Dazzle Magazine Issue 36

from the publisher

Many of us get discouraged when we do not see immediate results after putting in the effort. This can be very discouraging to some as they identify this with failure, because whatever that has been done did not exhibit any valuable results. It has been said that a new business begins to see result only after three years, therefore it is imperative that young entrepreneurs and small business bear patience.

There is definitely an opportunity for someone to build something that can be impactful and influence social change. Being patient allows one to thoroughly understand the process of brand building, strategy and success as these qualities are not achieved overnight. It takes time to understand the internal and external environment in which the company operates as well as the consumer behavior.

Dazzle Magazine features have all shared similar characteristics and patience is definitely one of them. They have all have been able to assess their growth and have not been deterred by the time it takes for their initial idea to blossom into their intended product or service.

As you read their respective journeys to success, you will appreciate how these individuals have persevered through challenging times and how being patient built their resilience to achieve greatness.

With that said I wish you a happy read and we at Dazzle Magazine thank you for your continued support.

Feel free to visitwww.dazzlethemag.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube for more inspiring stories.

Happy Reading!

Rankin Morgan Publisher/Managing Editor

Dazzle Magazine is a dynamic Saint Lucian bi-monthly publication that provides muchneeded exposure to young professionals and entrepreneurs, and established businesses. It covers an array of topics and categories key to starting and running a business. It also offers practical advice on everyday living, tips for a healthy lifestyle and interviews with popular and up-and-coming personalities.

Dazzle Magazine is designed to appeal to a diverse range of readers but is especially targeted at working professionals and business owners between the ages of 21-50 years. We provide our advertising clients with value for money by offering them a powerful medium to market their products, offer deals and build their brand. Best of all, we give them the opportunity to be a part of a nationwide and online marketplace of actively engaged consumers who are ready to buy, all at an affordable price.

To advertise in Dazzle Magazine, contact our sales agent via telephone 758 484 4642 or email advertising@dazzlethemag.com for more information and terms and conditions.

table of contents

Features

14. Jemima Harrigan’s - House of Jem - Making the Most of Unexpected Situations

20. Jassica St. Rose - Making Power Moves with 758 Pride

28. Kayode Elias James - 3D Printing - Technology for the Times

38. Saveion Monchery - Singing with the Stars!

Professional Progress

26. How to Improve Ineffective Communication

Mastering Marketing

8. Strategies to Increase Brand Awareness

18. Benefits of Incorporating a Business

34. Influencer Marketing, What is it?

Health & Fitness

8. Health Benefits of Broccoli

Lifestyle

12. 4 Reasons to go Next Gen with the PS5

Eating In

24. Bacon & Broccoli Salad

Gadget & Gizmos

38. Gadgets - You Should Consider Buying in 2022

Instagram

40. Saint Lucia Carnival 2022

Strategies to Increase Brand Awareness

What good is a brand with incredible products and unmatchable service if no one is aware of its existence? The answer should lead you to ask why is brand awareness important? That’s what we’ll get to while laying the foundation for strategies to increase your brand awareness.

Simply put, the objective of a business is “to make a profit”. Profits are more likely when the audience is aware of the commodity or service being offered for sale. This is why we see companies in virtually every field spending millions of dollars on marketing and advertising to capture attention and increase their brand awareness. Even though brand awareness isn’t a direct component of sales, it’s hard to deny that it most definitely has an effect on the number of sales one may achieve.

Brand awareness isn’t just about being known. It’s about how seamlessly a person may think of your brand when they see or hear something in particular. The phrase “Just Do It.” Brings just one company to mind - Nike. You don’t need to mention sports, athletes, shoes or anything typically associated with Nike. The phrase on its own is recognisable as a Nike

phrase. With that being said, here’s what you can do to increase your brand’s awareness.

Add Some Personality

Adding personality to your brand is one of the easiest ways to not only stand out from the crowd, but also to give your audience something to recognise your brand by. This can be achieved by bringing an influencer on board. Having an actual person whose attributes are aligned with your brand is vital in creating a look and establishing a brand. For smaller brands though, carefully considering the words used in social media posts is important.

Video Content

YouTube Shorts, Tiktok and Instagram Reels are a good indication that short form video content is making

waves in many online spaces. Videos are naturally more attractive to the eye, and they also present more opportunities for creative expression. What works for most brands in video formats is to keep the content casual and lighthearted.

Consistency

Firstly, we’ll acknowledge that some brands do well simply by being in the public eye every few months; even years in some cases but for those of us trying to establish and build a brand from the ground up, consistency is key. Consistency can be thought of as how often you run promotions or ad campaigns, or even general social media postings. It can also be taken as having a consistent theme in your outputvisual, written and everything in-between.

Health Benefits of

Broccoli

Broccoli is packed with nutritional value that is essential for good health, weight loss, blood sugar control, cancer prevention and so much more. According to the USDA, broccoli is rich in Vitamins A, C, B6, and the blood clotting factor vitamin K.

Additional health benefits are:

• Helps prevent cancer

• Boosts immune health

• Fights diabetes

• Fights heart disease

• Promotes healthy bones

• Regulates blood pressure

• Prevents colds

Healthiest Ways to Cook Broccoli

Did you know that over-cooking or wrongly cooking a vegetable takes away its nutritional value? The way you prepare broccoli doesn’t just affect the taste and texture, it also affects the nutritional value too. Here are the three best ways to retain nutitional value:

1 Microwaved Broccoli

This method increases the nutritional value to 128%. It is actually better to eat broccoli microwaved, than raw.

2 Steamed Broccoli

This method retains 88% of the nutrients. Just ensure that you don’t exceed 5 minutes on the heater.

