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Contents 5 Are you the next Branson Entrepreneur? 6 What’s going on? 7 Why simply survive? 9 On the Launch Pad - Dwayne Samuels - Carone Fisher Messado
11 Taking Off - Moya Johnson
12 In Orbit - Robyn Fox
13 Partner with the Branson Centre 14 Access to finance for MSMEs and startups pt 2 15 Get to grips with your finances 16 You are your brand 17 A day in the life... Patrick Casserly
18 Guinness and the Branson Centre 19 Upcoming events
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Welcome! Welcome to the 2nd edition of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean’s B:Inspired eZine! We got such great feedback from our last publication that we are thrilled to share more exciting news from our entrepreneurs and from the team. We’ve now welcomed our third cohort of entrepreneurs to our programme and we’re happy to have another passionate group on board with us. They hail from a diverse set of industries – fashion design, bee keeping and social media marketing, to name a few. Like all Branson Centre entrepreneurs, they are poised to make some big waves, so look out for more information on their development. Cohorts 1 and 2 continue to progress on their development paths and we are pleased to announce that over the past year, 31 entrepreneurs were able to create 24 new jobs in their companies and had an average revenue growth of 109 per cent! In this edition, we share the stories of four of our entrepreneurs who are at various stages of the Branson Centre journey. Learn about their businesses and the ways in which being a part of the centre has helped them forge their paths in the business world. We’re currently looking for more driven, passionate, and innovative young entrepreneurs to join us in Cohort 4. Applications close on December 14, 2012, so convince that budding entrepreneur you know to apply soon at www.bransoncentre.org! As always, we are looking for fellow entrepreneurial thinkers and game changers to partner with us as speakers, mentors, advisors, donors and other supporters to the cause of business as a force for good. So get in touch!
Lisa Lake, Chief Entrepreneurship Officer
t x e n e h t u o Are y ? r u e n e r p e r t Branson en
y, and staff epreneurial journe tr en ur yo e ar sh like you will g there are others your peers who in w ith no w K . ith ge fa ua ng of e leap speak your la ave you taken th ovide a boost. need some who u yo e lik challenges will pr el r fe ila t sim bu ng ea ci id fa s busines make your ur wings to help tre (Launch the Branson Cen fourth wind beneath yo e ith th w in ks jo ee to w ed 12 ed to st you ne knowledge you ne n During the fir l so ca ni an company fly? Then ch Br te e e th th l al at epreneurs u will receive g your industry cohort of entr ore than Pad), yo om understandin m fr g re in he ng w , ra s, an es be ib sin bu , attracting reneurship – Car ket to identifying mme. run your ar ra m og ur pr e yo th e in in Centre of Entrep rm es te ag ess and d and how to de are at different st t to stay in busin s an an er w rg pe u .o re yo ur nt If yo s. ce of er on s 40 om rans and keeping cust anage your finance to go to www.b m r ed to be ne w em u ho ec yo D , ow st kn on fir But midnight u will need to you will get plication form by with the theory, FAQ to grow, yo e er th th d ge an To s. complete the ap ns xe io ta ct ccessful and pay your u read the instru d interact with su an om fr ar he . 14. Make sure yo ry to ed the opportunity ld, including Zacha ces of being select fie an r ch ei th ur in yo s ise rt im pe max from Diageo epreneurs and ex arguerite Cremin urs for our entr M ne 7, re y2 ep nc tr ge en A ht ig s Limited. from work with 20 br ks and Securitie fferent Harding oc di St om fr om fr e ar y s We are looking to er ur sk all the ro current entreprene ill have gathered es and Mark C ur w ri O u st . rt yo du , in ho ks co of ee w y th et ur 12 ri fo t a va , which will be the end of the ca and represen your business plan , marketing, At e re et ltu pl cu m parishes in Jamai ri co ag to s, ie n to informatio n and accessor siness. from ICT, fashio ental protection, nm ro vi en admap for your bu d ro e an th ts ar is e s es tiv ea oc e tourism, cr application pr Off, the next phas is limited, so the ke e ve Ta gi ac r fo ly Sp . u on w t yo fe a no es e ar to nam u have Launch Pad prep to access local e. To stand out, yo you will be able ion for and The ss ow pa N ur highly competitiv e. yo m at m th tworks, ra og tails, but ensure ess coaching, ne what of the pr sin st bu ju , ’s rs at to Th en h. m us the relevant de ug l ro u will and internationa business comes th resources that yo ur r yo he of ot e dg d le an ow es kn ic e lasts for six professional serv ird stage. This stag th e th it, we’re looking for! rb O in go individually k collectively and ke up all need to or ta w n e ca w It ch k. hi or w w s and ng rd er, it’s your busines ur months, duri g a business is ha ev yo ow on H s. re u’ es yo sin e bu lik We know buildin eling heavy lifting. strengthen your ergy, leaving you fe in business, to the directing and e do ar to ily your time and en u m yo fa d to an up close friends ur it will be own. Unless your to understand yo em th g in tt ge b a jo e Branson too, you will have mmitment. At th co d an ns io at tr minded challenges, frus e network of likead m yad re a d fin Centre, you will
