INBusiness-Feb-April 2014 iEdition by Patrick Hoyos

InBusiness SPECIAL REPORT: MILESTONES & ACHIEVEMENTS 2013

FEBruary-april 2014

How Bernie Weatherhead, with the support of HIS family and employees, built one of Barbadosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most stable yet fastestgrowing privatelyheld companies.

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Dear colleague, ition Second Ed INBusiness Magazine will be published four times in 2014 - in February, May, July and October. There will be a regular Young Professionals Section in each one, ES PROFIL as well as special reports. These include “Leading Women in Business” (May); “Summer I.D.E.A.S. (Info on Dining, Entertainment, Activities, and Shopping)” (July); and “The Excellence in Business Awards” (October). NNIE We will also have a cover story on aEBOleading business executive ROWE t m in each issue. nts tha Honey Ja the eve ture from recalls will r a p e d There also be sector-specific features and surveys, includhis looks shaped orts and s e R d n le lmo ingA“Barbados’ Emerging Medical Specialist Sector,” “Choosing a ew ro to his n forward oast hotel c Private School in Barbados,” “The Role of Museums & Art Gallerof south eloper. dev r/ e n w KAYM o ies in Tourism,” “Mall Survey: Expansion in NBarbados’ Commercial A R A DY L L JORD R A H S A R N & Retail Sectors.” A THE M MARKM kins, A ttle Munch OF AN KING KING Libookings asures le E F IR S Toffering P WeT Hare discounts for multiple - five percent le tt F Li EDITO NEW MENT O R PAul MAN IN S TA L L E R IE S IN for two issues; ten percent for three, and fifteen percent for all WS AlTM E OUR NE L P P O E OWER lIMEG AN O U N G P IR Y N O R four, onR S Uhalf VISIO OVE’S IN G T H Eor full page ads. ER 2013 • NOVEMB

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Just read our “up close and personal” stories on Ralph (based on four columns) Taylor, Elias Habib, Paul Altman and Bernie Weatherhead, or any ofPage our profiles of rising and you’ll4,000 copies distributed free of charge over two Quarter 5”H x 3.7” W $young 700.00professionals, plus VAT Full Page 11”H x 8.5”W......................................... $2,800.00 plus VAT see what we mean. We’re passionate about our reporting months to businesses, restaurants, conference Half Page 5”H x 7.5” W $1,400.00 plus VAT Half Page 5”H x 7.5” W hotels, (4-col) .............................. $1,400.00 plus VAT and we hope it shows. centres, and shopping malls. PDF edition emailed to plus VAT Quarter Page 5”H x 3.7”W (2-col)............................ $700.00 Besides our in-depth profiles, INBusiness Magazine also Two-Thirds Page 1,200 business executives and available for viewing Full Page 11”H x 8.5”W $2,800.00 plus VAT provides a forum for discussion on how to make Barbados 7”H x 5.6”W (3-col) or 10”H x 3.7”W (2-col)............ $900.00 plus VAT or download on www.issuu.com.• Price includes full colour. Artwork: 300dpi CMYK a better place to do business, and reports on economic and One-Third Page consumer trends in the local economy. 3.5”H x 5.6”W (3-col) or 5”H x 3.7”W (2-col).......... $450.00 plus VAT We are read by thousands of entrepreneurs, executives Price includes full colour. Artwork: 300dpi CMYK and professionals in Barbados, both in print and online (at www.issuu.com).They represent an upscale target market Discounts for consecutive bookings: 5% for two issues; 10% for three, and 15% for four. interested in real estate ownership, banking and financial Minimum size: Quarter page. products, vehicle purchase or leasing, as well as travel and insurance services. For more information, contact Patrick Hoyos If you want to reach this market, let’s talk. We’re passionat (246) 230-5687 or via email at pathoyos@gmail.com ate about serving our clients, too.

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InBusiness Third Edition • February-April 2014 special report

COVER STORY

Empire of the Sun

How Bernie Weatherhead, with the support of his wife Marilda, sons Alfredo and Roddy, family members and employees, built one of Barbados’ most stable yet fastest-growing privately-held companies. - Page 2

Pat: Hoyos: A Pocketful of Sunshine Companies which have shown the courage to take remedial action early rather than later are faring better than those which didn’t, one exec told me. Page 9

THE ECONOMY

• BLPC progresses in 2013 despite challenges - Page 10

The government must devise and execute a credible plan to restructure the $2.6B added to the national debt from incurring the current account deficits from 2008/09 through December 2013,” writes Ryan Straughn. - Page 3

• KPMG Barbados celebrates 40 years of service - Page 11

Ryan Straughn: Investor confidence lowest in 2013

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Since we published the first instalment of Young Professionals in our November 2013 edition, the response has been positive and highly encouraging. We are proud to present our second batch of innovative, dedicated and highly motivated Young Professionals. - All articles by Amanda Cummins, INBusiness writer

