From isolation to infrastructure: The rebuilding of Rebel Led

When the co‑founders left

Charmaine Jean‑Paul started Rebel Led with two friends. Together, they had a clear mission: dismantle systemic barriers that prevent Black and underrepresented communities from accessing inclusive education, health, and leadership opportunities. Their training and consultancy work were rooted in lived experience. Charmaine is a plus‑size, neurodivergent Black woman who has spent over a decade watching tick‑box DEI fail the people it was meant to serve.

But by the time Charmaine applied to DiNN’s Level 2, Build Hustle Grow with Southwark LAP, she was running the organisation alone. One co‑founder had left. The other had been long‑term sick for eight months. “This was my first business conversation,” she admitted in her first Critical Friend session. She had received no meaningful training or advice before.

The numbers told a difficult story. Turnover had been £25,597 the previous year, but income since April had dropped to zero. The organisation was surviving on a £19,000 foundation from past contracts, but no new money was coming in. Charmaine was exhausted, isolated, and worried that her life’s work might not survive.

“There were moments that I felt like giving up.”

The health check that named the unspoken

DiNN’s health check confirmed what Charmaine already felt in her gut. The mission was powerful and clear. The community trust was real; one project alone had engaged over 1,000 people. But the infrastructure was threadbare.

There was no succession plan. No operational guidelines. No diversified revenue stream beyond grants and a few local contracts. The business had no employees,  just a network of “friends of Rebel Ed” invoiced per project. And because Charmaine had been carrying everything alone for months, there was no capacity to think strategically.

But the health check wasn’t a verdict. It was a turning point.

Winifred Soribe, Charmaine’s Critical Friend, didn’t just list problems. She asked a different question: “What if you stopped relying on grants and contracts? What if you built digital products that could reach anyone, anywhere?”

That question changed everything.

Learning to think digital, think global

The Critical Friend sessions became a lifeline. In the first meeting, Winifred helped Charmaine see that her deep expertise in trauma‑informed, culturally relevant EDI could be packaged into online courses, not just workshops for local councils, but products for parents, teachers, and organisations anywhere.

“Winifred was really thoughtful and kind,” Charmaine later wrote. “Although my work and her experiences weren’t aligned, she was still able to spark my creative streak and send me connections to help.”

Together, they mapped out a plan. Charmaine would use AI tools like ChatGPT to draft operational guidelines, a simple step that would make her more credible with future grant applications. She would explore digital products to generate consistent revenue without waiting for contracts. And she would apply for a compensated capacity-building grant to fund the development of those products.

In a later session, they reviewed the grant application line by line. Winifred advised on wording, budget, and proof of address. The grant was approved. For the first time in months, Charmaine had dedicated funds to build, not just survive.

The sessions also pushed her to think bigger than Southwark. “Think digital, think global,” Winifred said. “There are parents in other countries who need your ADHD courses. There are organisations everywhere that are tired of quick‑fix DEI.”

Charmaine started researching sponsored master’s degrees, exploring jobs.ac.uk, and planning a B2B marketing strategy for five accredited courses,  structured around the acronym REBEL.

Relaunch and renewal

By the end of the programme, Charmaine had:

• Revised the mission, name, branding, and website.

• Developed five digital courses (acronym REBEL) as the primary income stream.

• Recruited three volunteers and a new director.

• Applied for three grants, including a significant Southwark Council contract.

• Started an MBA in organisational development with an equity focus.

She was no longer alone.

“This has been rejuvenating, healing, empowering,  one of the best opportunities I’ve undertaken.”

What Level 2 unlocked

Rebel Led entered with an isolated founder and threadbare systems. It left with a relaunch plan, a product pipeline, a growing team, and a renewed purpose. The health check gave honest feedback. The Critical Friend gave tools and moral support. The grant made action possible. And the peer network reminded her she wasn’t alone.

“More than anything… motivation.”