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Apply online at www.bransoncentre.org. Application closes at 5pm, December 14.
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ifteen entrepreneurs from Cohort 3 are currently busily engaged on the Launch Pad. They started their 12-week entrepreneur development programme on September 17 and are at the half-way point. Some interesting facts about the entrepreneurs: They represent different industries, as in previous cohorts: agriculture (3), creative arts (2), fashion (1), ICT (4), wellness and grooming (1), consultancy (1), marketing (1), media (1), energy management (1). The gender split is almost equal, with seven females and eight males, with an average age of 31 years. Nine are from Kingston, two from Montego Bay and the remaining four are from other parishes in Jamaica.
Presenting Cohort 3 entrepreneurs
on the Launch Pad!
what’s going on?
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Their baseline surveys also told us that more than 72 per cent of the businesses are registered with the Companies Office and their companies have been in operation for an average of 3.67 years.They are currently providing employment for 25 people (12 fulltime and 13 part-time posts). Seventy-five per cent of the entrepreneurs are operating their businesses from their own home. The remainder is operating from commercially rented spaces. Fifty per cent don’t plan to take out a bank loan while seventy-five per cent plan to have a private investor. In terms of corporate social responsibility, 37.5 per cent already have a defined platform or mission that will be integrated in their business plans. Good luck to all of them as they steam through the second half of Launch Pad.
Why simply survive? Let’s thrive!
Entrepreneur Dwayne Morris, working outside due to lack of workshop space.
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he entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Caribbean is a challenging environment to start and sustain a business. As a region of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Caribbean is at a geographical disadvantage with minimal opportunities to create economies of scale. This is a result of their remoteness, limited resources, small but growing populations, susceptibility to natural disasters, relatively high dependence on international trade, inadequate infrastructure, expensive public administration and high costs for communication, energy and transportation. These inherent obstacles make entrepreneurial ventures very challenging to succeed. Resources for business development and growth exist but are generally inaccessible to the average entrepreneur on a local level. If passionate people do pursue their business ideas on these islands, their success is often limited. However, the potential to have a thriving ecosystem of support for these local entrepreneurs in not a distant dream. Both the public and private sectors are making strides to strengthen the environment. For example, more universities are incorporating entrepreneurship into their curriculums and promoting the importance of entrepreneurial exposure for youth at the primary and secondary level. However, the academic approach is mostly theoretical. This leaves entrepreneurs at a loss when trying to relate theory directly to their business idea or model. A variety of business support agencies are beginning to fill that gap by providing more capacity building, business plan writing, toolkits, mentorship and some grant funding. Yet, the workshops or training sessions tend to be infrequent and are often not visible enough. At a policy level, several ministries play their role in the ecosystem and discuss entrepreneurship in the political agenda. Unfortunately, most entrepreneurs struggle to feel many tangible results of those policies that should ease the processes of starting or sustaining a business.While, the public and private sectors could be more strategic
