Vincentian-born, Trinidadian-raised and a citizen of the Caribbean, Kimya Glasgow, the CEO and head designer of her self-named clothing and lifestyle brand, aims to bring a modern version of classic Caribbean style to the world.
Encouraged by her mother’s side of the family to express herself creatively, Kimya convinced her dad that instead of pursuing law as he did, she was destined for a future in fashion.
She studied in Barbados, worked in the British Virgin Islands, qualified for a micro business loan, and with it began the process of bringing her dream to life.
“That’s how I stepped into business, and looking back, I should have been a lot more scared than I was,†she said. “But when you are young, tenacious and driven, you believe you can move mountains.â€
We’re all gifted, and capable of making a difference
Undaunted by numerous mistakes made along the way, Glasgow said a goal-oriented attitude enabled her to learn and grow from them. She credits her primary school teachers with fostering this mindset.
“They encouraged positive thinking from the get go, instilling in us that we have a special place in this world. God has given you gifts, they’d remind us, and you have to figure out how you will use them to positively impact others, even if in a small way,†she said.
Glasgow’s gift is creating beautiful things, and while running a fashion startup is challenging, she feels giving up, would be like burying her talent. Instead, she plans to share it with the world. Her high-quality resort and swim wear pieces are currently delivered to Caribbean-based customers via LIAT Quick Pack or couriered by willing travelers. But she’s focused on building a sustainable production model to enable greater Caribbean presence, and gaining a foothold in the US, UK, EU and Dubai where she has captured the attention of buyers.
“… We have exceptional talent in St. Vincent that often does not go beyond our shores. So I’m working on raising the capital to enable me to partner with local artisans.†she said.
This will enable Glasgow to increase production so that she can fulfil larger orders from overseas buyers.
The takeaway for women in business
Know your worth, she says. Women in business have a great deal to offer their communities and the world. It’s time we diminish unnecessary obstacles on their path to success.
“And when I say that, I’m not talking about just the legal side. It’s the invisible things we do and say every day,†Glasgow said. “Boys are never asked to set aside their entrepreneurial ventures to help mop the floor, or wash the dishes. But if a woman is baking cakes and making a living doing it, it’s seen as a hobby.â€
Instead, she said, with vision, and the appropriate support, some so-called hobbies can be developed into profitable business ventures. Glasgow credits programmes such as Women Empowered through Export (WE-Xport) with creating a space where women can access the mentorship, technical and financial support needed to grow their businesses.
Through the programme, she successfully scaled up her business and is getting export ready.
The 2009 Caribbean Fashion Awards winner has shown at fashion weeks in Miami, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, St. Kitts and St. Vincent. Mustique, Bequia, Grenada and New York have also featured her collections. As she gears up for more meaningful export in 2019, the Kimya Glasgow brand is shaping up to be one to watch.
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to view the Kimya Glasgow lifestyle brand.
Follow Glasgow’s fashions online at: www.kimyaglasgow.com and @kimyaglasgowinc on Facebook and Instagram.
This Surinamese company first opened its doors in 1960, and at the time, Willemsberg founder, Leo Willemsberg imported white sugar. But when Suriname started producing its own sugar, Leo needed to find an alternative import, and opted for shelled peanuts.
By 1980, the next generation of Willemsbergs were at the helm of the company, and keen to start a more creative, entrepreneurial venture.
Managing Director Susan Tjong A Hung
“My brother said why don’t we produce our own peanut butter; so instead of continuing to import peanuts for other peanut butter producers, we started our own factory,†Leo’s daughter, and Willemsberg Managing Director Susan Tjong A Hung shared.
They started with two varieties, first a creamy version, and then crunchy with chunks of peanuts in it. Next came a hot variety with pepper, and finally, diet versions were added.
Today, there are six varieties of Wippy Peanut Butter. The preservative free nut butter consists of 95% peanuts, is sold in over 1,500 shops and supermarkets across Suriname, and has grown to become a trusted, recognisable brand and a huge favourite with the Surinamese people.
How increased competition spurred exports As more companies across Suriname started producing peanut butter, Wippy’s market share fell from 65 percent to 35. Whilst working on reclaiming five to 10 percent of the market through increased marketing events, such as supermarket tastings and health and wellness campaigns in schools, they have also turned their attention beyond Suriname’s shores to capture more sales.
“We have an excellent distributor,†Susan said. “They are the sole distributors for Coca Cola in Suriname, and they are doing a great job at pushing the Wippy brand.â€
Distributor Fernandes has already taken Wippy into Guyana and is currently working on expanding their presence there.
WE-Xport provides technical assistance, grant funding and training geared toward preparing women-owned Caribbean businesses for export.
Fosten branded peanut butter
“We had a lot of help from our WE-Xport coach, and this enabled us to export to The Netherlands,†Susan shared. “The coach guided us through the process and researched the documents and other requirements needed to export to and promote our product in Holland.â€
Unable to sell in The Netherlands under the name “Wippy†because of its similarity to internationally-known peanut butter brand “Skippyâ€, the Willemsberg team registered the name “Fosten†– a reference to the traditional way of making peanut butter in Suriname.
