STORMS and sickness didn't stop Reggae Reggae Sauce creator Levi Roots surpassing expectations for an inspirational evening with Grimsby entrepreneurs.
The Dragon's Den success story related his spicy tale to a North East Lincolnshire audience as part of a closing evening for the Mastering Business season of events.
Giving a chiefly biographical account of his life, from Jamaica to Brixton, and then from snaring an investor to launching around the world, he bounded on to a stage despite feeling under the weather and having been buffeted by it on Thursday as he made his way north to Oaklands Hall Hotel.
Manpower's Grimsby business manager Jose Stewart, who harbours dreams of launching her own company one day, was in the audience. She said: "He was just brilliant. He did a lengthy question and answer session which was excellent.
"The whole atmosphere of the night was very, very good."
Roots, who was brought up by his grandmother in Jamaica as his parents came to London to secure a better future, had the audience laughing as he described how streets of gold turned out to be streets of dog 'mess' when he made it across the Atlantic, having been sent a suit and a pair of shoes in a suitcase by his mum and dad when they were ready to welcome him.
Talking through troubles and unsuccessful X-Factor auditions, as well as nearly turning down Dragon's Den because his children didn't think it 'cool', after having been found by a researcher, he went on to describe how America is the next big market for Reggae Reggae.
Laid on by the local authority and the Bondholders marketing team, councillors and executive officers were diverted from the occasion to deal with the serious flooding that struck the borough.
Steve Croft, senior community investment officer at North East Lincolnshire, said the whole season had been a tremendous success.
He said: "The statistics at the celebratory closing event spoke for themselves with over 80 per cent of delegates describing the workshops as excellent. The series of intimate events was finished off with a fantastic, inspirational and thought provoking after dinner speech from the legend that is Levi Roots."
Mr Croft said one of the most pleasing aspects to come from the European-funded programme was getting the likes of florists and wind turbine engineers chatting together, discussing similar business issues.
"Business is a challenge we are looking at because of the economy, and we are starting to see green shoots. I really think 2014 is going to be a good year for the area. It has been great to hear the discussions between businesses going on during these events."
