by LISette felIX
Life changing health crisis inspires new business
If “necessity is the mother of invention,” then entrepreneur Nicola Corbin embodies the phrase.
When the Londoner was diagnosed with a life altering illness in 2022 at just 46, not one to sit around and let depression get the better of her, she decided to start her own business selling neck band fans to help with symptoms.
“This was never something that I intended to do. I became ill and I found myself with breast cancer in May 2022. It gave me a lot of time to think whilst I was at home going through all my treatments,” Corbin explained.
A Civil Service casework manager, Corbin, saw an opportunity to help others and fill a gap in the market. Like many undergoing treatment she was experiencing menopause and the hot flashes that are common during the process. It was on one of those days when she was trawling through the Internet that she came across a personal cooling fan and had a light bulb moment. She said to herself: ‘ Do you know what, I’m going to sell neck bands!’
The idea came at the right time, keeping her centred and in her words ‘sane.’ While an unusual thing to decide to do for many, Corbin realised that the product could help men as well as women. The former often experience hot flashes when being treated for prostate cancer – a side effect of treatment [usually hormone replacement therapy]. Another impetus was the desire to give back. “One of the other things that motivated me was the thought of giving back to a charity of some sort. So that is the plan – of course I am still going through the process,” Corbin said.
Using her own money, she came up with a rather clever but simple product name, Fantastick, referring to the relief that is derived from using it. She used the Internet to research what she needed to set up her business, everything from registration to creating a website.
Corbin also recreated resources for those who wanted to learn about the process. “‘There are a lot. I located around 69 videos that I earmarked after finding them on YouTube, [everything] from registering a trademark to opening a business.”
Her e-platform of choice was Alibaba, a leading source for online shopping, but there are many more.
“They call the way they sell their mass produced items on-line ‘white labelling’, so generally speaking you don’t make the goods yourself. You buy blank goods in bulk like ‘a blank canvas’ and then you put your logo or label on it, and sell them as your product,” Corbin explained. Retailing for £25 including postage, customers receive a dust bag and a personal ‘Thank you’ card along with the fan.
Corbin also leaned heavily on social media, throughout development and especially during the marketing process.
‘That’s the biggest thing – marketing, and I am still working through that. It’s just like a lot of it you have to pay for…and, who’s got a lot of money to pay for marketing, but that is what you need to do for you to get anywhere. Some of the posts I did, I would do the algorithms. I asked Instagram to do a paid post so that we could target a market e.g., age range demographic,” she said.
Personal connections have also helped bridge financial and knowledge gaps. A friend’s daughter assisted with branding, for example and Corbin has shared her neck fan with a menopause group she joined.
The new entrepreneur recognises that there are challenges for Black business owners, but running an Internet enterprise makes things easier, she believes.
‘When you are sitting behind a computer you can be anyone. So, no-one knows who I am. Unless my picture appears on my WhatsApp profile and someone might say she is a black woman, then no-one knows who I am. When I am dealing with China – they don’t know who I am – except of course that I am a woman.”
As Corbin reviews the struggles and triumphs of the last few years – she has to juggle her schedule now that she is back to work full time – appreciation for her achievements is clear. ‘I think I am happy to do what I am doing. I am just trying to navigate back into normality. Creating this business gave me something else to focus on rather than my illness and helped me not get to the point of feeling sorry for myself. Though I understand how it can get people like that….me having a focus, I felt great and very proud of myself. I never thought that I would do something like this. And the fact that I have done it whether it is successful or not, it’s something I can say that I have done – I have a business.”
And she is excited about the future, with plans to expand her retail network, share her journey and most of all help others.
‘What would be nice is to be able to sell to proper retailers, like Argos and Boots. That would be quite nice even if it was as a summer product and have some of the proceeds of this going to charity. That is what I would like to happen. So it’s not just ‘oh I am selling a neck band’ – anyone could sell a neck band. Why am I selling this particular neck band? It’s because I have a story to tell. My story is that this business was born out of, or the result of me being ill. And I want to give back and that is why. It’s even there on my website – asking my followers if they have checked their boobs and all those kinds of things and what is a mammogram, which is an educational element of the site,’ Corbin said.
For more information or how to purchase the neck band fan visit:
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Life changing health crisis inspires new business
When entrepreneur Dennis Owusu-Sem launched his minority, youth-focused organization Success Talks UK in 2013, he didn’t let limited resources curtail his dream. A decade later, it has impacted hundreds through more than 30 live events, conferences and workshops which have hosted some of the most influential people in the country.
