This year, the title of Lifetime Achievement Award-winner was bestowed upon someone who has used her fierce enterprising spirit to carve for herself and her community an important place in the world. Kanya King MBE, founder of the MOBO Awards came along to the House of Lords to accept the honour.

The IOEE Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2013 to honour individuals who have demonstrated a lifetime of commitment to raising the profile of enterprise and entrepreneurship. Kanya King MBE meets and exceeds these criteria. She is an internationally renowned entrepreneur through her role as CEO and founder of the MOBO Awards, which she established in 1996, when few believed there would be an audience for a celebration of such diverse music genres. Now, 20 years later, MOBO holds the distinction of being one of the world’s most televised urban music awards shows, reaching over 400 million viewers across more than 200 countries. Kanya was presented with an MBE in 1999 by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace and MOBO has since become much more than just an awards ceremony, offering training and guidance to generations of aspiring singers, MCs, DJs and producers. For those who have known her for a long time, this latest honour will come as no surprise because Kanya has always had a knack for spotting a business opportunity. She used her acceptance speech at the IOEE Celebrating Enterprise Awards to tell us about her very first foray into the world of enterprise. She remembered:

“I would collect the bottles that you used to take back to cafés for a 5p return. So I’d spend the whole day in the park - it was a bit like a babysitter for my mother – and without any costs but my time, I could generate a really nice little income. Then I grew up and moved on to selling food and whistles at Nottingham Carnival. I’d have so much fun! My mother would sometimes come into my bedroom at the weekend and there’d be so much money in there she’d almost be ready to march me to the police station wondering where I could have accumulated it all. Happy days.”

However, Kanya’s early life wasn’t always so content. One of nine children born to an Irish mother and Ghanaian father, Kanya’s parents had to contend with discrimination, as well as poverty. Dedicating the Lifetime Achievement Award to her parents, Kanya said:

“My parents were very isolated because they were away from their families and networks so it was really a bleak experience. I grew up in a small council flat so to get ‘me time’ I’d often go to the local park, which is Queen’s Park in north west London where there was peace and tranquillity. There, I would spend a lot of time daydreaming about what life would have in store for me but I soon realised it would be discipline and control that would turn my ideas into reality.”

Sadly, Kanya’s father died when she was just 13 and the young girl was placed in care. However, even these considerable setbacks didn’t dampen her determination to succeed. As part of her acceptance speech, Kanya described what could have been a disheartening early exchange with a careers advisor:

“I told the careers advisor that I wanted to set up my own business, but she told me that I needed to be more realistic about my career options because we had no money and I was on free school meals. And, if I worked hard enough I might be able to get a job at Sainsbury’s and work towards becoming the manager. You know, that might have been an honourable profession but it was not what I wanted to do. I came away from that office feeling like I was worthless and that I was wrong to have ambitions, especially given my background. That was the time when I decided I would venture out on my own, pursue my own goals, so I really, really want to thank that careers advisor for putting the fire in my belly and making me realise I needed to take control of my destiny and live the life I had always imagined."

Despite leaving school with few qualifications at age 15, Kanya was determined to return and gain formal certificates because, she said, her father’s voice was ringing in her ears, imploring ‘Kanya, be the best you can be.’ In fact, Kanya told the Celebrating Enterprise audience, her parents had always wanted her to become a teacher. She said:

“Although I failed in the traditional meaning of that word I still like to think my work with young people is about spreading a message, and hopefully inspiring them to reach their full potential.”

Indeed, Kanya has endeavoured at every step of her journey to create incredible opportunities for budding young entrepreneurs and music lovers worldwide. Persuasive, insightful and energetic, Kanya King is a real shining star both of the UK’s music industry and of its enterprise community. Summing up what it means to her to receive this important accolade, Kanya said:

“I really am honoured to be receiving this Lifetime Achievement Award today. I’ve dedicated my career to leading MOBO and celebrating the excellence of others, whether that’s in film, fashion, music, culture, the arts, charitable endeavours or enterprise. So, to be recognised myself is not only unexpected but very humbling.”

To view the photographs from the Celebrating Enterprise Awards ceremony, please click here.