With the necessary paperwork done and registration complete, Willemsberg exported their first palettes of over 6,000 jars of Fosten peanut butter to Holland where they are focused on the Surinamese diaspora of approximately 400,000.
Flexibility and teamwork, key to Willemsberg success
Willemsberg production personnel
The ability to read and respond to market trends has played a crucial role in keeping Willemsberg in business for almost 60 years. But the true credit, says Susan, must be given to her 34 members of staff.
She offered up this nugget for other small business owners.
“Do not be afraid to trust and count on your management team and employees. Give them the opportunity to help, and to express their ideas,†she said. “Invest in your employees, guide, coach and always be honest with them, and you will see that this will reflect positively in your company’s performance.â€
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to learn more about the Wippy brand.
Find out more about the Willemsberg story and Wippy Peanut butter at: www.wippypindakaas.com and on Facebook and Instagram @wippypindakaas.
Dubbed Jamaica’s first healthy cosmetics line, Your True Shade is committed to producing products that celebrate the diversity of skin tones found throughout the Caribbean and beyond, and are free from the harmful chemicals commonly used in some skincare products.
The brand’s creator, Dianne Plummer, entered the green skincare and clean cosmetics space like many others, out of necessity. While studying sustainable energy and chemical engineering in Sweden and Finland, finding makeup that offered ideal coverage without irritating her sensitive skin and causing eczema flare ups proved to be challenging. So, using her engineering background, Plummer formulated her own skincare and makeup line, using hand-picked, natural ingredients, and in 2015, True Shade Cosmetics Limited was born.
Determined to be a trailblazer in natural skincare in the Caribbean, Dianne focuses heavily on innovation, research and development.
I’m always trying to make everything better, change formulations and tweak things as we go forward, she said. Because innovation has to be at the core of the business.
The same old way of doing things is not a sustainable business model, she said, instead, a revolution is needed. What will separate the outstanding entrepreneur from the average Jane or Joe is the ability to bring something new, never before seen or done, to the market. In an already saturated market, like skincare, one must figure out how to do it differently and be innovative.
By fusing technology, science and nature to deliver a safe, efficacious product, Plummer continues to innovate in her space. She’s successfully changing the narrative surrounding beauty by making it synonymous with health.
Plummer’s products not only conceal and minimise imperfections, the locally-sourced, natural, anti-inflammatory and hydrating herbs, spices and plant extracts used to formulate the line also promote healing and repair. In essence, it’s makeup with skincare benefits.
WE-Xport provides mentorship, technical support and funding to women-owned Caribbean businesses to prepare them for export, and to expand their current exports.Â
Your True Shade is in 10 stores across Jamaica, and is currently closing deals to enter three new stores.
We want to dominate locally so persons can access the product in different parishes, Plummer said.
We are also working on building a presence in the Caribbean, Europe and Africa. So, with We-Xport I am learning the tools that are needed to get me into expanding beyond Jamaica, Plummer shared.
In August 2019, Your True Shade will celebrate four years in business, and Plummer shared that she is pleased with its growth, and excited about being able to establish the brand as a global key player.
This growth, and Plummer’s ability to maintain positivity and momentum during what has been an exciting, but challenging entrepreneurial journey are due, to formulating and sticking to a vision for her company.
Every decision made, every person employed, every new product added to the line must be in line with that vision.
Once I formulated my vision and started making decisions in line with it, I saw tremendous growth and cohesion with all my activities, Plummer shared.
So that’s one thing I would like to leave with every single entrepreneur out there. Keep the vision in mind, and tie every single business activity to that vision.
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex, in June 2019, to find Your True Shade.
Find out more about True Shade Cosmetics: www.yourtrueshade.com and join their community on Facebook @trueshadecosmetics and Instagram @yourtrueshade.
Once outsourcing became a business model, Shared Services centers was a logical and exponential outcome. Such centers are like business supermarkets, delivering key transactional processes and or administrative support under one roof. That results in clients getting to outsource finance and accounting, legal, information technology and even Human Resources in a bargain package that helps them consolidate productivity and reduce costs.
Historically, Shared Services was defined as delivery of processes to a company from a shared model. The sharing in this instance referred to services delivery across business units and a sharing of accountabilities and responsibilities between the shared services organization and its customers. There are different iterations of that model now, but the core definition remains attractive for firms, even as Artificial Intelligence and robotics are changing service delivery.
For the Caribbean, selling Shared Services, either in delivery or accommodation, may now be the region’s best outsourcing product. Some companies with a long history in the region have set up such centers here. Canadian activewear market leader Gildan established theirs in Barbados in 1999; Scotiabank launched its hub in Trinidad and Tobago in 2013. And only months ago, KPMG, one of the top four global professional services firm, opened its Shared Services center in Kingston, Jamaica.
To build marketing momentum and attract other big firms that want value from outsourcing, the Caribbean Export Development Agency will be promoting Shared Services at its second annual Outsource to the Caribbean Conference (OCC2019) in Curaçao May 6th to 10th. The Agency intends to highlight the Caribbean’s service possibilities, especially those beyond voice centers, and why partnerships in this region makes good business sense.
