Soho Media Club

What Soho Media Club does

Soho Media Club, formally The Soho Media Club Limited, is a free-to-join membership network serving media and entertainment professionals, founded in July 2019 by co-founders Jaisica Lapsiwala and Tom (Tomasz Witkowski) who met in Las Vegas in 2018. Headquartered in Soho, London, the club operates as a purpose-driven community platform connecting 2,000+ media professionals globally through curated in-person events, digital content, and member-driven programming. Its core audience spans film, TV, broadcasting, post-production, and content creation professionals at all career levels, with secondary engagement from emerging talent/students and senior industry executives.

The company's product portfolio centers on the free, application-screened Soho Media Club Membership, which gates access to monthly Meetups, Safe Space Sessions, the I Am... interview series, and the annual BE YOU Festival (launched 2022). Digital content extends reach between physical events via the IBC Changemakers podcast, Naked Stories podcast, the Earn Your Stripes video series (created for Birmingham University media students), and an Insights hub aggregating videos, podcasts, and articles. The BE YOU Forum provides ongoing post-event community discussion on topics such as AI, funding, social mobility, and mental health. The underlying platform is a Wix-powered website handling membership signup, event registration, and content distribution; no proprietary community-platform technology, integrations, APIs, or AI capabilities are evident in the data.

Revenue is generated through three streams: (1) corporate sponsorships and partnerships from media organizations including BFI, IMIS, NFTS, All3Media, BBC, Channel 4, IBC, and Tell Jane supporting events and the BE YOU Festival; (2) paid event tickets for select premium events such as the I Am... interview series (£25.00 standard / £12.50 student) and the Discovering Your Saboteurs at Work workshop (£55.00); and (3) the freemium membership layer that monetizes indirectly via sponsor access to the audience. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with growth through word-of-mouth, organic network effects, and content marketing across LinkedIn, Instagram, X, email newsletter, and the website. The company operates as a privately held, founder-owned entity with no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

Soho Media Club

Legal name

The Soho Media Club Limited

Website

https://sohomediaclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Soho Media Club is a free-to-join London-based membership network serving 2,000+ media and entertainment professionals through monthly meetups, the annual BE YOU Festival, workshops, and digital content including podcasts and videos, funded by corporate sponsorships and select event ticket sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Industry Networking and Community Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Hospitality, VIP Hosting & Client Entertainment (Internal-led) (THAHAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural) (MPABADAN)

Keywords

• Media community network
• Professional networking events
• Industry diversity inclusion
• Media industry festivals
• Creative industry workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships from media companies, broadcasters, and industry organizations for events and the annual BE YOU Festival
2. Event Tickets: Paid tickets for select events including workshops and festival attendance
3. Membership: Free membership with optional premium event experiences; membership application process screens participants

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Soho Media Club operates a free-to-join members network for media and entertainment professionals, offering curated in-person events (monthly meetups, safe space sessions, the I Am... interview series, the annual BE YOU Festival, and workshops) and accompanying digital content (podcasts, videos, articles). The core offering is community-based networking and content services funded through sponsorships and paid event tickets rather than membership fees.

Product overview

Soho Media Club is a community platform offering a suite of in-person events, digital content, and membership services for the media and entertainment industry. Its core offering is a free membership network that provides access to monthly meetups (Soho Media Club Meetups), protected dialogue sessions (Safe Space Sessions), intimate interview events (I Am...), an annual festival (BE YOU Festival), workshops (e.g., Discovering Your Saboteurs at Work), and digital content including video recordings, podcast series (IBC Changemakers, Naked Stories, Earn Your Stripes), articles, and a forum (BE YOU Forum). The products are interconnected: membership unlocks access to events, which generate digital content (videos, podcasts, articles) distributed through the Insights hub, while the annual BE YOU Festival serves as a flagship event that also spawns the BE YOU Forum for ongoing community discussion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BE YOU Festival: Annual 1-day festival in Soho designed to spark honest conversation about media and entertainment culture, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and nurturing next-gen talent.
• I Am...
• Safe Space Sessions
• Soho Media Club Meetups