Editor: Patrick R. Hoyos Writers: Amanda Cummins, Pat Hoyos Magazine Consultant: Tony Cumberbatch Printers: Printweb Caribbean Ltd., Barbados Published by Hoyos Publishing Inc. Lot 1A, Boarded Hall, St. George M 230-5687 bsjbarbados@gmail.com

• Columbus in 2013 - Page 12 • Sun Group companies win international awards - Page 14

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A Special Report in our May Edition Contact Pat Hoyos at 230-5687 or at pathoyos@gmail.com

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 1

InBusiness the economy

investor confidence lowest in 2013

by Ryan Straughn

he year 2013 was quite amazing politically, socially, and economically. It began with much promise as there appeared to be national consensus that our affairs could not continue to be run as if it was business as usual.

“

The apparent urgency for change heightened by elections proved to be short lived in spite of the trends of the economic indicators. The performance of the net international reserves created additional pressure as it was the clearest sign yet that business and investor confidence was at its lowest ebb. This lack of confidence was a direct result of the collective failure of both the fiscal and monetary authorities to address the fundamental issues impacting the economy frontally and in a time sensitive manner as shown in the chart on the next page. The government shelved its much touted Medium-Term Fiscal Strategy (MTFS) in April after the Central Bank finally stated that it had gone off-track and launched the Medium-Term Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) in June at the national consultation. Given the level of fiscal responsibility employed by successive administrations, any strategy that intentionally spends more recurrent expenditure than current revenue in excess of $300 million annually on average could never be on track to begin with. That said, comparatively speaking, the MTFS was simpler to implement than the MGDS and so one is left to wonder whether this new strategy will be shelved in the foreseeable future taking the government’s record into consideration. 2014 has also commenced with a similar sense of urgency and anxiety as the full extent of the events in 2013 begin to take hold. Five months have already expired and expenditure cuts related to public sector employment are yet to be implemented. However, the consolidation tax is already in its 5th month and its cumu-

Our government has become gangrene and threatens the foundations on which the country has been built.

”

lative impact will be felt greater this year. Taking the government’s propensity for delaying cuts in expenditure, it is very likely the consolidation tax will remain in place long after March 2015 since neither the revenue nor expenditure targets are likely to be met sufficiently for its removal. The NIR chart also shows the downward trend continues after the injection of funds from the Credit Suisse US$150 million loan which I fully expect to continue in 2014. With business, consumer and investor confidence at all-time lows, the prospect of increased private foreign capital inflows remain doubtful. As mentioned earlier, the business community will feel the full effects of the consolidation tax this year as households begin to shift expenditure patterns in preparation for the anticipated public sector retrenchment. Already for 2014, some businesses have commenced with a 20% reduction in wages and salaries by shifting to a 4-day work week. In such an environment, it is difficult to see how the economy can grow since aggregate disposable incomes will be further reduced as there is no reduction in the cost of living and the tax burden remains high. The reader should be aware that the 3,000 public sectors jobs identified for retrenchment is only intended to help close the budget deficit for fiscal

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 2

Barbados:

Net International Reserves

(Charts courtesy Abelian Consulting Services) year 2013/2014 and given the late start, additional public sectors workers must be removed from Smart Stream (the government’s payroll system) if the government is to make any significant inroads from 2014/15 fiscal year. The government must devise and execute a credible plan to restructure the estimated $2.641 billion added to the national debt from incurring the current account deficits from 2008/09 through December 2013. To obtain some perspective, the current account deficit for the first 9 months of 2013/2014 is approximately $50 million less than that for the full fiscal year 2012/13. Therefore, one can reasonably conclude that the government’s delay not only caused an increase in the national debt but also an increase in debt service at a time when revenues are also declining. During the first quarter of 2013 current expenditure totalled approximately $822 million and a current account deficit of some $187 million. It will take a Herculean effort to effectively reduce this recurrent expenditure by $143 million in just two months. Our two primary economic indicators are in bad shape and the government seems un-

able to come to grips with the full ramifications of both their actions and inactions. We have resorted to borrowing in foreign currency to essentially finance domestic debt whilst government spending continually increases totally disregarding the declining revenues. Our government has become gangrene and threatens the very foundations on which the development of the country has

been built. Everyone and everything (businesses, households and institutions) are now truly vulnerable for the first time since selfgovernment. There is no more time to dilly-dally, we must act swiftly before the infection spreads and consumes the entire economy. • Ryan Straughn is Managing Director of Abelian Consulting Services

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 3

InBusiness cover story How Bernie Weatherhead, with the support of his wife Marilda, sons Alfredo and Roddy, family members and employees, built one of Barbados’ most stable yet fastestgrowing privatelyheld companies .

