Not a partnership. Built by the same founder.
Livance Studio exists because Jemima, founder of Black Founders Studio CIC, saw up close where Black founders were running out of road. The vision was there. The talent was there. What was missing was access: to the right networks, the right infrastructure, and a route to market that did not require starting from scratch. Livance was built to close that gap.
Rooted in community. Built for long-term impact.
Black Founders Studio CIC is a UK-registered Community Interest Company and certified social enterprise. It was created to close a specific and well-documented gap: Black founders have always had the vision, the talent, and the resilience. What has too often been missing is access: to the right networks, the right community, the right information, and routes to funding.
BFS brings structured education, community, and real-world opportunity together in one place. It exists for founders who want to build properly: not alone, not rushed, and not without guidance. This is not just about starting a business. It is about building a legacy that is sustainable, credible, and lasting.
The BFS community is built on a simple belief: behind every number is a founder who took a risk, and did not have to do it alone.
50+
Black founders supported through structured training and mentorship
30+
Brands preparing for launch in 2026 across multiple product categories
16 wks
The BFS Incubator Programme: from early idea to market-ready business
UK CIC
Registered Community Interest Company and certified social enterprise
We support ambitious Black founders at every stage of their journey.
You do not need to have everything figured out to belong here. BFS is built for founders at different stages, and the community is designed to meet you where you are.
You are an aspiring founder with an idea, but no clear roadmap. You know you want to build something. You just need guidance on where to start and how to move strategically.
You are a professional ready to transition from employment to ownership. You do not want to quit impulsively. You want to build something stable and intentional, with the right foundations in place.
You are a founder navigating visa considerations and need informed, practical business guidance from someone who understands the broader context, not just the business basics.
You are thinking long-term. You want independence, legacy, and something that outlives quick wins. You are not looking for shortcuts. You are looking for structure that lasts.
Programmes designed for every stage.
BFS combines structured training, mentorship, and real-world exposure to help you build with clarity and confidence. Whether you are at the idea stage or already trading, there is a programme for where you are right now.
Idea stage
BFS Incubator Programme
For founders at the idea stage who are ready to build structured foundations and validate their concept. The 16-week programme covers ideation, validation, branding, operations, and go-to-market strategy, guiding you from early idea to a market-ready business.
Already trading
BFS Scale-up Programme
For founders already in the market who need traction, refinement, and stronger business positioning. The Scale-up Programme focuses on the things that drive real momentum without going back to basics you have already covered.
Ongoing support
Extended Business Support
Ongoing strategic and operational support for founders beyond the formal programme cycles. Because the real work does not stop at graduation, and neither does BFS.
Live commerce built into BFS membership.
When BFS founders are ready to sell, Livance is there. Access to fully managed live selling is one of the most tangible benefits of BFS membership, subsidised specifically for BFS founders as part of the shared mission between the two organisations.
Subsidised commission rate
BFS founders access Livance's managed live selling service at a reduced commission rate. As your sales grow, the rate adjusts with you, proportionate at every stage and not fixed at entry level.
Subsidised monthly retainer
Monthly retainers for BFS founders are set at 50% of the standard commercial rate. The cost of getting started is kept deliberately low while you build momentum.
Affiliate network access
Livance builds and manages your affiliate programme on your behalf. BFS founders are connected to creators and affiliates already active on TikTok Shop. You are not handed a list and left to figure it out.
Dedicated account lead
Every BFS client gets a dedicated Livance account lead who understands your brand, your goals, and your stage of growth. You are not a slot in a rota.
Multi-platform live selling
We sell across TikTok Shop, Amazon Live, YouTube Shopping and eBay Live. As new platforms emerge, we assess and integrate the ones that fit your brand. Your brand is never limited to one channel.
Access to the Livance studio
Professional live selling booths in a dedicated studio in Flintshire, North Wales. A production-quality environment without having to build or run it yourself.
Why these two organisations exist together
Jemima is the founder of Black Founders Studio CIC and the co-founder of Livance Studio. These are not two separate projects that found each other later. They came from the same place, built by the same person, in response to the same problem.
Through BFS, Jemima worked closely with Black founders at every stage of building a business. What she saw, consistently, was not a lack of ambition or vision. It was a lack of infrastructure at the point where it mattered most: when a product was ready and a founder needed to reach customers. The routes that existed were either out of reach financially, or not built with early-stage founders in mind.
Livance was the answer. Not a charity extension of BFS, but a serious commercial operation with a community purpose at its core. The two organisations are distinct (different structures, different teams, different audiences) but they belong together because they were always heading in the same direction.
Meet the founders building real brands.
Behind every number is a founder who took a risk and did not have to do it alone. Founder stories will be added here once onboarding is confirmed and consent is in place.
You don't have to build alone.
If you are ready to build something structured, sustainable, and supported: BFS is ready to walk with you. Here is what you get inside the community.
Structured training
16-week Incubator Programme covering ideation, branding, operations, and go-to-market strategy. Scale-up Programme for founders already trading who need traction and stronger positioning.
Community and mentorship
A peer community of founders building at different stages. Experienced mentors and advisors who understand both business fundamentals and the broader context of building as a Black founder in the UK.
Real-world exposure
In-person networking events, trade show visits, and industry experiences in the UK and internationally. The connections that come from being in the room, not just on the list.
Post-launch support
Subsidised marketing support, legal advisory access, funding navigation, and operational guidance beyond the formal programme. BFS does not stop at graduation.
Access to Livance Studio
Subsidised access to Wales' first dedicated live commerce studio as a post-launch benefit of BFS membership. Fully managed live selling, not just a room to hire.
Ready to start selling through Livance?
If you are already inside BFS and have a product ready to sell, fill in your details below. Jemima's team will get back to you directly. No automated responses, no waiting room.