3 Stir-Fried Broccoli

This is an excellent option for retaining over 70% of its nutirents. Prepare according to your diet preference!

4 Reasons to go Next Gen with the PS5

If you haven’t gotten your hands on the highly sought after PlayStation 5 here are 4 key things that you should consider when making your purchase at Courts.

1. The Best AAA Exclusives

Sony has had a lead in this category and it’s usually the biggest draw for new gamers. With game series like God of War, The Last Of Us, Uncharted, Spiderman and more, there’s a variety of fun and epic games for anyone to get into. While this may change in the future (seeing God Of War become available on PC) it may very well be a long time before we see the other major exclusives get released on other platforms.

2. The New DualSense Controller

In a time where graphics are largely the same from platform to platform, the controller is the one thing that really makes a gaming experience unique. It’s the first thing you interact with when gaming. The adaptive triggers are an innovative way to give gamers pressure sensitive control over things like a gas pedal in Gran Turismo. Then there’s haptic feedback, which

replaces the standard rumble with a high fidelity experience that varies depending on the situation.

3. Cutting Edge Technology

WiFi 6, 3D audio and a 4K Blu-ray drive are only a part of the technological advancements that Sony have implemented in the PS5. The most impressive of them all is the thermal solution. The liquid metal used to cool the processors promises to keep temperatures in check when gaming for long or intense periods. This helps create an overall more pleasing experience.

4. Incredibly Fast Solid-State Drive (SSD)

Faster SSD speeds in the PS5 are extremely useful in many ways. First off, faster launch times. Then there’s less waiting around in loading screens in between rounds from game to game. It also means that in the future, when more demanding titles are released, the PS5 will be better able to handle them and still maintain fast load times.

NEW ARRIVAL

House of Jem - Making the Most of Unexpected Situations HARRIGAN’S Jemima

Much has been made of the doomand-gloom facing business owners over the past few years, particularly during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jemima Harrigan, founder of House of Jem, can be counted amongst those who have turned adversity into an opportunity for growth…growth that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

In conversation with her, it seems to be a running theme of taking challenges and making the most out of them, even if unintentionally. Jemima’s set path was at first in the sciences. Being a product of St. Joseph’s Convent and then Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (where she got her A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics), she then moved on to the University of Guelph in Canada. While there, she pursued an undergraduate degree in Bio Chem, but was unable to finish the program. “I came home after my 2nd year with the intention of going back to school, but lots of things happened and I never returned. It was in that summer that I unintentionally started what would become House of Jem.

Today, House of Jem is widely known as ‘a brand which creates unique and custom-made swimwear, lingerie and carnival wear.’ She openly shared that her biggest inspiration hails from French fashion designer, Thierry Mugler. “His whole design aesthetic is what I would say is a huge inspiration for my own work.” As for contemporaries in her field, she cites Lanadeene Rene as one of her inspirations when she was just starting off. “She’s been creating swimsuits before me. Back then, I’d pick her brain with lots of questions and she was very helpful.”

What happened to prevent you from going back to school?

“First, my scholarship requirements changed; it was no longer available to international students and I couldn’t work enough hours to pay for the next semester. My uncle, who helped me pay for school, was no longer able to support me either. I even tried getting a work permit but that fell through.”

Considering that she always wanted to pursue a career in the sciences, it must have been crushing to have that taken away from her. “I wouldn’t say I was depressed but it was really disappointing because I’m a very driven person. That’s what I wanted to do and I was very good at it.” Jem takes pride in the fact that she made the Dean’s list every year during her tenure. Yet still, circumstances forced her to take a break, save some money, apply for other scholarships, and then continue where she left off.

“I don’t like staying idle, so I got a job as a customer service rep at The Cell. In August of that year, I made myself a swimsuit for my birthday because I couldn’t find one online that I’d be satisfied with. So I made one for myself and everyone really liked it. Eventually, I ended up creating swimsuits for friends and then that’s where it really took off.”

Sewing was something that Jemima had grown familiar with, seeing her mom sew back in the day at La Pansee, where she has lived her entire life.

In hindsight, are you glad that everything happened this way or would you have preferred to follow a career path in the sciences?

“I really don’t know. You know the feeling where you think you know what you want to do, but then when you get there it’s not really what you want? I do believe everything happens for a reason, though. Maybe I wouldn’t have been happy if things worked out the way I originally wanted them to.”

It’s clearly something that is very near to Jem’s heart. “Obviously it’s still a bit of a disappointment because I would’ve loved to finish my degree, but I think I’ve accepted that maybe it won’t be a possibility.” Still she finds peace by concluding, “You know the saying ‘when you water the grass on one side that’s where it’s going to be green?’ So I’m just focusing on developing my business for now.”

A major part of House of Jem’s development came as a result of a 2-year lull during the heights of COVID. When asked what her proudest achievement was, she had this to say. “I would say, having my website go live; having my products available internationally.” The widespread reach of PayPal and DHL make for a powerful combination, allowing her to receive orders from and send to countries as far as Russia (so far). She does admit that finding overseas clients can be challenging. “Apart from online marketing, I don’t have personal connections in those markets. My steady customer base is still within the Caribbean region. I get lots of local support and promotion for my brand so that’s a plus.” Even in setting up her website, Jem had serious considerations to make. “Initially, I didn’t want to use a hosting site; I’m not a tech-savvy person and I had a very limited budget. That’s when I decided to go through Shopify with my siblings’ help (and YouTube video tutorials). All of this came to be during COVID, and since I don’t like to be idle, I got it done then.”

How influential have your siblings been in helping House of Jem become what it is?

