Caribbean Startup Scene Issue #6

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THE ROAD AHEAD REIMAGINED INDUSTRIES MINDSET COLLABORATION Volume 1 | Issue 6 | August 2020

A Publication of 1

“IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD”...BUT A

COMMUNITY TO BUILD A BUSINESS

LET’S HELP YO

2

OU BUILD YOURS

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT

www.tenhabitat.com

Where Entrepreneurs Come To Grow 3

CONTENTS 13

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WiFETCH

renewed tourism

Two local entrepreneurs stepped up to the plate to solve one of the ensuing problems of the pandemic and lockdown - access.

What will the tourism industry look like on the other side of the pandemic?

a closer look at the fewwture

Innovation

RETHINK

reimagining health

TEN QUESTIONS

TEN Questions with entrepeneur and talent manager Matthew Fewwture and his four-letter word financial advice.

Building a more effective and interoperable health care system.

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14 ENTREPRENEUR

36 TEN XTRA

47 REPURPOSE

Loving the natural lifestyle with Jamaica’s Shevielle.

The practical benefits of team building in a Crisis.

Taking stock of your business and your skillset to reinvent for growth.

31 Quote Unquote

42 WE got this

42 WHAT happens next?

A word of advice from CaribbeanAmerican serial entrepreneur and Goldman Sachs alum, Kym J. Smith, the founder of Prestige International.

How collaboration can reap big gains in the midst of turbulent times.

The story of one woman’s journey to take uncertainty by the horns and pivot to stay afloat.

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IMPACT

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Building a resilient MINDSET

Arlene Ross shares how a resilient mindset can help any business person stay calm while in crisis mode.

26 business and #BLM How the Black Lives Matter movement is impacting Trinidad and Tobago’s business landscape.

TRANSPORTATION REIMAGINED The Barbadian duo behind Caribbean Transit Solutions shares how their platforms can and will transform the way commuters and business interact with transportation in the region.

17 Volume 1 | Issue 6 Producer/ Creator: Selwyn Cambridge Editor / Coordinator: Belle Holder Graphic Design: IDS Creative Inc Photographers: Amery Butcher, Amleya Clarke, Stuart Hall, Alyson Holder, David Yearwood Illustrator: Shaquon Grosvenor Copy Editor: Pauline Holder Makeup & Stylist: Greg Williams

ON THE COVER

COVID AND THE ORANGE ECONOMY

Cultural and creative practitioners are honing their crafts and making the most of the ‘new normal’ by responding to the squeeze COVID put on the Caribbean Orange Economy. Find out how.

Contributing Writers: Cara Jean Baptiste, Natalie Briggs, Simone Codrington, Daveny Ellis, Donna Every, Janelle Gilkes, Candice Gordon, LaShawna Griffith, Belle Holder, Dawn Lovell, Corey McClean, Veronica Millington, Arlene Ross, Kym J. Smith, Dale Trotman

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EDITOR’s NOTE

...the way forward for Caribbean entrepreneurs means reimagining old sectors...

THE

ROAD AHEAD Belle Holder Media & Communications Consultant TEN Habitat @belleholder246 • belleholder@yahoo.com www.belleholder.com

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After enduring the effects of the coronavirus pandemic over the last four to six months, many of us feel battered and bruised and the same goes for many Caribbean businesses.

The good news is…the battle scars will heal, and it is a healthy dose of optimism and planning that will get us through the road ahead.

Mindset, attitude and strategic planning is key. The strongest entrepreneurs whose businesses will endure, bounce back and even thrive, are those who have the ability to view the road ahead as being paved with glorious uncertainty, but punctuated with strategic contingency plans.

What will the road ahead look like for you, for your business, for the economy?

True entrepreneurs will survive, for it is in their spirit to adapt, strive, fight and find new ways to satisfy their customers. Every day entrepreneurs are finding new ways to continue working and keeping their businesses viable; online, new products, delivery service and diversification. It is this ability to optimize opportunity that will propel you forward.

In this month’s issue the CSS writing team explores the road ahead in a variety of ways.

Attorney-at-law Arlene Ross explains how resilience must extend to your mentality and is key to bouncing back. Some Entrepreneurs have been able to draw on their diverse skillset allowing them to pivot in new directions, as told to writers Simone Codrington and Daveny Ellis, from tourism to baker’s delights and artists’ management to videography.

As the Tourism and Cultural Industries struggle to regain footing, Cara Jean Baptiste and LaShawna Griffith examine the way forward for these two orange economies, on which many Caribbean startups depend.

While the cultural industry has taken a mighty hit, Janelle Gilkes shows how artistes across the region recognize collaboration as fundamental to creating work for themselves and staying connected to audiences.

Many across sectors recognize it cannot be business as usual and the way forward will require retooling and reimagining. MedRegis founder Dale Trotman looks at the Future of Health Care, while Author Donna Every shows how you can rethink your business to navigate the way forward.

For some, the pandemic experience presented opportunities for new startups as in the case with Barbados’ WiFetch, as told to Corey McClean. With many companies seeing the advantages of remote work, Dawn Lovell offers tips on how to achieve your goals and meet deliverables while working remotely.

Unfortunately, while grappling with the effects of COVID-19 the issue of systemic racism sparked Black Lives Matter protests in many parts of the world. Trinidad’s Natalie Briggs looks at a recent Entrepreneurship movement in TNT & what it means for Caribbean Entrepreneurs.

Fundamentally we must all recognize that the way forward for Caribbean entrepreneurs means reimagining old sectors, collaborating and strategic planning, for the road ahead is not meant to be journeyed alone, but rather in the collective power of connectivity and collective advancement

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FOUNDER’s NOTE

Selwyn Cambridge Founder & CEO TEN Habitat @tenfounder scambridge@tenhabitat.com

Your playbook has an expiration date 8

I am unable to count the many occasions entrepreneurs recount the expensive and laborious tasks they endured in developing their exhaustive business plans and playbooks. Now many of those plans and playbooks are all relics!

Though I share the belief that playbooks can be valuable, this value is mostly achieved in times of good and much of what you project or expect falls in your favour. However, time and time again I see the carnage created when reliance on “playbook thinking” in the face of massive headwinds is the approach pursued. So married are some leaders to their playbook, that they fail to even consider it might be time their treasured strategies be thrown out the window.

We all recognize that business as usual is off the table but are we assessing whether the market still needs our business idea the way it is? Have we taken a hard look at our value proposition in this upheaval and shifting market?

Have we had the uncomfortable conversation with ourselves to determine if today’s uncertainty has made our product or service essential to consumers or is it a nice to have?

What every entrepreneur must never forget is that in major events like this pandemic, playbooks are never the guide to revival or survival. A willingness to embrace the uncertainty and the realization that both customers and suppliers are the flesh-andblood communities we must first embrace will always mean being prepared to change and do so constantly. These stakeholders in our success are also facing the same

in major events like this pandemic, playbooks are never the guide to revival or survival. issues and the solutions we develop must involve elevating them out of the crisis right alongside ourselves!

We continue to work hard and test frequently to do so. Are you?

With all the changing priorities among our customers are we still holding fast to our playbooks? Are we still forcing staff to rely on “playbook thinking” to find a way forward?

