Making an Impact

In June 2024, the University of Sussex Business School hosted Changing the Face of Consultancy, an innovative project reshaping the intersection of social justice, education, and community impact.

This unique initiative, part of the Black Brilliance in Business series and developed by Dr Sindi Gordon, Clare Turner and Jessica Kistnasamy, empowers postgraduate students from the global majority to address real-world challenges, transforming impactful solutions into sustainable, profitable outcomes.

The idea: Formulating the consultancy project

Dr Sindi Gordon actively participated in the CoPOWer Research Project around Covid-19 and racism. It was a unique project involving nine professors from the global majority.

Sindi commented: “I saw the power of that because it was a whole different relationship – working in a community and the researchers and investigators look like you.”

“They were able to look at nuances. There were a lot of things that were unspoken but were understood. And the research participants: they were more relaxed, more open, and so it gave a different form of knowledge production, a different form of knowledge that they were sharing.”

Supported by the CoPOWeR Research Project, and with active participation from the previous years’ Black in Business working group, the pilot event focused on providing consultancy expertise to the Tiger Bay ABC Amateur Boxing Club, a grassroots community initiative.

Introducing the consultant experience

Understanding that the participants would come with varying levels of knowledge and experience, a pre-event consultancy workshop on ‘what it takes to be a consultant’ prepared students for the competition.

Expert workshop leads Ema Effiong Enogieru, Sussex MBA alum, and Omaye Japhet, MSc International Business and Development student, explored the theory and practice of consultancy, and how to apply this to real-world cases.

Students received guidance on developing consultancy recommendations so they could apply their knowledge at the competition the next day.

They talked about the importance of soft skills like active listening and motivational interviewing for effective problem-solving in human-centred design thinking.

“Remember, hard skills get you in the door, but soft skills are what keep you there! Stay empathetic with your clients to discover the most innovative, feasible, and desirable solutions.” – Ema Effiong Enogieru.

The consultancy challenge

The student consultants were asked: How do you make a small, grassroots community initiative sustainable and profitable?

Tiger Bay ABC Amateur Boxing Club is a gym in Butetown, Cardiff, founded in 2018 by coach Wasim Said, offering a positive environment for young people in the community. It provides a space for them to train, and develop their work ethic, confidence, and responsibility.

Following introductions from project lead Dr Sindi Gordon, Yomi Olusunle, co-founder of the Black Brilliance in Business series, gave an inspiring keynote address on “The Power of Yes and How My “Otherness” Became My Advantage”.

Professor Anna Gupta, Royal Holloway University London, then introduced the Co-POWeR project, followed by a screening of the documentary film “Belonging”, introduced by Professor Florence Ayisi, University of South Wales.

It was then over to the Tiger Bay ABC’s founder and key members to present their challenges to the participants and engage in an insightful Q&A session.

Students worked in eight teams over the afternoon to develop consultancy plans, tasked with providing innovative solutions to increase the sustainability and profitability of the Tiger Bay Boxing Club through the lens of grassroots community initiatives.

The teams were then invited into the boardroom to present their recommendations to the panel.

Yomi Olusunle commented on the project: “Sindi and I came together because we recognised the experience and knowledge black students come with and wanted a space where students of the African diaspora and global majorities expertise is recognised.

“I was elated to give the keynote address on “The Power of Yes and How My “Otherness” Became My Advantage” for our pilot event to University of Sussex Business School students and work alongside leaders in the Higher Education sector.

“It was also fabulous to watch the screening of the documentary “Belonging” featuring the incredible boxers from Tiger Bay ABC. I learnt so much from them, spent quality time with them and they’ve changed my life forever!”

Dr Sindi Gordon reflected on the project: "What's powerful about the Changing the Face of Consultancy project is the intentionality behind every step of the process. We placed great importance on treating, respecting, and valuing all participants, ensuring their voices and contributions were truly honoured.

“Wasim at Tiger Bay ABC highlighted how upholding their core values was central to every decision, even turning down funding that would require compromising their principles. This deeply resonated with our students, who were so inspired that they developed recommendations ensuring Tiger Bay ABC's values remained uncompromised in the pursuit of profit."

The winning team

A huge congratulations to the winning team: Tarun Kachhwaha, Stefanny de Morais, Billie Byambadorj, Manasi Barmecha, Sandra Akpabla, Oghenechovwe Okolosi, Jemima Aryee, Bo Tang, Helen Rachel Reji, Tanishq Mathur, and Yuta Samizo.

The team identified three main obstacles the club faces:

• Limited space and operating hours due to a shared building.
• Small online presence, with no website or Google Business pages.
• Lack of long-term revenue generation.

They proposed recommendations in three key areas:

• Branding and Digital Presence: Develop a user-friendly website, create inspiring social media content, produce promotional videos, and explore live-streaming workouts.
• Corporate Collaboration and Services: Design corporate wellness packages, partner with companies for CSR projects, and collaborate with sports brands.
• Diversification of Subscription Models: Offer digital platform subscriptions, implement sponsored memberships, and promote community engagement.

In June, the winning team visited Tiger Bay ABC in Cardiff to kick off the implementation process and provide further support.

A valuable learning experience for all

Showcasing the success of the initiative, Wasim Said, founder of Tiger Bay ABC, summarised the experience during the final presentation of recommendations from the winning group.

“Coming to the University of Sussex Business School has made us realise the worth of our organisation itself, and how capable the organisation is to develop and grow.

“Coming from an ethnic background, I believe consulting people who understand the whole vision and concept of the organisation, that it's more than it is from the outside, is remarkable. It’s really moving and shows that we cannot fail. There's many improvements we need to make but there's much success ahead of us.”

The participating students agreed the experience enabled them to benefit from:

• Real-world experience: Students gained hands-on consultancy experience, working on real-world problems and developing practical solutions.
• Skill development: The event provided valuable teaching and learning opportunities, enhancing students’ skills in consultancy plan development.
• Networking: Participants had the chance to build relationships with peers, faculty, and a community organisation, expanding their professional networks.
• Race equity: The event aligned with the Business School’s Race Equity Plan, reaching underrepresented and marginalised groups at Sussex.

This event not only empowered students with consultancy skills but also fostered a sense of community and collaboration, making a significant impact on both the participants and the Tiger Bay ABC.

So, what’s next?

The Black Brilliance in Business Series continues, having recently secured funding from the Black at Sussex fund. The Changing the Face of Consultancy project has sparked significant interest from local and international communities and universities, opening doors to potential new partnerships.

We are currently recruiting a student planning group, which will play a crucial role in shaping the events and initiatives in our Black Brilliance in Business series.

The project aims to support the success and progression of global majority students by providing safe spaces for students to network, hear from inspirational guest speakers, and find out more about the opportunities available to them at Sussex.

Join us in continuing this impactful journey. Stay tuned for upcoming events in the Black Brilliance in Business series and find out how you can contribute to empowering the next generation of business leaders.

Email business-events@sussex.ac.uk for more information.

Changing the Face of Consultancy: A unique consultancy competition

View a photo gallery from the event in June.

With thanks to: Dr Sindi Gordon, Professor Anna Gupta, Professor Florence Ayisi, Omaye Japhet, Ema Effiong Enogieru, Yomi Olusunle, Clare Turner, and Jessica Kistnasamy.

Further information: https://youtu.be/Jb7xfqI3k1c