eBay Seller Academy Grantees 🎉

We're thrilled to unveil the recipients of The BGF x eBay Programme 2024 grantees. 

In April, we celebrated the 5th cohort of our business programme with eBay, a partnership dedicated to empowering, encouraging, and elevating ambitious Black women entrepreneurs.

At BGF, we're committed to the economic empowerment of Black women, especially considering the £300 billion spending power of Black Brits. Continuing this partnership aligns with our mission to amplify Black Founders' voices, celebrate their unique perspectives, and foster a more inclusive and equitable future for the industry.

The BGF x eBay Seller Academy offers a FREE 12-week hybrid training program crafted to empower Black women business owners with the essential tools, skills, and insights for successful selling on eBay.

Image Credits: Hannah Faith

Over the past 12 weeks, we've guided and supported over 40 Black women business owners with personalized training from eBay experts, waived fees for 6 months, and provided access to grants.

The response to the program was overwhelming, with hundreds of applications showcasing remarkable businesses. After a rigorous 3-step selection process, we've selected six outstanding Black-women-led businesses as our grantees.

These six recipients will benefit directly from the eBay team's expertise, industry mentorship, and receive a £1K equity-free grant!

Meet the 2024 BGF x eBay Grantees:

Former fashion model turned sustainability advocate, Charis Agbonlahor Ward founded Already Made to address fashion industry waste. By repurposing new and preloved overstock, she offers affordable alternatives while championing environmental conservation.

“The program has taught me the potential my business has. There is a lot of demand for my products and ebay makes it an easy place to sell on and get noticed.” - Charis Agbonlahor Ward

Charis Agbonlahor Ward - Already Made

With 15+ years on eBay, Paula Hemmings started small, aiming for Christmas gifts. Now, her thriving business, UndercoverNista, fills a 300 sq ft unit. Passionate about fashion and sustainability, she champions eco-friendly practices. Paula's journey inspires, proving dedication leads to digital-era success.

“My aspiration is to further expand my business to a stage where I can employ local young people and replace my full-time salary.” - Paula Hemmings

Paula Hemmings - UncoveredNista

Elizabeth Akingbade is a visionary entrepreneur dedicated to building household brands. Her brands, Yemzi and Virgo 9 Essentials, embody quality, style, and innovation. Yemzi offers fashion-forward apparel while Virgo 9 Essentials specialises in holistic wellness products.

“I loved being a part of a positive melaninated community of  business owners. I also really appreciate Kelsie, who lead the course, because she's an eBay expert and our booksble 1-2-1 sessions meant I could ask her specific questions to help my eBay shop make progress each week.” - Elizabeth Akingbade

Elizabeth Akingbade - Yemzi

Meet Sabrina Khan, the passionate force behind The Loved & Found, an innovative platform redefining fashion consumption. With a commitment to sustainability, Sabrina curates pre-loved clothing and curated collections, offering quality wardrobe staples for all genders. Through her discerning eye for style and dedication to inclusivity, she creates a space where fashion becomes a medium for conscious living.

“I’m expanding my product offering and hope to reach as many people as possible , using the new skill set I have learnt from the programme and using the grant to increase my product offering with more professional photography.”

Sabrina Khan - The Loved & Found

Born in France to diverse roots, Anaïs Borély pursued her passion for visual arts in the UK after graduating with honors in Illustration. Despite facing redundancy twice, she invested in herself, founding Bandanacat. Working from Print Club in East London, she oversees every aspect from design to production.

“Resilience is everything that you need. If you have an idea for a business or product remember that anything you don't know you can learn, but only you can push your idea forward and turn it into reality.”

Anaïs Borély - BandanaCat

Founder of BIND London, Kayleigh Benoit transitioned from teaching to high-fashion sportswear. Her designs, embraced by celebrities and featured in top media, thrived even amid the pandemic, raising £10,000 without samples. Beyond fashion, Kayleigh leads workshops on wellbeing and entrepreneurship for organizations like AllBright and The British Library.

“Be a sponge. Apply for everything. Always be a humble student. Implement. Practice one thing at a time. Have a network of other founders to soundboard to. Enjoy your business when it’s small. Celebrate every win. Wear failures with pride on the journey to success.”

Kayleigh Benoit - BIND London

To all of the businesses that applied for this year's program, thank you for sharing your visions with us. We recognise that this work is part of a larger change needed in the business space and are eager to expand these opportunities for our community in the future.

To our six Grantees, we're honoured to be a part of your journey and look forward to witnessing your future successes! Congratulations!

Read more about the BGF x eBay Seller Academy here!