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.”

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.” 

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

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

In Jamaica in the 1980’s, a food scientist with experience in dietetics, nutrition and food research development positioned her company as an export-driven firm. Considered a pioneer in her field, Dr. Juliette Newell started what has burgeoned into one of the local leaders in the manufacturing and distribution of Jamaican products in the overseas markets. Today, Tijule Company Limited is managed by Dr. Newell’s nephew Roy Newell, who took over the business after her passing.

With 65 full time employees, and occupying over two acres of prime commercial land, the 30-year old company produces an exceptional line of products, which includes canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, flavourful sauces, seasonings, dips and condiments, exotic and gourmet jams, jellies, marmalades, fruit bars and bammies (cassava). Tijule also manufactures sauces and other products to customers’ specifications and tastes.

According to Roy, the Managing Director of Tijule, opening the company was a dream come true for Dr. Newell.

“My aunt had a PhD in Nutrition so food was her passion. She has also wanted to always take a taste of Jamaica to the rest of the world.”

Dr. Newell succeeded in doing just that as 80% of the company’s output is exported directly to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China, India, Japan, and the balance sold to other regional exporters and locally.

Roy noted that because of the market they are in, all companies that produce jams, jellies, and other condiments in Jamaica are their competitors; but his aunt never saw this as a challenge. He revealed that Dr. Newell’s biggest hurdle came in securing capital for her business

“The 1980s was a difficult period, especially for a woman. Banks saw women as high risks and they were not too willing to give loans unless men were on the Board of Directors. As a woman in business, my aunt had to get a lawyer to verify that she was of sound mind and could manage a business.”

Roy added however that determination was what pulled her through, as interest rates at that time were very high, but she had a goal in mind and would not be deterred.

Since taking over the business, Roy has himself had some challenges noting that understanding how to run the business was the greatest one, but after completing an audit of the operations he feels more confident in his ability to carry on his aunt’s legacy.

The former electronics engineer believes that a large part of the company’s success is owed to his aunt’s insistence of comprehensive market research for the identification of markets and customers.

“This really gave the company a jump start in exports and helped us find our niche, which is catering to the Jamaican Diaspora in the US and the UK. We have also decided to focus more on our brand and ramp up the visibility of our company.”

With this new branding and marketing focus, Tijule has become increasing involved in in-market demonstrations, trade shows and study tours. Roy shared that most of the opportunities were made possible through the Caribbean Export Development Agency.

“We became aware of Caribbean Export in 2007 through the Jamaica Exporter’s Association (JEA). The Agency has since helped us with the development of new labels and modification of the old ones, the acquisition of quality management standards, streamlining and marketing and promotional systems, conducting market research, and upgrading our infrastructure. All of this was achieved through the grant scheme and through technical assistance.”

Tijule also participated in the Manufacturing Study Tour to France, Germany and the United Kingdom in 2012 and the ANUGA Trade Fair in Germany with support from Caribbean Export.

“Both occasions gave the exposure we need for new markets. We were also given an understanding of what is required in terms of international requirements, customer satisfaction, and the highest standards in the production process.”

Following participation in ANUGA, Tijule received pricing requests and orders from Africa, Denmark, Israel, Germany and Sweden. Roy believes that the Agency has helped prepare Tijule for a new growth trajectory.

“Caribbean Export has and continues to play a significant role in our overall growth and development. Their commitment to regional private sector development is unmatched.”

Besides becoming a globally recognized brand, Roy wants to undertake some aggressive marketing and market research for Tijule.

“We want to reach as many customers as possible, as well as ramp up our promotion to distributors.”

The tenacious businessman believes that these are also important aspects of business development that regional firms should seek to undertake, adding that it is important to leverage relationships with suppliers and distributors to build a solid network.

Like his aunt, Roy believes that humility, gratitude, and motivation go a long way in the achievement of goals and adding that aligning yourself with the persons to help you in the journey bodes well for success.

Tijule can certainly be saluted as a pioneer in the export market, and Dr. Newell’s role in this achievement will always be remembered.

This article was first released in the publication Primed For Success Vol. 3 

Toen Umeeda Switlo in 2014 Belize bezocht in opdracht van een internationale NGO, werd ze meteen verliefd op het Midden-Amerikaanse land, de mensen en een gouden, prikkelende wortelkruid.

