Building a Platform for Aberdeen’s Black Owned Business
A two-day fair full of connection, celebration, music, food, and future-facing ambition.
I was recently introduced to Oluwakemi Eseyin, and after hearing her story, I knew we had to share it. Kemi’s warmth and commitment to community came through straight away. It’s exactly the sort of thing POST readers love to hear about. She’s building a network based on care and ambition, and her upcoming event, the SK Business Fair, is only part of it.
Taking place at Ferryhill Community Centre on 1 and 2 August, the fair will bring together local makers, creatives and entrepreneurs, many of them Black-owned businesses, for two full days of shopping, connection, food, music and family. Entry is free, and everyone’s welcome.
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Join Open Road for a raft of Festival of the Sea events, including The Sea Salt Shore, an evening of sea songs, shanties and storytelling from Joss Camerin, steeped in coastal tradition.
There’s also plenty for families, including a rockpooling morning at Aberdeen beach with the Countryside Ranger and magical maritime tales from storyteller Andy Cannon.
From Perfume to Platform
Kemi’s journey into business support stemmed from her own entrepreneurial experience. Originally from Nigeria, she studied accounting at Covenant University and later completed a master’s in International Marketing at the University of Dundee. Her early career was in banking and oil and gas, where she worked as a treasury supervisor.
After moving to Aberdeen just over two years ago, she relaunched her perfume business, SK PerfumesUK. “My husband has always loved fragrances, and his passion sparked mine,” she said. “I ended up selling perfumes for over four years back home in Nigeria.”
But it didn’t stop there. “As the business grew, I realised there were many others like me who needed a platform, not just to sell their products, but to be seen, heard, and supported.”
Community Connections
Kemi is now at the centre of a growing business network in Aberdeen. “We support each other. We have a WhatsApp group and an Instagram community where we share experiences, challenges and ideas,” she said. “We really understand the struggles: attracting customers, making sales, scaling up.”
These relationships shape her events. “Creating events became my way of giving these businesses a voice. I want people to see that there are businesses here that are worth supporting, businesses you can believe in and bank on.”
A Fair with Purpose
The SK Business Fair highlights underrepresented businesses, with a strong focus on Black-owned brands that often don’t get the visibility they deserve. “Many businesses struggle not because their products or services lack quality, but because they lack visibility,” she said. “I understand the unique challenges faced by Black-owned businesses, especially when moving to a new country and trying to establish something.”
She’s made the event open to everyone, across cultures and communities, and put thought into making it family-friendly too. “We’ve included free snacks and drinks, a play area for children, music, dancing, raffle draws. It’s more than a trade fair, it’s a full summer outing.”
Preparing Vendors for Success
This year’s fair includes vendors offering food, fashion, haircare, jewellery, accessories and more. Each one is given support in the lead-up to the event. “We’ve organised content creation meetups where vendors work together to make promotional materials,” Kemi explained. “Each one gets their own personalised flyer. We’ve had open discussions around sales strategies, payment options, and promotion.”
There’s also a seminar led by a Forbes Council member, focused on scaling a business and making the most of trade fairs.
Keeping it Free
Entry to the event is free, and that’s a deliberate choice. “We wanted to remove as many barriers as possible so that everyone, regardless of financial situation, could attend, support local businesses, and be part of the experience,” she said.
Running it is no small task. “We rely on vendor fees, sponsorships, and a lot of personal sacrifice and planning. It’s not easy, but the bigger picture makes it worth it.”
Just the Beginning
There are plans to grow, but Kemi is focused on getting this one right. “For now, the plan is to keep the fair annual in Aberdeen,” she said. “But we’re also thinking about other cities. The vision is bigger than one location. It’s about creating ongoing opportunities for small and Black-owned businesses to thrive.”
Her biggest hope now is for people across Aberdeen to show up and help spread the word. “We want the venue packed with people enjoying themselves, discovering amazing businesses, shopping, dancing. We’re building something beautiful and inclusive, and we’d love for the whole city to feel part of it.”
SK Business Fair runs on 1 and 2 August. Go check it out and enjoy. It's going to be a brilliant day out.
