Jermaine Balfourth, Creative Director at OLIVER Agency and founder of BLACQ Space, joins Alicia for an inspiring conversation about his journey and the pivotal moments that shaped his path. Together, they discuss how early experiences influenced his career, the transformative power of community, and the profound impact of celebrating others on both careers and culture.

BLACQ Space is a platform dedicated to amplifying Black voices and celebrating the achievements of the community.

In this episode, Jermaine takes Alicia through his evolution from creative professional to community leader. He shares how BLACQ Space became a hub for connection, collaboration, and empowerment, and why giving people their “flowers” is essential to breaking through self-doubt and fostering spaces where authenticity thrives.

Alicia and Jermaine explore:

✅ The vision and story behind BLACQ Space ✅ Jermaine’s journey—from college to breaking into the creative industry ✅ Why community support is vital for personal and professional success ✅ Overcoming challenges in the creative world ✅ The importance of visibility and celebrating achievements

Connect with him here: linkedin.com/in/jbalfourth

Ashleigh Ainsley is the co-founder of Colorintech, a leading non-profit on a mission to create a more inclusive tech industry by improving access, awareness, and opportunities for ethnic minorities. Under his leadership, Colorintech has grown into a major force in Europe’s tech scene, hosting BTF, one of the continent’s largest events for technologists and partnering with global giants like Meta, Google, Apple, Netflix, and Bloomberg to deliver impactful programs for students and professionals alike.

Ashleigh kicked off his career in strategy at Google, before taking on roles at high-growth start-up Qubit, corporate heavyweight KPMG, and later as a consultant on strategy and D&I initiatives. He’s also helped raise millions for philanthropic causes, cementing his role as a changemaker driving equity and innovation in the digital economy.

In this inspiring episode, Alicia and Ashleigh discuss his unexpected journey into entrepreneurship, driven more by community need than personal ambition. From being approached by a university to help students enter tech, he and his co-founder, Dion, decided to create a sustainable non-profit that empowers the next generation of diverse tech talent.

Ashley dives deep into the importance of class and race in shaping his experiences, offering insight into how shared life experiences can foster meaningful connections. Don’t miss this candid conversation about BTF, community, and breaking barriers in both tech and life.

Connect with him

www.linkedin.com/in/ashleighainsley/

www.instagram.com/colorintech/

Lauren Dwyer is a People Experience Business Partner at The Orchard/Sony Music looking after UK, Europe and Africa. She has well over 10 years experience within Talent Acquisition and HR. Lauren is also the co-founder of SoulGirl Collective, a platform dedicated to collaboration, community building and knowledge sharing for women in music. Additionally, she is a classically trained violinist, singer/songwriter, previously opening at shows for Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Jhene Aiko and Erykah Badu

In this episode, Lauren shares her full circle moment — from navigating startups and song writing to overcoming creative block and finding her purpose at Sony. We explore how working in a music-led environment reignited her artistry and led to the creation of Soul Girl Collective, a powerful community of over 100 women in music.

In this Episode Alicia and Lauren speak on:

• Facing workplace discrimination and how to deal with it
• Building safe spaces for female creatives
• The future of UK R&B and industry barriers
• Why collaboration > competition
• The push for a Code of Conduct in music, inspired by the Misogyny in Music Report

Plus a special rendition of an old school classic "What You Won't Do for Love" (1979)

You do not want to miss this!

Connect with Lauren

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-dwyer-33156998/ Follow @soulgirlcollective to get involved

Rebecca Levy, the powerhouse who traded stilettos for sneakers and PR for People Operations, becoming a driving force at sustainable fashion platform Depop.

In this captivating episode, Rebecca takes us on her remarkable journey from the vibrant streets of San Antonio, Texas, to leading People, Culture and Impact at one of London's most innovative fashion-tech companies. She shares her fascinating path from writing fan letters to fashion designer Anna Sui to transforming workplace culture within her industry.

Join Rebecca, as she shares her inspiring career journey and personal reflections. Rebecca's story is a masterclass in authentic leadership, cultural identity, and the power of embracing change.

Key moments include:

• The surprising pivot from fashion design dreams to PR and ultimately HR
• Navigating visa challenges and building a career in London
• Leading culture initiatives at Depop
• Balancing motherhood, career, and personal style (yes, those heels became sneakers!)
• Preparing for an enviable one-month sabbatical in South Africa

Perfect for aspiring leaders, culture enthusiasts, and anyone interested in authentic stories of career transformation. Join us for honest conversation about representation, resilience, and redefining success in the modern workplace.

Connect with her

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-jordan-levy

Whether you're contemplating a career change, facing impostor syndrome, or simply love a good story of perseverance, Rebecca's insights on building genuine connections and fostering inclusive workplace cultures will leave you inspired and ready to take action.

Andy Davis is on a mission to transform investing and empower Black entrepreneurs. This week's episode brings you an intimate conversation with Andy Davis, founder of 10x10 and former Director of Backstage Capital London.