and collaborative in their approach, the trends for support are becoming more present. An improved support ecosystem can be built when the needs of the local entrepreneurs are addressed. First, there is a lack of the technical and business development capacity training necessary for launching and bringing products and services to market. They feel there is minimal legitimacy or credibility on a regional level for entrepreneurs. They have minimal access to seed funding and little experience pitching to investors. Entrepreneurs have few opportunities to connect with experienced mentors and coaches and fewer chances of leveraging into new networks or international markets. They generally have little peer support or opportunities to interact with like-minded individuals and struggle to find a culture that encourages the entrepreneurial spirit. Lastly, the Caribbean entrepreneurs desire more access to and commitment from current support mechanisms so they can apply the available resources in a tangible way that directly affects the sustainability of their businesses. In light of this reality, the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean (BCoEC) is moving forward with its regional expansion to increase the level of support for regional entrepreneurs. BCoEC will scale its model out on four islands through a virtual and localized hybrid-approach. Local partnerships will be forged to create sustainability and leverage existing networks and resources. If you are involved or know of a business support organization for young entrepreneurs in the Caribbean that could be a potential partner in this initiative, please contact BCoEC and join the effort. There is not only an opportunity to continue providing entrepreneurs with access to critical resources that stimulate job creation, revenue growth and overall economic impact, but there is also a responsibility to positively influence the environment so that entrepreneurs and their businesses can thrive.
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Discover what’s possible
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LAUNCH PAD
carone fisher messado
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gives big value to small companies
arketing a business is hard, expensive work, especially for beginners. There is the pressure of making sure that your brand gets the right look and the necessary push to be successful. Realising this need, in June 2004, Terence and Carone Messado conceptualised Evolution Art Studios, which offers affordable and high-quality graphic services, especially for startups. Evolution Art Studios has since grown into a cutting edge new media and graphic solutions company, specialising in advertising, fashion marketing, branding and social media marketing. “We seek the most innovate way to merge old and new advertising so our clients can achieve their end result in creating awareness, building a brand and making a profit,” Carone Fisher Messado,CEO, said. The company’s journey to the Branson Centre started when Messado received an email from her PR and marketing manager. After reading about the centre’s goals, Messado applied because she thought Evolution Art Studios would fit right in. Although still on the Launch Pad, which is the first stage of the programme, Messado admitted that she has learned a lot already, particularly in terms of how to structure the business and expressed a sincere gratitude to the Centre for the work it is doing. “I really appreciate the fact that the Branson Centre has taken the time to invest in
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entrepreneurs and that the private and public sector has come on board and are pouring back into to us,” she said. Messado also appreciates being in an atmosphere of like-minded people with the goal to learn more about themselves and each other. “Being an entrepreneur can become frustrating as most people do not understand you, so being in an environment [like this] feels like a safe haven,” she reasoned. As Messado has grown as an entrepreneur, so has Evolution Art Studios. Earlier this year, the company moved into niche marketing by offering fashion designers a visual outlet to display their craft through the country’s first collective fashion catalogue Du’Look Jamaica. “Du’Look represents a bold new beginning for our local fashion industry,” said Messado. “Our company’s mission is to promote economical growth to emerging markets by supporting the creativity and know-how of artists, artisans and designers that create products that display their talent, convey their ethnicity and celebrate their culture.” Messado is currently half way though writing the company’s business plan, which is one of the components of the Launch Pad stage. She regards this as a personal milestone and also encouraged other entrepreneurs to look into joining the centre: “In the multitude of counsel, there is wisdom. No matter how much you think you know, there is much to be learnt. The Branson Centre can be that support you need.”
