Birmingham’s Finest - Thank You Izzes
The Power of Young Change-Makers
The potential of young people to drive meaningful change can’t be overstated. With energy, fresh perspectives, and innate creativity, today's young people have the power to transform communities, industries, and even the world.
I was blessed to have met and worked with one so unique, I’m sure the mould was broken immediately after his arrival. I’ve held on to this note in my head until I felt the moment was right.
The praise has been flying around since we created and launched Take Your Shot Studios in Wembley Park. But the genesis of this innovative co-working space was from time spent exchanging ideas with Izzes Gayle.
Thank you Izzes.
Brum’s Young Entrepreneur of The Year
Izzes Gayle was a prominent young entrepreneur who achieved recognition as the Birmingham Young Entrepreneur of the Year. With a passion for creativity and innovation, Izzes made significant contributions to the business landscape in Birmingham and beyond.
As the Founder and Creative Director of Alcmy Studios, Izzes extended his creative vision to new heights. Alcmy Studios, located in Digbeth, Birmingham, was known for its authentic youth engagement strategies and a relentless pursuit of creative and innovative approaches.
Izzes invited Slenky to partner on a unique co-working space that was a direct response to his Gen Y peers’ challenges with the job market, and Birmingham’s business community not yet being attuned to new and diverse entrepreneurs. Within a short period, a number of young entrepreneurs were working out of the space, creating brands and businesses ranging from fashion, web design and music to mobile accessories.
Previously, as Co-Founder and Creative Director of The NUBI Hub with his great friend Sunjay Kohli, Izzes brought a fresh and dynamic approach to the table. The NUBI Hub was a platform that blended data-driven creativity with a focus on benefiting the city of Birmingham.
Through this innovative venture, Izzes aimed to inspire other young people to take pride in their city and actively contribute to its growth, creating innovative solutions that benefited businesses but also positively impacted the wider community.
Izzes is quietly acknowledged as the silent creative hand that helped a number of young Brummie-led businesses appear online over the last decade.
a total one-off…
Match-making
Slenky invited our Birmingham partners to meet with us at the Studios whenever possible, and I took on the challenge of introducing and matching them with young businesses who might become new suppliers. It worked, new commercial relationships that even expanded to provide BCU students with internships and other opportunities.
Izzes was also Slenky’s Lead Designer, and his work lives on through the current Slenky platform and the app.
Inspiring Wembley park
Sadly, we lost Izzes in December 2020. Aged only 29…
A huge loss to friends and family, but also a massive loss to Birmingham. I could never even try to tell his story, but I can be confident they’ll all agree when I say it would be hard to find a more generous spirit; one who gave life to so many young entrepreneur's’ visions and, in many cases, expected and asked for nothing in return.
Authentically larger than life, but a quiet and very unassuming guy, Izzes was an example of how to be genuinely inclusive and welcoming to anyone, he formed a community around his skills and his passion for others.
And he was the inspiration for Take Your Shot Studios. It may never have happened without you mate. On behalf of Birmingham and Wembley. Thank You.
