Female Founders Business Brunchin'

What is Female Founders Business Brunchin’?

Every quarter, Brighton Eagle Lab and Thrive host a brunch, exclusively featuring guest speakers who identify as female founders.

The theme for our upcoming brunch is Thriving in Retail and Hospitality, and our speakers will be sharing their thought-provoking story of how they have grown their businesses despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Who is speaking?

Our speakers are Sarah Binns - Co-Founder of Barnes & Binns General Store, and Anita Drozd - Founder of Youjuice, based in Hove.

Sarah Binns is the Co-Founder of Barnes and Binns General Store, an ethical and environmentally conscious homeware and bodycare store based on Portland Road in Hove. Following a career change to floristry a decade ago, Sarah's connection to the natural world and concern for some of the destructive environmental practices within the industry grew. Having been introduced by a mutual friend to Rachel Barnes, who had long been on a journey to live more consciously for her health, her family and for the natural environment, the seed for Barnes and Binns was sown, and they opened the doors to their bricks and mortar shop on the 5 September 2019. Barnes and Binns General Store offers their customers the opportunity to buy products from ethical brands that consider the wider impact of their business on both the environment and the health and wellbeing of the consumer. They stock mainly UK brands and suppliers, many of which are local to Brighton and Hove. They offer refills for natural household cleaning products, body care essentials and some beauty brand, and also offer recycling schemes.

Anita Drozd is the Founder of Youjuice, and is on a mission to help people to feel and look their best. Youjuice is a raw, cold-pressed juice bar in Hove, that opened in 2014. At Youjuice, they use a method of cold pressing to extract every possible drop of goodness from plants, fruits and nuts, ensuring their customers get all of the nutrients that nature intended. They offer a range of delicious probiotic-rich food, juices, immunity shots and smoothies. Anita says that she would rather press 100 litres of juice or produce 20 trays of kale chips than talk about herself. Here is what Anita's friend and photograhger, James Bellorini, says about her: 'To me, Anita embodies everything that's possible with food: that it's more than just the taste, it's the love put into creating it, the ethos behind it, the commitment to always making it work, and the creative choices that make her cafes lovely places to eat in and experience'.

What is the agenda for the event?

- Welcome and introductions

- Talk delivered by Julieanne Murphy, Project Manager of The Network of International Women for Brighton and Hove;

- Talk delivered by Sarah Binns, Co-Founder of Barnes & Binns General Store

- Refreshments and networking

- Talk delivered by Anita Drozd, Founder of Youjuice

- Closing words

Who is this event for?

This event is open to everyone - however you identify. At previous brunches, we have attracted a wide range of small business owners and business supporters from Sussex and beyond.

How much are tickets? Who are you fundraising for?

Tickets are £10. (Drinks and refreshments will be provided).

All revenue generated via ticket sales for our July brunch will go directly to The Network of International Women for Brighton and Hove (NIWBH).

The aim of the NIWBH is to reduce social isolation and enhance a sense of belonging especially between women from diverse and marginalised backgrounds, through taking part in inclusive group activities, extending to broader community cohesion and integration for themselves, their families and friends.

For more information about the valuable work of NIWBH, please visit their website: https://niwbh.org

Rachel Barnes (left) and Sarah Binns (right) - Co-Founders of Barnes & Binns General Store

Anita Drozd - Founder of Youjuice

All revenue generated via ticket sales for our July brunch will go directly to the Network of International Women of Brighton and Hove.