We are pleased to announce that Dr Yana Johnson MBE, the founder and Director of Yana Cosmetics will also be sharing her knowledge of how she started her brand to fill a gap in the market and how she has gone on to grow her business on the evening.

It is always our aim to showcase the achievements of enterprising women of colour and to give such women a platform to connect with others who can learn from their expertise.

Yana launched Yana Cosmetics in 2002 – and it has gone on to become an award winning make up brand. It remains the only British independent premium make up brand that caters to the ethnic market, which started by specialising in custom blended foundations for black women and has now developed into a full range of make up that is suitable for ALL skin types. Yana Cosmetics was the first independent makeup brand in Morleys’ and Allders’ department stores. It was also the first independent cosmetic brand wholly owned by a black woman in the UK.
Many of her customers have remained loyal as the brand moved online and began to distribute and cater for the international market.

Yana has been recognised for both her brand and her business acumen and had collected a plethora of prizes since the launch of the brand including:

Entrepreneur of the Year – Black Enterprise Awards

European Federation of Black Women Businesses Owners, 2003

British Female Inventors & Innovators Award, 2005



Yana’s efforts and tenacity were also recognised by being awarded an MBE for ‘outstanding achievement and service to the cosmetics industry’ in the 2009 New Years Honours List.

She is also a sought after speaker who has shared her passion, enthusiasm and expertise with audiences internationally and has also been featured in the national press including the Guardian, the Sunday Times and on BBC Radio 4’s Woman Hour alongside Beverly Knight.

Yana is dedicated to assisting other women who aspire to become successful business owners and this year will see the launch of her Enterprise Initiative that will empower and inspires young women. Yana was recently awarded an Honorary PHD from the University of Roehampton, which has a flagship women’s college.

Motivated by her faith, and her desire to be excellent in all things, Yana will share her experiences and her heart on the 25th September.