LAUNCH PAD
Dwayne Samuels D
Ready to change the world with Jamaican innovation
wayne Samuels, one of the newest members to the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship - Caribbean, has his sights set on making his small technology business, Xormis Limited, one of the best in the World. His ambition is not far-fetched. Xormis, a mobile and web application development company, was started after Samuels and a group of fellow students from the Mandeville-based Northern Caribbean University (NCU) won the interoperability category at the eighth annual Microsoft Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals in Warsaw, Poland on July 2010. Samuels recalled being first told about the Branson Centre later that year, under the advice that his company should push to be part of the first cohort. However, he wasn’t aware of the application process. “After seeing (felIow member) Gordon Swaby’s Facebook post that applications were open, I applied (last June) and haven’t turned back since,” he said. “I’ve never been at a place in my life were I’m so motivated and energised by others’ success and knowledge. I love to acquire knowledge and the Branson Centre brings learning to you in a multifaceted approach and in one day, sometimes you garner things that it would take a lifetime to learn.” One of Samuels’ favourite memories is a quote from a round table talk at dinner on the first day, where former Partnership Manager, Maisie Allen, had a talk with himself
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and a few others from Cohort 3. She said, “People don’t do business with businesses, people do business with people.” This provoked his thoughts so much that he made it a topic of conversation when interacting with a few entrepreneurs later that evening. “If the human element is missing from your business you’ll never be successful in all aspects,” he added. The company’s first app will be called grik.ly, which is aimed at removing the need for business cards. Samuels believes Jamaica is ripe and ready for innovations such as this. “It’s the way forward and entrepreneurship gives an avenue for a country so rich in ideas and talented people. We’re going to change the world,” he stated. Samuels is currently in the eleventh week of the development stage of the programme and will soon be evaluated by his business plan, business pitch and partnership with the Branson Centre.That assessment will determine progression to the Launch Pad phase where he will be assigned to a mentor and receive access to other opportunities. He advised those interested in being better at what they do to apply without hesitation. “You’ll get priceless knowledge from people who have been entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial all their lives. Sometimes in having a business, you think you know everything, but when the centre strips down your idea and reconstructs it, you’ll find out that you only saw five per cent of the big picture,” he explained.
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Taking Off
oya johnson
Mixing passion and faith to make one-of-a-kind jewellery
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assion, talent and faith are three ingredients that have guided Moya Johnson, creator of jewellery line, Nilajah Jewellery, into starting a business.
is receiving, she has so far been able to create a business plan and apply it to her operations. Another benefit she noted is that she never feels alone because of the communal learning environment.
A lover of accessories, Johnson’s passion was ignited while in college, when she would make her own jewellery and her sister and friends would ask her to make pieces for them. Nilajah, meaning ‘beautiful mountain’, uses a mix of leather, semi-precious stones, wood, metal, beads and feathers to create unique pieces.
“You meet a variety of like-minded people who, though they do different things, give you encouragement and that’s refreshing,” she states.
Of the many lessons she learned while at the centre, Johnson says the ones that have shaped her as an individual include being tough and always networking. “Entrepreneurship is a high-risk business. After receiving a bachelor’s degree I’ve learned to be persistent, be resilient in history and archaeology from The and to say yes to teamwork. If you’re University of the West Indies, Mona, going to achieve anything of great worth, Johnson taught history and social studies you can’t work alone,” Johnson said. at her alma mater, St Hugh’s High School, for four years. Like many entrepreneurs, Through these lessons, Johnson was able she had to take the risk of leaving a to lead a team of 35 people within a 10steady job to explore what she loved. day period to prepare jewellery for a ‘Things Jamaican’ booth at the London “It was really a risk to leave a steady Olympic Games. “It was very successful. cheque, but I did it through faith. This It gave me perspective as to what Nilajah helped me to develop my spirituality and may become. People were amazed at the trust in God that I could to it and be quality of the jewellery and the time able to support myself on my own terms period it took really impressed them and being able to create employment,” even more,” she said. she said. That experience has rekindled her fire It was a combination of faith and fate for teaching, which she currently does that led Johnson to The Branson Centre on a part-time basis. for Entrepreneurship - Caribbean in late 2011. During a meeting with her pastor For those who want to be a part of who had invited a friend, Richard Lake the Branson Centre, Johnson’s advice and Minister of Youth and Culture, Lisa is simple: “What you put in is what you Hanna to view the pieces, he suggested get. The training and the people at the becoming a part of the centre as a way centre are great but they’re not miracle of getting business support and training. workers. If you buckle down and do the work, you’ll see the results and will not Johnson describes her Branson be disappointed.” environment as “stimulating and enlightening”. Through the training she
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In Orbit
ROBYN FOX
The com m u n i t y t o u r i s m tr i p l e - th r e at
ocated in newcastle, mount edge guest house, eits café and food
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basket farm is a three-in-one business that offers a true ‘brand jamaica’ experience. the business is jointly owned by the fatherdaughter team of michael and robyn fox.