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

BUilding a

resilient

MINDSET Mindset reset is one of my favourite things to talk about, whether I am speaking to young persons in general or specifically to entrepreneurs.

ARLENE ROSS

is an Attorney-at-law, Business Coach & Mentor.

She grabs every opportunity to motivate and give back to young people & entrepreneurs.

IG: @arleneross9821 or www.arnaloisconsulting.com

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Resilience has become a buzz word now during this pandemic. Resilience can be defined as: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; the ability to bounce back or adjust easily to misfortune; to maintain core purpose and integrity in the midst of catastrophic changes or circumstances; the psychological strength to deal with stress, setbacks, crisis and an array of hardships.

Together with other traits, resilience is a key trait found in successful entrepreneurs, and every definition of resilience includes words such as crises, catastrophe, disaster, stress, setback, hardship, difficulty, and shock. Clearly then, one cannot become resilient without hardships, catastrophe and the like, these are therefore important in the development of entrepreneurs.

It is no accident that we keep hearing all these stories of people who overcame great adversity in their early lives and went on to be highly successful entrepreneurs. When asked about his children, Elon Musk said, “One thing I worry about with my kids is they don’t face enough adversity.”

Academic papers such as: “Impact of Childhood Experiences On The Development Of Entrepreneurial Intentions”, in the Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and “The 6 Childhood Trends Of Successful Entrepreneurs” in Forbes, all proffer that resilience is associated with radical change during one’s life and that one of the key ingredients in the making of a successful entrepreneur is life difficulty. In fact research found that some of the childhood experiences, which have shaped some of the most successful entrepreneurs included poverty, personal tragedy and other disruptions such as frequent relocations.

In his book, “Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder” Nassim Nicholas Taleb, pushes resilience a bit further. He says that everything is either fragile, robust or antifragile, you are fragile if you avoid disorder and disruption for fear that you may fail but instead of keeping safe you become more vulnerable and the slightest adversity will destroy you. You are robust if you are able to stand up to disorder and disruption without flinching and without changing.

However, if you are antifragile, disorder and disruption will make you stronger, more creative and better able to adapt to new challenges. Including Taleb’s concept, resilience is therefore, both bouncing back

after a crisis and being able to adapt and taking advantage of change to transform in order to be successful in a new environment.

I am not advocating that children should experience hardship and be moved frequently but rather that we should understand the attitudes that arise from these experiences and remember that anything can be learned, including resilience.

If resilience is so critical in the development of entrepreneurs and if we want to develop that entrepreneurial mindset then it follows

...resilience is both bouncing back after a crisis and being able to adapt... that we should be teaching resilience. We should be teaching how to rethink setbacks and view them as catalysts for growth and progress. Nature gives us so many beautiful examples like a chick cracking out of an egg, a seedling bursting out of the dark soil, a caterpillar going through metamorphosis and emerging out of the cocoon to spread its wings.

We currently find ourselves in an ideal resilience learning lab, this global pandemic has thrown up everything that is needed to build resilience. Let us capitalize on this opportunity

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INNOVATION

WiFETCH Two local entrepreneurs stepped up to the plate to solve one of the ensuing problems - access. corey mcclean is a Brand Architect, Entrepreneurship Coach & Speaker who builds brands from the ground up.

IG: @that_mcclean_guy

When the year 2020 started none of us could have predicted what was about to unfold; the defining feature being COVID-19, a global pandemic the likes of which the world has never seen since the spanish flu. The result of this was a halt on travel, mandatory stay at home orders being given to citizens by Governments and businesses migrating their operations online.

Barbados followed suit declaring a state of emergency and implementing curfews. As this was all unfolding, two local entrepreneurs saw how it was going to play out and stepped up to the plate to solve one of the ensuing problems - access.

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The duo of Lily Dash and Sophie Bannister noticed the trajectory the pandemic response was taking internationally and conceptualized WiFETCH. It was born as a solution to the problem of access to food and essentials. This contactless delivery service and online marketplace enables anyone in Barbados and Trinidad to have anything delivered from any of the partner vendors on-demand.

Reflecting on the initial spark Sophie said, “I remember from our first conversation we said when you create a business you have to find a solution to a problem, and the problem is going to be access. It’s going to be people getting what they need without putting themselves in harm’s way. The solution was to be that bridge between the consumer and the store, be that grocery store or pharmacy or whatever it has to be.”

Having been involved with digital business previously, the two were able to draw on that knowledge to get started. They got right to work assembling their team and a temporary website was launched in two days.

“We didn’t have time to build a product and then launch, it was go or don’t go. So we had to build as we went along… from our backgrounds we knew banking integration would be very important so we were able to facilitate payments online immediately.”

There was only one order placed on the first day but traction came almost immediately, accelerated by the news that the island would be entering full lockdown. The final shopping day before lockdown is forever etched in Sophie’s memory.

“There was anarchy in the supermarkets, police inside and outside, you could see desperation on people’s faces. I don’t think my phone ever stopped ringing that day. I don’t think anything prepared you for that day. I drew on the mentality I derived from working in the hospitality industry and with real estate, which is to treat each customer like a rockstar.”

Three months on, Barbados has reclaimed a sense of normalcy and WiFETCH looks quite different.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has signed a partnership memoranda with WiFETCH to connect businesses to buyers.

In less than six months of operaton, WiFETCH has grown their team, expanded their offering to 15 categories and made a first foray into Trinidad with their sights set on more islands across the Eastern Caribbean.

Leaving her parting shot, Sophie said “We wanted to build something that would outlast the pandemic.

We wanted to build a brand that we could then take elsewhere.”

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ENTREPRENEURS

LOVING THE NATURAL LIFESTYLE

CANDICE GORDON

is the founder of Shevielle, a natural hair and skincare product line based on Jamaica. She is a wellness enthusiast and UWI student and who is passionate about using natural resource for personal health.

Connect on FB and IG: @shevielle

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The concept of Shevielle started in 2016 with two kinky hair sisters on a quest for hair growth, looking for natural remedies that actually work. Candice Gordon (the eldest of the two sisters), in her first year at the University of the West Indies started Shevielle with only three oils. Today, Shevielle is an organic-based hair and skin care brand that seeks to holistically improve the hair and skin health of its customers by providing organic based hair and skin care products, natural remedies for hair and skin health and nutrition tips.

Shevielle seeks to use its mailing list and social media to create an online natural community that shares healthy lifestyle tips, healthy nutrition tips, natural hair and skin remedies and also the stories of persons who are going through their natural hair or skin care journey. Currently our product offerings include a line of dual purpose

oils such as CocoRose, Coco Neem and Castor Oil. the brand also includes natural handmade soaps such as Aloe Cucumber Soap, Honey Cinnamon, Mango Charcoal and Turmeric Soap with Rosemary. These products are available island wide through delivery and can also be bought at six store locations on the island.

The business is registered as a sole proprietorship in Jamaica. Candice operates Shevielle while simultaneously pursuing her studies at the UWI Mona Campus. She has a passion for entrepreneurship and marketing and has been able to leverage her university experience to create opportunities for her business’ growth and further development. Currently the business is home-based. She believes that one day Shevielle will be a global brand that will contribute significantly to Jamaica’s economy

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Bright ideas can come from the darkest of places.

As entrepreneurs, we survive and thrive in difficult times, through our ingenuity, drive and innovation.