Operation size and space in the Caribbean are affordable, suitable and practical. Shared Services help these locations with economies of scale in real estate and business ready facilities. A company can benefit from Class A office space rental rates per square meter/ month as low as US$2.8 (US$0.26 per square feet) in Haiti, US$11.2 (US$1.04 per ft2) in Suriname and US$11.7 (US$1.08 per ft2) in Jamaica. In other benchmarked BPO markets like India, Philippines, Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico, rental rates vary between US$12.4 (US$1.15 per ft2) to US$26.7 per square meter (US$2.48 per ft2).
The Caribbean’s diverse and skilled English-speaking workforce makes it an ideal location for most combined back office operations because it offers solid capability. Many Fortune 500 and other multi nationals already have a presence here, which means a center can recruit local talent who have first world business experience.
Shared Services also bring big savings on statutory and social security taxes and benefits like group health. Even better, the Caribbean’s labour costs are more competitive than North America, falling between 88% to 55% lower. Over 70,000 students graduate from higher education every year. The region also has the advantage of speaking several global languages with English, French, Spanish and Dutch spoken fluently.
The region’s proximity to major markets as a gateway between North and South America, and its modern infrastructure means set up and integration is seamless. That proximity, and recent telecom/internet advances in most territories make it easy to support cross border operations with other regional players.
Some other valuable benefits of Shared Services in the Caribbean for foreign firms were recently highlighted in a Smarter with Gartner blog: service reliability, simplification of effort and key insights that help partners improve business performance.
According to the blog, reliability adds value by meeting customer needs at a competitive cost. A reliable vendor allows a client to focus on improving and refining their own processes. “The Caribbean has already proven it’s a reliable business partner,†says Tessa Jacques – President of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agency’s (CAIPA). “Each country offers incentives that increase the savings to each investor and investment facilitation staff who stand ready to assist in any way.†The region’s territories also boast high functioning institutions, efficient government, and regulatory systems that are conducive to business.
The second benefit, simplifying effort, brings a seamless, positive customer experience for clients who may be expanding or who want their key processes done in a standardized manner and can leverage management expertise and governance across all business support functions.
Insights, often the best driver of business growth, are multiplied in Shared Services precisely because they bring untold value not only in the smart moves they allow companies to make, but also in market mistakes they help companies avoid. Insights from good data analysis offer opportunities to increase revenue, cut cost and improve business performance overall.
OCC2019 comes at a time when Caribbean economies are riding on growth north of the region. As this seems likely to continue for the near future, it will make it easy to sell the concept of Shared Services centers to firms that want partners who will join them in solving their business problems. Others will simply want the ease of setting up their own, as Scotia and KPMG did. “Many of these companies want to know that the local talent is technically capable to support their operations. We can offer that in the Caribbean,†says Tessa Jacques – President of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agency’s (CAIPA).
When Indira Weech returned home to the Bahamas after living in Europe, she started a movement. Determined to offer tourists an authentic Bahamian experience, Indira decided to forego traditional souvenirs, opting for soap, which she dubbed the useful souvenir.
Her handcrafted,
skin-loving bars, formulated with indigenous botanicals and Caribbean scents,
provide the perfect way for visitors to the Bahamas to take home a little piece
of paradise. And her focus on using
natural ingredients and sustainable packaging has been at the forefront of her
eco-coconscious living in the Bahamas, inspiring others to be more mindful of
how much they throw away.
From just soaps in 2004, bahamaSpa™ has expanded to a full body and hair care range, including body scrubs, butters, creams, lotions, massage oils and shampoo bars. And at the root of the company’s success, is Indira’s passion. As she tells it, she’s obsessed with formulating products that are good for both the user and the environment.
If you are going to be successful as an entrepreneur, it can’t just be about money, she said. The days and nights will be long, so you’ll need to find something you’re passionate about, and motivated to keep doing in spite of the failures you will encounter.
In addition to loving
what you do, Indira implores aspiring entrepreneurs to train continuously. Knowledge is key to remaining relevant,
improving your product or service and perfecting your brand, she said.
Looking back on her own failures, Weech shared that there have been many, including the closing of her business and starting again from scratch. But she believes when entrepreneurs share their story, they should willingly share both the highs and the lows, so that those contemplating the journey have a true sense of what it can be like.
Looking ahead, future plans for bahamaSpa
It’s been 11 years since Indira started building the bahamaSpa brand, and many of them have been spent learning about product formulation and about the beneficial properties of plants and herbs. The focus on, and investment in continuous education has been worth it. Her palm, phthalate and paraben free products are receiving rave reviews, and have found their way into luxury spas across the Bahamas.
The demand for this healthier, environmentally friendly skin care option has been so high, that keeping up supply has been challenging. And, because many of the tourists who try Weech’s souvenirs want more than a one-off experience, her focus is now on getting export ready.
bahamaSpa is one of 20 women-owned Caribbean businesses making up the first cohort of participants in the Women Empowered through Export (WE-Xport) programme, which is designed to support Caribbean women in business to start exporting, or increase the exports of their products and services.
Inspired by the sights, sounds and smells of Paris while exploring the city as a child, Weech knew then she wanted to be a creator. She wanted to produce something beautiful and artistic that brought pleasure to its users, and she wanted it to be on display in one of the luxurious Parisian storefronts she peered into and fell in love with. bahamaSpa, with support from the WE-Xport programme, is at the beginning of the realization of that dream, and Indira is confident, that she will one day walk the streets of Paris, and see her products looking back at her from the other side of the glass.
