guyanatimesgy.com
NOVEMBER 9, 2014
Times Sunday Magazine 5
Times Women
P
rofessional, efficient, fun-loving and witty are some of the words that describe the three beautiful women of RED Entertainment - an event planning, marketing and entertainment company. The three ladies, Kristina King, Chelsea Fung and Saskia Wyngaarde, founded and execute the daily functions of RED Entertainment. They are recent university graduates who add a “unique, creative flair” to their field. Wyngaarde graduated with an Associate Degree in Business Management at Broward Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and International Business at Florida International University (FIU). She has worked at T.G.I.F. Fridays, in the US, where she participated in the T.G.I.F. Friday’s Flair Bartending Competition and won in her district in 2008 and 2009. Additionally, she has worked at the award winning Catch of the Day as Bar Manager, as well as Event Coordinator at Professional Catering Incorporated (PCI) in West Palm Beach, Miami, US. Above all, she is an expert in marketing having worked with the American Marketing Association (AMA). King graduated with an Associate Degree in Business Management at Miami Dade College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management at Florida International University (FIU). She participated in several events hosted by FIU. Notably, she coordinated and worked with Sunny Anderson, a Food Network celebrity chef, and Famous Hot Dog, the popular hot dog franchise, at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami, Florida. She also worked in the restaurant industry at Chu’s Restaurant and Bar as a bartender/server where she gained hands-on, practical
experience in the industry. Fung holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environment & Society and Women & Gender Studies from the University of Toronto (U of T). She also has years of experience with event management. Fung has planned and coordinated numerous academic events and other initiatives as Co-President of the Women & Gender Studies Student Union at U of T. She was involved in the intricate planning and coordination of several fundraising events for Grant-a-Dream Inc. and Help & Shelter. With such success and advanced intellect, the RED Entertainment ladies remain “down to earth” and friendly. Whether borne from their close bond or their feminine nature, they nonetheless are a force to be reckoned with in their field. “Working with friends has been and continues to be a great creative and collaborative experience. As business owners, we all share common experiences and challenges making it easier for us to understand and communicate with each other,” Chelsea Fung told the Guyana Times Sunday Magazine. When asked by this publication if they add something new to the industry, Wyngaarde was quick to point out that they do. She posited, “Oh yes! We bring the energy, the freshness and the creativity.” Wyngaarde added that they work “constantly at being efficient and reliable so that they can maintain loyalty and respect with their clients and fellow colleagues and entrepreneurs”. She noted, “It is difficult to sustain the efficiency as our company is growing, but we continuously adapt and reorganise our company’s strategies in order to reach our goals.” According to the executives, the reaction of their clients, colleagues and business rivals has been “great over-
The dynamic trio. From right Saskia Wyngaarde, Kristina King and Chelsea Fung
all” and “mostly supportive”, although it was a “bit tough to gain respect in the beginning”. “As you would expect, it was a bit tough for us to gain respect in our industry as it is dominated by males. It has been a challenge for us, but [as time goes by]…we have built relationships with other entrepreneurs and businesses,” Fung explained. King was keen to clarify, “It has been great so far, our past clients and [continuing patrons] have given us positive feedback and there isn’t any better feeling than satisfying a client. With regards to our colleagues and business rivals, they have all mostly been supportive.” Whether you are talking to the “funny one” Saskia Wyngaarde, the “nice one” Kristina King or the “picky one” Chelsea Fung, business associates and clients can rest assured that the warm, friendly and competent company, RED Entertainment, is managed by proficient professionals. RED Entertainment is a
relatively new company that was established because the women saw a lack of art/cultural-based entertainment in Guyana. After some well-intentioned advice that change comes from action, the girls quickly put their academic and practical experience to-
gether and formed the company. Their first event, which was a concert with smooth jazz and jazz/reggae saxophonist Arturo Tappin and a few local artists, was a huge success. A bond borne from years of friendship, the women have known each other from
their early childhood: King and Fung through young adulthood and university life, during which Wyngaarde joined the two girls creating the dynamic trio. For more information, visit http://redentertainmentgy.com or check out RED Entertainment on Facebook.