“My older sister is my sounding board. She’s a business professional who does marketing so a lot of questions related to that I’d go to her with. I’d even go so far as to say that without my older sister, House of Jem wouldn’t exist in the way that it does now. Even now, before I sat down for this interview, I called her for one, so I wouldn’t be anxious and two, just to tell her what’s going on…we’re close like that. She also holds me accountable. If I say I want to do something for the business she’ll remind me of it and keep me on track. As for anything tech related, I can call on my brother who’s an entrepreneur in Barbados.”

After 7 years of business, what keeps you motivated?

“It doesn’t feel like 7 years; time flies so fast. For me, I just want to do well and be self-sufficient. I’m constantly thinking of ways to do things better and make more money. Returning customers and good reviews always keep me going. I can’t tell you how

www.dazzlethemag.com

many times (especially during COVID) I contemplated shutting down the business. But in those times my long time customers wouldn’t let me. They’d ask, ‘OK, so who’s going to make our swimsuits?’ (laughs). Jemima was also candid about her other motivations. “I need to pay my bills (laughs)...but honestly it’s nice having something of your own. In some ways I have more freedom than I would with a typical 9 to 5. The fact that I’m also doing something for myself and I’m not just building someone else’s business for them; working tirelessly for pennies. Even if I’m making pennies now, at least it’s for myself, you know? Maybe eventually, I don’t know if I’ll have children but I’d want to get the business to a place where I can leave behind something that we can call ours.”

fun facts

What is your favourite drink?

Passion fruit juice

Apple or Samsung?

Samsung

Favourite colour?

It changes all the time; I get bored. Right now, it’s like a periwinkle/lilac kinda colour.

When asking the question “Where do you see yourself in the future?” you’d expect a detailed answer, “But should I give a detailed answer? (laughs). With regards to House of Jem, obviously I’m working towards growing the business so that it becomes more popular. I’m interested in other things apart from just fashion…so I’m trying to get to a place where I don’t have to be as involved in the day-to-day stuff with the business.” Jem’s ideal situation as she describes it is one where she designs and someone else, who can maintain her quality of work, does the production of her designs. “Which is a challenge in itself because anybody that I know who has that skillset, they don’t want to work for someone else, they want to do their own thing.” In other words they want to follow Jemima’s path to having their own empire to build. “So that makes expansion difficult but I think that the right person will find me.”

What valuable advice would you give to someone coming up in your field? “First, have a plan. I think that if starting the business that summer was my plan, I would’ve been further along and things would’ve happened differently. Secondly, I’d say try to secure as much funding as you can and have a plan to manage it. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for advice or ask questions.

Benefits of Incorporating a Business

The benefits of incorporating your business are as many as the reasons you’d want to start a business in the first place. It is a step that’s definitely worth considering as a business owner/entrepreneur. We’ll lay out a few reasons why we think you may want to take the first step of incorporating your business, as well as the positives to doing so. Some of these include asset protection through limited liability, corporate identity creation, perpetual life of the company, transferability of ownership, an ability to build credit, raise capital, and flexibility with the number of business owners. Some of these will be broken down in this article.

Liability protection

A big advantage to incorporation is the protection it provides for your personal assets. As a sole proprietor, you are responsible for the liabilities of your business. This means that your personal assets can be seized to pay off company debt. A corporation, however, is

a legal entity separate from its owners, and so there is no attachment between the two. In most cases, incorporating also limits the liability of shareholders to the amount they invested in the company.

Easy transferability

An incorporated business stands on its own; that is to say it exists as its own entity. It also means that the owners do not own the assets of that business directly. Assets, therefore, are owned through shares, which in turn own the assets. This setup makes it easy to transfer ownership of the entire business or parts of it to interested parties. It also makes for a more attractive business ecosystem for potential investors. This setup allows easy ins and outs without going through a complicated organisational structure. Even in a case where a business owner wants to pass on a business to a son or daughter, incorporation makes this process easier.

Creates a corporate identity

For those to whom it matters, simply seeing the ‘LLC’ after a business name can induce feelings of trust in that company. Potential investors, lenders, suppliers, customers and employees will get the idea that you are thinking long term. That being said, incorporating a business does require some additional cost and effort. It’ll also need to maintain a separate set of accounting records from those of its owners because

it now stands as its own entity.

However, these inconveniences are worth the effort if your goal is to grow your business into a sustainable, long-term operation. After all, the big players like Apple, Nike, Pepsi-Cola, 123 Digital Limited all are LLCs (Limited Liability Companies). These are just a few of the benefits to incorporating a business; there are more than can be looked into before making a final decision.

Jassica St. Rose

Self-described as fun, loving, kind, open-minded, brave, big-mouthed, a bacchanal type of person, Jassica St. Rose is an ambitious young lady who has overcome many challenges. In her own words, she is the life of the party; she loves people and enjoys doing fun things that include networking, socializing and entertaining. More importantly, she holds firmly to the belief that one should stand for what they believe in and raise their voice against things that are not fair, just or right. Jassica is a dynamic and passionate activist, advocating widely for mental health, human rights, women’s rights and LGBT rights.

Jassica was raised in the small community of Boguis, Babonneau by her grandparents. She developed a love for learning which still fuels her ambitions today. She attended the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School, the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and later, The University of the West Indies. Additionally, she has pursued many other professional qualifications – she is an academic with a hunger for knowledge. She is presently employed at the National Insurance Corporation as a Compliance Officer.

Making

As a community activist for over fourteen years, Jassica has been a member of many organisations. Most notably, she is a Director of the Saint Luciabased United and Strong, the founder of 758 Pride, a co-founder of the regional organisation, Women in Leadership and the Caribbean representative on the International Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Intersex, Trans Organisation, North American Caribbean Board.