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to see the bahamaSpa range of products.
One of the Caribbean’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan countries, Curaçao has just the character for OCC 2019 (May 6th – 10th).
The Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) and Carib Export will be working with the Curaçao Investment Promotion Agency, fDi-Intelligence (an arm of the Financial Times), and other partners to ensure that it delivers nothing but excellence and rewards to all participants.
Introducing Curaçao
Excellence is already a benchmark of Curaçao. The Dutch-Caribbean country is, with Aruba and Bonaire, one of the ABC islands, and an independent nation in the Netherland kingdom. It has been called a bit of Holland in the middle of the Caribbean. Really, though, it’s more Papiemento – the best of several worlds. Papiemento is one of Curaçaos’ three official languages (after Dutch and English). Like Curaçao’s diverse population, it is a blend of Spanish, Dutch, English, Portuguese, and African. You won’t often, even in the Caribbean, find so many worlds in a single island. The country is, in a word, unique. Progressive: with its underpinnings of freedom in all areas. Quintessentially Caribbean: welcoming weather (heat buffered by trade winds, clean air, with little rain), beaches, and colorful and objectively beautiful old world architecture. Modern: advanced infrastructure, transportation, and an extensive telecommunications network. Magnificent: It has an underwater cave known as the blue room (!) Quirky: iguana soup, anyone?
Not just a holiday spot
Curaçao regularly welcomes vacationers and its natural charms have enticed some to make it their home. But it’s not just a resort island. Its lengthy, services tradition includes pioneering the Offshore Financial Services Sector in the Caribbean as early as the 1920s. This positions the country ahead of the curve when it comes to the growth sector that is Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
With development on par with, and easy access to markets in, the US and Europe; link-up with Dutch capitals in Europe and the Caribbean; proximity to the US (literally in the same time zone as New York); and the fact that it is tax-and-investment-incentivized; Curaçao is ready to court quality investors.
Well connected
Curaçao’s IT infrastructure has made it a data hub for the region. Daily flights from Europe, the US, Central America, and the Caribbean make it a physical hub. Meanwhile, its authentic attractiveness, modern amenities, while being located in the Caribbean Sea, though not in the hurricane belt (so investors can rest easy there), add to its appeal.
Curaçao has, in its capital Willemstad, one of the world’s largest natural harbors, accessible via a moving bridge called the swinging old lady; making it a center for container ships. A country so used to being at the center of things is well positioned to host an event like OCC 2019 – showcasing that paradisiacal as it is, the Caribbean has much more to offer to a service-driven, IT connected, progressing world, and especially to the world of international business.
Her passion had always been for cooking, Caribbean dishes in particular and after a long career in corporate America as a tax accountant, Jacqueline Cort-Thomas returned to the classroom to learn the science of food. The idea was to build a business that provided private catering for high-end clients in New York City, but after an internship at the famous W Hotel in New York she decided to go into the hotel trade.
“I was so impressed with the boldness of colours used in the rooms, the welcoming service offered by the staff, and the feeling of being pampered in someone’s home,†she said. “And at that moment, I decided to duplicate such a property in Antigua where I grew up.â€
Birthing the Vision Jacquline was so ‘wowed’ by her experience at the W Hotel, it became the inspiration behind her vision of a 10-room, Caribbean-inspired property, that would also wow it’sits guests. In 2007, the Government of Antigua were offering concessions for the construction of small properties during Cricket World Cup which would enable the purchase of building supplies, furniture and fixtures tax free. Naturally, Jacquline saw this as her opportunity to make her vision a reality and in 2009, two years after purchasing land with her sister and business partner, Villas at Sunset Lane opened its doors.
As the new kid on the block, Cort-Thomas shared that her welcome wasn’t warm from the other hoteliers on the island.
“No one extended a hand to me,†she said. “It was a lonely path; I felt push back and in one case outright animosity, but I ignored it, worked around it, and moved forward.â€
Despite this, Jaqueline proved her critics wrong by winning numerous industry awards, including some from global travel site Expedia and the Antigua Tourist Board. These proved her credible, and earned her critics’ respect.
A Decade Strong. What Next? This year Villas at Sunset Lane celebrates a decade in operation, and Jacqueline is focused on expanding to a 15-room property that can compete against the disruption that she has faced since Air BnB has entered into the hotel industry.
“Airbnb have done an excellent job in forcing prices down, so more hotels are available to individuals unable or willing to pay higher prices for the wonderful service they would receive,†she said. “That has impacted me, so I’ve had to change, or else I’d end up being a dinosaur.â€
Jaqueline’s changing her strategy focusing on the group travel market in order to compete more effectively with the Airbnb.
“I’ll be positive and say I believe this will take off, which will then provide the additional revenue to build out the extra rooms I need for the expansion,†she said.
What’s the Takeaway? For those considering having a go at entrepreneurship:
Have a clear vision and a detailed plan of how to execute it;
Do not rely on external forces to provide the encouragement or motivation you need to keep going;
Ensure there is enough flexibility within that plan to enable you to make adjustments necessary for continued growth and success;
and finally, ensure what you’re offering is unique.