B By Pat Hoyos

Arbadian Entrepreneur Bernie Weatherhead’s latest business challenge is currently unfolding on the national stage with the reopening of part of the Almond Beach Village. Last year, at the request of the Barbados government, which owns the property and has announced a deal with Butch Stewart to build a completely new Beaches Resort on the site in the next few years, Bernie committed his Sun Group Hotels subsidiary to the challenge of renovating and operating part of the sprawling facility in the interim.

After a $3 million renovation to pools, public areas, restaurants and rooms, the hotel re-opened recently under the name Almond Beach Resort as a four-star, family-friendly all-inclusive, with 135 rooms on the southern half of the property. With the clock ticking down to the planned demolition, Bernie said that he accepted the government’s offer, not for the financial compensation, but to assist in bringing hotel rooms back in service and hopefully at the same time to show that Almond could be run successfully without the need to completely rebuild. In 2012 Bernie purchased CLICO International General Insurance Ltd., renaming it Sun General Insurance, and took the opportunity to rebrand his rapidly expanding group of companies as, simply, The Sun Group Inc. This is the story of how it all came to be, from very modest beginnings in the 1960s. Bernie Weatherhead, in his mid-Sixties, remains firmly in charge of the “empire” he has nurtured over four decades. Bernie and Maril-

EMPIRE OF THE

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da’s two sons, Alfredo and Roddy, work in the family business, with Alfredo being groomed to take over from Bernie when he retires, and Roddy overlooking the hotels in the group – the Sugar Cane Club, Worthing Court, The Savannah Hotel and Time Out - as well as being more involved in decision-making for the group. Marilda, whom Bernie describes as the “strong backbone” of the family, also runs the group’s Frangipani Art Gallery at both the Sugar Cane Club and the Savannah.

Looking back over his career as an entrepreneur Bernie notes that “over the years I developed companies that in one way or the other tied into the other one. Today we are employing over 750 people, and in most cases you could find anything that would tie into that, so my development in the future could be into anything, not necessarily tourism.” Bernie Weatherhead’s story in business started, not with a capital investment, but when he went to work on a plantation.

InBusiness InBusiness •• February-April February-April 2014 2014 •• Page Page 44

His father died when he was eight, and a church paid part of the cost of his education. But sitting down in a classroom trying to learn was not a challenge for young Bernard, and he wanted to get out of school as soon as possible. “It bored me,” he told INBusiness. In 1962, at sixteen, he had tried to join the British military when recruiters came to the island, but his mother found out and nipped his plan in the bud. A few weeks before his next birthday he told the manager of Alleynedale Plantation that he was 17 years old, and got a job. He would spend the first six years of his working life in the sugar industry, working at several plantations on the island. His mother, with four children to raise alone, struggled to pay the bills. “I used to take my paycheck, which was $110 dollars a month, and put it in my mother’s hand,” he recalls. During that six years, Bernie not only learned a lot about agriculture, but about managing people, which would give him the confidence he needed to move on to new challenges. He also met, courted and married his wife Marilda. In those days, only the plantation managers had vehicles. The supervisors all had to ride horses. When he took up the job, that was fine with Bernie. “I used to ride a horse seven days a week, from six in the morning to five in the evening on weekdays, and on Saturdays down the east coast and all over the island,” he recalls. Later, when he went to work at Edgecumbe Plantation, he had the choice of a Land Rover or a horse, but he still rode more than he drove.

“Plantation Man” meets “Big-City Girl”

The first time Bernie Weatherhead saw his future wife was one afternoon in the mid-Sixties when he was dropping his mother off at a bingo game at the Royal Caribbean hotel on the south coast. “I saw these two Venezuelan girls there, (who turned out to be) Marilda and her cousin.” He was smitten. Bernie learned from friends that Marilda was staying with her aunt Anna Marshall in St. James and was here to learn English. This early encounter did not get Marilda interested, and only by sheer persistence, he recalls, did they start to date after she returned from spending Christmas with her parents in Caracas. A few months later, after Marilda had completed her studies and returned home, he flew down to Venezuela to propose to her. “I remember her father looking at me. He couldn’t speak any English, so she had to interpret, and he asked me, ‘Son, what can you do other than the plantation business?’ I said to him, ‘I can do anything that I want to do.’ And her father spent the whole night laughing at that response, because there wasn’t anything I could tell him (to prove) that statement. So for the whole night that was a personal joke for him, that this young man says he can do anything. My wife tells me all the time, ‘You know, my father, long before he died, realised that you really could do anything.’” They got married in 1967, when he had just