The guesthouses, built in the late 1990s, offer refuge to a steady stream of backpacking foreign visitors and occasion locals, with a magnificent view of the surrounding Blue Mountains and the city of Kingston below. EITS Café, short for ‘Europe in The Summer’, offers an affordable dining experience, incorporating vegetables and herbs from the farm into a fusion of European and Jamaican cuisines. The triple-threat establishment is currently ranked number one in the TripAdvisor B&Bs and Inns category for Kingston. In 2005, after completing an associate’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management at George Brown School of Hospitality in Toronto, Canada, Fox transferred her credits to Jamaica, completing a bachelor’s degree in the same field through the joint University of the West Indies/University of Technology programme. After graduation, she worked with Island Outpost, the Spanish Court Hotel and the Norman Manley International Airport before joining the family business last January.
“As a veteran in the tourism industry, [he] encouraged me to continue to work hard. I am doing just that by providing my guests with a real Jamaican experience through Mount Edge Guest House, EITS Café and Food Basket Farm,” she shared. In the early stage, being at the centre reminded her a “cool school”, because, unlike the normal classroom, there was a sense of freedom to express oneself. “Being involved with the group of young people with similar interests and a keen energetic spirit has been very encouraging. We assisted each other and shared our personal experiences that helped us with our respective businesses,” said Fox.
Additionally, in March, Fox was chosen as a Branson Ambassador and received the chance to showcase her business at the Virgin General Managers’ meeting in London. “It was a very good opportunity for me to meet Virgin managers from all over the world, who inspired me with their knowledge of the tourism industry. I presented in front of a large group of As part of the first cohort of entrepreneurs at the Branson Virgin managers and the Branson Centre equipped me with Centre of Entrepreneurship - Caribbean, Fox was lucky enough the public speaking [skills] and the courage to “Be Brave and to meet Sir Richard Branson at the opening of the centre. Just Do It,” she recalled.
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Government ministers with Hard Beat Communications CEO Felicia Persaud and BCoEC’s Lisa Lake at the Invest Caribbean Now Forum in June.
Partner with the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship Caribbean and make business a force for good
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f you are a professional working within a legal, accounting or marketing practice, you will know how important it is for new companies to have the right advice so they can get off to a good start. They need professional help, but as many of these businesses are bootstrapping, they might dispense with the help of a professional for now and make decisions that could harm their businesses later.
To build sustainable enterprises, entrepreneurs need to know how to deal with the more formal aspects of doing business, have in place the best systems to efficiently manage their finances and remain compliant with relevant legislation. Early stage entrepreneurs from time to time will also need advice on how to reach new markets, develop products or test the feasibility of an idea.
We’d like to think you will want to help entrepreneurs build strong professional businesses in the Caribbean to put business on a more professional platform.
How you can help We want to partner with a cadre of accredited professionals who can donate a number of hours per practice to periodically give advice to our entrepreneurs on a pro bono basis to help them become business leaders. We will work with you to make sure we only ask for what we need.
We want to hear from you if you can donate a number of pro bono hours per year in commercial law, accounting or marketing and become part of the Branson Centre community, building ‘business as a force for good’.
