Meet The Founders
Ourhood community is… a platform that Mike and I founded back in 2020, just after the murder of George Floyd, which was a big period of affection for us and many others, too. Essentially to get to the crux of it, it’s a platform that supports black-owned brands and black creatives, helping them to reach a wider audience and connect with new customers, with a specific focus on brands of high quality, true craft and a strong aesthetic.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve faced since launching Ourhood?
There are a myriad of challenges every day for any small business owner! The biggest challenge was finding the courage to get started and turn our idea into a reality. Since then balancing our schedules around family, friends and existing work commitments while finding the time and energy to fulfil the ambitions that we have for Ourhood has been a tall order.
What’s been the biggest reward?
We started Ourhood Community with the aim of gaining greater recognition and awareness for the hugely dedicated and talented creators that we partner with. Being able to introduce their products to new customers, achieve sales on their behalf and pass profits back to them is hugely rewarding. Seeing the excitement on a customer's face when they come across a product that they love and being able to share some insight with them about the creative process or person behind that product is always an energising moment.
How do you find new brands and creatives to bring into your community?
We connect with new brands in many different ways. We launched during the pandemic and at that time Instagram was a great resource for making new connections. Since then, brands that we work with have recommended brands that they love to us and we have met new partners at some of our pop-up events.
What is the importance for young, black creatives to have a strong community around them?
Being a creative can be lonely at times, what can help is to be able to see and have access to other people who look like you working towards similar goals. We aim to create a support network where brand founders can share ideas, resources, inspire one another and connect as friends.
What does the next year have in store for the Ourhood Community?
A number of exciting projects with new and existing partners. We plan to partner with more amazing brands, host creative and engaging events and create and curate meaningful products with a rich aesthetic that tell a story to a conscious consumer.
What's coming up next?
We've definitely got an exciting year ahead for Ourhood community. We already kicked off the year earlier, in February with a really exciting event during London Fashion Week in partnership with Sludge magazine and Prince of Peckham.
I think we're gonna be looking ahead to do more immersive events where either there are workshops or panel talks where our audience can really get involved, meet us, meet some of the creators as well as shop black-owned brands.
We're obviously really looking forward to the other parts in the Urban Outfitters series, which hopefully will take us outside of London for the first time and possibly even abroad to new territories.
We also have a really exciting collaboration coming up with one of our brands, which is part of the ‘I love US’ series, which is a celebration of black identity, through the medium of some of the designs that we work with.
In The Booth w/ Ourhood Community
Ourhood Community is a curated edit of premium black-owned brands. To support the launch of their online marketplace we spoke with the founders Michael Taylor and Michael Thomas, along with the owners of three brands a part of their community: Warm Studios, AFF AND JAM and Ace & Prince. “Ourhood Community is all about the creators. So for us, it's all about putting black creators at the forefront of everything we do and ensuring they are central to the whole narrative around our community.” Read on below to find out more.
Warm Studios
How does it feel to be a part of Ourhood Community?
It feels great to be part of Ourhood Community! I have been exposed to some amazing brands and people, and been part of some really exciting events and pop-ups. It’s taught me a lot as a business owner and has given me confidence in my products and services.
What was the turning point that changed your hobby into a business?
I think the turning point for me was my children, I couldn’t afford to order glass jars for my candles so I had to get creative and make them myself. The reception I got from my candle jars and coasters boosted my belief that I could actually run a business.
3 tips for creatives starting their own brand…
1. Don’t rely on your friends and family to be your main customer base. While their support is everything and can help get you started, you have to think bigger and reach further to achieve your goals.
2. Utilise social media, I know everyone says this but once I started posting the process/behind-the-scenes of what I was doing the engagement and interest in my brand grew and got me opportunities I didn’t even think of.
3. This is kind of three in one but be okay with failing. It will help you appreciate the process versus focusing on the success. “Failure” is inevitable when starting out, but the lessons you learn from them will ultimately help you come back stronger and more polished when growing your brand no matter what you’re doing or selling.
1 thing everyone should know about your brand…
That every single item is made by me. I’m a one-woman show but I love it! Each piece is unique and like my little babies so I hope you enjoy it! :)
How does it feel to be a part of Ourhood Community?
It feels great to be part of Ourhood Community! I have been exposed to some amazing brands and people, and been part of some really exciting events and pop-ups. It’s taught me a lot as a business owner and has given me confidence in my products and services.
What was the turning point that changed your hobby into a business?
I think the turning point for me was my children, I couldn’t afford to order glass jars for my candles so I had to get creative and make them myself. The reception I got from my candle jars and coasters boosted my belief that I could actually run a business.
3 tips for creatives starting their own brand…
1. Don’t rely on your friends and family to be your main customer base. While their support is everything and can help get you started, you have to think bigger and reach further to achieve your goals.