Het was de mooiste kurkuma die ik ooit in mijn leven had gezien, herinnerde ze zich. Het was enorm groot en oranjeachtig van kleur.

En toen ze de hand schudde van een van de oude Indiase kurkumatelers, voelde ze zich geïnspireerd, vastbesloten om hem en andere telers te helpen de band met hun cultuur te herstellen.

Kurkuma, het hoofdbestanddeel van kerrie, werd meer dan 200 jaar geleden in Belize geïntroduceerd toen contractarbeiders uit India in het land aankwamen.

Vereerd om zijn geneeskrachtige eigenschappen, is kurkuma ook diep geworteld in de cultuur van Umeeda. Umeeda, geboren in Oeganda als kind van een renaissancevrouw, herinnert zich dat haar moeder, Lella (alias Mamajee), in auto’s racete, haar eigen Montessori runde en een gemene curry kookte. Zij ontvluchtten het door oorlog verscheurde land in de jaren zeventig en kwamen in Canada aan met niets meer dan een koffer en herinneringen.

Mamajee heeft in de keuken een band opgebouwd met haar dochter Umeeda, en uiteindelijk met haar kleindochter Nareena, door verhalen van thuis te delen en hen traditionele recepten te leren. Ze gebruikte deze epicuristische sessies ook om een sterk gevoel van sociale verantwoordelijkheid bij te brengen, waardoor Umeeda en Nareena vaak stilstonden als ze vroeg wat ze zouden doen om de wereld beter te maken.

Ze vonden het antwoord tijdens Udeema’s bezoek in 2014 aan Belize, waar een perfect huwelijk van geschiedenis, traditie en moeder-natuur een bekroonde sociale onderneming opleverde die boeren zou ondersteunen om extra inkomen te verdienen, jongeren in dienst te nemen, de gezondheid te verbeteren en producten duurzaam te produceren.

Hun onderneming, Naledo Belize, combineert Nareena’s naam met Toledo, het district in Belize waar de kurkuma vandaan komt. Het bedrijf koopt kurkuma rechtstreeks van lokale boeren en gebruikt het om Truly Turmeric te maken, ‘s werelds eerste in het wild gemaakte kurkumapasta met hele wortels.

Het is maar kurkuma, zult u zeggen. Maar vergis je niet, de missie van Naledo, hun eindproduct en het sociale element dat wordt gebruikt om het te produceren zijn transformerend. Het bedrijf is genomineerd voor een SIAL Paris 2018 Product Innovation award, een erkenning voor degenen die helpen vorm te geven aan wat we vandaag en morgen eten.

De prijzen worden gehouden in Parijs tijdens ‘s werelds grootste beurs voor voedselinnovatie, van 21 tot 25 oktober 2018.

Zaken op gang brengen

Wat is er nodig om een innovatieve, sociaal bewuste, duurzame, bekroonde start-up te creëren?

Er waren een paar dingen die ik moest overwinnen, het eerste was de angst voor mezelf, vertelde Umeeda. Ik was ook een nieuw product aan het maken. Niemand in de wereld had dit ooit eerder gedaan, dus er was geen voorbeeld voor mij om te volgen. En ik deed het in een vreemd land.

Umeeda herinnerde ook aan vroegere ondernemersprojecten. Eigen baas zijn is een uitdaging, zei ze. En ze wist niet zeker of ze het nog een keer wilde doen. Maar ze werd aangemoedigd door de jonge, aspirant-ondernemers in Belize en door de belangstelling en passie van haar dochter voor sociaal ondernemerschap.

Het idee van een moeder/dochter team heeft me echt overtuigd, zei Umeeda. Zij heeft vaardigheden die ik niet heb, en ik heb vaardigheden die zij niet heeft. Dus, het voelde als een goed team.

Umeeda heeft een zeer diverse ondernemersachtergrond die varieert van het bezitten en exploiteren van een groot kinderdagverblijf tot het managen van muzikanten en het bouwen van een Rock n Roll-gelegenheid.

Moeder en dochter hebben ook beiden ervaring in internationale ontwikkeling. Nareena beschikt over een schat aan kennis in de non-profitsector, waar ze werkte als directeur fondsenwerving; maar Naledo is haar eerste onderneming, en ze geeft toe dat het starten van een bedrijf een enorme leercurve is geweest.