CWTS Building at Lower Estate, St. Michael, headquarters of the Sun Group Inc. too far. One of his innovations was to convince the company to buy its own heavy equipment instead of renting, and to sell it off afterwards, which turned out to be a very cost-effective move. “I think I did an exceptional job, and they considered that I was management quality,” he Building his future, literally Bernie’s journey from the plantation to the recalls. He thinks he was in the right place at the right corporate world had a fairly average start, although showing from early his growing self- time. Sugar was in decline in the 1970s and Barbadian companies and individuals were starting confidence and interest in entrepreneurship. Dealing with staff on the plantations turned to invest in the hotel industry, but just building. out to be good supervisory training for the young “The luxury apartment hotels got very upset and man. It gave him the opportunity to use his de- said we would bring cheap tourism to the island,” veloping people-management skills in other ar- he remembers. The first of these new additions to the tourist eas. By that time, 1969, Bernie could see sugar was in decline. Labour was already being im- plant was Sunset Crest, followed by Sandridge. ported from St. Vincent to cut cane. “We had Then other hotels like Asta, Silver Sands, and to convert buildings for accommodations for Sand Acres came on stream. Bernie and Basil Gooding of Asta worked together people. Barbadians weren’t into learn the business as Basil was terested,” he says. also new to the tourism business, A local firm, H. Jason Jones but others like Peter McKeever & Co. Ltd., had bought the helped Bernie learn his new trade. private residence called “SanHe said Jason Jones never made dridge” on the island’s west any money out of the hotel becoast and had started to build cause in those days travel agents a hotel, but then realised they considered the property too far wanted a project manager. Then from the airport. “When I tried 23, Bernie applied for the job, to promote Sandridge and said I although he had had no previwas 19 miles from the airport the ous experience in building or Marilda Weatherhead travel agent didn’t even want me construction, and got it, with an through the door.” Some years it offer to probably form part of the management of the hotel after it was opened. did well, other years it didn’t.

turned 21, despite his mother’s worry that he was too young and was making a mistake by marrying a “big-city girl” while he was just a “plantation man.” The couple honeymooned at the then brand-new Hilton Hotel.

He became the general manager of Sandridge Hotel from 1970, and bought it from Jason Jones Sandridge joins the fold Soon after their marriage, Bernie and Marilda in 1985. As Sandridge project manager, Bernie had to had launched Bernmar Investments, the name make sure cost stayed within budget. Builders coined from the couple’s first names. One of its first enterprises was a car rental make a lot of mistakes, he says, and his job was to ensure they were corrected before they went firm, which Bernie called Drive-A-Matic,

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 5

started with six cars in 1972, the year after Sandridge opened. By 1985 it had 20 cars. In 1982, he headed a partnership to buy the Sugar Cane Club, a ten-acre property located a few miles north and inland from Sandridge, at auction, on the basis that it would not be competitive with the beachside property. As soon as it was purchased, the opportunity came along to lease it out to the company that was going to build the build the Arawak Cement Plant, which removed the burden of the loan for the hotel for the first three years. When H. Jason Jones decided to sell Sandridge, he was offered it at a very concessionary price. Recalls Bernie: “I had no alternative but to buy because, where was I going to go? There was nothing on the horizon happening in Barbados everything was going upside down. Things were so bad in this country coming out of the oil crisis that you never knew from day to day how you were going to make your next payroll.” The late ‘70s and early ‘80s were taking a toll on business. “In the summer of 1985 I sat on the pool deck as the new owner of Sandridge, having managed it all this time. I sat with three rooms occupied and twelve staff, and no vision of where we were going to go.” He teamed up with Richard Williams, who had just taken over at Cobblers Cove, a luxury property nearby, along with other hoteliers Margo Bennett of Buccaneer Bay and Basil Gooding of Asta, to find ways to market their properties. Bernie and Richard came up with “inclusive” packages in 1985, a forerunner to what became known industry-wide as the “all-inclusive”, which they marketed to Chieftain Holidays in Canada. It comprised a room, three meals, watersports and free rum drinks. You had to pay for other drinks. Looking back at the economic trials they had to overcome, Bernie says the period 1975-85 in Barbados was much worse than the recession we have had since 2008. “The Barbados Development Bank was formed, he says, because “they had to find some financial mechanism to be able to help companies stay alive.” It was the BDB which loaned him the money to buy Sandridge. The “inclusive” product concocted by Weatherhead-Williams was directed only at the Canadian market and had been the brainchild of desperation. The head of Chieftain told Bernie that the rate put on the inclusive package was too high, and worked with him on reducing costs. “We got to a stage where he said, ‘All right, breakfast: Give me bacon even if you have to cut the damn egg in half !’” Bernie knew he had to do volume in order to make the deal work. It was a hit. “Sandridge, with 52 rooms, ran full to capacity, with people flying in on the charter. While we were not making large profits, the initiative gave both Cobblers, at a Luxury rate, and Sandridge, at an A-Class rate, the cash flow they badly needed.” Drive-A-Matic continued to grow as Bernie purchased other rental firms and eventually