You got this.

1 (246)

547 8419 idscreativeinc hello@idscreativeinc.com www.idscreativeinc.com 16

COVID SQUEEZE ON THE CARIBBEAN ORANGE ECONOMY COVID-19 has forced cultural practitioners to redefine how they sell their goods and services as they have had to adapt and make necessary changes to earn from the orange economy, which is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world to date.

LASHAWNA GRIFFITH is an author and business woman. She has written three poetry collections all of which are available on Amazon. She is an ‘I Woman Global Award’ nominee for literature and is a GineOn.com People’s Choice Award winner.

IG: @IamLaShawna

The orange economy also referred to as the creative economy is best defined by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as, “The bringing together of various sectors of the economy whose main purpose is the production or reproduction, promotion, dissemination and or the marketing of goods, services, and activities that have cultural, artistic or patrimonial content.”

Economist and lecturer at the University of The West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Jeremy Stephen said almost half of the country’s current revenue could be derived from the orange economy.

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“Indelibly Barbados’ $8-billion economy in some form or fashion is linked not just to tourism or as a significant foreign exchange earner but also our creativity and our technological capacity.”Jeremy said. “In fact, the orange economy could be linked inextricably to the whole concept of service - creating convenience by using the tools of fair trade to do so.”

Cultural practitioners in the Caribbean have had to make themselves more accessible on social media and popular streaming sites such as YouTube, Kindle Direct Publishing, Instagram, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, and Apple Music.

Andrea King, who is a Member of the UNESCO Cultural Expert Facility and Director of the arts Non-Governmental Organization, Culture and Arts for Love and Living (CALL) said, “COVID-19 has shown creatives in the Caribbean are disadvantaged when trying to receive international payments.

COVID-19 has certainly helped creatives understand that they can no longer ignore the power and reach of online platforms either for simply connecting with a global audience or earning an income. What it has also done is to show how creatives in the Caribbean are severely disadvantaged by banking and government policies, which make it hard to receive international payments if works are to be sold online.

- Andrea King

Barbadian Calypso Tent Manager of House of Soca Sharon Carew-White said COVID-19 has led artistes to realize that they need to create content year-round and not just focus on the Festival season.

We can now produce music all year round and disseminate it to the world all year round. We can now produce music to a wider demographic and open another platform bringing in revenue. You can have revenue coming in from online platforms and Copyright Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Inc. (COSCAP).

- Sharon Carew-White

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Trinidad’s four-time Extempo Monrach, Brian London shared a similar view and believes that now was the time for cultural practitioners to become more creative.

Now more than ever artiste across the Caribbean must find unique ways to get across their content to the members of the public and how do we do this? We in Trinidad and Tobago have utilized several platforms to [host] live shows and live concerts- on Facebook and Instagram.

- Brian London London who is also a 15-time Calypso Monarch Finalist said with international travel still limited to selected COVID-19 free states, now is the time for artists in the Caribbean to come together.

London added, “We can still host some Caribbean shows together whether it be by Zoom or another method. I think we have to use our creativity because who knows when we are going to be able to gather in full groups again. Is this the new normal? Is this what we would have to look forward to in 2021 and 2022, who knows? It is about us coming together connectively as one people, one economy, one Caribbean, and ensuring the survival of our music and our people.�

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We Stand Together Humanity has always adapted and overcome challenges since the beginning of time, and 2020 and the years to come will be no different. It is in these times that the strength and togetherness of who we are will shine through. As an extended community, we will overcome, adapt and reimagine.

We are with you all the way.

Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc

@thebtmi

corporate.visitbarbados.org

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RETHINK

A reNEWed tourism product Thanks to COVID-19, we now have a unique opportunity to renew, revamp and reimagine the way tourism is offered in the region.

The spread of COVID-19 and the ensuing pandemic, caused many businesses and ancillary services to shut their doors.

Many countries closed their borders in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease.

The closure of these borders revealed how dependent many Caribbean countries are on the tourism industry for survival.

Recent data from the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) showed that the COVID crisis could lead to an annual decline of international tourists of 60 to 80 per cent, when compared to tourism figures in 2019.

What does that mean for a country so dependent on tourism for survival? A complete re-imagining of the way tourism is offered.

Currently, anyone travelling to some

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Caribbean countries must quarantine upon arrival and some experts believe that until there is no need for this, or until a vaccine is created, the tourism industry may remain at a standstill for the foreseeable future, especially with an expected second wave of infections in the winter months.

This however, has not dampened the spirits of many leaders in the tourism industry, as they believe that this could be a time to renovate and improve on the services offered.

Going forward, Morgan Seale, a Barbadian hotel General Manager, highlighted that it was time for Barbados to expand on the kinds of services and products offered to tourists.

He believed that this was the perfect time for the island to invest in and offer more boutique hotels, as studies showed that this was a unique industry that was becoming more popular.

“I think we need more boutique hotels because this is an industry that is growing quickly and people are shifting away from brands and you can see that,” he said. “Small to mid scale boutiques should be what Barbados is looking to offer more of and I think if we do that well, we can hit a niche market providing these unique experiences that tourists will be looking for in the future.”

- Morgan Seale

Chairman of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association’s Young Leader’s Committee, Jamal Griffith expressed that COVID-19 has taught us a valuable lesson.

This showed that the tourism industry was a very fickle stream, dependent on internal and external market influences; so even though we didn’t have any major outbreak of COVID and Barbados dealt with it in one of the best ways, we are still dependent on these markets such as the UK, Canada and the US, and their COVID numbers are astronomical, so it shows that going forward, we have to operate differently. Technology is going to be playing, and should play, a major role in sustaining the tourism post, or even during, this whole COVID outbreak.

- Jamal Griffith

Griffith explained that tourism will no longer be viable, in its old sense, and he believes that in order to keep Barbados as a destination on the forefront of people’s minds, businesses such as the BTMI, should push social media and virtual reality content about the islands to international platforms.

Jaqueline Stubbs, owner of Caribbean Castles Resort and Villa Collection, revealed that once the tourists become more comfortable travelling, hotel representation is critical as clients will be needing detailed information from hotels before travel agents close the sale.

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She noted that officials were encouraging the islands to continue to practice safety measures as this will play a major role moving forward in the rebuilding of the Caribbean’s tourism industry.

Gemma Lewis of Escape Marketing Services Ltd, based in the United Kingdom, added that this practicing of safety measures will help tourists to view the Caribbean as a safe destination and be more inclined to visit post COVID. She also highlighted that the Caribbean should use this time to consider the sustainability of its tourism product and opportunities for diversifying its economies to reduce its dependence on tourism and invest in other areas such as digital technology and remote services.

Essentially, the region has to be re-branded as an exciting destination, with offerings ranging from wellness products to the ever popular festivals. Discerning travellers will be looking to escape to perceived ‘exotic’ destinations. As a region, we have to collaborate and deliver on these expectations together, ensuring that all service entities are trained to deliver impeccable customer service, mindful of the global playing field

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CARA JEAN-BAPTISTE

is a freelance writer and content producer with a special love for the outdoors and everything sun, sea and sand.

