The young entrepreneur who is giving the gift of representation

When Nyomi Smith was doing her Christmas shopping, she couldn’t find any wrapping paper featuring a Black Father Christmas, so she decided to create her own. “I thought, ‘I’m a graphic designer. I’ve got the skills. I can do it.'” The idea for her business was born.

Today, Smith’s Sanaa GiftShop (“sanaa” is Swahili for “work of art”) sells a range of products, including gift wrap and greeting cards that speak to the Black community, highlighting the diversity that she couldn’t find on the high street. “We don’t necessarily see a lot of Black faces on greeting cards or gifts; there’s nothing that connects in terms of culture,” she explains.

“I started to design cards that show Black faces of culture, like the hair, the head wrap – just showing Black or minority people. This is something that needs to be seen in a modern, inclusive society, so that people can see themselves represented.”

“Out of my comfort zone”

After travelling overseas, Smith, age 30, had come back to the UK when the pandemic hit. She used the time in lockdown to get creative, reflect and think about what she wanted to do with her life. Smith didn’t want to return to her graphic design job and stay an employee for the rest of her career. “I knew that I didn’t want to do the nine-to-five; it wasn’t for me,” she said.

She created a few wrapping paper and greeting card designs in small batches and used word of mouth and social media to promote them to family and friends. The response was overwhelming. “People had never seen this before. They told me, ‘Nyomi, this is actually a really good idea; you need to carry this on,'” she recalls.

One of her family members told her about The Prince’s Trust and how it supports young entrepreneurs, so Smith signed up for its Enterprise course in early 2021. The course taught her the fundamentals of running a business, from sales and marketing to tax and how to write a business plan. She received a £500 grant from The Prince’s Trust, which she used to buy supplies, and received invaluable support from the organisation’s experienced mentors.

In December of that year, she took part in her first marketplace for The Prince’s Trust Black Pound Project , which champions Black-owned businesses.

“The Prince’s Trust has been so amazing. The organisation has given me a business mentor, and there are people there who have gone above and beyond. Black Pound Day helped me get my products out there so they could be shown to the public; The Trust helped me connect and get out of my comfort zone,” says Smith.

Supporting youth employment

RBC has partnered with The Prince’s Trust for four years running, donating £100,000 annually to its Enterprise Programme and encouraging RBC employees to take part in volunteering and fundraising activities. This year, 286 RBC employees took part in The Trust’s Future Steps Challenge, which encourages participants to walk 10,000 steps a day to raise money for The Prince’s Trust. “We are incredibly grateful to Royal Bank of Canada for joining Future Steps again this year,” says Ben Marson, director of partnerships – corporate & government, at The Prince’s Trust. “All the funds raised are vital in helping us to support more young people [like Smith], giving them the confidence, skills and opportunities they need to have positive futures.”

Supporting The Prince’s Trust aligns with RBC’s values and purpose to engage with local communities where we live and work, explains Jennifer Sofianou, director of Sponsorships, Events and Citizenship at RBC Wealth Management in the British Isles.

“One thing we talk about a lot is our purpose as an organisation, which is to help clients thrive and communities prosper, and the community aspect really comes to life around our citizenship activities. We support programmes and charities that support three key themes: youth, the arts and the environment. The reason we chose The Prince’s Trust is the incredible work they do to support young people, and particularly youth employability, which is something the bank is really passionate about. “In 2017 RBC committed $500mm (Canadian dollars) towards a 10 year programme to help young people become better equipped to enter the workforce.”

RBC employees also support the young people involved with The Prince’s Trust through mentoring and networking advice. Many employees work closely with RBC clients who are are entrepreneurs and business owners themselves, so can share guidance based on their experiences. In the past these employees have even run Dragons’ Den–style pitching sessions with the young people.

One of the biggest challenges Smith has experienced in running her business is the need to learn a lot of different skills. “I have my foot in so many different avenues. I’m designing; I’m marketing; I’m an accountant. You have to navigate yourself through different types of avenues, but it has helped me learn time management and how to prioritise things.”