What you get
• Why early stage entrepreneurs need professional services At the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship – Caribbean, we do things differently. We work with entrepreneurs for as long as it takes to help their business fly. We want them to • adopt sound business practices and interact with the best so they can learn firsthand how to build a strong company. We also want to help them apply the same sound business • practices to their own enterprises, making sure they access professional advice when they need to make those important decisions.
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To work with some dynamic businesses and develop lasting professional relationships while building a community of entrepreneurs who are conversant with good business systems. To join our network of professional services donors, speakers, mentors and supporters of the Branson Centre. To know more about becoming a professional services partner email Sharon Jarrett: partnerships@ bransoncentre.org
access to finance for and startups part 2
MSMEs
By David Mullings
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y previous column focused on explaining the difference between angel investors, venture capital and private equity so that entrepreneurs in the Caribbean would have a better idea of what each group expects from a return on capital standpoint. Most entrepreneurs approach a potential investor without first understanding who they are speaking to. I have been approached by entrepreneurs to invest money with the expectation of getting a return of 20-30 per cent. They typically say that this is way better than what I can get from the bank, but it is an indication of how new they are to raising capital – no serious investor pays attention to bank rates, since those have collateral and dramatically reduced risk. It is wiser to ask what would it take for them to invest and then work backwards from those terms to see if it makes sense for your business. Your terms are never what investors have in mind. Hear their starting point and negotiate around that. If their starting point is ridiculous, then you know not to waste your time and just move on.
Ten per cent of $100 million is better than 100 per cent of $1 million. Too many Caribbean entrepreneurs are mistakenly fixated on keeping as close to 100 per cent as possible and it is the reason we have so few companies listed on stock exchanges, with most companies being privately held. However, I do not advocate taking just any money that comes your way and taking on every shareholder with money. You must seek out smart money early on, money that brings contacts and mentorship, not just taking some equity from you. But businesses need money and if you are not bringing in enough to grow organically while covering your personal expenses, then you need to be willing to either cut these expenses more or give up more equity, possibly to partners.
Mark Zuckerberg owns less than 30 per cent of Facebook, but he got to build his dream company (he does maintain voting control). Learn from others and focus on achieving your dream. It is rare for successful entrepreneurs to even be 51 per cent shareholders. Focus on finding the right partners, either working with you in the business or I have also seen too many entrepreneurs unwilling to give as shareholders. up reasonable amounts of equity in their business. They prefer to hold everything for themselves, but still want David Mullings is Chairman and CEO of Keystone the investors’ money and their contacts to help grow the Augusta, Inc, a diversified holdings firm. business.
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Get to grips with your finances
Basic Bookkeeping By CrichtonMullings and Associates
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sound bookkeeping system is the foundation on which valuable financial information can be built. Bookkeeping is the process of keeping records of income (money coming in) and expenditure (money spent) so that the profit or loss during a period of time is readily available. It also maintains a record of the assets and liabilities so that the financial position of the business is easily accessible. Most likely, you’d rather spend your time selling your product or service. However, if you are going to run a successful business, keeping an accurate and timely financial record is a must. Here are some of the reasons you need a good financial recordkeeping system:
expenditure - holding on to all invoices and receipts for work-related expenses. There is no requirement that records be kept in a particular way, as long as your records accurately reflect the business’s income and expenses under the accruals method of accounting. This is easier tracked by the utilisation of a spreadsheet containing columns for income, expenditure and GCT, where applicable. To summarise, a few simple rules to ensure good bookkeeping are:
Monitoring the success or failure of your business. It’s hard to know how your business is doing without a clear financial picture. Am I mak ing money? Are sales increasing? Are expenditures increasing faster than sales; any ‘out of control ex penses’? Which expenses are too high based on my level of sales? Providing the information you need to make decisions. Without accurate records and financial information, it may be hard for you to know the financial impact of a given course of ac tion. Will it pay to hire another salesperson? Is this particular product line profitable? Some other reasons: Obtaining bank financing and other sources of capital, budgeting, preparing your income tax return, complying with payroll tax rules and submitting sales taxes. The bookkeeping process should be adequately maintained. This means keeping a track of monthly income and
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Keep the paperwork – no matter where you store it, keep a record of everything. Keep bank state ments, credit card slips and bills, invoices and pay ment receipts. When clients are invoiced, outstanding invoices and collection procedures should be monitored. Be sure that every invoice includes the payment terms. Use separate chequing accounts for business and personal use. This makes it easier to reconcile your books each month and ensures that the right mon ey is moving in and out of your account. Specific times of the day, week, or month should be set aside to organise income and expenses into your accounting program. If you schedule specific times for these tasks and stick with your schedule, each of the tasks will be much less daunting. Never allow things to stack up. Kerry Ann Bigby is the Senior Staff Accountant at CrichtonMullings and Associates, a full servcie accounting firm with offices in Kingston, Montego Bay and the USA.