Connect: @caraleighjb

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YOU CAN LEARN TO CODE www.sourcecodedeveloper.com

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RETHINK

REIMAGINING THE HEALTH SECTOR The future I envision for health technology in Barbados and the Caribbean must ultimately achieve effective interoperability, which we will discuss in this article. However, the foundations must begin with electronic health records (EHR) adoption to reach maximum benefits. Currently, the state of healthcare is mainly paper-based within the Caribbean and health technology usage is embryonic.

There is some level of understanding and acceptance that healthcare must evolve digitally by the region’s private sectors and governments. However, I have seen many inefficient solutions adopted by both the private and public sector, which shows a lack of real understanding of truly digitising healthcare in the region.

The most important factors toward digitising any sector are usability and practicality. Yes, security is supreme, but security will not drive adoption in the same way. You can have the most secure app; however, once it is not easy to use or reflect actual situations, then it will not drive adoption. One reason for such misunderstandings is the decision-maker mentality not being intertwined with end-user thinking. We have seen the horrors of such within healthcare in the US, and the main objective for private and public stakeholders should be not to repeat such costly mistakes.

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According to research from Stanford Medicine conducted with The Harris Poll, nearly three out of four primary-care physicians think that improving EHR interfaces would best address EHR challenges in the immediate future.

Additionally, seven out of 10 believe that EHRs significantly contribute to physician burnout and six out of 10 think EHRs need a complete overhaul. To strengthen the statements made by Stanford Medicine, Dr Alain Chaoui, the former President of the Massachusetts Medical Society, said, “Right now, it feels like physicians are slaves to their EHRs. There’s a high amount of burnout – emotional burnout, depersonalisation and a low sense of professional accomplishment.”

Before exploring anything else, healthcare in the Caribbean needs Electronic Health Record system and technologies that capture the imaginations of Millennials and Gen-X medical staff. Generally, these individuals would love to integrate technology into their professional lives the same way such integration occurs within their personal lives. When innovating a sector one must always start with the basics, and the basics of healthcare no matter if you are in Argentina, Ghana, or Saudi Arabia is documentation.

Once Caribbean countries achieve growing adoption with Electronic Health Record usage, interoperability should be the next primary

focus to push healthcare into the 21st century.

Interoperability is a MAJOR headache within the USA; however, the Caribbean and similar environments can leverage their embryonic environments to avoid this problem. As a result, this is one of the strategies MedRegis is developing.

procedures, etc. On an external scale if the hospital collaborates with a private cardiology clinic via MedRegis’ solution the retrieval and access of the data on a patient’s heart care, procedures, medications etc. is achievable even if the cardiology clinic isn’t using MedRegis Electronic Health Record.

Interoperability is the facility for medical systems to communicate (retrieve and send data) with each other in a standard format

A solution between private collaborating clinics and their patients is also possible.

Such an approach will also eliminate referral

The amount of data about an individual’s health... has grown exponentially over recent decades... no matter the app used. The amount of data about an individual’s health and healthcare has grown exponentially over recent decades and continues to do so. That data is no longer just in clinics and hospitals but comes from an increasing number of sources, including fitness devices and health applications. The goal is accessing data in multiple systems from one point, one client, in real-time.

Such an endeavour will also hugely benefit insurance companies.

To bring this home, if the outpatient clinics at the local hospitals are using MedRegis Electronic Health Record for example and MedRegis is interoperable, then we can communicate between different applications/ solutions from various departments within the hospital’s system of care. These departments include radiology, pathology, medications,

letters, make patient portals truly efficient and propel telemedicine. Imagine how useful such technology could be towards interconnected healthcare throughout the Caribbean and health tourism. Such a dream may be a long-term goal, but one thing the current COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world is that we either innovate when it comes to healthcare and other sectors or deteriorate when difficult situations arise

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Dale Trotman is the CEO of the health technology startup MedRegis and gained recognition by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) as one of the most promising entrepreneurs globally.

Connect: @Mrdaletrotman or @medregisofficial

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ON THE COVER

TransportatioN

ReImagined Disrupting Transportation Technologies in the Caribbean to Empower People

Transforming the Caribbean, one city at a time! That’s what the Caribbean Transit Solutions (CTS) team have been focused on since 2015. In its genesis, the team aimed to leverage technology to improve lives in the cities in the Caribbean and Barbados is where we started.

This Barbadian, millennial built and managed company offers a suite of products across the transportation sector. Our fleet management platform EasyTrak enables administrators and fleet managers to manage their fleets and costs effectively, through superior data analytics. BeepBus- Barbados’ Bus App empowers commuters to search bus routes and plan trips islandwide, with LIVE tracked routes and new app release in August 2020.

At the vanguard of all our efforts is the focus to: • Disrupt the transportation sector in a meaningful & impactful way by

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providing world class solutions to Caribbean transportation problems.

• Improve and empower the lives of our fellow citizens through providing transportation data in a way that’s beneficial to them and never offered to our populations before and • Use technology to give Caribbean people the same resources we see in the international arena, fully targeted and customised to their specific needs.

EasyTrak With over 12 million kms tracked and vehicles managed in Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia and Trinidad the team doesn’t just interpret data, we analyse it to help fleet managers and administrators. EasyTrak also enables strategic insurance partnerships as well as private corporate, governmental and other clients to manage their risk and fleets more effectively. EasyTrak is more than just a GPS tracking platform; it provides customised GPS Fleet

Management Solutions for large and small fleets in Barbados and the Caribbean, Delivery companies and companies who need delivery services through its Dispatch solution. Fleet managers and insurance companies can access superior business intelligence, Tailored Analytics and Reporting, Advanced Tracking Information, Increase Productivity, Improve Safety and Optimal vehicle use as well as access significant cost savings.

The telematics platforms we utilize allow us to get rich data which equips clients, municipalities and private entities with the information to help them grow. We don’t just offer tracking, rather we use vehicle and tracking data to help clients manage their operation, building tools specific to customers needs, as well as building a baseline of local benchmarks and stats which never existed. We publish examples of our data work via our website’s ‘Overdrive Blog’ which highlights research and papers produced by the CTS team.

Appreciating the global move to electric vehicles, we also utilise the leading Electric Vehicle (EV) fleet management solution internationally for our local clients. We constantly study data trends and utilise cutting edge and emerging technologies to execute every aspect of our business.

BeepBus In 2015 the Caribbean Transit Solutions team embarked on a journey to bring the same solutions that the transportation sector in the developed world had, to the Caribbean.

Many of these problems have been solved internationally, however the idiosyncrasies of the Caribbean provide great opportunities to tailor solutions which will have huge impacts to our citizens. Over 45,000+ bus commuters head to the streets of Barbados daily. Moving those persons around efficiently and safely is imperative. Post COVID-19 the challenges we proposed to solve have shifted and we’ve included a number of ways we can adapt the existing app to respond to the needs of commuters and our ‘new normal’ as a society.

The BeepBus platform is a mobile app which provides information on buses and bus trip planning in Barbados. It enables bus and PSV commuters the ability to map bus routes from their location to their destination. Commuters can now search by route, bus type or destination to select the best journey option for them. The new app will also include the ability to search based on Stops ‘Near’ to you, Look up Supermarkets, places of interest etc, as well as Enhanced Profile Features, Favourites, Chat box and Capacity features and more LIVE bus routes across the island! Our pilot release of LIVE bus routes was the first time commuters locally could see buses moving along their route. We’re releasing even more routes in version 3.0 set to be released in August 2020.