Most of her activism has been focused on protecting LGBT and Women’s Rights. In keeping with her campaign for a society where everyone is treated as equals, she took the bold step to establish 758 Pride in 2019. It was Jassica’s desire to create an event to celebrate the diversity of the LGBT community in a safe space. Most importantly, she wanted the members of the LGBT community to carve out a time to celebrate themselves without the constraints of shame, fear and judgement – a time and space in which everyone felt accepted. By all accounts, Pride 2019 was a resounding success; however, due to the pandemic, her plans to host an even grander affair the following year were foiled. Despite this major setback, she highly anticipates hosting Pride this year so that the LGBT community can once again express who they are through their outstanding creativity. It is her aim to focus on education amidst the revelry; to raise awareness on the issues affecting the LGBT community through this fun, entertaining, festive medium.

A major part of Jassica’s activism concentrates on mental wellness because mental health is extremely important to the LGBT community. Mental health issues manifest in many different ways and it is paramount to create avenues for people to get the right help, in a timely manner from counsellors who are best able to understand and treat issues affecting members without bias. Moreover, in the world of advocacy, activists have to be mentally equipped for the challenge of representing vulnerable groups in society. It is common for fighters of human rights to feel alone especially when they lack support from family, friends and colleagues. Backlash from the public and people closest to them can be most damaging and disheartening. Therefore, it is imperative for activists to take personal responsibility for guarding and protecting their mental health. It is also crucial for them to have a sense of community, support and solidarity from people living their shared experience and championing a similar cause.

Mental health and wellness is personal to the young activist. Jassica’s biggest challenge since starting her work in 2008 was experiencing a dreadful mental

breakdown which took her away from her passion. It was at that point in her life she realised that she needed to step back, take a break from advocacy, reassess and work on herself – fill her cup – so that she could be equipped holistically to get back to the work at hand. She had to admit to herself that she was overworked, burnt-out and depressed and those issues needed to be addressed before she could give of herself to others. After a lot of introspection, reflection and therapy, supported by a very strong support system, she received the healing that she needed.

According to her, “Believing in myself was what really pushed me; knowing how much my community needed me really helped me to overcome.” She also attributed her healing to her spiritual growth by getting closer to her God.

For this reason, Jassica has taken on this taboo topic of mental health and offers services such as counselling, training, seminars and workshops to assist with promoting mental wellness through her organisation, 758 Pride. Furthermore, Jassica now adopts a different approach to self-care and the work she does to ensure that she remains in good mental health.

As she pushes forward, Jassica’s greatest motivation is her love for the people she represents. Witnessing the impact she can have on people, families and society propels her to continue her work. Testimonials from people whose lives she has touched over the past decade give her impetus to forge ahead. Most rewarding is being able to change mindsets toward members of the LGBT community and their lifestyle.

She has received no monetary compensation for her work but she has gotten the opportunity to travel the globe to give voice to the voiceless. Her outstanding work lead to the proudest moment of her life when she represented the world on an international board for two years as the Women’s Secretariat. The board comprises over 2000 LGBT member organisations from the six regions of the world; it is the biggest LGBT membership organisation in the world. Her passionate presentation to the over 800 people present in Thailand on the day she was voted to serve on the board, earned her a standing ovation. As a young lady from a small island in the Caribbean Sea she was overcome with emotion at her reception. Thereafter, she has been asked to serve on several other boards including the North American Board.

It is Jassica’s dream to become a politician. As a matter of fact, she aims to take to a political platform as soon

www.dazzlethemag

as the next elections. Her ultimate goal is to truly represent the vulnerable and voiceless in our society. She believes that people deserve good representation and that she is best suited to provide that.

Jassica would not be able to achieve these successes without a large community of people who inspire and motivate her; for example, Jenna Gaston, Kenita Placide, Tamara St. Rose, Tovah Gibson, Akim Larcher, Lucia Antoine, Devonte Monerville , Randall Theodule, Giovanni, the core team of 758 Pride, United and Strong community, co-workers at the NIC, and many more supporters. She advises anyone who would like to establish a non-profit organisation that they must be passionate about their work because the field is not easy, funding is scarce and support may not always be forthcoming; so persons must be driven by the love for what they do.

Bacon & broccoli

• In a medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to boil, prepare a large bowl with ice water.

• Add broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the prepared bowl of ice water. When cool, drain florets in a colander.

• In a large bowl, combine broccoli, carrots, red onion, cranberries, almonds and bacon.

• Add in a dressing of your preference.

• Stir to combine both salad and dressing.

How to Improve Ineffective Communication

Communication comes in many forms. Some common ones include verbal communication, body language and written communication like this article you’re reading right now. As human beings, we communicate through a vast range of methods and mediums to get our messages across. From the simple things like communicating joy with a smile, to communicating what day an important event is via email. Since communication is an integral part of daily life, one can only imagine how important it is to be able to communicate effectively. In most cases, ineffective communication won’t have life-changing implications, but it’s still a good idea to improve your communication skills in several areas. Here’s a shortlist on how you can improve on ineffective communication.

Listen Carefully

That’s right. The first step in being an effective communicator is being able to listen (or in some

cases, read) carefully. You’ll immediately put yourself in a better position to act on a message if you carefully analyse the information first. It’s also important to consider that people like to be heard, to know that their message is being received with the intent that they want to convey it. One practice to

avoid is having multiple conversations at a time, like listening to someone over the phone while explaining something to someone else in person.

Who Are You Communicating With?

Your approach in speaking with a potential business partner would (and should) be different to the way you speak with a childhood friend or a close family member. Using informal language, like abbreviations in texts is okay with the latter, but this will do no good when communicating with someone who doesn’t have that type of relationship with you.