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nless you run a publicly traded entity (and in many cases it still applies - think Apple, GE, Dell), the head of any company is very often the face of the brand. Virgin wouldn’t be the same without Sir Richard Branson and, if we look closer to home, Sandals wouldn’t be the same without Butch and Adam Stewart, nor Wisynco without the Mahfoods. When you are just starting and unknown in the business world, I would suggest you focus first on providing a good product or service that satisfies a genuine need, want or problem. But once you have a solid base, you should start thinking about how you can leverage your business to build your own personal brand and, in turn, use the influence of your personal brand to further build your business. Many people mistake this to mean, “Let me try and get on Page 2” (a popular pictorial society page in a leading Jamaican newspaper), but it does not. While this probably wouldn’t hurt, it’s simply not enough. Building your personal brand is not the same thing as trying to gain popularity.Your brand is really your core set of values, principles and beliefs that don’t change like fashion, but stay with you until the time comes for you to kick the bucket. There are usually three deep-rooted traits that describe your brand DNA. It is what you stand for. In the case of former US President Bill Clinton, for example, these could be charisma, leadership and liberty. Despite his colourful presidency, no one can question these descriptors as part of President Clinton’s core. Contrast those, however, with the ‘popularity’ of another public figure, Monica Lewinsky, and I think you get the difference between standing for something and being well known for something. In order to figure out your brand DNA, do a quick poll of your friends, family and acquaintances and ask them to list the top three words they would use to describe you. Put them all together and see if there are any common words that jump out such as reliable, inspiring, creative, etc. Once you have this, see if there are aspects you would like to refine to make yourself more marketable. In business, reputation is everything. It is a combination of what people say about you and what you reflect about yourself. It is not enough to say what you think your brand is; others must agree and be willing to believe in your business as much as they believe in you. Zachary Harding is founder and managing director of Agency27, a full-service advertising, marketing and new-media firm that builds brands and helps businesses grow.
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YOU
Are Your Brand By: Zachary Harding
A day in the life… of
Patrick Casserly wake up
desk
What time do you get up in the mornings? It depends. I have always been a ‘serial waker.’ It’s bizarre!
List five things in your desk right now. Two MacBook Pros, American Airline concierge baggage tags, bag of Chippies banana chips, picture of me and my son at polo and a bottle of water.
brush What is the first thing you do after you wake up? Brush my teeth and wash up, grab grapefruit juice and check my messages.
eat
What did you have for breakfast this morning? Two boiled eggs
watch
What is your mustwatch morning programme (local or international)? CNBC
work Do you prefer to go into the office or work from home? I prefer the office, though work is continuous, as I seem to be on the phone from the time I leave the driveway to my return at night.
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11a.m.
Are you a morning person or do you work better in the afternoon? I work best at 11am.
12p.m.
Do you eat lunch at your desk or go out? I eat at my desk - Chinese take out or chicken patties.
afternoon During an unexpected break or afternoon lull, I like to... Go on YouTube
recap What is one thing you must do after leaving work? Recap a post mortem of the day, mostly self-assessment, take one hour’s sleep or watch a sitcom.
listen What do you listen to on the drive home from work? Let’s rephrase that question: the work never stops and music is defined by the post mortem of the day. And since I use Bluetooth, music cuts out half the time.