Ik herinner me dat ik naar vergaderingen ging met distributeurs, en alle acroniemen opschreef. Ze hadden zoiets van wat is je SRP? En ik zou naar de badkamer gaan met mijn telefoon om te googelen wat SRP is, zei ze. Ik probeerde voortdurend een evenwicht te vinden tussen eerlijk willen zijn en zeggen, ik weet niet zeker wat dat betekent, versus te naïef klinken en mijn onderhandelingsvermogen verliezen.

Ook op persoonlijk vlak waren er uitdagingen in overvloed. Nareena vertelt dat haar relatie de ontberingen van het ondernemerschap niet overleefde.

Ik had een partner, een vriend waarmee ik samenwoonde, en hij vond het niet leuk wat ik deed. Hij dacht dat ik dom was om dit te doen, zei ze. Ik weet nog dat ik mijn eerste visitekaartjes liet drukken; hij zei dat je jezelf geen COO mag noemen. Je bent de COO van niets op dit moment. We zijn niet meer samen.

Maar ondanks de vele obstakels die ze tegenkwamen, hielden Nareena en Umeeda hun ogen op de prijs gericht. Ze bleven gericht op hun missie en toegewijd aan het vervullen van Mamajee’s wens om doelgericht te leven en positief bij te dragen aan het leven van anderen.

Naledo is in 2015 begonnen met productontwikkeling. Om meer bekendheid te krijgen, besloten ze af te zien van de boerenmarkt en in plaats daarvan te lanceren op een vakbeurs in mei 2016 in Vancouver, Canada, waar zowel inkopers als distributeurs en makelaars aanwezig zouden zijn. Hun opstelling was eenvoudig, slechts 50 gelabelde potten en een paar monsters. Maar de respons was overweldigend. Naledo viel op bij een nationale distributeur die geloofde in hun sociale ondernemingsmodel en hen hielp groeien van nul winkels in 2016 naar 600 winkels in heel Canada, van kust tot kust. Het bedrijf exporteert nu ook naar de Bahama’s, heeft al een overeenkomst gesloten voor de VS en bereidt zich voor op export naar Europa.

Het valt niet te ontkennen dat ze een uitstekend product maken, maar het succes van Naledo is ook grotendeels te danken aan de manier waarop ze zaken doen. Jongerenondernemerschap, regeneratieve landbouw en duurzaamheid staan aan de basis van het bedrijf.

De menselijke kant van ons succes is waar ik het meest trots op ben, de impact die de productie van dit product heeft gehad op de telers met wie we samenwerken, mensen die kunnen sparen voor de opleiding van hun kinderen, huizen kunnen renoveren, op reis kunnen gaan, aldus Nareena. We zien meer mensen, vooral jongeren, die trots zeggen dat ik kurkuma kweek, in plaats van landbouw te zien als iets dat arme mensen doen.

Met uitmuntendheid komt erkenning

Naledo Belize kan hun nominatie voor een SIAL Paris award toevoegen aan een groeiende lijst van wereldwijde erkenning, waaronder een innovatieprijs van de regering van Belize, een van Canada’s top 10 voedselbedrijven om in 2018 in de gaten te houden, en een plek in seizoen 13 van het populaire tv-programma Dragon’s Den.

Op SIAL zullen tienduizenden belanghebbenden uit de voedings- en drankenindustrie de kans krijgen om Naledo’s Simply Turmeric pasta te proeven, die te zien zal zijn op de stand van de Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export). Het regionale agentschap voor handels- en investeringsbevordering ondersteunt Cariforum-bedrijven bij hun exportontwikkeling en zal op de tentoonstelling 12 regionale bedrijven presenteren. Caribbean Cure, een theebedrijf uit Trinidad dat deel zal uitmaken van de Caribbean Export tentoonstelling, is ook een genomineerde voor SIAL.

Dat twee regionale start-ups op de SIAL shortlist zijn gekomen is een geweldige prestatie, en volgens Umeeda is dat de verdienste van Caribbean Export.

Een organisatie hebben die gelooft dat het Caribisch gebied de wereld iets te bieden heeft, dat is heel belangrijk. Wat zij bieden op het gebied van toegang tot kennis en financiering heeft me gewoon versteld doen staan, aldus Umeeda. Ik kan niet genoeg benadrukken hoe ondersteunend dat is.

