“I went viral on the BBC and broke the internet.”

Colour Celebrations began with a realisation. After my son was born, I searched everywhere for baby milestone cards, but nothing reflected his hue or Nigerian heritage. I wanted something that celebrated him, his developmental and cultural milestones – it sparked my entire business idea. It was never just about cards, it was about helping children and families of colour feel seen and celebrated.

I went viral when the BBC covered my story. I’d only made 200 sets of cards, but they sold out in 24 hours. Suddenly people were asking if I’d ship to Australia or the U.S. and then I won the ‘Made for Mums Editor’s Choice’ Award. That’s when I knew this was more than a personal project, it was something the world needed.

Community is your first investor. When your business is planted in purpose and has a supportive community behind it, the rest follows. My network was everything when I started out. I launched a ‘Colourful Motherhood Campaign’ as a way to shine a light on parents raising black or mixed race children, different types of motherhood experiences, and set self-love as a precedent. It showed why my product was needed and got people talking. 

Juggling motherhood and entrepreneurship has meant I’ve had to stick to some non-negotiable habits. The Pomodoro Technique’s been a game changer in helping me optimise my time while staying present at home. I work in focused bursts, followed by short breaks to stay motivated. 

The early years taught me to refine my products and order small. I learned this the hard way – spending thousands of pounds and two years on a product that didn’t resonate with my customers. This had a big knock-on effect financially, but it also forced me to diversify revenue streams to include public speaking and bigger wholesale and B2B opportunities. 

I’ve always been honest about being a small business, but not in a limiting way. I’ve built trust and long-term relationships with my suppliers and always shown the potential of what we can do together.

My career’s been rooted in financial empowerment. Before this I was Head of Change at one of the ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms. I worked to leave things better than I found them, focusing on helping people build long-term wealth and financial independence. Becoming a mother strengthened that sense of responsibility – Colour Celebrations is driven by a desire to create something meaningful and add value to people’s lives. 

You never know who you’re sitting across the table from and where it could lead. My superpower’s always been bringing people together. Tapping into that has been my business’ biggest strength.

The article above includes general information and should not be taken as financial advice. If you have questions about your specific circumstances, please speak to an independent financial advisor.