Antigua has no shortage of hotels, but what separates Villas at Sunset Lane from the others says Jacqueline, is the ambiance, purpose-built, large rooms on a property providing a quiet, pampered environment, where the owner, a trained chef, fuses Caribbean and international flavours for an unforgettable epicurean experience.
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex, in June 2019, to learn more about Villas at Sunset.
Take a virtual tour and find out more at: www.villasatsunsetlane.com and @VillasAtSunset on Facebook and Instagram.
Organizers of the second Outsource to the Caribbean Conference scheduled for May 6-10 in Curaçao expect a bumper attendance, and for good reason. The Caribbean is the hottest location for major US firms outsourcing operations to grow revenue. And we’re not talking about the weather.
Interest this year promises to be higher than at the inaugural OCC 2017 event in Jamaica. Registration already
suggests a robust return rate of participants. The OCC target markets this time include more
than 300 business process outsourcing (BPO) industry leaders from the Caribbean,
Mexico, Colombia, the USA, the Netherlands and Canada. The first OCC saw 160
industry specific participants from more than 20 countries.
“OCC’s purpose is to pull the Caribbean BPO sector together to plan and execute a strategy to enhance our presence in the global BPO market,†says Suzette Hudson, Senior Advisor in Investment Promotion at Caribbean Export, a regional trade and investment promotion agency mandated to enhance the competitiveness of CARIFORUM SMEs, promote trade and attract investment. Its partners for the event are the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion agencies (CAIPA), the Curaçao Investment Promotion Agency, CINEX, and fDi-Intelligence (a Financial Times arm).
Caribbean Export’s optimism for a successful conference is well
placed. As Caribbean infrastructure improves and costs elsewhere escalate, the
region has become as valuable to the BPO industry as firmware. “Our value
proposition is strong, and we are confident we can continue to attract BPO
firms from North America,†says Hudson.
The region offers native language speakers in French, Spanish,
Dutch, Portuguese and English, many of who are multilingual. The workers are
well educated, highly skilled, are service oriented and are mostly lifelong
learners. Caribbean culture produces workers who are affable and easy-going
talents, easy to train in industries from financial services to technology.
Outsourcing to the Caribbean is a no brainer for another reason,
one that real estate executives use as a mantra: location, location, location.
The region shares time zones with the US’s eastern seaboard so there is easy
alignment of working hours and business, training and meeting schedules. It’s an
added bonus for SLA and KPIs because the region is a stone’s throw away, and North
American executives can hop on a plane and be here the same day when necessary.
The Caribbean also scores high in infrastructure, with reliable and
consistent access to all utilities. Its telecommunications fibre optic infrastructure
connects all islands in the region, with redundant high-speed internet that competes
internationally in voice and data services. Firms can use cloud technology to reduce
start up and ongoing costs.
Bottom line is that the Caribbean offers 10% to 30% lower costs and
delivers above average results, say some BPO executives. “If they were unable
to produce results near what we could generate from a higher cost option, we
would consider moving to higher cost options,†says one executive who has
worked nearly 10 years with a Caribbean BPO.
OCC2019 will feature a 2-day workshop for regional BPO service providers, and conference topics such as “Driving business growth through RPA (robotic process automation) and intelligent automation from a Caribbean perspective.†This year’s event will also include an EXPO, networking sessions and the first ever Caribbean BPO of the Year Awards event,†according to Hudson.
Tamara Prosper is an artist who has always been drawn to the world of business, so she combined her studies in business management with her passion for art, to create the Grenada-based, luxury, eco-jewellery brand, Tambran by Tamara.
Prosper started this venture in 2013 while studying at UWI in Trinidad & Tobago, inspired by her realisation that the university generated a great deal of reusable waste material.
The quality of this material, said Tamara, was high – discarded banners from seminars and scrap pieces of wood – and inspired her to experiment with transforming one man’s waste into treasures that would adorn the necks, wrists and even ears of others.
With no advertising budget, or capital for a storefront, Tamara utilised social media as her trading platform, and entered competitions in order to acquire some of the capital she needed to grow her business.
Maintaining momentum, and understanding your product’s value
“I absolutely love what I do,†Tamara shared. “So that makes it easy for me stay motivated.â€
In essence, Tamara proves daily that if you can make a living doing the thing you love, you will never work a day in your life. But while this is a tremendous blessing, it can also be a curse. Prosper shared that her passion for her work sometimes poses a problem in terms of pricing.
“I feel like it’s so easy to do, because I enjoy it so much, that I can sometimes undervalue my product,†she said.
A 2014 Eco Challenge Caribbean Award at the UN-funded Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas also helped to validate the Tambran brand and provide greater recognition, further incentive for Prosper to prosper, by scaling up, and continuing to innovate.
What’s next for Tambran by Tamara?
New jewellery collections are in the works that will incorporate natural materials such as seeds and pods from Shak Shak trees, paint and some synthetics.
Focused on her goal of providing a central place where customers can find her product, Prosper will soon unveil a “storefront†with a difference. She recently purchased a second-hand vehicle that will double as both a mobile and stationary store, allowing the Tambran by Tamara team to drive to highly-trafficked events, and return to their base after.