Naledo Belize hoopt in 2019 in Europa op de markt te komen. Umeeda en Nareena benadrukten beiden dat dit mogelijk is dankzij Caribbean Export.

Advies voor toekomstige ondernemers

Naledo’s reis van Belize, naar Canada, het Caribisch gebied, Amerika en binnenkort Europa, is zwaar bevochten en gevuld met slapeloze nachten. Maar dat is nu eenmaal waar ondernemerschap om draait, deelde Umeeda mee. Zij en Nareena dachten na over de talloze nachten die zij om drie uur ‘s nachts wakker lagen, piekerend, probleemoplossend en de volgende stappen overdenkend, de talloze keren dat de stem van de twijfel hen ertoe aanzette het voor gezien te houden. Maar telkens als die twijfels opdoken, vonden de twee hun wil om door te gaan in een getal van 350, het aantal telers in Belize waarmee zij samenwerken.

Ik denk aan hen niet teleurstellen, aan het geweldige jeugdteam waarmee we in onze verwerkingsfabriek werken, aan mijn grootmoeder trots maken, en aan alle andere mensen in mijn leven die me moed hebben gegeven en me hebben laten zien dat je door tegenslagen heen veerkrachtig moet zijn, aldus Nareena. Dus misschien slaap ik wat extra uit op die ochtenden dat ik pas na 3 uur in bed lag, en ik blijf gewoon doorgaan.

Nareena smeekte ook collega-ondernemers, en degenen die op weg zijn naar het ondernemerschap, zich te omringen met gelijkgestemden. Marketing en sociale media zijn gericht op perfectie, maar onder dit alles zit enorm veel werk, toewijding en zelfopoffering. Het is van vitaal belang deze strijd te delen met lotgenoten die het begrijpen.

Het geeft je een goed gevoel, zei ze. Je beseft dat ik het niet alleen ben. Ik ben oké.

En wees doof voor de nee-zeggers die ze adviseerde.

Als hun kritiek over uw product of uw dienst gaat, luister dan eens, want in die negativiteit zit misschien een kans op verbetering. Maar als ze negatief zijn over je passie, wie je bent en waar je in gelooft, zeg dan dat ze moeten ophoepelen!

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT NALEDO BELIZE: Facebook – Naledo Belize; Instagram – @ truly.turmeric; en door een bezoek aan hun website www.naledo.com.

For generations, Caribbean grandmothers have steeped and brewed indigenous herbs, roots and even bush, convinced of their ability to cure just about any ailment.  When two young entrepreneurs in the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago decided to pay homage to this tradition, not even in their wildest dreams did they imagine that their earthy concoctions would be dubbed among the world’s most innovative foods.

Caribbean Cure, an award-winning tea company, draws from tradition to promote more naturally healthy lifestyles among those who sip their infusions.  The company is one of only two in the Region to be shortlisted for a SIAL Paris 2018 Product Innovation award, which recognises those who help shape what we eat today, and tomorrow.  They earned the selection for their indigenous ingredients, packaging, branding and the taste of their five infusions.

The awards will be held in Paris during the world’s largest food innovation exhibition, from October 21-25, 2018, and attended by tens of thousands of food and beverage industry stakeholders.  It’s an amazing opportunity for Sophia Stone and Stacy Seeterram, the owners of Caribbean Cure.  The company will receive immeasurable exposure from the shortlisting alone.

But getting to this point has not been without sacrifice and the determination to persevere despite numerous obstacles.  After all, the mark of success is not the absence of failures, but choosing to press on in spite of them, relentlessly seeking ways to make the dream a reality.

BREWING A VISION TO CURE THE CARIBBEAN

Passionate about using nature to promote health and wellness, Stone founded the company in 2015.

“I wanted to honour our long history in the Caribbean of using herbs and bush teas,” she said.  “And backed by science, my goal was to make these healing remedies more efficacious, convenient and attractive to today’s consumer.”

What began as a small experiment quickly became an obsession.  Consumed with ideas by the million, Stone was constantly in conversations with herself about how she could execute them, and also bombarded with reasons why they wouldn’t work.  But in spite of how impossible her dreams seemed, she could not shake them, and after months of agonising over the decision, she resigned her 9 to 5 for the full-time pursuit of her dream.

