“Innovation looks different everywhere, but purpose is universal.”
In the UK, Black History Month takes place in October and provides a special opportunity to share and celebrate the contributions, histories and cultures of Black people and communities.
Established in 2021, the Black in Business Scholarship supports talented Black students to thrive in business education and beyond, helping remove structural barriers to access and representation. It was founded on the understanding that businesses flourish when a diverse group of leaders come together to develop reflective, global perspectives, alongside the ability to inspire and manage diverse teams and communicate across borders.
Natachi Onwuamaegbu MBA2027 is the recipient of two scholarships at LBS: the Black in Business Scholarship and the Laidlaw Women’s Leadership Fund. Generous support from our community is paving the way for students like Natachi to achieve their goals. As a storyteller and entrepreneur, her passionate pursuit is to “fix broken systems”, advance solutions and build communities. Below, Natachi shares her experience of receiving this financial support and her ambition to transform the world of business for the better.
Natachi Onwuamaegbu MBA2027, Black in Business and Laidlaw Scholar
“Before joining London Business School, I was running Braiding Nairobi, a storytelling-driven tech company that connects customers to on-demand hair braiding services in Kenya. The idea was born out of my Fulbright-National Geographic Fellowship, where I spent a year interviewing women in Nairobi’s Kenyatta Market. These testimonies made me realise that while storytelling can shed light on injustice, it can’t fix broken systems. I wanted to create a practical solution – one that could empower women economically, not just narratively.
I came to London Business School to learn how to translate vision into structure, how to turn impact into strategy and stories into sustainable business models. As a creative founder, I knew how to tell stories, but I wanted to learn how to translate them into opportunities for these braiders. LBS stood out because of its global perspective, focus on entrepreneurship and a community that embraces curiosity as much as ambition.
Receiving the Black in Business Scholarship and the Laidlaw Women’s Leadership Fund changed everything. It gave me the financial freedom to fully immerse myself in the MBA – to learn, build and grow without the pressure of juggling multiple jobs. It allows me to be fully present – in class, with my team and within the broader community I hope to impact.
What I enjoy most about LBS so far is the people. Every conversation is a reminder that innovation looks different everywhere, but purpose is universal. I serve as the Junior VP for Community and Empowerment in the Entrepreneurship Club and as a Community Representative for my 90-person stream. These roles let me do what I love most: bring people together. Whether it’s running ideation workshops for aspiring founders or simply helping classmates feel connected, I’ve found that community-building is as integral to entrepreneurship as the never-ending search for capital.
Looking ahead, I plan to scale Braiding Nairobi across Africa and eventually to London, expanding its model of using storytelling and technology to empower women entrepreneurs. Long term, I hope to build an ecosystem that trains and funds women-owned microbusinesses.”
“To the donors who make scholarships like mine possible – it’s important for you to know you’re not just funding education; you’ve made it possible for someone like me, a storyteller from Washington, D.C., a founder in Nairobi and now a student in London, to build real and vibrant communities I’ve only ever dreamt of. ”
Thank you.
