Creative Business Foundations (Creative Skills Academy)

This is an intensive, fast-paced programme designed to help emerging creatives turn ideas into profitable, sustainable businesses. Led by Samuel Ade, Founder of Ilana — the platform and store championing Black fashion brands — the course draws directly from real-world entrepreneurial experience. You’ll gain the clarity, confidence, and practical tools needed to move from concept to launch, while learning how successful creative businesses are built and scaled.

Whether you’re a designer, maker, or creative founder, this boot camp gives you more than theory. You’ll work to develop a clear launch plan, a simple financial model, and an investor-ready pitch deck, supported by insights from the Ilana community. From funding and finance to marketing, sales, and team building, Creative Business Foundations equips you with the essentials to navigate the business side of creativity — and do it with purpose.

On this course Samuel will be joined by Oyin Adebayo who is the Founder of Niyo Group, serial Tech Entrepreneur and Investor. Oyin started Niyo at the young age of 14 years and successfully bootstrapped her Business to seven figures. Award winning content creator Rotimi Merriman-Johnson known as Mr Money Jar, is a qualified financial advisor and provides accessible financial advice. He has worked with the BBC, Financial Times, ITV News and Sky News. Finally Lyndsay Summerhill who is the Founder of Sexy Pickles, a bold food startup with the aim to brighten up the pickle aisle. Lyndsay is also Head of Marketing at Founder's Forum where she leads global marketing and communications.

The course takes place on the following days and times:

Monday: 4.30pm - 8.30pm

Wednesday: 5pm - 8.30pm

Thursday: 6.15pm - 8.30pm

Friday: 4.30pm - 8.30pm

In this course, you will learn how to:

• Register and structure your creative business correctly
• Build a realistic budget and manage cash flow
• Prepare your business to attract investors and funding
• Develop clear brand positioning and go-to-market strategies
• Create effective marketing and sales plans
• Build a simple, practical financial model
• Pitch your idea with confidence using an investor-ready deck
• Network strategically and hire responsibly as your business grows

This is not a course for ICT beginners. You must be a competent ICT user and willing to work as part of a team.

You will need to be eligible to study in the UK. Upon enrolment, you will be asked to upload residency and income documents for college funding purposes.

This course is for 19+ adults only who are GLA residents.

Free unless earning over £28,860pa (then £84).

Continue to further study in this area.