Success was not forthcoming with her initial line of eight supplements, and after depleting her savings, Stone was faced with two very clear choices, pack it all in and quit “dreaming”; or, find another way to make the dream work.  Like any true entrepreneur, she chose the latter.

It was a choice made entirely on her own belief in her dream, because, as Sophia recalled, everyone, including family and close friends, with whom she shared an idea of making tea blends with the ingredients used in the supplements, thought it was a bad idea.  They encouraged her to either try to make the supplements work, or close shop and find a “real” job.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING

“I decided in that moment that I needed a partner who could help me and who would share my passion and vision for the company,” Stone said.  I didn’t want an investor.  I wanted a partner who would bring value and strength where I needed it most.”

She turned to the sole friend who embraced the vision.  A tea enthusiast in her own right, Seeterram had already invested hours listening to Stone share about the ups and downs of her journey and had become somewhat of a confidant.

“She was always very encouraging,” Stone said.  “She has her own herb garden and would always experiment with me on weekends in the kitchen with the latest healing herb she managed to harvest.  I knew Stacy would be the ideal partner…I knew in my heart that she was exactly who I wanted to continue the journey with,” Stone shared.

She credits the partnership for the success Caribbean Cure has garnered over the past year.

Seeterram, a former health management executive with over six years’ experience at the national level,  joined the company in March 2017, and the mutual respect and admiration she shares for Stone is evident in the way she speaks about the partner she refers to simply as “Soph”.

“I am now, and always have been awed by who she is.  Her work ethic impresses me at least once every week,” Seeterram said.  “She is also very innovative and purposeful in her mission that our company is so much more than an entity that will generate revenue.”

Contemplating these things, Seeterram said she felt a purposeful paradigm shift, one that could offer an opportunity for her to be a part of something less corporate, more interesting, more rewarding, and more impactful.

“It’s the feeling that comes from creating something from point A to Z,” she said.  “And I felt like that was exactly what I needed.”

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT CARIBBEAN CURE TEAS

In mere months, Seeterram and Stone created five tea blends, and won the approval of family and friends who indulged in their curative, feel-good concoctions, but Caribbean Cure’s official recognition as producers of world class teas was cemented when they won bronze medals at the internationally recognised Global Tea Championships, hosted by the World Tea Expo in Colorado, for their Tropical Relaxation blend in November, 2017, and again for Island Breeze in January, 2018.

The SIAL shortlisting is their most recent, and biggest nod from the international community.

The secret is in the process, said Seeterram.  The tea leaves are slow-dried to maximise nutrient content.  Each blend is also a delicate balance, formulated to “create a memorable and unique experience in every cup,” she said.

There is also a little bit of history brewed in each cup of Caribbean Cure tea.  Island Breeze, a delicate blend that includes cardamom pods and white tea, is a tribute to Stone’s Afghan/Canadian heritage, and borrows from one of her family recipes; while Carnival Oasis with its inclusion of mauby bark, cinnamon and clove, transports Stacy – a Trinidadian, with roots woven throughout the West Indies – back to her childhood as it conjures  memories of her grandmother’s “magical” blends.

“We try not to worry about being successful,” Seeterram shared.  “What we do is work toward being significant.  And from this, success seems to have naturally followed us.”

RELEASING EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT IN ORDER TO GROW

For any entrepreneur, a key success factor rests in the ability to maintain some emotional detachment from the business and product in order to make the difficult decisions necessary for brand development.  Stone and Seeterram discussed this from the get go.  If ever necessary, they would, no matter how difficult, have the courage to make the changes that would support growth.

Glass jars beautifully showcased the tea infusions they dedicated years to formulating.  This packaging was therefore foundational to Caribbean Cure’s conceptualisation.  But when opportunity knocked, with a chance to export to Canada and Japan, these jars, because of their weight, became impractical.  The partners therefore had to pivot to grasp the pending export opportunities.

In July 2018, Caribbean Cure, unveiled their new packaging, beautiful tea tins, adorned with designs created by a local artist.

EXCITING TIMES FOR CARIBBEAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS

“I am sure that someone could write an entire book on the struggles female entrepreneurs face…I think for me, the mental load of being a mother, and a dedicated entrepreneur is the biggest struggle I face,” Stone shared.  “Trying to balance my home and business life is a difficult task, and I think society tends to expect female entrepreneurs to do it all, successfully!”

