Barclays Black Founder Accelerator 2022 member
Pomi and Seeds

Pomi and Seeds creates sustainably made, beautiful, comfortable and durable bras with focus on women with bigger cup sizes who traditionally struggle when buying lingerie.
We use design thinking and the circular economy model to revolutionise the way women wear, shop for and care for their lingerie throughout the life cycle of their product. The Seeds in our name represents the way we give back to communities.
Why did you join the Barclays Black Founder Accelerator?
There are four key reasons why I choose to be part of this accelerator. Firstly, I know that through world-class mentoring and further upskilling, I will be able to bring my company further and equip it for the next season of entering into the market. Secondly, the specific skills I hope to acquire include financial forecasting and preparing for investors. Thirdly, I hope to gain advice and strategies for off-setting carbon emissions, which is key to any business at the moment and for the future. Lastly, I am excited to gain access to and build relationships with an invaluable network of founders, on similar journeys to me.
Why did you want to start your business?
I am at the start of a journey to build a company that causes system level change and impact. Fundamentally I enjoy the world of business and have managed to find a solution to a major problem affecting women across the globe. Currently, women with DD+ cup sizes are not able to easily purchase the prettiest and most supportive bras for them. These women may feel that their bodies are the problem, and their not. The industry is. They have to go into stores, to try on an endless number of bras to find the right one, if they order online there is a high percentage their bra will not fit. They want to be carefree and feel less stressed, they want their bodies to be appreciated and they want to feel valued. The current situation is unacceptable because women with bigger cup sizes deserve to find bras that fit them easily. They deserve to be able to access sustainable high-quality, beautiful and comfortable bras that make them feel happy and pain free. They deserve to know how and where their lingerie is made and the impact of their purchase on communities, people and the planet. Sustainability and environmental impacts are important to me as through my work in health development, I have also seen the catastrophic health effects of climate change across the globe, from forced migration to tsunamis, cyclones, drought and proliferation of disease. The gendered impacts of climate change have revealed women across the world are more vulnerable to its impact. Furthermore, over 70% of all garment workers are women, many of whom are not paid fairly and lack of transparency in this supply chain persists. Lastly, the ‘Seeds’ in Pomi and Seeds stands for all the seeds we invest in, as we realise young people are the future. As a health researcher and scientist by training I understand the power of using evidence based research for true impact and as such we support organisations that are committed to serving young people using evidence based methods. This is my reason for starting my business.
What would be your desired outcome from this programme?
My desired outcome is to receive strategic business advice that will support me in my business and product. I would like to grow my network and business relationships. Lastly, I hope to receive investment as a result of this accelerator, and or be fully prepared for all future investors.
Which entrepreneur inspires you the most and why?
Blake Myscoskie, the founder of Toms has created a company promoting conscious consumerism demonstrating how one can positively impact the lives of over 100miliion people through selling a high-end product. I admire him because he brings profit, purpose, people and planet together through this organisation. Toms is a B-Corporation company and the values that the founder lives by and speaks of is evident through his business.
What has been your biggest win in your entrepreneurial journey?
My biggest win has been meeting amazing people that were ready to walk with me on this journey. Linked to this win was undergoing a design sprint with these incredible people, here I reaffirmed and expanded my vision about what Pomi and Seeds was capable of doing in the fashion industry and the global impact it could have.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Demystifying supply chains in the fashion industry, and investigating the impacts of a supply chain on the environment and on people. I have learnt that the best companies in my field exemplify transparency by showing real commitment to sharing what they don’t know, but putting the time and resource into investigating this - and make this widely accessible to all. Another challenge is knowing what skills to outsource vs which to develop as a founder when I cannot hire a big team.
Where did you go for business advice and how did it help you?
I sought out sage advice and mentorship in the fashion industry by Caroline Attwood, experienced in running business in the fashion industry. I followed Pitch Black led by Andy Davis, an angel investor and a champion for black founders globally and in the UK. Hering testimonies of business, attending drop in sessions and following these reports helped me develop confidence and learn about other founders' challenges and solutions. I contacted founders in tech and the lingerie industry to have 1:1’s and gain practice advice and lessons specific to our field of influence. I also reached out to two business advisors to get advice.
What drives you to make your business a success?
So many things drive me, but I will share a few. I am the eldest child of parents that migrated to start a life in the UK and have faced all the challenges that has brought, yet I come from a generation of entrepreneurs that solved problems for their communities and their country. I am a keen listener and have listened to the stories of women growing up with self-esteem issues and low sense of worth, which has been compounded by impossible beauty standards put out by the fashion and lingerie industry. I have listened to the stories of climate advocacy group leaders, health ministers and young people expressing the action needed to address the impacts of climate change globally, which disportionately affects women. I have listened to the stories of unfair and evil treatment of garment workers. I have listened to stories of mothers and young people in inner cities that have faced economic challenges, glass ceilings and racism. I have also listened to the solutions. I have listened to the women share their hopes and aspirations for a lingerie company that values them. I have listened to tech leaders share about the exciting opportunities integration of tech and fashion hold. I have listened to business leaders and changemakers share on how systems level thinking can lead to the greatest impact. Of great importance to my story is that I am a person of faith and I operate with a strong sense of calling and purpose by God. I have taken on these stories and lessons to consider the type of business I want to run, and the type of company culture I will embed.
What advice would you give other founders thinking about starting their own business?
Firstly, connect with other founders, relationships are everything and nurture these relationships, their wisdom and support is invaluable. Secondly, focus on building your mindset as you build your business. Stay motivated to grow, learn to be confident enough to commit to believing in your business and humble enough to stay learning.