Finally, testing is currently underway to facilitate plans to branch into the world of fashion. Trendy hand-painted jeans, tops and even Tambran by Tamara couture may be gracing Caribbean runways in the not too distant future.
Tamara envisions the Tambran brand, growing to become a recognisable eco-Caribbean brand with a significant presence in Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad within five years.
“I want it to become the Michael Kors of eco-jewellery,†Prosper said.
A few takeaways for budding & aspiring entrepreneurs
Believe in your ability, and know that you are good enough. Know and believe in the quality and value of your product, and price it accordingly. This, Tamara says, is perhaps the most valuable piece of advice she can offer to any budding entrepreneur.
And also, just get started, she said.
“Don’t wait on the right time, because the right time never comes. You don’t have to know it all in order to get started; you will learn along the way.â€
Finally, Tamara advises Caribbean entrepreneurs in particular, to be inspired, rather than discouraged, by the success of entrepreneurs in developed states.
“But you must start by believing in yourself, your vision and your product.â€
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to see what, the eco-jewellery brand, Tambran by Tamara has to offer.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT Tambran by Tamara: Facebook and Instagram – @tambranbytamara
Founded in the land of wood and water, this social enterprise is transforming lives by offering healthy, nutritious foods, sharing knowledge and empowering other members of the community.
CEO Craslyn Benjamin established Benlar Foods in 2014, while working as a strategic forecaster with Jamaican food giant, Grace Kennedy. It was initially an experiment intended to troubleshoot a supply shortage Grace Kennedy was experiencing. Benjamin was contracted to grow scotch bonnet peppers, and with two acres of land, she rolled out a fully organic, best practice set up. The experiment proved to be several times more bountiful than imagined.
“It was amazing,†she said. What I made in three months of reaping, I was making in a year of salary at Grace, and they paid me really well.â€
Inspired by her success, Benjamin resigned from Grace to run Benlar Foods fulltime. She strategized on how she could increase yield, and grow produce efficiently, and she shared the knowledge gained with other farmers in her community, eager to ensure they too could reap her level of success.
“I wanted to increase the availability of authentic Jamaican products,†Benjamin said. “Sometimes you hear, oh, I am not getting the authentic jerk seasoning anymore from Jamaica. I have an issue with that because our country is known for its food and spices, so I feel the need to protect that,†she said.
After a year in business, Benjamin landed a major contract with Burger King. It proved to be the stepping stone toward developing a sustainable business model. She scaled up production, created new products and launched Benlar-branded spices, all with a view toward strengthening brand Jamaica.
Scaling up and going global
With four years of business under their belt, and six major contracts, what’s next for Benlar Foods?
They have just incorporated an e-commerce platform, which facilitates trade by enabling them to drop shipments in different countries.
Organic prepared foods are next on their list of offerings, and they are setting up an agro processing facility to facilitate this. It will allow them to control freshness along the supply chain, add value, and meet customers’ preference for convenience.  It will be one of the only facilities in Jamaica offering a service of this kind.
They are also pursuing a Safe Quality Foods (SQF) certification, which will allow them to export to foreign territories like Australia and Sweden.
“This is really big for us, in terms of taking us to the next level where food safety and traceability are concerned,†Benjamin said.
Mentorship, training and an international outlook, keys to success
“Research programmes and organisations focused on training and mentorship,†Benjamin said. “This is key to continued learning and evolution.â€
The knowledge she gained through her enrolment in the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, and her selection for President Barrack Obama’s Young Leaders of the Americas initiative and Caribbean Export’s WE-Xport programme have been priceless and she continues to reap the benefits to date. The programmes exposed her to how top US conglomerates manage fresh produce and distribution across several states, assisted her with developing a strategic action plan, and exposed her to a network of over 245 entrepreneurs from Latin America and the Caribbean with whom she exchanges ideas daily.
“You must network with entrepreneurs across the region. Study how countries, like Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti do business differently, and see what elements can be beneficial…to your operation. “We don’t operate in a vacuum,†she said.  “A global approach will be key to your success.â€
Visit the We-Xport booth at Bmex in June 2019 to view the Benlar Foods’ product range.
Find out more about Benlar Foods, how they assist other farmers and empower the youth in their community.
While living and working as a development professional in Ethiopia, Meme Bete’s founder, Taribba do Nascimento helped women entrepreneurs get export-ready, and as she watched their ventures grow, she was inspired to follow the entrepreneurial path.
“The leather industry is really organized in Ethiopia, and I loved African prints, so I thought African print fabric with leather would produce a beautiful bag,†Taribba said.
She established Meme Bete in 2009, a brand specialising in crafting exclusive handbags and purses.
At first it was a side hustle she used to repay student loans, but after becoming a mom, Taribba gave up her job and dived into Meme Bete full-time, so she could stay at home with her son.
In 2012 Taribba returned to Saint Lucia and to full time development work, again making Meme Bete a part time venture. It was a strategic move that enabled her in four years to accrue the capital needed to purchase industrial machines, hire staff and commence production full time from her very own atelier.
As a single mom relying solely on profits from an entrepreneurial venture and having responsibility for the livelihood of her staff, each day is a challenge. Despite the rush of support from friends and family eager to support her venture, there were only so many bags they could buy, and when that initial support dwindled, it was time to convince strangers to buy.