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Importance of A Strong Ecosystem In order for start-ups in the region to succeed a robust ecosystem is so important. To ensure profitable, we want to contribute to that ecosystem someday, but we have to be profitable enough to do so. To help enable our growth we’ve participated in a number of programs including an Incubator program – ‘Sirius Program’ with the Department of Pan-African Affairs. After a successful fundraising round with the ‘Trident Angel Network’ (the only successful deal) we have now graduated to an Accelerator program sponsored by the IDB through ‘Ten Habitat’Barbados.

As we continue to grow we continue to give back and work with other players within the ecosystem so we can all win, that’s important to us! The journey has been filled with ups and downs but well worth it as we work to transform transportation across the region, one city at a time!

We can’t single handedly change the bus system, or the infrastructure around it; but our products can certainly empower fleet managers and local authorities to improve the ROI on fleets, maximise fleet vehicle use, and eventually implement more accurate scheduling. For bus tracking, if I know where it is, then I can manage my time more effectively; so knowing where the bus is now helps even more than a schedule. Ultimately, we want CTS to be catalysts for the vision we see for Barbados in 15-20 years, with seamless transit throughout the region - no barriers. A CARICOM ID/ virtual passport. An air or sea craft for travel and to move goods easily between islands.

Information on transit at your fingertips, MaaS deployed across all our islands. Imagine a region where we could live on one island and work on another; like persons who live in New Jersey but commute daily to work in Manhattan. This could be our way of life with transit re-imagined; what if we could because transit and communication are just easy, why wouldn’t you?

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You're young. You're smart. You're brave. You're a female entrepreneur between 18-45, and you want to take your business to the next level. The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) will give you the tools you need! Learn more at these U.S. Embassy websites: bb.usembassy.gov OR eca.state.gov/awe

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The US Embassy continues to stand with you during this time.

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Committed to the Community

Since 2002, the ComTrust Foundation has provided nearly BBD44 million.

The FirstCaribbean International ComTrust Foundation was established in 2002 with the purpose of lending much-needed funding for the development of the region.

In 16 countries, we have given steadfast support under the themes of Entrepreneurship, Health & Wellness, The Youth and Education and The Community and the Environment.

Our employees also readily give of their time through our Adopt-a-Cause programme.

We recognise there is still more to do, and remain committed to the communities we serve.

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The CIBC logo is a trademark of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, used by FirstCaribbean International Bank under license.

“quote unquote” “For every entrepreneur the road ahead must involve taking a hard look inside your business or startup.

It means being able to navigate through the changes that have emerged and are emerging as the new normal after the impact of COVID-19.

So many businesses were blindsided by the pandemic, going forward will mean preparing for the proverbial rollercoaster, by taking a deep look inside of your business and live every part of it.”

KYM J. SMITH

Serial Entrepreneur: Founder & CEO of Prestige Intl Sales, XtraPromos.com, Xtra Pair of Hands & Kym Kares.

As an Entrepreneur Kym believes in the lifelong pursuit of learning and linking education to action in assisting others.

In 2019 she completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program Atlanta Legend’s Ball Awardee Atlanta Business League Award Nominee Connect: www.prestigeprocurement.com or www.xtrapromos.com

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ENTREPRENEURS

WHEN Business meets

It is rare a hair care line, a social entrepreneur and a jeweler converge on a particular point in history. When they do, it has to be at one of the most influential social movements of the 21st century.

The Black Lives Matter protests continue to challenge narratives and spark conversations across the world, Trinidad and Tobago being no exception. One area that has gotten people talking is the power of black consumers’ dollars and their potential when applied to black owned businesses.

The conflagration started simply enough.

Several members of T&T’s White and Syrian business community publicly aligned themselves to the “All Lives Matter” movement, touching off a social media

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black lives matter firestorm among much of the country’s Black citizenry that had been simmering since George’s Floyd’s death in May. Many felt the comments were at best, insensitive, given All Lives diametric opposition to the BLM movement. At worst, many saw them as symbolic of a historically hardened, racist attitude toward black people even as they continued to comprise a significant portion of White and Syrian businesses’ customer base.

Calls were made for boycotts.

In the midst of this, a Facebook group was formed as an answering salvo offering a list of Black business alternatives. In its first week alone, it attracted 17,000 members.

Coryse Best, owner of the Curl Confidence brand of natural hair products, was one of them.

Best said she initially joined the group, aptly named Black Dollars & Black Lives Matter, as a “knee jerk” reaction to the comments. However, Best is happy to see the platform is moving away from the outrage and is becoming more of a community.

“I never realized there were so many small Black owned businesses that offer services I need in my day to day. It was an eye opener and frankly, a networking opportunity.”

She and several other owners of cosmetic brands, introduced via the group, are considering opening their own beauty supply store.

As momentum among the members builds, apologies have been forthcoming from offending members of the non-Black business community, but their tone has left many people cold. One prominent business person, has even advised Black Trinbagonians to forgive and move on, describing the boycott call as one of the “stupidest causes” he has ever seen.

Regarding this, Best said, “There wasn’t anything new about what I heard, that feeling that certain collectives in parts of the population feel against Black people. But just to get that reminder again, especially given the atmosphere that we are in.”

“There is this idea that it’s a ‘them against us’ thing and I’m finding that to be a very negative take on this whole situation.” she continued, “[In the group] We can support each other, help each other grow and contribute to the collective and the conversation about black businesses, money and ownership.”

Mobafa Baker, the CEO of the Mobak

Foundation agrees.

Baker, runs an NGO, which provides financial advice and grants to young entrepreneurs coming out of state homes and explained the boycott was not his motivation for joining the group.

Instead, he wanted to provide support for a historically disadvantaged sector and this was one way to reach them.

This historical lack of opportunity was part of why Floyd’s killing aroused such anger, not just in the US, but throughout the Black diaspora, including the Caribbean.

“When you look at the statistics, Black young men in particular have the highest incarceration rates but the lowest rates of academic achievement. They find it most difficult to access loans, to access real estate and to get the things they need to get ahead,” Baker said.

He was pleased to see group members “moving the conversation” along, past

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the boycott to sharing ideas and business opportunities or seeking recommendations, something he thought was crucial.

“That is how communities develop and thrive,” he said.

Yet, some expect Black youth to function without the benefit of communal business networks others were able to take advantage of as a matter of course. Baker said this was why groups like Black Dollars & Black Lives were important and other races should not interpret their existence as exclusion.

“I think sometimes people assume because you are focusing on a particular group, you are ignoring others.” Drawing reference to Adidas and several US companies, Baker says, “There are a growing number of organisations, which have announced they are going to be targeting Black people for employment. That doesn’t mean that they’re not interested in any other group, but they recognize that through their hiring practices, they have sometimes excluded young Black people.”

As such, Mobak is inclusive, accepting applications from all youth, even if for the moment issues that have traditionally disenfranchised Black ones are at the forefront.

“I tried asking others in the industry for help developing my skill. But nobody helped me,” Davis-Yetming said, describing her struggle to establish herself in an industry not perceived as “Black”.

Davis-Yetming said experiences with prejudice and discrimination in her personal and business life left her scarred as she watched others gain access to assistance and opportunities, which she was denied.

