Jacqueline Shepherd, BBC Radio London presenter and the One Show reporter, will host a discussion with black business owners, that will take you down memory lane and back to the present day…
- What it was it like starting a business as a black entrepreneur in Wandsworth in the 1980s – and how does this compare to launching one 40 years later?
- What challenges, obstacles and opportunities have these business owners encountered along the way?
- How has their heritage helped influenced their business
- From Tooting to Selfridges Foodhall – how did the brothers behind Juici Jerk do it do it?
- What positive/negative impact has Covid 19 had on their business?
The legendary Charlie Phillips is a pioneering Jamaican born photographer, known as a documenter of black London. In the 70’s Charlie also took paparazzi-style pictures of photos of celebrities including Omar Sharif, Gina Lollobrigida, Jimi Hendrix and Muhammad Ali and some of his iconic photographs have been sold around the world. Charlie’s work has been featured in Vogue, Life and Harper’s Bazaar magazines and exhibited at the V&A Museum, Black Cultural Archives and Tate Britain.
In the late 1980’s despite being refused a loan from his bank manager, Charlie opened Smokey Joe’s a landmark Caribbean diner in Wandsworth which he ran for over a decade.
Neomi Bennett is a practicing registered nurse, who served on the frontline during the height of the pandemic. She is also the brains behind the life-saving product Neo-slip, which has developed into a highly successful enterprise. The multi award-winning Neo-slip is a novel, innovative yet practical solution that aids application of hospital stockings. The stockings prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT); demand is high because currently 25,000 die each year in the UK of preventable DVT. The company supplies hospitals across the UK and is available on NHS prescription or from BOOTS pharmacy. Featured on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, Neomi is passionate about education, patient safety and innovation in healthcare and is also founder of the grassroots organisation, Equality 4 Black Nurses. Neoslip.com
Troy and Jarrell Johnson are siblings from Tooting whose passion for cooking came from many years learning their mother’s delicious traditional Caribbean recipes. However – Over a period of time they added a contemporary spin based on the comfort food Londoners love. In 2017 the brothers launched Juici Jerk as a home cooking business, before venturing into street food vending. The inspiring business has been featured GQ magazine and earlier this year, they made history by becoming the first Caribbean food caterer to have a residency in the Selfridges food hall. Juici Jerk.com
Photograph of Charlie Phillips by Aliyah Otchere