The pair admit to experiencing both chauvinism and ageism, particularly when trying to pitch business ideas and close deals in male dominated settings.  But they remain focused on the silver lining in the ever looming cloud of gender inequality.

On the flip side, Seeterram said, “I must confess; we’ve gotten so many blessings because of our gender.  A good example is Caribbean Export’s WE-XPORT programme.  One of the reasons we qualified is because we are 100 percent female-owned.”

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), a Regional trade and investment promotion agency supporting CARIFORUM firms with development for export, launched its Women Empowered Through Export (WE-XPORT) programme in March, 2018.  The European Union, fund the programme and is supported by UN-Women and the Caribbean Development Bank, providing mentoring, training and numerous resources to Caribbean women in business to facilitate export or increase the export of their products and services.

Twenty businesses, all women-owned and operated, comprise the first cohort enrolled in the programme and are due to complete next year after a Women’s Business to Business Forum.

“They have supported us in our vision and given us many opportunities internationally to expose our brand that we may not have otherwise had,” Stone said of Caribbean Export and WE-XPORT.  They’ve have been absolutely invaluable resources, but they also encourage stick-to-itiveness, she shared.  “Caribbean Export, for example, is like a buoy in deep water, there for you when you’ve been swimming too long and hard, and you need a break.”

WORD OF ADVICE FOR BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS

As they reflect on a journey that has not been without immense challenges, Stone and Seeterram share some seeds of inspiration with fellow, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

“Do not fear mistakes,” Stone advised.  “Regrets are far more difficult to deal with than mistakes.  You walk away from a mistake having learned something, but a regret is a missed opportunity. Even if it seems beyond your reach, try. You will amaze yourself with what you are capable of.”

Finally, the partners stress that slow and steady wins the race.  Developing a business is a marathon.  So it’s not about speed.  It’s all about endurance.

“There will be lots of tears,” Seeterram said.  “But the moments of pride when it all comes together are priceless.” 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CARIBBEAN CURE: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn – @caribbeancure and by visiting their website www.caribbean-cure.com. 

In the 1980’s, a professional food scientist with experience in dietetics, nutrition and food research development positioned her Jamaica-based company as an export-driven operation. Considered a pioneer in her field, Dr. Juliette Newell started what has grown to become one of the local leaders in the manufacturing and distribution of Jamaican products in the overseas markets. Today, Tijule Company Limited is managed by Dr. Newell’s nephew Roy Newell, who took over the business after her passing.

With 65 full time employees, and occupying over two acres of prime commercial land, the 30-year old company produces an exceptional line of products, which includes canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, flavourful sauces, seasonings, dips and condiments, exotic and gourmet jams, jellies, marmalades, fruit bars and bammies (cassava bread). Tujule also manufactures sauces and other products to customers’ specifications and tastes.

According to Roy, the Managing Director of Tijule, opening the company was a dream come true for Dr. Newell.

“My aunt had a PhD in Nutrition so food was her passion. She has also wanted to always take a taste of Jamaica to the rest of the world.”

Dr. Newell succeeded in doing just that as 80% of the company’s output is exported directly to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China, India, Japan, and the balance sold to other regional exporters and locally.

Roy noted that because of the market they are in, all companies that produce jams, jellies, and other condiments in Jamaica are their competitors; but his aunt never saw this as a challenge. He revealed that Dr. Newell’s biggest hurdle came in securing capital for her business.

“The 1980s was a difficult period, especially for a woman. Banks saw women as high risks and they were not too willing to give loans unless men were on the Board of Directors. As a woman in business, my aunt had to get a lawyer to verify that she was of sound mind and could manage a business.”

Roy added however that determination was what pulled her through, as interest rates at that time were very high, but she has a goal in mind and would not be deterred.

Since taking over the business, Roy has himself had some challenges noting that understanding how to run the business was the greatest one, but after completing an audit of the operations he feels more confident in his ability to carry on his aunt’s legacy.

The former electronics engineer believes that a large part of the company’s success is owed to his aunt’s insistence of comprehensive market research for the identification of markets and customers.

“This really gave the company a jump start in exports and helped us find our niche, which is catering to the Jamaican Diaspora in the US and the UK. We have also decided to focus more on our brand and ramp up the visibility of our company.”

With this new branding and marketing focus, Tijule has become increasing involved in in-market demonstrations, trade shows and study tours. Roy shared that most of the opportunities were made possible through the Caribbean Export Development Agency.