Body Language

This is obviously important in face to face contact. Even in recent years where video calling for a while

became a replacement to face to face meetings, body language is still important to take note of. Keeping eye contact lets the speaker know that you are engaged with what they are saying. Having a sloppy posture and impatient demeanour can come across as being uninterested. This, in turn, may affect the way that the person chooses to communicate with you.

Communication can be quite an in-depth concept to wrap your head aroundbut take these basic things into consideration and you’ll be well on your way to effective communication.

Kayode JAMES

3D Printing - Technology for the Times

Amidst adversity and an innate yearning to manage his own enterprise, a young entrepreneur has overcome health and socio-economic strains to pivot his company into a viable business technology module.

Kayode Elias James is the Manager – Founder of 3D Printing Manufacturing Co., which was set up in 2016.

His academic background involved schooling at the Anglican Primary, then on to the Leon Hess Secondary School (LHSS); and higher learning at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC).

From 2015 to 2017, James held onto a job as Sales Associate for the Duty-Free Caribbean franchise in the perfumery department on a short-term contract but was later promoted to the post of Administrative Assistant.

At that time, he began toying with the idea of owning his own business and “it was later on,” says Elias, he figured out that he was definitely cut out for the field of technology.

Elias spoke to Dazzle about his ups and downs, but also about the determination and zeal it took for his venture to come to fruition.

What motivated him to take on the venture of 3D Printing?

Elias says it was “God-inspired”, but at the core of it all, he declares, “I was always recognised by my peers and friends as a hustler, so I would always be investing my money into various things.”

At all stages in his earlier academic pursuits, James recalls that he was always making an extra income. His first registered business was at SALCC, in 2013, when he ventured into a ‘Marketing Solutions Business’.

Fed up with the mundane task that a regular job entails, he begins scribbling down ‘investment ideas’ in search of a favourable employment scope.

After bouncing some concepts off a colleague, the idea for 3DPrinting was born. Elias says he was intrigued with the notion of manufacturing a ‘global product’ and sought to enlighten himself on the workings within that industry, and “what progress were they making globally at the consumer level. From there, I began to research the market, what capabilities and possibilities there were, how it’s helping different industries today and how it could be of benefit to Saint Lucia.”

James felt that this initiative would help artists, painters, graphic artists, and anyone who is into designing. He soon began manufacturing items such

as phone stands, until he started getting more ideas on how to utilize his skills.

The machine is but one element of the ‘full suite’, James explains. He started off with an entry-level printer but because of the workload at the time, it only lasted a couple of months. Subsequently, he sought to upgrade the service, and “this is where diversification started. I began getting acquainted with suppliers, manufacturers and various people in the field from around the world, like China, Europe, US, and “the network started building from there.”

Currently, James operates a team that includes a junior intern, an administrative clerk, a sales and customer service rep, a technician/engineer, and himself. The team is complemented by business advisors/mentors who have invested in the business to ensure growth. This young business executive advocates strongly on behalf of youth enterprise and advises on the passion and drive required to pursue one’s dreams.

“One of the things that we pride ourselves on is that we utilize the youth…and they are self-taught. They are given the opportunity to develop their skills in whatever area they feel necessary by working with us,” declares Elias, while noting that he is the oldest person on the young team.

What are some of the services that 3D Printing provides to its clients?

“The process is simple but intricate,” explains James. “We start off by first understanding what our client’s needs are. 3D Printing is a local manufacturing company that is here to facilitate all markets, and all sectors in Saint Lucia and we do this by providing four (4) categories of service - merchandising, replacement of parts, production of custom parts, and prototypes.”

fun facts

Who or what inspires you?

Steve Jobs

Your favourite colour?

Red

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Walking to primary school with my mom

How many siblings do you have?

Five

He adds, “Within each component is a wide range of additions, be it a custom name, logo. No matter what it may be, our designer-technician takes a look at the design and the customer’s request, pulls up a computer-aided designer program, and from there sketches it out.”

“It starts out as a 2D model, and once it’s sketched out, there is a component called extrusion where you turn a flat surface into a body and then format it into a 3D object.”

How long did it take James to perfect the art of 3D Printing?

He needed a designer to complement the works of the original printer and in recognizing that there were not many persons on the island with that skill, “by 2018,

I began tinkering with the software on my own and trying to see what progress I could make by working with it. It was a long process and I tried partnering with people who were familiar with the program.”

In the summer of 2018, Elias says, “I began delving more and more into the program, getting familiar with the designs; and interestingly, my mindframe at the time was to have that social component of the business, to hire and utilize people, such as unemployed youth.”

But wanting to take on the role of a ‘One Man Army’ had its setbacks and then a debilitating health condition took a toll on Elias’ life, where he nearly lost his sight.

At that point from September 2018 to December 2019, “it was a battle with myself, my health and just maintaining the business and starting to trust people beyond myself. I had to teach them how to do certain designs,” he said.

Elias recalls that while his vision was diminishing, a female partner took over the work and over time, began contracting people “based on the job category and our current skills. Business fluctuated for all of 2019. It was not until early 2020 that we made connections with an individual from France, a professional 3D model engineer employed with Aero Space, in France.”

He says, “We made that synergy and he started being our engineer for that part-time period from 2020.”

That time frame allowed the young entrepreneurs to fine-tune their skills and in the process, participated in a summer camp that taught persons “basically, how to do 3D Model and Computer Science.”

“With my health, it was an opportunity for growth beyond myself,” Elias explains. “Because, like I sometimes tell my close friends, close associates - God has a greater plan for myself, the business, and everyone else around it. Who’s to say, if I could have seen properly, I would be calm about the whole situation being where it is today.”