She believes, “It was definitely because of how I looked,” She Shared the details of one experience at an expo she attended.

Even though he operates an NGO, Baker said he is guided by the principles of social entrepreneurship, where he teaches youngsters, “how to fish” or sustain themselves rather than relying on the foundation.

“Whenever I would leave the stall with my Chinese husband or lighter skinned sister, there would always be more traffic, more attention paid to the pieces. Whenever I returned, it would fall off.”

Camille Davis-Yetming could have made use of such assistance at the beginning of her venture.

The jewelry designer and owner of Ellimac TT was self-taught and started her business with less than $100.

Davis-Yetming joined the Facebook group because she wanted to contribute to building a solid community of Black business owners that her daughter could benefit from one day, as well as shield her from the racism she experienced.

The jeweler hoped the group could evolve to provide education, loans and distribution

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opportunities for small businesses.

“The backbone of Trinidad and Tobago is small businesses. They are the ones giving back unlike the big businesses who are just taking.

But small businesses continue to be treated badly,” Davis-Yetming said.

For its part, the group seemed up to the challenge.

Caribbean Start Up Scene reached out to its administrators. They told us although they were unable to do a full interview at the moment, they did not plan to be a “nine day wonder”. The group said it was using this embryonic stage to dot its ‘i’s’ and cross its‘t’s’ before issuing statements.

Meanwhile, at least one member of T&T Syrian business community has blamed boycotts to his businesses for having to cut salaries and hours at one of his establishments. The group admins did not comment on this development.

natalie BRIGGS is a senior Caribbean journalist and communicator with an interest in SMEs, politics, history and current affairs.

Connect IG: nataliebriggswrites@gmail.com

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Black Lives & Black Dollars Matter’s membership continues to climb. As of July 2020 membership stood at almost 30,000

Do you want to take your business to the next level? What are you waiting for? The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) is a 5-week program in the U.S. for you to build network across the region! Learn more at these U.S. Embassy websites: bb.usembassy.gov OR ylai.state.gov We will get through this together!

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TEn xTRA

TEAM BUILDING IN A CRISIS The onslaught of the Novel Coronavirus has brought with it a slew of unforeseen challenges. Organisations and businesses across the world have been thrown into a tailspin. With so much uncertainty and being faced with slashed profits, right sizing and some companies being on the brink of collapse, business owners and organisational heads have been forced to rethink how they do business, not just with regards to servicing their customers but also managing their employees.

It has been extremely challenging for managers and leaders to maintain the connection with their staff, trying to keep them engaged and optimise productivity all from the confined space of their homes. Mr Arce, a Director of a large international organisation headquartered in Montreal, Canada, says, “working remotely can work in the short term but is unsustainable”. He believes even the best technology cannot replace the human need to connect face-to-face.

Bosses and employees alike have had to juggle the demands of work with that of running their homes simultaneously.

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From home-schooling, screaming toddlers, meeting work deadlines, to pets sauntering around during online meets, some employees have been feeling the pressure of these very unusual arrangements. Lori Edghill, an analyst, wife and mother of two young children, sums it up in one word, “challenging!”

While much attention is focused on leaders and managers during crises to steady the ship and bring calm and reassurance to staff, it is even more important that every team member hunkers down to support each other and those who lead them.

Here are 10 ways members of a team can help to strengthen and give support to their team and leader during difficult times.

1. You must be willing to be led.

Understand that particularly during a crisis, it is necessary for order to prevail.

Someone must lead the process.

2. This is the time your communication skills will be tested. First and most

important is listening. Listen to understand and get a clear understanding of: ― What the crisis is? ― What is the potential fall-out/ or perceived effects? ― What is the plan? ― How you can assist?

3. Connect and engage. During tough situations every team member needs to connect and engage. Sometimes because of the magnitude of the problem, persons may be tempted to disconnect for fear of shouldering any responsibility. just in case the outcome is unfavourable. This, however, is when the team needs you most.

Being assured that, “we are all in this together,” builds morale and connection amongst the team.

4. Add value. Each team member is a piece of the puzzle. Don’t underestimate your value. Identify and understand your task and see yourself as a vital part of the mission. Harness your natural gifts, talents and skills using this opportunity to put them to work where needed.

5. Take responsibility and be accountable for your part. Understand that you’ll be required to dig deep and go the extra mile.

Not just pull your weight.

6. Be a solutionist. Different perspectives are necessary, particularly, in crisis.

Presenting a new or fresh idea or even recycling an old one, allows the team to evaluate more options. When you do have an idea, think it through. This is not a time

to go with frivolous ideas that you haven’t thought through. Evaluate the situation to discern when is the right time and or place to introduce it.

7. Stay calm! Fear and frustration are very real emotions that can be amplified during crises and prevent you from thinking clearly. Even if the situation seems dire, having a level head allows you and the team to navigate the turbulent waters more aptly.

8. Be flexible. The crisis will have different phases (listed below) and will require you to adapt to changes quickly.

• The initial stage, where everyone recognises a situation has occurred.

• Evaluating the potential impact and possible effects.

• Developing a plan(s).

• Executing the plan.

• Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan.

• Switching to a new plan if necessary.

9. Keep your opinion to yourself if it doesn’t add value. Examine your attitude and your motives and ask yourself these questions, “Are my expectations reasonable? Am I just being critical? Will this comment help the situation or make things worse?”

After a crisis, you usually see things very differently.

10. Be each other’s keeper - Understand that everyone on the team is also feeling the effects of the situation. Support each other through the process

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DAWN LOVell

is an Author, Transformational Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Mentor and Customer Retention Specialist Connect: www.dawnlovellspeaks.com IG: @dawnlovellspeaks

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Connect with Matthew Ashby @fewwture or www.fewwture.com

TEN questions with

MATTHEW FEWWTURE

Professional and Entrepreneurship Coach; Event Manager

daveny ellis

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“My mission is to coach entrepreneurs and professionals, along with skilled and talented persons who want to pursue a career in the arts. I will guide you to find a purposeful path while making money doing what you love #DreamReal.” That is the mission statement of Matthew ‘Fewwture’ Ashby. The man has done a little bit of everything and has a litany of titles to his name to prove it; salesman, music producer, disc jockey, promoter, artist manager, advertising exec, film director, and now creative coach.

COVID-19 has been changing the landscape for many business people and Matthew is no different, he has responded by diversifying and becoming a fluid entrepreneur. His role as the manager for Deejay Puffy, the 2016 winner of the Red Bull Thre3style World Finals, certainly helped to build Fewwture’s brand, DreamReal, into an entertainment hub for events and management services that caters to younger and more fast-paced markets. Now that the fast pace has slowed to a crawl, the 37-year-old has looked at starting over and how other entrepreneurs should be planning for tomorrow.

1. How has quarantine treated you?

It has been a rollercoaster ride... challenging yet enlightening.

2. What were your original plans for the first half of 2020 before COVID-19 hit?

My original plans were to launch a new project for Crop Over 2020, make short films, and travel to Russia.

3. That sounds incredible. It would have been nice to see those projects come to fruition. But now that full quarantine is practically over what does that mean for you in terms of your business?

Business-wise it means that I have to reevaluate my past operations.

4. Some people are saying we may never get back to “normal” and that brick and mortar businesses will not be the same. What do you think business will look like going forward?