Alfredo Weatherhead Managing Director

Roddy Weatherhead Managing Director, Hotel Group

merged them into one Sunset Crest Motors, National Car Rentals, and Sunny Isle Rentals. “These companies were in fact offered to me; I never left my desk one day and went looking for a company (to buy).” His strategy then was to accept the offers in order to “take out the competition.” As he did so, he looked at the average rentals of each and scaled back both the numbers and rental permits. “Let’s say they had twenty cars and an average occupancy of sixty percent: I bought the company, got rid of the excess that wasn’t being used and kept twelve cars and their permits, so as far as I was concerned I was operating at the maximum occupancy.” But while it was a good idea in theory, it didn’t work out in practice the more companies he acquired and downsized. The remaining number of vehicles meant good occupancy for Drive-AMatic, but also created a demand in the overall rental car business, he notes. His staff in the rental car business “fought for that business like it was their own,” he says, recalling the extra effort put in to locate cars which had been stolen. “They would drive in the night with me, we would get on the roads and we would find our motor cars. They would be up all night and come to work the next day the same way.”

Trans Island Airways

In the early nineties Bernie headed a group which purchased Aero Services from the Barbados government, renaming it Trans Island Airways, or TIA. For most of the Nineties, he did everything he could to make the airline profitable, expanding the fleet from three to nine aircraft; rebranding some as BeeWee Express under contract with BWIA, and operating the FedEx contract for the Caribbean. “We had a good thing going, but the airline industry is like no other industry you will ever come across. It is a mercenary industry,” he says. In the hotel sector other hoteliers had helped him learn the ropes, but in aviation, he says, “One airline is out to put the other one out of business every day, and it hasn’t changed.” There was no cooperation from other carriers, nor from the Barbados government, he recalls. One of TIA’s initiatives was in bringing in a Twin Otter to ply routes between Barbados and neighbouring islands, whose governments gave TIA permission within two weeks of applying. But, he says, “My government, my island, the place where I was born, with me paying $3,000 a

day to lease this airplane, took three-and-a-half months to give me permission to fly.” He sold TIA in the late 1990s to Canadian investor Bruce Kauffman, because he felt it would not become profitable without much more investment and he had already gone as far he wanted to go in that regard. Bernie looks back on his decision to invest in an airline as “the biggest mistake” of his business career.

oday the Sun Group operates the largest travel agency business in the wider Caribbean area, including The Bahamas. It started when Bernie decided to buy the BITS group of travel agencies from Major Allan Batson. “BITS was bought because of one bad investment I made in my life, the one time I went in a direction that maybe wasn’t smart, but it was a passion of mine. I was a pilot and I decided to get into the airline business.” In earlier days travel agencies had made good profits, he says, but as the airline companies steadily reduced commissions and government piled on more taxes, Allan Batson decided to sell. “He came to me and said, Bernie, you have an airline; you need a travel agency.” He offered to share his expertise on how to run it and came up with the by-now-required “good deal,” so in 1998 Bernie bought it. He and Alfredo moved their offices to the BITS building in Bridgetown and also brought in a consultant from the U.S. to help them learn the business. “That was the magic of it,” he says. “The guy told us how travel agencies were run in the United States and (gave us) a very clear direction on what we had to do to make money. We took his advice, and today, I have the largest retail travel agency anywhere from Florida to South America. We are V.I.P. members of the G.D.S. system Sabre and the largest travel retail group in Central America and the Caribbean.” The company, renamed Going Places, now operates in 14 countries, but when Bernie bought the BITS group from Allan Batson it only had branches in Barbados (BITS), Grenada (GITS), St. Vincent (SITS), and St. Lucia (SLITS). Bernie says he had to change the name because he wanted to expand into Trinidad, and Marilda refused to approve the obvious acronym that would result. It was also difficult marketing the company with so many names. He liked the name Going Places, but at the time the charter airline Airtours had over 300 travel agencies in the UK with the same name. He asked for their approval, which he got, not knowing Airtours had already decided to change its Going Places brand name to My Travel. Airtours later went under. Over the years, as commissions fell, Bernie decided that he had to go for volume, and set out to take over failing travel agencies. “We went into Trinidad and every other English-speaking island in the Caribbean, including Cariacou, Canouan, Dominica, and Antigua,” he says.