“We became aware of Caribbean Export in 2007 through the Jamaica Exporter’s Association (JEA). The Agency has since helped us with the development of new labels and modification of the old ones, the acquisition of quality management standards, streamlining and marketing and promotional systems, conducting market research, and upgrading our infrastructure. All of this was achieved through the grant scheme and through technical assistance.”

Read the full article in Primed for Success Vol. 3

The Caribbean has a long history of coffee production, especially on islands with high mountainous regions and cool climates. Though they are outpaced in modern times by vast coffee plantations in South America, Caribbean countries have unique soils and growing conditions that contribute to some of the most popular coffee varieties sold in the global market. One of those highly sought-after selections is the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.

Known for its superior taste, medium body, and low acidity, the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee has grown to become a significant contributor to the local economy, especially small farming communities and coffee distributors, as is the case for Country Traders Limited. Established in 1992, Country Traders set out to be the roasters, packers and distributors of the world’s finest coffee.

Managing Director, Mark Fletcher, started out as a supplier for other brands, before deciding to distribute his own. Since then, the husband and father of two has amassed more than 30 years experience in the coffee business, and his love for the job and the product he sells is what keeps him going.

“After leaving school, I started distributing pickles, sauces and other condiments, in the hotel industry and tourist trade,” Mark shared. “It was there that I started distributing a brand of coffee and saw the potential for it as business.”

Today the company has 15 persons employed across several areas of production. The 100% Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee accounts for half of Country Traders’ business value, but they also produce another blue mount blend and an authentic Jamaica blend, which is a combination of low mountain coffee and imported blends for distribution.

On the local end, the company’s clients include all major supermarkets, gift shops, and some hotels and restaurants. In the export market, Country Traders mainly supplies small distributors and wholesalers, as well as retail through the company’s website. These include the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and China.

“China is our newest and fastest growing market. The middle class Chinese customers are known for their top quality products whether it’s cars, clothing, or coffee, and the Blue Mountain Coffee brand is one of those quality products. There are also quite a bit of Chinese living in Jamaica, and they have been instrumental in introducing the product over there, which has resulted in steady growth.”

Currently 20% of the company’s clients exist in the export market. Their export strategy is focused on partnering with small and specialised distributors.

“With high-end coffee, freshness is the key – the fresher, the better. These small distributors are more direct, and the product can get to the customer quicker.”

Mark admits that the company has come a long way in terms of its growth and profitability. He believes however that much of their success comes from finding their niche early.

“When we first started, finance was a major challenge. The business had to build from profits because at that time, and even now, interest rates in Jamaica were extremely high. But we realized the value of customer relations, it wasn’t really so much the brand that was driving our success, but more so the strong relationship developed with the customer”.

Another formidable relationship that the company has developed is with the Caribbean Export Development Agency. In 2012, Country Traders applied for a Direct Assistance Grant to prepare their facility for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification.

‘We used the grant to make all the necessary structural changes and food safety requirements we needed in order to gain certification and now we are certified.”

The company also participated in the ANUGA, the world’s largest food and beverage trade fair, in 2013.

“ANUGA was an opportunity to showcase our products to thousands of buyers from hundreds of countries all over the world. As a part of the Caribbean Kitchen pavilion, we also established valuable contacts with other regional exhibitors.”

Mark credits Caribbean Export as having played a central, albeit indirect, role in the company’s success.

“Without the Agency we wouldn’t have attempted HACCP certification, because the cost associated with the process would have been a challenge for us. We also believe that Caribbean Export contributed to our overall export growth due to the certification we received, leading us to be more streamlined and efficient in our overall production.”

Read the full article in Primed for Success Vol. 3

Full Circle Animation Studio was recently contracted by Big Jump Entertainment in Ottawa Canada to produce the animation for season three of ‘Animals,’ an HBO TV series featuring performances from the likes of RuPaul, Aziz Ansari, Wanda Sykes, Raven-Symoné, Usher, among others. Considered to be one of the funniest, most idiosyncratic shows on television, an in-house team of 12 people (9 animators, one animation supervisor, one project coordinator, and one project manager) worked tirelessly between December 2017 and May 2018 at the studio located in Trincity, Trinidad. “This show had a very unique and distinctive style of design and animation. It looks simple and minimalist but it required us to transmit a lot of emotion through the characters using very limited animation movement. Going in, we had otherwise underestimated how challenging that could be while keeping the provocative edge that really defines the style of the show. In that regard, it was a new technical experience for us” said Managing Director Jason Lindsay.