I do believe that there will be a new normal, which we will have to adapt to as business is forever changing. I think that things will be more virtual and less tangible, which we are already seeing.

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5. You have an impressive Resumé and it seems as though you are constantly reinventing yourself.

How do you manage to do this?

Honestly, boredom, haha. Because business is always changing, I think it is necessary to evolve and adapt. One of my mantras is “evolve or dissolve” so I always keep my mind on what’s coming next.

6. Well you have evolved into a creative coach now, so what exactly is a creative coach and what do they do?

Creative coaches help you to develop your creative passion and turn it into a

business. I guide you through the creative process of the branding and business aspects while you stay focused on your craft.

7. Looking at the road ahead, what do you think entrepreneurs need to do now to bounce back after all this?

Find a new way to solve problems. In a time like this, new problems have arisen and now is a perfect opportunity to offer solutions.

8. Is there anything you would like to see Caribbean governments insist on for small businesses or in general?

I would like to see governments remove a lot of the red tape and be more open-minded to allowing small businesses to grow in the way they need to.

9. What happens if we get a second wave of COVID-19?

The most you can do is fall into your preparedness, which is what you should have been doing since the first wave.

10. Lastly, if you had a magic WhatsApp that could advise you before COVID-19 hit, what one piece of wisdom would you have hoped to receive?

Stop spending money on useless s**t!

DAVENY ELLIS is a freelance journalist, producer, poet, and writer.

He is also the creator of the Tru Da Wire Podcast.

Connect: @davenyellis Matthew Fewwture’s Photos by Alyson Holder

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We would love to hear from you!

Let us share the story of your business and your brand.

You can also help us to discover interesting entrepreneurs and startups in your island and across the diaspora.

You can also become a contributing writer to CSS magazine.

It’s so easy for us to connect, send us an email, a WhatsApp or a DM

Let’s share each other’s stories and help Caribbean Entrepreneurs to go global!

DM: @belleholder246 @TENhabitat Email: bholder@tenhabitat.com info@tenhabitat.com Whatsapp: 1246-230-1965 Tel (TEN Habitat Offices): 1246-621-7355

www.tenhabitat.com 41

WE GOT THIS! We got this.

We haffi mek it.

Nuh have no other choice but to be strong.

Jamaican singer Kaay Jones, opens with these lines on ‘We Got This’, a song written

by Barbadian songwriting duo Ian “iWeb” Webster and Cheyne Jones, otherwise known as the Water Street Boyz. Produced by Chris Allman of Slam City Productions Inc., the song features 25 recording artistes from 14 Caribbean islands. The video was edited by filmmaker Selwyne Browne.

Its May release was immediately met with praise and a wave of positivity from across the region and further afield. People welcomed the inspirational message amid the harsh realities of COVID-19 and the powerful expression of regional unity. When Caribbean Startup Scene caught up with iWeb, he explained that it was done “from the heart” and not for money.

“In the final analysis everybody will be paid because the Guardian Group saw value in it and they put some money behind it and we licensed the song to them to use exclusively for a time period, so we are really thankful to them for seeing the value in the song and getting on board with us and seeing our vision,” iWeb explained.

“If you do something you love from the heart and you just allow the chips to fall wherever they may, things can work as wonderfully as they did in this situation... because we certainly did not expect that this is how it would have come out and ended up. We just did it because we figured that it needed to be done.”

Regional startups, reeling from the impact of COVID-19, could take their cue from the artistes and start collaborating to do what needs to be done.

Season of Invention

“It was actually done on zero budget but the good news is that recently we were able to sign a deal with Guardian Group out of Trinidad,” revealed the three-time Barbados Calypso Monarch.

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CEO & Chief Brand Strategist of G&A Communications, Devin Griffith has been in the business of advertising and brand development for over 20 years. Based in

Barbados, his company works with local, regional and international businesses.

Griffith believes this should be a season of invention fuelled by imagination. He says both legacy brands and startups have an opportunity to create exciting, new products and services.

“Audiences and consumers want to be wowed; they want to be swept off their feet.

You need to exceed their expectations, just go beyond their wildest dreams and that’s what startups need to be doing now and need to be focused on. So as opposed to trying to find benchmarks or trying to say well in my category, [I like] this company, I admire them and look up to them and want to be like them, just rewrite the whole thing, that’s the opportunity for start-up brands.”

Collaborating is one way that startups - often operating with very limited budgets - can boost their capabilities and reach. Griffith suggests stakeholder mapping in order to find the right fit.

The brand strategist explained, “Go as far as you can to understand all those third parties,

gatekeepers, influencers and persons who may have significant impact and influence on your industry or your product and how and when and who consumes your product or service.... There may be an entity or entities in that network or matrix of partners and stakeholders that may add some value and assist you as an entrepreneur with defining

...You can’t always wait for the perfect time to launch your idea. some greater purpose that allows you to really extend your audience to those people that matter the most.”

There’s no Perfect Time Entertainers have been hard hit by the travel restrictions, the cancellation of regional festivals and closure of venues. Yet some, like

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iWeb and his team, are still finding ways to collaborate, produce material and make an impact. It’s a reminder that you can’t always wait for the perfect time to launch your idea.

Certified Management Specialist Marc Ifill maintains that, “If you wait for the perfect time you will be waiting forever”. His clients include startups operating in various sectors and industries. He has been impressed by how some entrepreneurs have been collaborating to advance projects, despite the challenging times.

As iWeb looks ahead, he sees more collaborations in his future; some beyond the region.

“I have had a few interactions with some Nigerian producers. Afro-pop is fairly big right now. I think that is probably the next direction I will be looking to go in... doing something along the Afrobeat line.”

Ifill explained, “Where I think collaboration has been most evident is in the Agricultural sector as more and more farmers sought to develop Co-ops.”

By forming Co-ops, the farmers have greater access to the funding, land and equipment they need to develop their operations and offer quality products and service to customers.

Ifill says having the right mindset when collaborating is essential.

“What we have to appreciate and work on is humility. We have to recognize that we do not know everything and we cannot achieve everything on our own. We have to be able to compromise - not compromise your standards or your principles but compromise on your idea in order to move it forward.”

WATER STREET BOYZ IWEB & CHEYNE JONES

Entrepreneurs would do well to network with others within and beyond the region as well. ‘We Got This’ and the artistes behind it, remind us of the impact that can be made when we collaborate. It’s a lesson regional startups would do well to embrace

Janelle Gilkes is a writer with 20 years experience working in the Media. She is currently creating exciting content in the world of Advertising.

Connect: @JanelleGilkes

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.

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Count on Prestige International to help you

RESTORE

RETURN

REBOUND

Supporting Caribbean Entrepreneurs through Mentorship & Investment

For more information:

Prestige

International Sales 46

LA, Head Office: 1 (404) 421-9673 Barbados Office: 1 (246) 243-6110 Sales@PrestigeProcurement.com Follow Prestige Procurement Visit us prestigeprocurement.com

RE

PURPOSE PACKAGE INVENT

I can’t believe that it was only a few months ago that I was all excited about 2020 and the plans I had for my business, as I’m sure all of you entrepreneurs were too. Then came Covid-19 (are you as tired of hearing that name as I am?) and all our plans and projections were shutdown.