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 6

Going Places doubled in size with the acquisition of Destinations, the largest travel agency in The Bahamas. In the last year, the firm acquired two travel agencies in Florida. “We are now trying to create an inbound operation for Going Places and Great Escapes, which is the firm’s tour operating arm,” says Bernie. Growth through acquisition, as in the car rental and travel agency businesses, has been a major part of the Sun Group’s success over the years, but Bernie is equally proud of companies which he created from scratch out of his imagination. One of these was Island Safari. Not one to take a bus tour to see the sights, Bernie came up with a Caribbean version of a “safari,” using Land Rovers for off-road sightseeing, with fewer people and providing a more personal experience. “Everybody that I knew shot me down on it. They said, ‘Bernie, a bus carries forty passengers, one engine and one driver. So how are you going to get eight passengers in a jeep with one driver and one engine to make economic sense?’ I said, ‘Well, I will charge more and run a tour that people will seek out.’” He and his son Alfredo selected many of the routes for the tour themselves, but there was still a lot of red tape to overcome in terms of getting a license. Eventually the right person was found to manage it in Ralph White, and Island Safari was launched in the late 90s, becoming highly successful. Eventually, competition came along in the form of Adventureland, but after a few years they asked Bernie to buy them out. He says that they had priced their tours too low in an effort to gain market share and found the business to be unsustainable. Island Safari is also in Antigua. The Sun Group also owns Worthing Court Hotel, one of the former GEMS properties, which had been shut up for years. “We revamped it and made it into a lovely little hotel with competitive rates and Internet access, put new management into it, and it runs with extremely good occupancy year round.” The group already owns the large Sunny Isle Motors property on the western side of Worthing Court. Worthing Court, located on the “land side” of a busy highway, quickly became a success for the group, as did the former Johnson’s Stables car rental company, which had lost money prior to its acquisition. “it’s just about going out there and putting your effort into making these things happen he says.” The other two GEMS properties, Time Out at the Gap and the Savannah Hotel, which the group has leased from the government, both have challenges, he admits. When he was considering taking on the leases, he says, “I never went into a room at Time Out or Savannah and not find the lights burning and the air-conditioner running.” Purchasing an insurance company was a major departure for the group, which up to then had mainly stayed within tourism and related sectors of the economy. But for a company with 500 vehicles and numerous properties to insure every year, Bernie certainly did have a lot of experience being a large-scale purchaser of insurance. How-

“They said, ‘bernie, how are you going to get eight passengers in a jeep with one driver and one engine to make economic sense?’ I said, ‘Well, I will charge more and run a tour that people will seek out.’” ever, he says he was even more cautious than ever before in evaluating the company, formerly CLICO International General Insurance Ltd., which was renamed Sun General Insurance. The company has offices in seven islands. “With the insurance company, you are now getting into actuarial work, so we brought in our own actuaries at great cost to do an assessment as to the viability of the insurance company, and how long (it would take for us) to get a return on investment.” He has taken the most conservative financial stance possible. “We are re-insuring at the maximum of 80 percent because we are not taking any chances, we are in it for the long term, we want to build it back.” He adds: “We have a conservative staff down there, not prepared to take on any and every insurance that is offered to it. So we are going to run a thrifty company and build it back up.”

ernie Weatherhead says that, despite the economic downturn affecting Barbados and many islands in the Caribbean, the group is still doing well. “Going Places and my tourism companies are producing the profits that they made last year.” Drive-A-Matic is doing well, although he emphasizes that it is not the cheapest rental car on the island. “It is a matter of producing a product and a quality of service, and having the people that are dealing with it on a day-to-day business understand that this is their life and blood, as it is mine.” After doing a major refurbishment and reopening in 2008, Bernie says the Sugar Cane Club is a “truly world-class boutique hotel.” In recent years it has won several awards, including the Trip Advisor award in the Relaxation & Spa category, and Virgin Atlantic’s award for Finest Small Hotel in the Caribbean. Space does not allow for more than a passing mention of some of the other businesses which are also part of the Sun Group. They include

Seafari, featuring rides on a 55-foot powerboat; the Copacabana Beach Bar & Grill on Browne’s Beach; SunTours Caribbean, a destination management company; Tropical Weddings, which arranges “memorable wedding and renewal of vows ceremonies”; SunTours Transport (formerly Johnson’s Tours) which rents stretch limos, coaches and SUVs; iMart Convenience Store & Pharmacy; Hallmark Card Store; Rubis Sunset Crest service station; and The Refinery Duty Free Shop at the airport. Bernie believes that he has the ability to see things coming down the pipeline that others may not see as clearly. With the exception of the insurance company, he says, he has never had outside professionals come in and give him an assessment of a potential purchase. “Part of it was a gut feeling, but I would go home and put my pen to paper and say, how can I turn this around, what can I do with it? “When I look at a balance sheet I am looking for very specific areas and I do not need anyone to look at it for me. So when I look at a company and I can see possibilities where costs are way out of any sort of norm, I say to myself, ‘If I take that I can better it.’” He sums it up as follows: “We managed our companies carefully, taking our profits and turning them back into the companies, and we built a group that I could proudly say for years now can weather a storm because our indebtedness - even before the sale of Sandridge - was at a very low ratio, because we went after our loans, getting them down to manageable sizes so that if there was ever a problem we would not be in a crunch.” The basis for the business “empire” which Bernie Weatherhead now controls developed organically over the years, as Bernie found his true vocation as an entrepreneur. “I have a gift that some people don’t have. I have been blessed with a vision. But that vision does not come with education, I’m afraid. It comes with individuals. It is what has made a lot of the entrepreneurs in this world go in their (chosen) directions - the Bill Gates’ and the Richard Bransons.” It is part of his personality to downplay his role as a business tycoon. “There are some people who say that everything I put my hand to turns to gold, but I think hard work, good management, team-building, and everyone pushing (make the difference).” He continues: “Over the years I have worked from four o’clock in the morning until all sorts of hours at night,” getting involved in every level of the operations of his companies. I chose to live that way. What I have created are managements that worked all hours under me, and they themselves have created teams (that do likewise).” He says he hired young managers and impressed on them the need to create teams. “You don’t get a company to function without creating a team spirit. You could not walk through any of the offices in my companies and find anyone reading the newspaper. Every one of our staff is a driver - they believe they are part of the company.” *

