In April 2020, right in the thick of lockdown, I launched Monica. B. A brand I’d been dreaming up for years and working on was finally brought to life in one of the most uncertain moments of our time. Was it a clever decision? Only time could tell… 

With shops closed, people isolated, and the world turned upside down, the idea of launching a business might have sounded absurd. But in that stillness, something clicked. I suddenly had the time, the clarity, and the drive to just start. Monica. B. began! I had been trying out samples for months, I already had stock of products, but I was waiting to have “the time” to do it. That’s one thing many people who have business ideas or ideas in general do, wait for the prefect time, is there ever a perfect time? Anyway, with me, my brightest ideas happen at 2 am, so other I was, drawing up plans, mood boards, process maps and a deep belief that I could offer something beautiful, meaningful, and lasting.

 

Lockdown and a Cultural Awakening

Two months after I launched Monica. B., the world was paying attention to black owned businesses in a way it hadn’t before. June 2020! The spotlight on Black-owned brands was intense, and there was a real buzz, a collective push to support, amplify, and buy from Black creators & brands. It meant I was able to grow an audience far quicker than I expected. People were actively looking for brands like mine, and for a moment, visibility felt within reach.
At the time I was leveraging an existing site I had to house the brand, until I had more funds to invest in a website for Monica. B and do all the pretty work with a web developer. Well, guess what happened, that website broke when traffic peaked, so, I had to accelerate things. I had no time hours to fix it, no one to call to for help. I spent a whole day and night figuring things out in order to have things back up - got a domain name, a good enough design that I could tweak to look decent, web security… it was a lot! 🤯

But as the headlines faded and the urgency softened, things slowed down. The momentum that came so quickly at the start began to steady, and I realised that initial interest wouldn’t sustain the brand long-term. If Monica. B. was going to thrive, not just launch, I needed more than a moment, I needed a strategy.

That shift was a turning point. I started thinking long-term: refining my brand message, improving customer experience, product line, and building a business that wasn’t dependent on virality or a cultural moment. Monica. B. had to stand on its own, and that meant developing a clear, intentional brand strategy to ensure continuity and growth.

Self-Funded and Resourceful

Monica. B. has been self-funded from day one, which meant I had to be intentional about every decision and lean into the skills I already had. With no outside investment, I had to make the most of my resources and that started with me.

I pulled from all corners of my background: my experience as a content creator helped me develop a strong visual identity and create engaging storytelling from the start; my PR background meant I understood how to position the brand and build relationships; and my time in finance gave me the discipline to manage budgets carefully, forecast costs, and plan for growth with a level head.

I used what I had, not just tools or equipment, but knowledge. I shot the content myself, built the brand voice from scratch, and navigated the early days with a mix of instinct and insight. There wasn’t a big team behind the scenes, just me wearing every hat and making it work.

The Lessons That Cost Me

Not everything went to plan, though. Some products completely missed the mark in design, quality, or how they were received. I remember launching one piece I was so sure would be a bestseller. It flopped, completely. And because I’d invested in stock, I had to eat that cost.

Those mistakes were hard but inevitable and expensive. But they taught me how to listen, really listen to my community, to test ideas more slowly, and to trust data as much as I trust my gut. I am still a work in progress. 

Looking Back, Looking Forward 

That first year of Monica. B. was raw, humbling, and full of hard-won wins. It taught me that you don’t need everything figured out to start—you just need conviction, creativity, and the willingness to adapt.

Today, Monica. B. looks very different. But that messy, magical first year laid the foundation. If you’re a founder, especially one building something solo, I hope this reminds you: perfection is overrated. Progress is everything.

Love,

Banke x