For some businesses that meant being put on hold for a few months, while for others it became an opportunity to provide new services like mask production and personalised shopping and delivery. My husband’s construction company had to close, but as soon as the shutdown was lifted, business returned to normal, thankfully. Many other businesses were not able to hit the ground running in the same way and have had to adapt to

the new protocols. Unfortunately, some businesses may not even be able to restart at all for various reasons.

As the reset button has been pushed, all of us need to revisit our businesses and do some stocktaking. In times of uncertainty (such as we are in now) we have to use whatever we have available to create our own future.

My first book ‘What Do You Have in Your House?’ is based on a story of a widow who found herself in great financial difficulties and had to find a way to survive, which she successfully did. When she sought advice to find out what to do, she was asked what she had in her

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house. She said that she only had a little oil, but she discovered how to use that oil to generate income, used it to pay off her debts and live on the rest.

In order to revisit and revive your business, the first action you need to take is to make a list of what you have in your “house”, literally and figuratively, i.e. what is your “oil”? Your oil is any skill, talent or resource that you have access to right away. During the Covid crisis many seamstresses who had material and elastic in their house, began to make masks.

Farmers started to advertise their produce on WhatsApp and delivered them to consumers who were unable to leave

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home, many of them new customers.

Other enterprising entrepreneurs made connections with supermarkets to have shopping access at all times and offered personalized shopping and services to customers. That was a life saver for me!

All of them used what was available to them right away. What do you have access to immediately?

As for the widow, she went to all of her neighbours and ask for jars. Your neighbours can be the people who live close to you, but your neighbours also include all of the people in your network.

That means your family, friends, other entrepreneurs, people from your church or club, contacts at entrepreneurial organisations like TEN Habitat, are all a

part of your network and your potential first customers. Write down all the names you can think of. The jars are opportunities to sell your products and services.

Then call, email, WhatsApp, message on Instagram or Facebook Messenger and tell your “neighbours” what you are selling and ask them for opportunities to sell your product or service. It must be something that meets a need (or a want) and has a ready market...then go and sell!

Your success depends on the oil you have available, but also how much effort you put into identifying your neighbours and acting on the opportunities they provide.

I hope that this crisis causes us all to revisit our businesses and to utilize things that we may have overlooked or considered insignificant, to begin to leverage our networks and act on the opportunities they provide so that we achieve new levels of success. All the best!

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DONNA EVERY is an award-winning author, international speaker and trainer. She was the Barbados Ambassador for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (2014-2016) and the Barbados facilitator for the World Bank’s InfoDev WINC Acceleration Program for women entrepreneurs.

Connect @donnaevery1

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? From make-up artistry to nutrition, photography to mask making and from travel agent to the culinary arts – these are but a few examples of the sweeping impact of the Coronavirus on a myriad of sectors and industries, delivering a sobering message of diversification as many found themselves for the first time moving swiftly from self-employed into the realm of the unemployed.

It is not unusual for companies to be confronted with this challenging decision to diversify or not to diversify. COVID-19 forced many of them to face that delayed decision head on, jumping off the proverbial precipice into a survival mode of do or die, as they searched for other revenue streams. En route to doing just that and to circumnavigating unemployment is where we met Travel Agent, Ann Sealy, already tackling the hard questions many had to answer as they made quick decisions for survival. Where do we go from here? What happens next?

Operating in the travel and tourism industry, one of the hardest hit sectors during this crisis, survival was certainly the name of the game for Ann, owner of the AJS Travel

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Centre. For the first time in 26 years as a travel agent, Ann has experienced first hand her livelihood being under threat as she grappled with the erratic staccato of numerous requests for cancellations and refunds, followed by one steady beep into silence.

In her words, “By the time I am finished with these cancellations and refunds, what will my bottom-line look like? Is there going to be enough business for me to carry on? After the borders reopen, how soon will the industry pick up or will it?” These

After the borders reopen, how soon will the industry pick up or will it? were all questions dominating Ann’s mind as she made her decision to pivot to the Culinary Arts. She noted, “I would have witnessed the effect of crises on specific source markets before, but never anything that had this level of impact worldwide, so

my trepidation was about the unknown. How would people respond considering that there is no immediate cure, would they be ready and willing or afraid to travel? It is not an easy to predict and if there is little or no activity, then this angst I was feeling would become a reality.”

The travel industry was always Ann’s focus and main revenue stream, but the uncertainty ahead now called for a 180-degree turn on a journey of diversification to this new destination. Her arrival at this destination, the culinary arts, began out of a love for baking. It is a love that she credits as being passed on through her genes from her great grandfather who was also a baker. Ann had been travelling to this destination as a hobby on weekend stays and short vacations with family and friends for some time now, but never gave it any serious consideration. It was the goading of the same friends and family, along with a dire need to find a new source of income that moved this love from a hobby into a revenue opportunity.

She unintentionally began clearing the tarmac for this liftoff a little over a year ago at the urging of a family member to make a Carrot Cake sample for a local eatery, Café 195. They loved it and started making frequent orders, but until COVID Ann still had not recognised the true value of her offering.

The silence in the Travel and Tourism Industry was the awakening of the focus on this new revenue stream for her, and through word of mouth this hobby has mushroomed into an actual business venture ‘Aunty Ann’s Delights’, delivering quality and flavour in her boxes of sweet treats baked with love.

As business continues to grow, ‘Aunty Ann’s Delights’ will remain an additional revenue opportunity, when the country’s borders reopen and if the travel industry booms again.

Ann is keen on returning to business and remaining relevant in the travel and tourism industry, but with this COVID lesson she is already considering investments in the future of ‘Aunty Ann’s Delights’.

“Travel is still the main business. I have not given up on that and I will do everything to ensure its survival, so my challenge with taking baking from a hobby to a true business venture has been the delicate balancing act of time, to ensure that I can deliver successfully at both and effectively manage my output,” Ann remarked.

“It was not a focus before, but I plan on stepping up my marketing and advertising for ‘Aunty Ann’s Delights’ and I may even have to consider hiring a few people to bake if the demand requires.”

The significance of the proverb, ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ has never been more evident and notwithstanding the decisionmaking process, one of the positive effects of this COVID lesson for those businesses who survive has been in a word, POSSIBILITIES. Ann is already looking to possible investments in the future expansion of ‘Aunty Ann’s Delights’, both in product and place, “I am working on options to appeal to a health conscious audience and persons with dietary

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restrictions, as well as toying with the idea of investing in a small bakery, but of course that would be based on the demand.�

In these high stake games of survival, businesses may diversify by providing add-ons to products/services already being offered or by investing in an entirely different industry, allowing for separate revenue streams. The benefits can be equally rewarding or risky and there is always some level of unpredictability and uncertainty in business, to which entrepreneurs, micro, small and mediumsized enterprise owners encounter with thoughtful consideration each day.

Whatever the decision the positive COVID lessons learnt will take small businesses into the realm of infinite possibilities.

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Ann, who has a great business acumen says, “There will always be some measure of disappointment in business. The possibility of facing more challenges in the travel industry is very much a reality, but I never wallow for too long, I have hope and I always look to what happens next.�

.

Simone Codrington

is a Corporate Communications Specialist and a writing enthusiast.

Connect IG: @HeardCommunications

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