Young companies on the rise

Published: Saturday | December 12, 2009


Laranzo Dacres, Gleaner Writer

In a time of recession, a time when job tenure is becoming increasingly uncertain, and businesses are downsizing, right-sizing and capsizing, many individuals are starting to think of innovative ways of boosting their earning potential.

This phenomenon has seen more young entrepreneurs emerging from fissures of a shaky economy to start various businesses across the world.

With this in mind, the Young Entrepreneurs' Association (YEA) Expo, held at the Hilton Kingston hotel on November 22 under the theme, 'The Big Idea ... Road Map to Success', was timely.

The entrepreneurship expo sought to showcase businesses of enterprising young people, as well as corporate giants in Jamaica today. The expo facilitated networking opportunities between aspiring entrepreneurs and the business elite. There was also much advice and consultation on various business models.

Saturday Life introduces you to some of the most interesting and fast-rising young companies that were on showcase at the expo.

According to Leighton Davis of YEA and director of Creative Media and Events, the expo was excellent.

"All our workshops and breakaway sessions were packed, they were oversubscribed. Also, all the business executives are raving about the expo. I am very proud of YEA and for something that has been done for the first time, we did great and we are definitely looking forward to do It again next year.

Email feedback to saturdaylife@gleanerjm.com.


Jeremy Miller, managing director of Rep Yu Roots, enjoys a moment with two patrons viewing one of his hilarious postcards.

Rep Yu Roots

This is a company that specialises in the designing of postcards for all occasions, written in Jamaican Creole, with pictures on the outside that are designed to depict locals. On the inside of the postcards are hilarious poems that promise to have all who dare to read its contents in stitches.

The comedic value and creativity of the postcards are two factors that will have you buying one of these for any and every occasion. As the slogan goes, 'Show them how you really feel'.

Jeremy Miller, managing director of Rep Yu Roots, said he came up with the idea to create his own unique postcards because he believed that those found in most stores were too generic and did not reflect the Jamaican experience.

To get more information, log on to repyuroots.com.


Brandt Fuller (seated), web development man-ager, looks at a website with Joel Jones, business development manager, at the YEA expo.

Blitz Web Design

This website-designing company allows easy maintenance for the user. According to business owners Joel Jones and Brandt Fuller, the websites they create offer more search options, as they incorporate what they call keyword optimisation within the content of the website.

"People are noticing that they need to have a presence on the Web these days, so we provide these websites for them," stated Fuller, web development manager of Blitz.

For further information, please visit blitzwebdesign.com.


Rosemarie Morris, administrative manager of betterjobsja.com, shows off her job-recruitment website.

Betterjobsja.com

The main purpose is to link job seekers and employers (recruiters) through an online community. This website is an interactive portal, offering employers the chance to advertise jobs, to which prospective employees may apply for via the same website. The recruiters can also choose to access the database on the website to identify ideal hires.


Jodi-Ann of Creative Media and Events displays the second issue of Wealth Magazine, a publication of Creative Media and Events.

VirtualMallJamaica.com

As the name suggests, this website is actually a virtual mall, the structure of the website is similar to that of Amazon.com. Virtual Mall is Jamaica's first online shopping mall where shoppers have more than 55 stores and over 4000 inventories to choose from. VMJ is the mall and various business owners would have their own stores within that mall. The website promotes Jamaican stores and the prices are quoted in Jamaican dollars and the interface on the website is also very user-friendly.

For further information, please visit www.virtualmallja.com.


Stephen Spence, president of YEA and SMS Communications, shares the shutter with the glamorous Patrice Wilson-McHugh, managing director of Bars to Go, while they both enjoy one of Bars To Go's smooth specials.

Bars to Go

Provides food and beverages for events. They provide bartending training, mixology lessons, cooking and customer service for the members of their staff. The company has been around for five years and is a couple's business, with owners Patrice Wilson-McHugh and her husband.

For further information, visit the website barstogojamaica.com.


Kimala Bennett (left), managing director of Business Lab, shows off her business manual while Sherilyn McLean, business information consultant, smiles for the camera.

Business Lab

Kimala Bennett, managing director of Business Lab, compiled a business manual that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with all the necessary information they will need to start a business. Also presented in the manual are samples of the various forms that are needed in order to register your business.

For more information, log on to jamaicabusinesslab.com.

 
 
 
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