Tribal Unicorn