Supporting Black Business Owners through B.A.B.E and Ambitious Women in Essex
Client: Essex County Council / AWiE
Partners: Black and Being Essex (B.A.B.E), Eve Calderbank
Project: Event collaboration, content creation
Focus: Representation, Community Empowerment
Ambitious Women in Essex partnered with Preen who runs Black and Being Essex (B.A.B.E) for a Chelmsford networking event focused on celebrating and amplifying Black business owners across the county.
B.A.B.E, founded by Preen, is a community-led initiative dedicated to supporting and showcasing Black-owned businesses in Essex.
Through their work, they have created a directory of Black entrepreneurs in areas such as beauty, wellness, catering and creative industries, helping residents discover and support local businesses that might otherwise be overlooked.
​
The collaboration aimed to centre Black voices within the wider entrepreneurial community and start important conversations about representation, accessibility and inclusion in business spaces.
Keywords
Representation
Diversity and inclusion
Women in business
Essex entrepreneurs
My Role
I supported this collaboration through my ongoing work with Ambitious Women in Essex, providing content creation, event coordination and storytelling that highlighted the purpose behind the partnership.
​
Working closely with Eve and Preen, I helped capture the energy of the event and showcase local founders, community connection and cultural pride. It was important that the messaging reflected the values both organisations shared: empowerment, visibility and belonging.
Organising workshops and events
Building relationships with business owners
Writing newsletters and captions
Creating socials and marketing materials
Shaping a warm, engaging online presence
The outcome
The event brought together a diverse mix of founders, freelancers and creatives from across Essex, with many forming lasting connections.
Feedback from attendees and partners was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing how valuable it was to see Black-owned businesses and voices represented on a council-led platform.
Beyond the event itself, the collaboration deepened AWiE’s commitment to inclusion and community connection, reinforcing the importance of creating spaces where every founder feels supported.​
How I can help
If you’re looking to make your business or community space more inclusive, I can help you approach it with care and understanding. My work focuses on building genuine relationships, encouraging empathy and creating environments where everyone feels respected and heard.
Whether you’re developing a project, leading a team or strengthening how you connect with others, I can help you bring inclusion and consideration into every interaction.
Get in touch: hithisisbry@gmail.com