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 7

InBusiness Appointments

David Noel is new MD for Scotiabank Barbados & Caribbean East

avid Noel is the new man charged with leading Scotiabank in Barbados and Caribbean East. Mr. Noel will lead the bank in nine countries as the Caribbean East district includes Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. An experienced banker and a CFA charterholder, Mr. Noel started his career with Scotiabank in his native Jamaica, joining the bank in 2001 as an attorney in the Corporate & Legal department. In 2003 he was appointed senior vice president, senior legal counsel and corporate secretary with responsibility for the legal, compliance and corporate secretarial departments. In this role he served as the

principal legal adviser and head of compliance for the Scotiabank Jamaica Group. In June 2008, Mr. Noel moved to Toronto on a leadership development program and worked in commercial banking, retail banking, global risk management and various international banking departments. In 2010, he was appointed district vice president in the Atlantic Canada Region where he was responsible for Scotiabank’s branch network in East New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

While in Atlantic Canada, he was the chairman of the United Way campaign for South East New Brunswick and served on the board of directors of the Atlantic Ballet Theatre Company. Mr. Noel has a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill and David Noel, Managing Director, was called to the bar in Jamaica in 1997. • Scotiabank Caribbean East

Ravi Tewari is new Group Chief Executive Officer for Guardian Holdings Ltd.

uardian Holdings Ltd. has promoted Ravi Tewari to the position of group chief executive officer effective January 1, 2014. He replaces Jeffrey Mack who will retire on December 31, 2013. The Chairman also announced that Mr. Mack will remain on the GHL Board as a non-executive director until the next Annual General Meeting and until such time, he will be available to assist in the leadership transition. As part of the executive changes, GHL further announced the appointment of Mr. Anand Pascal to the position of President of Guardian Life of the Caribbean Limited (GLOC) with effect from January 1, 2014. This change is subject to regulatory approval. • Left: Guardian Holdings Group CEO Ravi Tewari

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 8

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InBusiness MILESTONES &ACHIEVEMENTS 2013

A POCKETFUL OF SUNSHINE

By Patrick Hoyos

erhaps 2013 will come to be remembered as the year when the Barbados economy finally bottomed out. 2014, if the Freundel Stuart administration carries out the restructuring it has promised, may be the year when it began to grow again.

At this writing, the planned reduction of the government’s workforce by around 3,000 persons was just about to begin. IMF recommendations - on the rationalisation of the government’s statutory corporations åand wholly-owned private entities - were expected by April, and could mean a further reduction in the government payroll. With the government’s fiscal deficit running at 8% for the current year ending March 31, it had no choice left but to cut spending by hundreds of millions of dollars. In January last year, the Central Bank of Barbados projected that “Real economic growth for Barbados in 2013 is forecast at 0.7 percent….In addition, private capital inflows of $600 million are anticipated…” But in January 2014 it revised that estimate downward, noting that, “There was a small contraction in Barbados’ real GDP in 2013, estimated at about 0.2 percent,” adding that “a slump in private foreign investment flows was the major reason behind the decline in foreign exchange reserves in 2013. Reserves declined by $301 million and net capital inflows were $188 million lower.” That 0.2 percent contraction was mainly as a result of a decline in domestic trade (the “NonTradables”), which fell by slightly from the previous year, an indicator of the recession starting

“We didn’t find that business declined last year because we’re constantly doing something new, so where you fall down in one area you step up in another.”

