Black History Month starts on 1 October, and for Black business owners in Birmingham it is much more than a month of reflection. It is one of the busiest, most visible and most commercially useful months of the year. Corporates run supplier showcases, the media is looking for stories, events fill up, and customers make a point of buying Black.
This year the official UK theme is “Honouring Our Communities”. Black History Month UK describes it as a celebration of the everyday people, networks and organisations that hold Black communities together. That describes a lot of us: the barbers, caterers, hair and skincare brands, consultants, creatives and tradespeople running Black-owned businesses across Handsworth, Lozells, Aston, Erdington and the city centre.
With one week to go, this guide covers the October dates worth booking, what the latest data says about the gap Black founders still face, and a practical plan to make this Black History Month bring in real business, not just good feeling.
Why October matters so much for Black-owned businesses in Birmingham
Birmingham has one of the largest Black communities in the UK. According to 2021 Census data, people identifying as Black, Black British, Caribbean or African made up 10.9% of the city’s population (around 125,760 people), up from 8.9% in 2011. That is a large, growing and loyal customer base, plus a deep pool of talent, suppliers and collaborators right on our doorstep.
Black entrepreneurs still start from further back, though. The British Business Bank’s Alone Together research found that:
- Black business owners reported median turnover of £25,000, more than a third less than White business owners (£35,000).
- 28% of Black business owners made no profit, compared with 16% of White business owners.
- For Black women the gap was widest: 37% reported no profit, compared with 15% of White female business owners.
- These gaps persisted even though Black entrepreneurs typically invested more time and money developing their ideas and often had higher levels of education.
The Bank put much of this down to systemic factors: access to finance, social capital, household income and networks. Investment tells the same story. Extend Ventures data reported by TechCrunch found Black founders received just 0.95% of UK venture investment in 2023, even though Black people make up around 2.5% of the UK population.
So Black History Month is not a nice extra. When so much of the gap comes down to networks, visibility and access, a month when all three open up is a month to plan for properly.
Key October 2026 dates for Black entrepreneurs
UK Black Business Week: 12 to 17 October, ExCeL London
UK Black Business Week bills itself as the UK and Europe’s biggest business event for Black professionals and entrepreneurs, with a week of summits, masterclasses and investor conversations. It ends with the UK Black Business Show on Saturday 17 October at ExCeL London, now in its tenth year. Emma Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American and co-founder of SKIMS, has been confirmed as headline keynote.
Is it worth the trip from Birmingham? If you want to meet investors, corporate procurement teams or national retail buyers, yes. London is a direct train from Birmingham New Street, and booking early or sharing travel with another founder helps keep costs down. Check the official site for the latest ticket details, as release dates and prices can change.
Birmingham Black Business Conference: Saturday 31 October
Closer to home, the Birmingham Black Business Conference 2026 runs from 11am to 7:30pm on Saturday 31 October at the Legacy Centre of Excellence, 144 Potters Lane, Birmingham B6 4UU. The headline speaker is Ambassador Arikana Chihombori, and the event is aimed at established owners, aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals. Organisers list free parking and doors at 10am. Early bird tickets are on sale, but tickets are non-refundable, so check your diary before booking.
For a Birmingham-based founder, this is probably the best single day of the month to meet local Black business owners you can buy from, sell to and team up with, which is the “Honouring Our Communities” theme in practice.
Local Black History Month listings
Black History Month UK keeps a national listings directory, and organisers can submit their own events. If you are running a pop-up, workshop, tasting or networking evening in October, list it. It is free exposure to people who are actively looking for Black-led events.
Your Black History Month game plan: 7 practical moves
1. Book your events now and plan who you want to meet
Don’t turn up and hope. Before each event, write down:
- Three people or types of business you want to meet (for example, a corporate supplier-diversity lead, a local stockist, a potential collaborator).
- One clear ask, such as a stockist meeting, an introduction to a buyer or feedback on your pitch.
- A 30-second introduction that says who you serve and what problem you solve.