2. Utilise social media, I know everyone says this but once I started posting the process/behind-the-scenes of what I was doing the engagement and interest in my brand grew and got me opportunities I didn’t even think of.
3. This is kind of three in one but be okay with failing. It will help you appreciate the process versus focusing on the success. “Failure” is inevitable when starting out, but the lessons you learn from them will ultimately help you come back stronger and more polished when growing your brand no matter what you’re doing or selling.
1 thing everyone should know about your brand…
That every single item is made by me. I’m a one-woman show but I love it! Each piece is unique and like my little babies so I hope you enjoy it! :)
Ace & Prince
How does it feel to be part of Ourhood Community?
I think it's a really great initiative. Anyone championing black voices and creating a platform for black creatives is a great thing and Ace and Prince are proud to be a part of it.
What was the turning point that changed the hobby into a business?
Really hard question to answer, the brand luckily picked up attention quite early on and married in perfectly with my day job as a stylist so quite quickly became work rather than just a hobby.
3 tips for creatives starting their own business?
1. Get a really great accountant
2. Talk to your customer and audience. Ask them questions. They are your biggest and best source of market research
3. Don't release products you don't believe in, it's harder to push
1 thing everyone should know about your brand…
Our brand motto is ‘Live Nice’. Everything we do and stand for is to encourage people to ‘Live Nice’ as often and as much as they possibly can.
How does it feel to be part of Ourhood Community?
I think it's a really great initiative. Anyone championing black voices and creating a platform for black creatives is a great thing and Ace and Prince are proud to be a part of it.
What was the turning point that changed the hobby into a business?
Really hard question to answer, the brand luckily picked up attention quite early on and married in perfectly with my day job as a stylist so quite quickly became work rather than just a hobby.
3 tips for creatives starting their own business?
1. Get a really great accountant
2. Talk to your customer and audience. Ask them questions. They are your biggest and best source of market research
3. Don't release products you don't believe in, it's harder to push
1 thing everyone should know about your brand…
Our brand motto is ‘Live Nice’. Everything we do and stand for is to encourage people to ‘Live Nice’ as often and as much as they possibly can.
AFF & JAM
How does it feel to be a part of Ourhood Community?
Being part of Ourhood really feels like being part of a true community of like-minded creatives. The open communication, understanding, and flexibility make us feel well looked after. The founders are amazing, genuine people, and we truly enjoy working with them. We love what they’ve built and appreciate how much they care about the brands they work with and the products they represent.
What was the turning point that changed your hobby into a business?
Our business started off as an experiment, which gave us the freedom to explore our creativity. At first, we listed a few items on third-party seller sites. The feedback we received from our first customers is what encouraged us to turn our concept into a real business. From there, we began to think about how our small initial product idea could work on a larger scale.
3 tips for creatives starting their own brand…
1. Create a good work-life balance by dedicating time to activities that support personal goals, rest, well-being and social life.
2. Don’t be disheartened if things don’t work out as you initially planned. Starting a brand is a journey, and the lessons learned along the way can be invaluable for the growth of the business. It’s also helpful to have a secondary, steady source of income to allow flexibility and ease financial stress.
3. Take breaks away from social media, this helps you recharge, reduce burnout, and stay focused on your creativity without the pressure of constant comparison.
1 thing everyone should know about your brand…
Our brand is built on sisterhood and friendship, where trust and respect make the creative process fun and collaborative. We believe that supporting each other brings out the best ideas and creates a positive atmosphere to work in.
How does it feel to be a part of Ourhood Community?
Being part of Ourhood really feels like being part of a true community of like-minded creatives. The open communication, understanding, and flexibility make us feel well looked after. The founders are amazing, genuine people, and we truly enjoy working with them. We love what they’ve built and appreciate how much they care about the brands they work with and the products they represent.
What was the turning point that changed your hobby into a business?
Our business started off as an experiment, which gave us the freedom to explore our creativity. At first, we listed a few items on third-party seller sites. The feedback we received from our first customers is what encouraged us to turn our concept into a real business. From there, we began to think about how our small initial product idea could work on a larger scale.
3 tips for creatives starting their own brand…
1. Create a good work-life balance by dedicating time to activities that support personal goals, rest, well-being and social life.
2. Don’t be disheartened if things don’t work out as you initially planned. Starting a brand is a journey, and the lessons learned along the way can be invaluable for the growth of the business. It’s also helpful to have a secondary, steady source of income to allow flexibility and ease financial stress.
3. Take breaks away from social media, this helps you recharge, reduce burnout, and stay focused on your creativity without the pressure of constant comparison.
1 thing everyone should know about your brand…
Our brand is built on sisterhood and friendship, where trust and respect make the creative process fun and collaborative. We believe that supporting each other brings out the best ideas and creates a positive atmosphere to work in.