Elias contends that with all the hype and ramifications in society and the wild rush to attain notoriety through ‘instant gratification’, it was necessary for him

What are some of the challenges that this young entrepreneur experienced and overcame over the six-year period that his business has been operating?

to take a step back and analyze the matter. “Taking that step back because of my vision and instead of having to go look outward at what the world is doing, it had me to look inward and to understand what really needs to happen,” he said.

Being cognizant of the magnitude of entrepreneurial scope in store for the company, Elias declares, “It has the potential to basically be the first all-purpose manufacturing company in Saint Lucia and to also facilitate the OECS countries. Our sole social intention is to make us a country which is more self-reliant and self-sufficient…more dependent on each other, rather than outsourcing everything.”

He says the challenges allowed him to “believe in self” and “believe in the vision and understanding that God is in control of all of this; and that everything that happens, whether it be good or bad, is preparation for greater strides and prosperity.”

To overcome his financial woes, Elias says he again reverted to inner perception and to “be patient and listen deep.”

In developing a ‘niche market’ for his brand, Elias asserts that they had to be innovative and reach out to a wider clientele.

“Being in a niche market and delivering a technical message only very few can understand when we’re trying to reach a wider mass, can be a bit tedious,” he explains. “So, over the years, we’ve had to try and figure out how to tap into persons, and how the market responds to certain messages, dialogue, and communication.”

Elias asserts, “Pitch the business to anyone so that they understand that it can serve from the average person to the executive, or operations manager of a company in Saint Lucia.”

The team has gotten involved in outreach programs for young people and visited schools to teach young students “about what 3D Printing is and how it can benefit them at school, and as a career.”

They have also partnered with the Saint Lucia Youth Business Trust to introduce the first 3D Printer into the Corinth Secondary School, “to help improve on their STEM subject project, and their science club.” The company has attended trade displays such as the annual Taiwanese Trade Show so as to increase the brand’s visibility.

Though he attests to gaining knowledge through ‘self-taught’ experiences, Elias saw the need to further

develop his trade. “I took the opportunity to travel to the United States and solidify my relationship with other 3D companies and others around the world so that I could address issues with them.”

“I learned how to service machines and teach others how to service the printers.”

Elias says while it is a constant challenge to learn from mistakes, the journey continues. “On the job, we’re learning; today we’re still learning…and I feel that forever we will still be learning, and that’s the beautiful thing about the industry that we’re in.”

“So, be open to receiving and delivering information, and be open to being critiqued about it as well.”

What are some of the successes and accomplishments that Elias and his team cherish?

“We’re fortunate that for every year, by God’s grace, we have reached various milestones,” he said. “We launched in 2016, and our milestone for that year was creating partnerships with China and the USA. In 2017, we made our first presentation at the Saint Lucia/Taiwan Trade Show. In 2018, we were fortunate enough to collaborate with Just 4 Fun Carnival band and produced 1,520 keychains. All of this was done in the duration of six weeks while facilitating other orders with the machine.”

The team overcame the greatest challenge in 2019, which he says, was survival “and the darkest year for myself, yet it gave me the opportunity to collaborate with Junior Achievers and Saint Lucia Youth Business Trust. They saw the idea and our vision to implement 3D Printers in various secondary schools.”

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Elias says they were able to service the private sector and public sector by manufacturing approximately 1000 face shields from scratch.

What advice would James like to dish out to up-and-coming entrepreneurs?

“If you have an idea, work on it. Take it to the next phase, write it down and if that idea comes to mind more than three times, work on it,” he contends. “The more people who tell you no, or that your idea does not make sense, it’s a good indication that you’re on to something great. Stick close to your dream, your vision, or your goal and sacrifice an hour or two hours of every day you get to work on it.”

www.dazzlethemag.com

Saveion MONCHERY

Singing with the Stars!

pg. 38

Influencer Marketing,

What is it?

What is influencer marketing? You may feel inclined to take the definitions of the two words and merge them to make sense of the phrase. For example, it may be interpreted as an influential figure or group that carries out marketing for a brand - a brand that is chasing a business goal. This may not be entirely incorrect, but there’s significantly more that you need to know to fully grasp the concept of “Influencer Marketing”.

Wikipedia defines this as “a form of social media marketing involving endorsements and product placement from influencers, people and organizations that have a purported expert level of knowledge or social influence in their field.” The term “social influence” is important in understanding why influencer marketing is even a thing to begin with.

You’ve probably seen a celebrity; singer, athlete or movie star using their social media channels to talk about or show off a product from a brand that they claim to trust and use daily.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Why would an already established brand collaborate with a popular personality when they already have an audience?” The answer is simple - this influential person is… influential. They have eyes on them at all times and are able to persuade their audience more easily to buy into or reject a product or service, even if that audience has no experience with the said product or service. That says a lot about how much “power” an influencer has in advancing a brand’s goals.

Influencer marketing is quite understandable when you look at it simply. A company telling you to buy into something is one thing, but an actual human being with tastes and a personality is a different thing altogether. People are usually more inclined to be persuaded by someone they can relate to, or someone they really like, more than an organization with which they have no connection.

It’s important to note that there is a technique to pull off influencer marketing in an effective way. If it were simply a matter of grabbing a popular name and throwing them into ad campaigns with your product, you’d have a hard time standing out. The not-so-secret method to making the most effective

influencer/brand partnership is finding an influencer that fits your brand/product. A good, safe example is having an athlete endorse your energy drink. This trend of thought can be taken to various levels, but the key in all stages is to keep it authentic. Few things seem more disingenuous than an influencer who has no meaningful connection to a brand/product promoting it like their life depends on it. Always keep in mind that you must choose wisely.

A decade ago, influencer marketing may not have been a thing to talk about, but times are changing… and by the looks of it, influencer marketing is here to stay. Take these tips as a foundation for your future endeavours either as a brand owner, or as an influencer.

YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BUYING IN 2022

XBOX Wireless Headset

Unique features make this all around solid pair of headphones stand out, making for a great buy for gamers and non-gamers.

• Earcups can be twisted to adjust volume on the le and game/chat audio on the right.

• Solid build and sound quality with adjustable EQ via the Xbox Accessories App.

• Bluetooth compatible to work with a wide range of devices.

• USB-C connection to replace 3.5mm jack.

Apple’s way of helping you keep track of what’s important with an a ordable device that attaches to virtually anything.

• Locates the attached device in the ‘Find My’ network

• Can be located via Maps if misplaced

• It’s water and dust resistant for added versatility

• Integrates pe ectly into your Apple ecosystem.

TCL 55’’ 6-Series TV

TCL is bringing new, exciting technology to the table at a third of the typical cost.

• Sharp and detailed viewing experience with a 4K UHD screen.

• Roku Smart TV features built in with a range of voice control options.

• Mini LED technology o ers unparalleled contrast and brightness.

• HDR10 screen with high refresh rates.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 40

Instant cameras are the pe ect way to capture candid moments.

• Classy, retro look, typical of Fujifilm.

• Best for casual shooters; auto exposure (with flash) and autofocus built in.

• Uses AA batteries and is loaded with film rolls (10 shots per roll).

• Small mirror on the front for composing selfies.

Saveion MONCHERY

Singing with the Stars!

Ayoung,

dynamic Saint Lucian artist is carving out a name for himself in the music scene – locally, regionally, and beyond.

Saveion is a songwriter and recording artist who has distinguished his craft by penning songs for big-name stars such as Beenie Man, Shurwayne Winchester, Teddyson ‘TJ’ John, Ricky T, and Mr. Killa, amongst others.

For someone who was originally a little doubtful about his musical potential, Saveion has come a long way to riding the waves with some top stars. He made his debut as a recording artist about five to six years ago and has not looked back since, as he pushes ahead with the goal of getting to the top of the music industry.

A graduate of the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School (LHCSS), he later moved on to pursue studies in Computer Systems Engineering at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC).

“My strategy has always been to find my passion where that journey took me…and I eventually came to music at one point and it felt right,” declares Saveion.

“Ever since, I’ve tapped into different aspects of music; whether playing instruments or writing music,” he adds. “Or just mixing music…whatever it is, I just delve into it more. Basically, I am a creator.”

As a young music enthusiast, he was mostly inspired by his mother, an avid music fan, who kept video compilations of dancehall artists such as Beenie Man. Saveion says “It was always captivating to me, and from then on, I got into it.”

His musical journey began while in Form IV at LHCSS and was solidified upon his introduction to ‘Free Style Fridays’.

A friend of Saveion’s who had participated in the sessions urged him to get involved. Soon afterwards, he made an attempt at recording and was able to sing out a verse since he had done some poetry writing at school.

“From here, I started my amateur studio and recording.”

Saveion admits that his first attempt at songwriting from conception to production was a bit challenging. Although he was a bit doubtful about writing that first song, he received some positive feedback from his friends after the song was released.

He initially got some airplay for his songs, with some criticism, but he acknowledges, “It was a learning lesson for me to get my songs sounding as best as they could. And then from that first song, I went on to write more music and more people in the industry became aware of my writing skill.”

Saveion recalls that his earliest contact person was Nicole David, and then he linked up with producers such as Leebo and Curty, “and people got more interested in my song writing to the point where Curty introduced me to Mr. Killa from Grenada. The first regional song that I wrote was for Mr. Killa.”

He was subsequently introduced to Shurwayne Winchester and Christopher Martin for whom he also wrote a song. “And from there, I just kept growing and then ventured outside of Saint Lucia to network. When I returned home, I made connections with more artists, like Michael Robinson.”

With the amplified pulse of music vibes flowing through his veins, Saveion says, “I had just been writing in the background and soon along came Teddyson John (TJ). I also wrote music for Ricky T and we won a Road March; and then on to the Soca Monarch title where Ricky T and Superman HD won with the tune ‘Perfect Storm’.

Saveion went on to partner with TJ for the release of the song ‘Vent’ and then later on, to release ‘Crème de La Crème’. He has also done collaborations with regional artists such as Kes, and recently, Skinny Fabulous.

He has released several songs over the past three years, “But then I took a break from writing songs for others in order to focus on my craft because something amazing happened to me along the way.” Saveion explains. “As a recording artist, I released a self-written song and started to debut my music as Saveion in 2016.”

About 2017 to 2018, he wrote a song called ‘Perfect Body’ but felt that the song was not “totally up to par and so I did some Snippets on Instagram and an international artist called Nicky B contacted me.”

He said Nicky B was impressed with the song and showed interest in creating a songwriting team. He later collaborated with Nicky B as a member of the team.

After a video shoot for the song was completed, Saveion says, “It was like steps of being surprised each time”. The evolution of the song included shooting the music video in Saint Lucia and getting it aired on BET. Moving on, Saveion got introduced to Nicky B’s record label and met with some top influential people in the music industry. “And that’s the point I’m at right now,” he says.

Saveion took Dazzle Magazine further into the inner circle of his work and the motivating factors that helped him make the ‘big break’ and bridge the gap between him and some big-name stars.

He credits DJ Scady Dot P as the one “who was pushing my music the most at that time.” Scady was also instrumental in giving constructive feedback and advising Saveion on the need to improve the quality of his tracks.

Quite coincidentally around that time, Saveion met with Yohann “Yogi” Deterville, a top ranked Saint Lucian music producer who informed him about his studio.

He linked up with Yogi and before long, Saveion visited Yogi’s Studio 9, situated at Anse La Raye.

www.dazzlethemag.com

But what motivated Saveion to explore music in its entirety?

