How the Design Museum has impacted diversity in entrepreneurship

What if we can design a space that can support diverse creative entrepreneurs thrive?

Design, diversity, and business have been isolated for many years. These three combined can create unique and impactful opportunities on a local and global scale. Design has played an essential role in businesses since the 1970’s with the term design thinking being adopted by IDEO. Leading to the creation of many successful new innovative products, services, processes, and strategies across different industries.

“The value of “what” to the value of “why.” The importance of the act of thinking of others, being close to them, imagining the future, creating first, and thinking while creating.” - Shunsuke Ishikawa, Partner, Design / Innovation from Kesiki inc, Design Agency

The Design Museum has just launched its first-ever Entrepreneurs Hub, an 8-week pilot programme to help 15 emerging designer-entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds develop and grow their ideas into viable, sustainable businesses. 

The mission of this program was specifically designed to support small business owners and early-stage founders from underrepresented backgrounds and immigrant founders in the UK. While standing out as a unique programme that is design-led, empowering sustainable businesses and no equity. Out of over 250 applications, 15 inspiring creative entrepreneurs were chosen to participate in the program, all from diverse backgrounds ranging from different races, ages, experiences, and cognitive thinking.  

Meet the 15 founders:

• Maria Higgins, founder of Velo2, Air purifying device for bicycles
• Darryn Frost, founder of Xpandabox, Secure parcel box solution
• Sara Berkai, founder of Ambessa Pay, STEM toy kits for children
• George Wu, founder of Para-Para, A playful series of graphic high-end animated umbrellas
• Kavya Jain, founder of Sensei, Wayfinding tapes for the visually impaired
• Sam Beaney, founder of Lumen Family, Device to help improve our health while we work
• Nazia Kosar, founder of Star x Crescent, Islamic design for modern Muslim lifestyles
• Sage Toda-Nation, founder of Sage Nation, a Fashion brand drawing on dual Japanese and British heritage
• Deborah Akin & Faisal Dacosta, founders of Owe nothing but love, A Contemporary streetwear brand
• Nadia Salt, founder of Hypathia, A luxury swimwear label
• Ponk Memoli, founder of Htch, A real-time collaborative tool for architects
• Theresa Olloh, founder of Hamlie, A multi-brand retailer for African-made products
• Juga Singh, Printing visualisation tool — Precise and realistic visualisation solution for printing
• Mohamed Gaafar, founder of Sneakaas, Platform to upcycle and reinvent sneakers

Why we need to value the intersection between design and business?

Starting your own business is more than coming up with an idea, choosing a business name, and launching a Squarespace website.

Although, starting a business has become easier over the years due to the accessible tools and knowledge online. Executing your idea and finding the right product-market fit can be a long and draining process.

Fear of failure, understanding what your user really needs, and finding profitability are just some of the barriers many founders face when building their start-ups. One of the things I enjoy most is helping founders make the complex simple by breaking down their problems and relating them to tried and tested tools that I have used with some of the world’s most recognised brands.

Creators and designers now more than ever need to think in a multidisciplinary way to build new businesses and ideas. This program is a perfect platform to support people from diverse backgrounds to develop the right start-up mindset and skills to thrive throughout their entrepreneurial journey.

This involves often breaking down new concerns such as start-up lifecycle, business models, how to sell, pitch, market, and many more. Many new entrepreneurs could see these other elements as an afterthought, especially individuals in the creative industry with little real-life business experience.

Impacting different generations of creative entrepreneurs

It has only been 3 weeks since the start of the program; Many of the creative founders have been able to self-reflect, pivot their ideas, speak to customers and work together to support each other across challenging parts of the journey.

Although many of the entrepreneurs on the Design Museum’s program have just started their entrepreneurial journey, the experience going through this process may positively impact how they view the relationship between their creative industry and business. There is a great opportunity for them to explore new core business concepts and discover something they once thought was impossible. As they springboard into the unknown, they are supported by their peers, the Design Museum, and a community of business experts.

The program also provides extra support through all members being able to use the Design Museum’s space, resources, and network to help them develop their businesses prepare to go-to-market or scale-up.

Additional support is provided throughout the 8 weeks, including one-on-one mentoring with an experienced expert related to their business and peer-to-peer accountability groups that support them solve relevant business challenges.

Theory into practice: What creative entrepreneurs need to consider when starting a business

Based on the two days I spent with the incredible founders, there were significant questions that any creative entrepreneur should consider when starting a business:

1. Where are your strengths as a founder? Are you better at being an early-stage founder builder or operator (There is a big difference between the two)?
2. Does your idea solve a real problem for at least your first customers (Ideal early adaptors/ super fans who need your ideas the most)?
3. Do you understand your ideal customers (What experience they are looking for and how much they would pay for your idea)?
4. Can you keep your value proposition simple and compelling (Even a 7-year-old should understand what value your idea is creating)?
5. Are you focusing on the right metrics for your business that helps you grow or better understand what would make your business successful (Less than 4 business metrics at a time that can be measured and investors understand)?
6. Can you focus on one revenue stream at a time (Customers are willing to pay for, aligns with your industry, and covers your outgoing costs)?