Owusu-Sem, an analyst, wanted to remove barriers that deter young people of color in the UK from being successful. He chose to focus on areas including learning computer coding, entrepreneurship and media, using apps as a way to reach his audience. “The world is always evolving and changing which is the main reason that we want to be able to provide the younger generation with these skills,” Owusu-Sem said.
The organization attaches great importance to the concept “Do more with less.” Owusu-Sem explained, “From my perspective, I think we try to do everything to the highest quality. And that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a lot of money. We just utilize all our resources properly to make sure when we do things; we do them to the best of our ability. That’s pretty much what it means.”
Doing just that Owusu-Sem has attracted some of the UK’s top professionals from all walks of life to assist in his cause. They include former corporate CEO Damon Buffini, Olympic gold medalist Christine Ohuruogu and orthopedic surgeon Samatha Tross, all of whom have spoken at the organization’s events.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, commonly known as PwC, a multinational professional services network, joined with Success Talks because of Sem’s methodology. Partner Paul Cleal said; “I believe this approach will be successful in engaging young people, because it has a good medium (the app) and a good message – I like the way he uses people from very different backgrounds to talk about where they came from and their journey to success, rather than simply where they are now. This helps people understand that successful people are just like them.” Cleal was pleased about some recent workshops and events; “We had a room full of people with lots of questions about what careers are like at PwC.”
Owusu-Sem who was born in London of Ghanaian parents, has a background in education, creating GCSE notes. He recalls that founding Success Talks UK was inspired by his passion for his role as president of the African-Caribbean Society at the University of Bath and for creating computer apps.
Technology is at the center of the organization’s educational efforts and participants are encouraged to be innovative. “When you stop innovating, others catch you up and you can get left behind. We have to stay relevant and useful to the people we want to attract,” Owusu-Sem emphasized.
Owusu-Sem has used personal networks to fund the non-profit’s operation, using its flagship events to draw the attention of a wider audience and to promote its cause and services.
Many have come in contact with Success Talks through word of mouth or advertisement. “The first time I heard about Success Talks was when I went to an Oxford University conference by their African and Caribbean Society, and Success Talks advertised their organization and one of their insight workshop there,” student Liberty Martin said. Martin was a participant at the organization’s maiden event, a pitch camp, where young participants were taught how to become better public speakers. Mohammed Hammeda who also took part contacted Owusu-Sem after finding out about the free workshop. “We were afforded with the opportunity to speak in front of a lot of people, so we increase our confidence,” he said.
With already several well-attended events under its belt, Success Talks UK’s has big plans for the future. Owusu-Sem said he would like his organization to be global in five years; “And by global I mean I want us to become a one stop shop, where we can gather speakers from different ethnic backgrounds and from all over the world.”
Owusu-Sem is also working on a program, called Internship’s Insight event, where professionals who have overcome adversity to become successful share their respective experiences with the younger generation.
“This will enable the younger generation to realize, that even though they come from a challenging background, people have become triumphant and successful, without necessarily being a member of a well-to-do family or graduating from a higher learning institution,” Owusu-Sem said.
For more information about Success Talks UK, visit http://www.success-talks.co.uk/
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“Fantastick” is the word. Nicola you are not only talented but a truly inspirational person and this product is amazing.
Thanks BBrit Project for interviewing me. This is my first interview regarding my business and excited to see where it leads.
The honour is ours, really thank you.
Wow, sounds amazing what you have achieved. Always inspirational to hear when someone makes something good out of something bad. Well done.
So happy you enjoyed this story!
I can attest to purchasing this neck band and it has been so so useful and convenient as your hands are free. What a wonderful entrepreneurial approach born out of challenging circumstances.
Keep on keeping on!
Yes indeed..
Thank you for taking the time to respond. We thought this was such a great idea and a testament to the founder’s strength and determination.
This is really cool, (excuse the pun!). Well done for putting a spin on your circumstances and coming out the other side and now supporting others too. You are a real inspiration, truly Fantastick!
We really wanted to share this story of triumph over adversity.
Thank you for sharing your story and your fan has been a great help to me. Not only does it look good big it’s also discreet because many people mistake it for headphones. Keep doing what your doing and empowering others.
Thank you.