This isn't your typical "started from the bottom" story. Andy takes us on a raw, unfiltered journey through his unique path to success - no university degree, no corporate ladder, just pure hustle and determination shaped by his Sierra Leonean mother's entrepreneurial spirit.

A leading angel investor and advocate for Black founders, Andy’s journey is one of resilience, innovation, and collective growth. As the Founder of 10x10, Andy has dedicated his career to breaking barriers and building opportunities for underrepresented communities.

In this deeply personal episode, Andy opens up about:

• Why he's committed to transforming the European tech investment landscape
• Building the ground breaking 10x10 Fund from scratch
• The profound loss that shaped his urgency for success at age 17
• Real talk about therapy, resilience, and maintaining mental health as a founder
• Practical strategies for democratising venture capital

Perfect for your commute or morning walk, this episode is packed with actionable insights for founders, investors, and anyone passionate about creating lasting change in the investor space.

If you enjoy this episode, leave us a rating and review to help other listeners find this valuable content!

Pashcan’el Mitchell is a name you need to know in the world of hairdressing. With over a decade of experience, Pash has transformed from a salon stylist to an award-winning hairstylist, creating iconic looks featured in Vogue, Wonderland, Spell Magazine, Viper, Schick Magazine and Black Hair & Beauty, as well as creating high end hair looks on set for video shoots and live shows.

Starting his career in salons, he spent a number of years at Junior Green in Kensington, specialising in afro hair and solidifying his name in the scene.

Part of the Avlon education team, his work speaks for itself as he continues to shake up the afro hair scene with his unwavering passion, talent and creativity.

More recently, Pashcan’el was appointed lead educator for afro and textured hair across the Blue Tit salon group, running the training programme specific to this hair type.

In this episode Alicia and Pash discuss

• The evolution of hairdressing from traditional techniques to modern tools like YouTube, and the critical need for diverse skills in consultations and cultural awareness.
• Pash shares his journey from barbering to hairstyling, overcoming societal stigmas and finding his path with mentorship from Patricia Hope at Caprius Salon.
• Blue Tit London and its commitment to creating an inclusive, diverse space for both clients and stylists
• The rich history of black hairdressing and the challenges within the industry, promoting the importance of understanding client demographics and cultural contexts.

Connect with Pash

https://www.instagram.com/pashcanel/

Hosanna Hali, an accomplished Azure Specialist at Microsoft and the founder of The Tech Cornr joins the conversation with Alicia Richardson today. From her humble beginnings as a Computing and IT Management graduate to becoming a Solutions Engineer in Cybersecurity, Hosanna’s journey is nothing short of remarkable.

Since starting her career in technology over two years ago, Hosanna has been using her experience to help guide, mentor and inspire the next generation of Women In Tech. Hosanna has participated in a number of Women In Tech Initiatives and in 2020 was highlighted as one of the ten influential Black British women who code and break down barriers by People of Color In Tech.

Using her platform, The Tech Cornr, Hosanna aims to inform, inspire and empower her audience by sharing her story, tech resources and career advice across a number of social media platforms. Hosanna’s goal in life is to help open the tech doors to more women and girls.

In this Episode Alicia and Hosanna dive into

• Hosanna’s growth Journey: her inspiring path from Congo to the UK, excelling in business, computing, and a thriving career at Microsoft.
• Climbing the corporate ladder from Technology Strategist to Cybersecurity
• Why seeking out sponsorship from senior leaders who can actively advocate for you can help with rapid career progression
• Hosanna highlights the power of networking, mentorship, and self-belief in overcoming corporate hurdles and imposter syndrome.
• Balancing Passions: She candidly discusses juggling her career with content creation and her vision to expand The Tech Corner through webinars and impactful events.

Connect with Hosanna here

LinkedIn: (99+) Hosanna Hali | LinkedIn

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thetechcornr/

Sabrina Chevannes is the founder of N0BS - a members’ club for highly ambitious entrepreneurs, which also has an in-house creative agency – the No Bullsh*t Agency. Sabrina is an award-winning creative, having led her agency for over a decade and having the privilege to work with high profile clients such as NATO, Sony and the NHS.

She has been recognised by the British Interactive Media Association as one of the top 100 creatives to watch for 2 years in a row.

Sabrina is also an International Chess Master and an international poker player. She played chess for England and competed in multiple Chess Olympiads, and has recently competed in two European Poker Tours in Cyprus and Prague.

As well as all this, Sabrina runs TEDxShoreditch and is an international public speaker herself, gracing the stage in 12 different countries. She is also the self-development leader at Forbes, a bestselling author, a podcaster and an MBA lecturer.

• Her early career; the challenges and triumphs of running a global business,
• She offers a unique insights into what it takes to build a no BS community and thrive in competitive industries.
• Her other life endeavours such as being an International Chess Master

When she’s not working, she’s cuddling up to her Chow Chow, Bella.

Connect and Learn more about Sabrina here:

https://sabrinachevannes.com/

sabrina@sabrinachevannes.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinachevannes/?originalSubdomain=uk