Eyes Set on Becoming an Iconic Brand
Meme Bete will celebrate its 10th anniversary in April 2019, and Taribba is focused on increasing the brand’s visibility, as well as incorporating more personal stories in the hopes of inspiring others. The brand is intentionally small and focused on exclusivity. They do not replicate prints, and colour schemes are unique in each bag. In effect, no two Meme Betes are the same.
The goal? To be that thing people must get when they visit Saint Lucia.
“I want it to be synonymous with Saint Lucia,†do Nascimento said. “There are the Sulphur Springs. There are the Pitons. And there is That’s what I want,†she said.
Fittingly, do Nascimento borrowed the name from a Saint Lucian saying that means same animal, same beast, loosely translated on island as “there is no difference; we are all the sameâ€.
“It’s now trendy to buy artisanal products, and people are beginning to understand the need to support local economies,†do Nascimento said, “making it a great time to be an entrepreneur in the Caribbean.â€
There is no shortage of talented people in the Region and Taribba is one of twenty women entrepreneurs that was selected to participate in the Women Empowered Through Export (WE-Xport) programme implemented by Caribbean Export. We-Xport supports Caribbean women in business to start exporting or increase the exports of their products or services.
Find out more about Taribba’s journey by subscribing to her newsletter at: www.memebete.com, and join the Meme Bete community on Instagram: @memebete.bags and Facebook: @meme.bete.
Un mercado de más de 12 millones de personas no es nada para que los exportadores caribeños se dediquen a hacer el ridículo. Ese es el tipo de mercado del que se beneficiaría cualquier empresa de la Comunidad del Caribe (CARICOM). Por eso, cuando la CARICOM y Cuba firmaron un Acuerdo de Cooperación Comercial y Económica recíproco hace 15 años, proporcionó a los exportadores de la región acceso a millones de clientes potenciales. El acuerdo recíproco, que se centraba principalmente en el comercio de mercancías, permitía la entrada libre de impuestos o con derechos reducidos a Cuba de productos específicos como zumos de frutas, salsas, condimentos, aderezos y ropa procedentes de la región de la CARICOM. Aunque el acuerdo está ahora, más o menos, inactivo, varias empresas establecidas han aprovechado la oportunidad de acceder al mercado cubano, aunque no sin tener que superar varios obstáculos.
Baron Foods Limited, una empresa manufacturera de Santa Lucía con una gama de productos de 165 condimentos y bebidas con la certificación del Sistema de Seguridad Alimentaria (FSSC) 22000 V3, es una de esas empresas.
Cinco de sus condimentos y salsas han sido aprobados y aceptados para su venta en el mercado cubano y la empresa está a la espera de un pedido confirmado por TRD Caribe, uno de los mayores distribuidores de alimentos y bebidas de Cuba. También tiene en el punto de mira el sector de la hostelería y el turismo y los comercios minoristas.
El Director General Ronald Ramjattan dice que habría sido negligente por parte de su empresa, que tiene 24 años y ya está presente en otros mercados de la región, no haber mirado a Cuba. Cuba es un mercado nuevo y emergente con más de 12 millones de habitantes que comparten una cultura y unas preferencias alimentarias similares a las del resto de los caribeños, afirma. El mercado cubano es similar en muchos aspectos al resto del Caribe, aunque la influencia española tiene su cuota de diferencia con respecto a nosotros.
Como reconoció Ramjattan, los beneficios son importantes para cualquier exportador de la CARICOM. Entre ellas, el acceso a un gran mercado regional que los competidores estadounidenses no pueden aprovechar, debido al prolongado embargo de Estados Unidos contra el comercio con Cuba. Aunque a partir de enero de 2015, se hizo posible que los estadounidenses visitaran Cuba sin una licencia específica si la visita entra dentro de alguna de las 12 categorías, todavía hay límites a la cantidad de bienes que pueden introducirse en el país en el equipaje, y enviarse por barco desde el extranjero. Sin embargo, los retos para entrar y competir en el mercado cubano son numerosos.
Cuba tiene una de las pocas economías de planificación centralizada que quedan en el mundo, y el gobierno controla el 90% de la economía. Todo el comercio con ese país debe realizarse a través del Estado. Por lo tanto, las mercancías sólo pueden ser importadas a Cuba por entidades gubernamentales y empresas conjuntas que posean permisos para las mercancías en cuestión.
El elevado coste del transporte (tanto marítimo como aéreo), las diferencias jurídicas e institucionales y la insuficiencia de mecanismos de financiación y crédito son otros de los principales obstáculos. Además de las estrictas normas que rigen la política de importación del país, el idioma fue un obstáculo para Baron Foods.
El hecho de que el español sea la lengua hablada es una de las principales barreras a las que tuvimos que enfrentarnos. Las condiciones de venta son completamente diferentes, ya que buscan facilidades de crédito de tres a seis meses, dice Ramjattan.
Sin embargo, Kapril Industries no tenía el problema de la barrera del idioma. La empresa de fabricación de cosméticos, creada en diciembre de 2002 por un grupo de profesionales de la química en la República Dominicana de habla hispana, lleva dos años exportando a Cuba productos para el cuidado del cabello y la higiene personal.
