Joydeep Das has been running his successful EEL Association for the past five years – an organisation which seamlessly blends entertainment, entrepreneurship and lifestyle in the UK’s capital.
EEL’s calendar for 2025 is already ‘jam packed’ with networking events, designed to help businesses from across the UK grow and connect.
Picture credit: EEL Association
All work and no play is not the way when it comes to business, and so the company also organises a variety of inclusive events designed for pleasure, entertainment and well-being.
“We start the year with events organised around Holi, then we have Eid and Diwali before ending the year with Christmas. Those are our big events,” explains Joydeep who started EEL in 2020.
“We offer events for certain custom religions, but we actually organise it for everyone. All are welcome to attend.”
“Ours is a diverse and inclusive organisation and we stand by our values.”
Since its inception, EEL has welcomed between 30-35,000 members from across the UK.
Based in London, the organisation caters for businesses of all sizes – from start-ups through to more established projects.
“The response and the love from the wider community has been amazing. We’ve had a lot of support from people,” Joydeep tells Pukaar.
Picture credit: EEL Association
Joydeep came to England 14-years-ago, migrating from India with his wife.
His background was in investment banking and so this is what he continued to do here in the UK. However, he had a strong passion and a desire to get into public events and services.
“Back in India, I had been involved in public events, community events and university events, and this is something I enjoyed.
“I’d been exploring multiple cultures, working with different communities and cultures. It was a very unique experience for me which I thought I’d like to pursue here in the UK,” he explained.
“That’s where the idea of EEL came from. The initials stand for ‘entrepreneurship, entertainment and lifestyle’ and just like its abbreviation, it actually explores all the three different pillars out in the society and out in the community.”
The UK is somewhere which attracted Joydeep thanks to its diversity and multiculturalism. It was the perfect place for EEL to thrive.
“The openness of the society in the UK is probably its biggest strength and biggest asset,” he says.
“You can do everything and anything you want to do in terms of career ambition. If you want to run your own business or if you have any ideas, they can be well supported.
“At EEL, we’re part of that and we try to keep our costs competitive. Every business in the country right now is having its own hard times, so my job as a business service is to ensure that we still offer our high value service to people without charging to much upfront costs.”
Joydeep encourages entrepreneurs to take the leap in 2025 and to join EEL. He has the following advice.
“My message to everybody is please, do come and aspire – come and initiate your ambitions, do come and try your best but don’t compromise on your values or why you’re doing it.”
As for his own business, he says: “I’m very grateful for everything I have done and where I stand today. It has come with challenges, it has come with a lot of hard-work and sleepless nights, but at the end of the day whatever opportunities and support I have been given I’m very, very grateful.”
To find out more about EEL, visit: www.eelassociation.com
Picture credit: EEL Association