Products and services

• Soho Media Club Membership A free-to-join members network for the media and entertainment community that provides access to events, digital content, and a community of over 2,000 industry professionals.
• Soho Media Club Meetups Monthly in-person meetups held at London locations, featuring guest speakers who share personal stories and career experiences. Each meetup includes video footage, photographs, and a written summary for attendees.
• Safe Space Sessions Protected environment sessions for open dialogue and brave conversations on topics of the moment, designed to facilitate uncomfortable discussions and drive meaningful change in the media industry.
• I Am... Interview Series Intimate interview events where Soho Media Club features inspiring names in media and entertainment, with guests sharing extraordinary stories of challenges overcome and what drives them. Events are 45-minute conversations followed by audience Q&A.
• BE YOU Festival An annual one-day summer festival held in Soho, London, designed to spark honest conversation about film and TV culture, diversity, inclusion, belonging, wellbeing, and nurturing next-gen talent. Features panels, workshops, keynotes, and networking.
• Discovering Your Saboteurs at Work Workshop Interactive workshop delivered in collaboration with Ethos=Everything from Within, focused on uncovering inner saboteurs using neuroscience insights. Topics include practical techniques to respond from the sage part of the brain, saboteur assessment, and intentional mindset change.
• IBC Changemakers Podcast A transformative 7-part podcast series hosted by journalist and broadcaster Nadira Tudor, featuring trailblazing guests from the media and entertainment sector sharing inspiring stories of making change happen. Produced by Soho Media Club for IBC.
• Naked Stories Podcast Podcast where anonymous guests share honest stories of diversity, inclusion, and prejudice in the media industry, touching on gender diversity, sexual orientation, disability, racial diversity, cultural diversity, and health anxiety. Hosted by Roses Okhipo.
• Earn Your Stripes Mini video series created for Birmingham University media students, providing practical tips and career advice. Episodes cover topics including networking, freelance career planning, branding, and the jobs landscape in media.
• BE YOU Forum Online community discussion space for BE YOU Festival attendees and the wider media community to continue conversations on topics including AI, funding, social mobility, mental health, and career journeys.
• Insights (Videos, Podcasts, Articles) Digital content hub featuring video recordings from meetups and events (including Menopause Panel, BE YOU Festival, Safe Spaces), podcast series, articles, and help sheets covering topics such as mental health, empathy, resilience, and inclusive leadership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2000+ members across the globe
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BFI (British Film Institute)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025BFI is a sponsor of the BE YOU Festival 2025. The British Film Institute supports the festival's mission to promote diversity and inclusion in media and entertainment.
• IMIS (Moving Image Society)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025IMIS (Moving Image Society) is a sponsor and partner of the BE YOU Festival. They support the club's initiatives for the media and entertainment community.
• NFTS (National Film and Television School)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025NFTS is a sponsor of the BE YOU Festival 2025, supporting the next generation of media talent.
• All3MediacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025All3Media is represented on the BE YOU Festival 2025 Advisory Team through Annika Allen, Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and provides support for festival programming.
• Tell JaneminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025Tell Jane, a female-focused industry organization, is a sponsor of the BE YOU Festival 2025.
• Channel 4coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025Channel 4 is represented at the BE YOU Festival through speakers and commissioners, supporting the festival's diversity and inclusion mission.
• BBCcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2025BBC is represented at the BE YOU Festival through speakers and industry professionals, supporting the festival's programming.
• Ethos Everything from WithinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025Ethos Everything from Within collaborated with Soho Media Club on the 'Discovering Your Saboteurs at Work' workshop, providing executive coaching expertise.
• DolbyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 March 2024Dolby provided venue space at 4-6 Soho Square for the 'Discovering Your Saboteurs at Work' workshop event.
• IBC (International Broadcasting Convention)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Soho Media Club produced the 'IBC Changemakers' podcast series - a 7-part transformative series with trailblazing guests from media and entertainment, produced for IBC.
• Warner Bros. De Lane LeaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2019Original launch venue for Soho Media Club's first meetup event in July 2019.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Edinburgh Television Festival: Long-running UK media industry festival and foundation that runs an annual multi-day event with panels, workshops, and networking for TV and screen professionals. Comparable to Soho Media Club as a UK media industry event/community brand built around flagship programming and partner support.
• Women in Film & Television UK (WFTV): UK membership network for women working across film, television, and digital media, running events, mentoring, and advocacy. Closely comparable to Soho Media Club on member-led community model, industry DEI mission, and event-driven engagement for media professionals.
• Rise (women in broadcast): Membership and advocacy group supporting women in the broadcast technology sector, with events, mentoring, and awards. Comparable to Soho Media Club as a DEI-focused broadcast/media industry community with events and networking programming.
• Creative Diversity Network: UK broadcasting-led organization focused on improving diversity across the screen industries, with events, research, and partner programming. Comparable mission and broadcaster-partnered model to Soho Media Club's DEI work with BBC, Channel 4, and ITV Studios.
• Media Production Show: UK trade event for the media production sector featuring exhibitors, seminars, and networking for production professionals. Comparable to Soho Media Club as a media industry event programming partner ecosystem targeting UK production professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Television Society (RTS): Established UK-wide membership organization for the television community with regional events, awards, and educational programming. Comparable as a larger incumbent TV industry membership body, but with a much broader portfolio and longer history than Soho Media Club.
• Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT): UK trade body representing independent production companies, providing events, advocacy, and member services. Comparable as a media industry membership organization serving UK producers, though at a much larger institutional scale than Soho Media Club.

Regional players

• Sheffield DocFest: UK documentary and screen industries festival running panels, marketplace, and networking in Sheffield. Comparable as a UK media industry festival event operator with sponsor-driven programming, though focused on documentary rather than the broader film/TV community Soho Media Club serves.
• Women in Film (US): Long-running US-based membership organization for women in the screen industries, with mentoring, events, and advocacy. Comparable mission and community model to Soho Media Club, though operating at a much larger scale and in a different geography.

Others

• IBC (International Broadcasting Convention): Major global broadcast industry event and content producer, with which Soho Media Club has a core content co-production partnership (IBC Changemakers podcast). Comparable as a media industry event/content platform serving broadcast professionals, though at a much larger institutional scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sohomediaclub1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sohomediaclub
• Instagraminstagram.com/sohomediaclublondon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soho Media Club