7:30 p.m.
How do you usually end the day? Tell my son a bedtime story at 7:30pm, then at 11pm, watch the lights of Montego Bay from my patio with a cigarette. It’s the best time to check closing day revenues and map out a ‘shooting solution’ for tomorrow. Then the phone gets shut off for the night.
Patrick Casserly is CEO of whiteshirt LLC. Prior to forming whiteshirt, he launched, ran, and sold the premier Caribbean outsourcing firm, eServices Group International.
Guinness & Branson Centre continue strong partnership Guinness Brand Manager Racquel Nevins with award recipient Edris Whyte, Cohort 1
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t’s not hard to imagine that Sir Arthur Guinness would have been proud of the work being done at the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship. Sir Arthur, the founding father of the famous Irish brew and a pioneering entrepreneur, was a shrewd businessman who was keen on providing opportunities for others.
entrepreneurship endeavors. They are: • Andrew Ross - Seascape Caribbean • Leanne Talbot - Island Cycle • Edward Marshall Case - E3Design and Construction • Joan Webley - Nanook Enterprises Ltd • Edris Whyte - StudyinJamaica.com
Sir Arthur’s legacy and the philanthropic spirit of Sir Richard Branson manifested in the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship – Caribbean in September 2011. In 2011, the Arthur Guinness Fund made a contribution to Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. Their aim was to help revolutionise the way businesses and the social sector work together, uniting people to tackle tough social and environmental problems in an entrepreneurial way.
The other five social entrepreneurs who were awarded through the 2012 Arthur Guinness Fund Project include community based projects with the focus being on helping the underprivileged. They are a part of the ‘Made of More’ campaign as Guinness sought to support the projects that best represented its new campaign.
With support from the Arthur Guinness Fund, the centre was opened to inspire and grow social entrepreneurship across the region.The Arthur Guinness Fund was established in 2009, with a portion of its revenue coming from the global Arthur Guinness Day Concert series. Select social entrepreneurs at the Branson Centre got another boost from Guinness this year, as five received additional funding from the AGF to support their social
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“We’re pleased to have this opportunity to continue our support of social entrepreneurism through our partnership with the Branson Centre. We’re excited by all the projects that were submitted and we look forward to seeing the results yielded,” said Racquel Nevins, Guinness Brand Manager. Through the combination of social responsibility and tangible contribution towards the projects, Guinness and the Branson Centre are equipping our future leaders to be the change makers of our society.
Events Calendar
Take a look at the local and regional activities coming up! Workshop – How Do I Maximize December 5 Sales Make your Mark Consulting
Kingston, Jamaica
Christmas Luncheon Extravaganza American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica and Digicel Business
December 6
Kingston, Jamaica
B-Connected Business Mixer Brason Centre of Entrepreneurship Caribbean
December 7
Kingston, Jamaica
Recruitment Cohort 4: Final Application Deadline Brason Centre of Entrepreneurship Caribbean
December 14
Caribbean-wide
JAYP Buisness Mixer Jamaica Association of Young Professionals
December 14
Kingston, Jamaica
Napoli Fairview Corporate U Business Mixer Corporate U
December 20
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Caribbean MBA ConferenceBusiness Opportunities and Economic Growth Wharton Business School and Mona School of Business
January 3-5
Kingston, Jamaica
Workshop- Retail Operations Management DMSREtail
January 15-17
St Ann, Jamaica
LOKJACK GSB’s Business Showcase 2013 University of The West Indies, Arthor LokJack Graduate School of Business
January 21-23
St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
Workshop - JAYP Outreach Project Jamaica Association of Young Professionals
February 2
Kingston, Jamaica
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Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship - Caribbean P.O. Box 43 Fairview Shopping Centre Montego Bay Jamaica 1-876-632-5134 enquiries.caribbean@bransoncentre.org www.bransoncentre.org
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