2. Get your offer ready for corporate Black History Month budgets
Many employers across the West Midlands run October programmes and look for Black-owned suppliers for catering, gifting, speakers, workshops, merchandise and entertainment. Put together a one-page “Black History Month offer” with a short bio, what you can deliver, price ranges, lead times and two or three testimonials. Send it this week to HR, diversity and events contacts, or to organisations you already know. By October many plans are already signed off.
3. Market with meaning, not tokenism
Customers can tell the difference between a business that honours the month and one that just uses it. This year’s theme gives you a natural, honest angle:
- Spotlight the people behind your business: staff, suppliers, mentors or the elders who inspired you.
- Collaborate with another Black-owned Birmingham business on a joint product, bundle or giveaway, and share each other’s audiences.
- Tell your founding story in short-form video. It usually outperforms polished adverts on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
- Give something back, for example a free workshop, a school talk or a discount for a community organisation.
4. Make sure you can be found
October is when many customers go looking for Black-owned businesses to support. Before 1 October, check your Google Business Profile, opening hours, website links and social bios. If you’re not already in Black business directories, including the Black Owned Birmingham community, now is the time to join.
5. Use the month to build your funding pipeline
Mainstream finance is still harder to reach for many Black founders, so Black-focused programmes matter. Many of the best ones run on yearly cycles, so the trick is to be ready before they open:
- Channel 4 × Lloyds Black in Business: now in its third year, it gives four winners £200,000 of free Channel 4 advertising airtime each, a bespoke TV advert and six months of mentoring. The 2026 shortlist was announced in July. Sign up for updates so you’re ready for the next round.
- BEO × Sky Future 100 Growth Fund: the Black Equity Organisation’s programme supports Black-led, UK-registered businesses that already have a product on the market, offering up to £15,000 of equity-free funding plus mentoring. The 2026 round closed in June, so watch for the next one.
- British Business Bank Start Up Loans: government-backed personal loans with free mentoring for new businesses. Check the British Business Bank finance options page, which also lists the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II for growing firms.
Use any conversations with investors or corporates in October to ask: “What would you need to see from a business like mine?” Those answers will make your next application stronger.
6. Get your paperwork ready
Strong ideas can still be let down by missing basics. With the wealth gap limiting access to collateral for many Black households, a strong, well-evidenced application counts for even more. In October, pull together:
- Up-to-date management accounts or a simple profit and loss statement
- A 12-month cash-flow forecast
- A one-page business summary and a short pitch deck
- Evidence of traction: sales, repeat customers, reviews, press coverage
- Company registration details (many programmes need you to be registered on Companies House)
7. Honour your own community and keep it going after October
The best way to live out “Honouring Our Communities” is to spend within it. Commit to buying at least one product or service from another Black-owned Birmingham business in October: your accountant, printer, photographer, caterer or web designer. Money that circulates locally builds the networks and wealth the research says we are missing.
Then make it last. Black History Month is 31 days. Your business needs support for the other 334. Follow up every new contact within 48 hours, add them to your mailing list (with their permission) and set a reminder to check in again in January.
Quick checklist: before 1 October
- [ ] Book the Birmingham Black Business Conference (31 October)
- [ ] Decide whether UK Black Business Week or Show (12 to 17 October) is right for you
- [ ] Send your one-page Black History Month offer to five potential corporate clients
- [ ] Update your Google Business Profile and social bios
- [ ] Plan four Black History Month posts that honour your community
- [ ] Reach out to one Black-owned business about a collaboration
- [ ] Sign up for alerts from Black-focused funding programmes
- [ ] Start your funding-ready document folder
Conclusion: make this October count
The gaps Black entrepreneurs face in turnover, profit and investment are real, and they will not close on their own. But Birmingham’s Black business community has something no statistic captures: a strong, connected and growing network of people who want each other to win. Black History Month 2026 puts that network in the spotlight.
Book your events, sharpen your offer, show up with purpose and spend with each other. Do that and October can bring in new clients, partners and funding leads, not just a month of celebration.
Join the Black Owned Birmingham community
Want to meet other Black business owners in Birmingham, share what you’re planning for Black History Month or find people to go to events with? Join the Black Owned Birmingham Facebook group. It’s free, it’s local and it’s where our community shares opportunities, events and support all year round.