This is the first time that an animation studio in Trinidad or throughout the Caribbean has been contracted from an international studio for a full season of a TV show on a major network. Still only a modestly sized studio by international outsourcing standards, this opportunity has provided the company with financial sustainability and a platform for growth technical/creative capacity building. “For a young animation industry like ours here in Trinidad, the main long-term benefit of an opportunity like this is the investment in our human resource. The experience and technical/creative insight gained from our animators working with an experienced production studio like Big Jump Entertainment is invaluable. The entire team benefited from it tremendously” further stated Lindsay.

This achievement however has not been Full Circle’s first endeavor doing outsourcing work for a major network. The company has also worked on productions in smaller quantities broadcasted on The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Universal Studios, DreamWorks TV and RAI.  Projects like this and other overseas productions outsourced to Full Circle puts the company in a position where over the last 3 years, over 50% of its income has been from foreign exchange revenue, with this most recent project catapulting its export earnings for the first half of 2018 to over ninety percent of its income during that period – a very unique positon for any small business in general to be in but a major achievement for the studio and the industry as a whole. Managing Director Lindsay is careful to point out the role that regional collaboration across the Caribbean has played in various capacities in getting the studio to this point in its growth.  He explained that the scale and timing of some of the projects, coupled with the diverse skillsets needed often requires Caribbean animation companies to collaborate to deliver.

A background illustration from the CARICOM mini-series Pepperpot Valley overlaid with the network of regional relationships relied on to produce it. Parts of this same network are used to produce other regional animation projects done by Full Circle. “On our very first outsourcing job, we collaborated with animation studios in Barbados and Jamaica. Since then, it’s not uncommon for us to work with animation studios in St. Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica for international outsourcing clients. We’ve collaborated on projects with Malfinis Productions in St. Lucia, Alycone Animation and Skyres in Jamaica and Westoonz and BIMAP in Barbados. We’ve also developed working relationships with a network of recording studios, casting directors and voice actors in Grenada, Belize, Suriname, Dominica, and Guyana for projects based on Caribbean content like the CARICOM mini-series Pepperpot Valley. The regional animation industry is still relatively young in the Caribbean. In that respect, a single animation project for either a feature film or a TV series requires a workforce with a diverse creative/technical skillset that can exceed the capacity of any one Caribbean nation. Fortunately, for a digital media industry like animation, location is not a challenge – but training is.”

Along with local support agencies that support services export, Regional organisations like the CARICOM Secretariat, the Inter-America Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, the European Commission and UNDP OECS have given Full Circle Animation tremendous support in their development over the years. The Company has also benefited indirectly from the investment that CARIBBEAN EXPORT has given towards supporting the region.

This is a historic accomplishment for the Full Circle and development of the digital economy in the Caribbean as a whole. One that exemplifies how the Governments, NGOs and the education sector and enterprise can work hand in hand to achieve and change the landscape of theeconomy.  Under the leadership of MD Lindsay, a creative business mind was brought into a creative space and out of it spawned a business model that is unique and applicable to the unique creative economy. Below the surface of this model is the seamless education thread that few are aware of and appreciate.  Students from the YTEPP Animation Retraining Programme, went on to complete the UTT Diploma in Animation programme and now ninety percent of the workforce are part of that thread that makes up the studio.  They have become an indispensable resource for the success of this industry.

This is a great example of success in the creative sector and the function of seamless education in a region of small islands that depend on foreign exchange. Animation is now heavily featured on the curriculum in regional training institutes. Programme coordinator for animation studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago Camille Selvon Abrahams reminds us “Ninety percent of the young staff at Full Circle Animation Studio are UTT animation alumni. The current animation supervisor is a past student Mindy Bailey and most of the lead team are past students of UTT animation programme. Regionally this can be replicated as a model for our unique economic landscape. Led by a tried and tested managing director Jason Lindsay, this is an example to the Caribbean and world that perseverance pays off and we can create our future if CARICOM governments, education institutions and small businesses work in tandem”

Season 3 of the HBO animated series ANIMALS will premiere on August 3rd at 11:30pm. (PR)