Special Feature

FemaleFranchise.co.uk exclusive interview with MOBO founder Kanya King

25th February 2010

FemaleFranchise is proud to interview Kanya King, the founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards about her journey for business and personal success and her views on the business enviornment for women today.  

Can you tell us a bit about your background?

Raised in Kilburn, North West London, by my Ghanaian father and Irish mother, I am the youngest daughter of nine children and grew up listening to and being inspired by black music. I became entrepreneurial at a very young age doing paper rounds and selling whistles at the Notting Hill Carnival.

I treasured my bank account where every penny went and learned the value of money very early on; it made me proud that at times I was able to help prevent the phone, electricity and gas from being cut off. My first real business was in property and this was very much done out of necessity. Sharing a room with many other siblings, I needed to get on the housing ladder…and fast!

How did the idea for the MOBO Awards come about? Once you had the idea for an urban music awards show how did you go about getting it off the ground?

The MOBO Awards were born of an idea I had back in 1995. I am a lifelong fan of music and grew up listening to a wide variety of artists across a range of genres. I wondered why there wasn’t a mainstream platform for music with origins in black heritage and began arranging some live events in my spare time to address this gap. The audience response was amazing and it became clear that there was scope for developing a showcase for this type of music.

I remortgaged my home in order to pay for the broadcast of the first show, so I was extremely driven to bring the project to fruition and follow my dream. Whilst I cannot claim that I could ever have imagined that it would become the huge success that it is today, I did have an innate self-belief, perseverance and, above all, passion for what I was creating.

You secured Tony and Cherie Blair to open the event in the first year, how did you go about this?

The event was extremely well-attended by high profile industry leaders, celebrity music performers and other distinguished guests – looking around the room on the night it really was something very special. Tony Blair was the leader of the opposition in 1996, receiving a lot of media attention, so it seemed straightforward to issue him with an invitation to draw additional attention to our event – this was also at a time when the Government and opposition were courting the music industry.

We contacted his office on quite a few occasions to ask if they wouldn’t mind us keeping them in the loop as to our progress – we didn’t get much of a response until one day they suddenly called back and said that he would be coming with Cherie. It was fantastic! Although during that evening when my mother met him she made a point of telling him that I was hard-working… she was basically trying to get him to give me a job because she couldn’t accept that I was running a business and actually employing people!

What barriers did you face when launching your business?

The majority of my hardships came much earlier in the business but are hopefully behind me now. Convincing the industry and to an extent the public, that MOBO music deserved to be recognised and celebrated, was a definite struggle. Finding supporters and more importantly, financial backers wasn’t easy and it took a lot of perseverance and a tireless campaign!

Changing behaviours and people’s attitudes is never easy and it’s a long and often difficult task and there were people who were looking for us to fail and who didn’t think something like the MOBO Awards could ever work. Gradually it’s come around, and last year’s fantastic show in Glasgow is testament to that. If it had all come too easily, perhaps the drive and determination that were born through the struggle to succeed wouldn’t be so innate.

Would you ever have gone on a show such as Dragon’s Den to raise finance?

Of course, when I was starting out, none of these reality shows existed. But why not – by any means necessary! As much as winning the financial backing from the judges, the advice of such experienced and respected businessmen and women would be fantastic for anyone starting out.

What impact do you think the recession has had on women entering business?

In the current climate, everyone is feeling the impact of the global economic situation. It’s a very difficult environment in which to start a business – but nothing’s impossible! There are always opportunities to cash in and it’s about being savvy enough to identify gaps in the market and having the acumen to capitalise on them. If anything, during the recession, women are stepping up to the plate more and more. They are the ones creating the businesses and working from home, they are diversifying their skills and adapting to the situation as is necessary. It’s how we are built. I don’t think a recession is a good enough reason not to do something and a lot of women feel the same.

What do you think is women’s main barrier to starting a business or buying a franchise?

I would say the biggest barrier is lack of support and not having the capital behind you to push for what you want to do and get to where you want to be. It is still very much a man’s world, things have changed over the years but there’s still a way to go. As women, we need to be harder, better, faster, stronger to compete but that’s not really a problem…

How have you managed your role of motherhood and CEO of the MOBO Awards?

The best I can. And that’s all you can ever do. It’s something that women have to become more and more adept at doing – how often do you hear a man complain about juggling work and family life? Failure is never an option for me. Of course, on your journey, sometimes the goalposts move, especially with a young family, but you try to adjust your aim to meet them.

Did you have to make sacrifices to achieve your dream?

Well, let’s just say, don’t think that there is a business handbook out there that suggests the best basis for starting your company is to be a single mother, having been kicked out of university as you’re not attending lectures because you have a young son and a business, and then to remortgage your home to raise funds for a project that no one else will back! But then, if you speak to any entrepreneur who has ever lost money or confidence, they will always tell you that it’s part of growing.

What advice would you give to women starting a business or franchise?

Having self belief, perseverance and clear goals will ensure you’re able to overcome obstacles and continue to aspire for and achieve greater things. My motto has always been to remember the three P’s – passion, passion and… more passion! To be successful in what you do, you need to have passion and vision – from passion will spawn the perseverance and determination to get you through the tough times and the vision will take you to where you want to be and what you want to achieve.

Is being appointed with an MBE in 1999 your biggest achievement?

Receiving the MBE was certainly a career highlight and I still consider it a huge honour and privilege. I think in terms of achievement, I like to think that I’m still on a very important journey with the MOBO Organisation and that there are many more accomplishments to come. 2009 saw us take the show outside of London for the first time and the next three years in particular will be of immense importance in shaping the future of MOBO in the 21st century – so watch this space!

How has the MOBO organisation extended past its original aims for music awards to give back to the community?

Apart from organising workshops, supporting and raising money for charities (particularly memorable was the biggest amount of money ever raised for the Sickle Cell Society), MOBO has honoured outstanding achievements for both individuals and organisations through its BeMOBO Award. Also I have had the pleasure of working with various organisations such as Thomson Local all aimed at helping young people reach their full potential.

The MOBO Awards is now the largest urban music brand in Europe, how do you see your role in the company going forward?

Today MOBO has grown to become Europe’s leading brand of its kind. The show is distributed to a worldwide audience and we have extended our brand into magazines, digital communications etc… the brand is continually growing 14 years on – which we are very grateful for! In 5 years, we’d like to see MOBO as an umbrella brand, synonymous with taste making and championing new talent – be that music artists, budding entrepreneurs etc. and with a number of other enterprises operating under the MOBO brand, and as such I would see my role developing into more of a back seat position, with a view to overseeing the company’s activities as a whole. In the near future we’re looking to employ an MD who will steer the ship on a day-to-day basis.

To find out more about the Mobo Organisation click here

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