La proximidad de la República Dominicana a Cuba, el hecho de que ambos tengan mercados similares para los productos capilares y el hecho de que los residentes de ambos países hablen el mismo idioma, resultaron ser una ventaja para Kapril.
La razón de elegir a Cuba como mercado es que compartimos grupos étnicos similares, al ser islas cercanas y, por tanto, características similares. Además, compartimos el mismo clima de la región del Caribe y nuestros productos están diseñados con una fórmula tropicalizada, dice la directora general Julia Jiménez, que también es la primera vicepresidenta de la Asociación de Pequeños y Medianos Fabricantes de Cosméticos de la República Dominicana (APYMEFAC).
Pero, al igual que Baron Foods, Kapril tuvo que pasar por los largos procesos requeridos para cumplir con las normas y regulaciones de importación del país. Y ambos descubrieron que tener un producto establecido no era suficiente para entrar en el mercado.
La normativa sobre alimentos y medicamentos forma parte de la rigidez de la aplicación. Nuestros productos tuvieron que ser sometidos a pruebas y evaluaciones a través de sus aboratorios, dice el director general de Baron. Al explicar el proceso, Ramjattan añadió En primer lugar, sus productos deben tener la certificación HACCP. En segundo lugar, hay que asistir a la feria anual FIHAV (Feria Internacional de La Habana). Una vez aceptados sus productos, hay que enviarlos para su evaluación en el laboratorio. Una vez aprobados los productos, teníamos que seleccionar uno o varios organismos gubernamentales para que fueran los distribuidores. Por último, se concretan las condiciones de venta con el distribuidor. Del mismo modo, Kapril pasó por el proceso de cumplimiento de toda la normativa necesaria.
FIHAV fue vital para que ambas empresas se abrieran paso en Cuba. El evento anual es la mayor y más importante feria comercial de Cuba. A ella asisten varios responsables de la toma de decisiones y compradores cubanos que negocian contratos con proveedores extranjeros, se informan sobre nuevas tecnologías y productos, conocen a nuevos exportadores y refuerzan sus relaciones con proveedores ya establecidos. Dada la importancia que los cubanos conceden a las reuniones cara a cara, es un evento que merece la pena para que los potenciales exportadores evalúen el mercado cubano y la competencia extranjera.
Participamos como expositor en FIHAV en 2012 con el apoyo de Caribbean Export. En este evento recibimos varias propuestas de diferentes clientes; les atrajo la presentación y las caracterÃsticas de los productos y finalmente fuimos seleccionados por uno de ellos como proveedor, dice Jimenez de Kapril, quien anima a los exportadores que quieran exportar a Cuba a asistir a la feria.
Para conseguir el acceso a Cuba, Baron Foods también asistió a varias ferias comerciales facilitadas por Caribbean Export. En los últimos dos años, la empresa fue seleccionada por la Agencia de Promoción del Comercio de Exportación de Santa Lucía para buscar activamente la entrada en el mercado cubano. Esta empresa definitivamente da dividendos y nos ha puesto en el punto en el que estamos hoy, dice Ramjattan.
Hacer negocios con Cuba con éxito requiere una gran planificación, como ocurre con la entrada en cualquier mercado. Incluso antes de iniciar el proceso de exportación, las empresas deben evaluar su preparación para la exportación, investigar y seleccionar su mercado objetivo, tener una estrategia sólida a medio y largo plazo con los recursos financieros para ejecutarla, y disponer de suficiente capacidad de producción y flexibilidad.
Sin embargo, a la hora de exportar a Cuba, las empresas también deben determinar si las mercancías que desean exportar están controladas, prohibidas o reguladas, y si se requiere un permiso, una licencia o un certificado de exportación. Hay que estar preparado para la exportación. El embalaje y el etiquetado deben satisfacer el mercado cubano y deben poder enviarse en contenedores, añade Ramjattan.
La Oficina Nacional de Normalización de Cuba establece las normas de etiquetado y envasado de los bienes de consumo. Esta normativa se aplica en el puerto de entrada, por lo que los productos deben cumplir los requisitos de etiquetado antes de ser importados.
Ahora que está lista para que sus productos lleguen a las estanterías de Cuba, Baron Foods reconoce que el otro reto será mantener los precios competitivos, ya que los productos chinos baratos son muy frecuentes en el mercado cubano.
Kapril también ha tenido que competir con proveedores de países más desarrollados con productos bien presentados y a precios competitivos. Pero el director general dice que la empresa superó esa barrera mejorando su envase y manteniendo una alta calidad para ampliar su mercado compartir.
Aunque hace su parte para garantizar que la empresa coseche éxitos en Cuba, como lo ha hecho a nivel local y en Granada, Dominica y Trinidad y Tobago, Baron Foods cree que los gobiernos regionales pueden hacer más para ayudar a los exportadores a acceder al mercado cubano.
Los gobiernos pueden seguir trabajando con la administración cubana para establecer acuerdos de protocolo para las empresas manufactureras de la región, dice Ramjattan.
Por su parte, Jiménez dice que quiere que se firme un acuerdo comercial entre la República Dominicana y Cuba.
Este artículo fue escrito por Dwayne Parris y publicado por primera vez en la publicación Caribbean Export Outlook 2nd Edition
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