What was the development process like for Saveion, and meeting people who helped motivate him and develop his artistic talents?

“That‘s where my actual artistic development began; at that specific point…and it was the first time that I recorded in a studio with Yogi,” he explains.

He also got to hook up with other influential people on the local entertainment scene, such as Rankin Morgan, Irvine “Smokes” Springer, “and they were the ‘heavy hitters’ in the game, as producers at the time. They also recorded a few songs with me as well”.

He adds, “All this helped to build my character because people were actually reaching out to me professionally and that played an instrumental role in my career.”

What is Saveion’s favourite song amongst all the tunes that he has written?

“My favourite song would have to be ‘Crème de la Crème’ by Teddyson John, as it was supposed to be my song,” he says. “We were going through some demos that I had and I was supposed to have released that song before the ‘Perfect Body’”.

However, he recalls, “But he (TJ) really liked that song ‘Crème de la Crème’ because the melody makes it different. So we had to change it up to suit him.”

Saveion says at the time he was into experimenting with a fusion of Dennery Segment and pop music “to try to make it up more as a cross-over vibe, and then I got the beat for the song and that was the inspiration behind it.”

He has no regrets about “giving up” the song to TJ since he says it did very well as the first cross-over of that kind infusing Dennery Segment with a bit of Groovy Soca, “and that kind of vibe added to it.”

How far has Saveion’s talent taken him and what has been the biggest high light in his career, so far?

“In terms of my song writing, right now I’m actually submitting music to record labels and artists that I never even dreamed of working with, and never thought possible,” he declares. “But I guess my talent has brought me into different circles and networking, which is a great tool.”

With his sights set on reaching higher heights, Saveion asserts, “In terms of writing for international artists like Nicky B,just being featured on songs that would be submitted for Grammy Awards has taken me from exploring the local market to entering the regional scene and now I am just getting my feet wet

in the international market.”

What keeps Saveion motivated with such passion for his craft?

“What keeps me motivated is us having a thriving music industry in Saint Lucia and the development of it. And if I can contribute to it, no matter how small my contribution is, I will always want to see Saint Lucia develop have a functioning music industry. I am inspired to just achieve that goal which I set for myself when I was younger although it’s testing,” he declared.

“ Success is slowing coming to fruition because a few of my goals have already checked off and so I just keep dreaming big.”

What is the notion behind Saveion’s rebranding of his music project?

“I remember going by the name of ‘Blue’ when I was younger, but what I have realized is that with the development of technology and all these platforms and search engines, people want things at their fingertips right away,” he explains.

Saveion took on a whole new approach to rebranding his name and material - from ditching the original name ‘Blue’ that he found was so common on the web - to Saveion.

And how does Saveion describe himself?

“I’d say ‘creative’…that would branch off into so many other things to make me just a creative person,” he says.

Being thrust into the spotlight in collaboration with a fellow countryman, he recalls, “When we penned ‘Vent’ and I saw the reaction (because that was my first time working with Teddyson), I was really in doubt because this is TJ and he trusts me to write a song with him.” Saveion admits he was a bit doubtful when he took up that project, “but when I saw the reaction to Vent and people singing it word for word, traveling across the world or in a fete somewhere, I was like - Yow I was a part of this!”

He adds, “Just the impact that it had on Saint Lucia, and regionally raised the volume for my craft.”

What are Saveion’s aspirations for the future?

“Moving forward, I see myself creating more content for diverse channels…for artists and just to diversify

fun facts

Mac or Windows?

Definitely Mac

Funniest thing that happened to you during a performance?

I was introducing a song but somehow, I was hyping up the wrong song. So when the DJ played the actual song, I was kind of stuck and everyone was like – Yeah, this is not the song. So that was funny, but I recovered from that quickly.

Favourite fruit?

My favourite fruit would have to be grapes.

Most memorable childhood memory? Pertaining to music, it would have to be just watching all these tapes of dancehall artists, like Shabba Ranks. Just watching them perform on stage and being captivated by the performances.

myself musically; not only being an artist but being an executive as part of a label, or finding ways to give back. I always want to give back; I always want to help create.”

“So, I think for me it is transitioning into an executive role after I accomplish all my goals as an artist.”

Is Saveion currently working on any passionate projects?

“Definitely. I’m always working. I just did a few features on some very important albums…for some well-known world-renowned artists,” he says. “I’m actually in the process of shooting three music videos which will be released very soon. We just wrapped up two, so we’re missing one and I’m working on a mix-tape and an album which will be released at some point.”

This industrious and versatile artist declares, “I’m always working and with all the downtime during the pandemic, I’ve been writing a lot. And I’m very excited to share my craft with the rest of the world.”

Saveion has been the face for commercial entities, such as Just 4 Fun Carnival Band when he served as a brand ambassador a couple of years ago.

And now, he says, “I am the face and the brand ambassador for FRUTA.”

He added that FRUTA is trying to introduce the brand to the international market, and after his BET promotion, the parent company of the beverage brand decided that “it was a good idea to collaborate our brands since we are heading in the same direction. They contacted me and proposed a partnership with me as the brand’s Brand Ambassador.”

Saveion’s advice to other budding artists is, “Don’t jump onto any trend. Try to find yourself as a creative person; stay authentic and just diversify your craft and keep in tune with regional and international markets. Familiarise yourself with the songs and try to match the songs, not mimic them …and enhance your craft to make it sound worthy of being on these markets as well. Because you want to get your craft into the highest places.”

What is the latest deal that Saveion has going on with FRUTA Tropical Fruit Beverages?

about

ADVERTISE WITH US

advertising@dazzlethemag.com

www.dazzlethemag.com