Companies which had Shown “the courage to do remedial actions early” were faring better that those which were in the old ‘let’s wait’ mould, said one executive. to be felt more tangibly. But in terms of the foreign exchange earning sectors (“The Tradables”), led by tourism, the 0.3 percent decline in contribution to GDP - caused by an almost six percent decline in long-stay arrivals only partially offset by an 11% increase in cruise passengers - was less than the decline of over four percent the previous year and 2.5 percent the year before. The alarm bells which had begun to ring by the middle of last year were reflected in the falling level of foreign reserves and the increasing national debt. The reserves fell from close to $1.5 billion at the end of 2013 to just over $1.1 billion at the end of 2013, achieving this level only after a shot of fiscal adrenaline of US$150 million from Credit Suisse bank. The national debt as a percentage of GDP inched close to 100%, up about 10% from the previous yearend. In this tough economic environment we asked several business executives to look back at 2013 and offer a prediction for 2014. According to one communications executive, “(Central Bank Governor) Dr. Delisle Worrell said that flat is the new growth this year.” Generally, he said, business contracted last year by perhaps four to six percent, a better performance than in the previous year (2012), “when it was something like ten percent.” Companies which had had “the courage to do remedial actions early” were faring better that those which were in the old ‘let’s wait’ mould. The latter now “have to make even more radical cuts now, getting into the bone of their business.” With the bank’s prediction of just half a percent of GDP growth for the whole economy this year, including government spending, he said, “My view is that for business it is going to be a worse year than 2013, especially with the cuts government is making.” But he said, government had to do all of it -

“reform, rehabilitate, facilitate, make decisions quickly, and right-size” - if foreign investment is return to the country at the level needed for sustained growth. An executive with an industrial background said business in 2013 “went down more than we expected.” This was because so many projects were held up in the town planning department that there was a slowdown in the demand for construction materials. As a result, some companies in construction struggled to keep their staffs employed. Hoping for a better 2013, the executive said there were a lot of projects which could be started for which local investment was available as long as permissions were granted. “The town planning regulations are very specific,” he noted. “The only person who can authorise a change of use of agricultural land is the minister of finance. And if you have a minister that doesn’t approve anything, then you get no approvals. It has got to the stage now where they have to do something, and so I believe the business climate will improve. I’m hoping that it will.” An executive in the information technology field said his company was constantly innovating to cope with the overall downturn. “We didn’t find that business declined last year because we’re constantly doing something new, so where you fall down in one area you step up in another.” He added: “There is no doubt that the economy has fallen tremendously, but once you innovate and differentiate yourself you can succeed. If you can make your business more efficient it becomes more cost-effective and that means you can make money.” Despite the tough times, the market is still fairly good one for insurance products, said one executive in the sector. “Last year, insurance was quite stable and we are seeing signs of improvement. Collecting payments on time is always a challenge in the sector but I am very optimistic. There are a number of major private sector projects that, if they happen, will turn Barbados around.” Overall, he said, foreign investment would return to Barbados once the British and U.S. economies start to improve and government policies here continue to facilitate foreign investment. “One of the keys to bringing Barbados out of recession is to return to the foreign direct investment (FDI) levels of pre-2008, when we had will in excess of a billion U.S. dollars coming into the country each year,” he said. And despite the layoffs and cutbacks in government spending, he added, “As long as government can provide retraining, and unemployment benefits flow - and are perhaps even extended so that people can manage their families, I think the country will remain stable. I am cautiously optimistic.” •

InBusiness InBusiness •• February-April February-April 2014 2014 •• Page Page 99

InBusiness MILESTONES &ACHIEVEMENTS 2013

BLPC progresses despite challenges

he Barbados economy contin- ers and the country. Last year, the company also submitted to ued to struggle in 2013 and as a result, the Barbados Light & Power the FTC for approval the final Integrated ReCo. Ltd. recorded a third successive year source Plan (IRP). During 2013, due to low variations in the of declining sales.

The company was able able to offset this decline in revenue through careful management of internal operations. It made no staff cuts during the year but staff numbers reduced due to attrition. The BLPC launched its e-Billing service in March 2013, allowing customers to receive electricity bills on-line. during the year, the Fair Trading Commission issued a decision for the permanent Renewable Energy Rider and the company submitted a request for a variation in some aspects of the decision. Moreover, in anticipation of the Electric Light & Power Act (ELPA), the Grid Code was launched by BLPC and submitted to the FTC for approval. The code contains the specifications required for persons connecting to the company’s electricity grid, in order to maintain high levels of safety, power quality and system reliability in the interests of custom-

international price of oil, the Fuel Clause Adjustment (FCA), which stipulates the cost of fuel, was relatively stable, fluctuating between 39.1 to 43.9 cents per kWh. The Fair Trading Commission (FTC) also presented its findings of the FCA review, noting once again that it did not find evidence of any significant under or over recovery by the BLPC when comparing the revenues collected on a monthly basis to actual costs incurred by the company. However, the FTC asked that the calculation be based on actual energy sales and the actual fuel cost incurred by BL&P in the previous month, that is, on “historic instead of projected data.” This took effect on January 1, 2014. Most significant legislation affecting the company was the passage of the Electric Light & Power Act 2013 in mid-December. Formal proclamation of the new law is expected in 2014.

This year, in keeping with the overall strategy of the parent company Emera, BLPC says it will focus on establishing the “most costeffective, clean generation mix given all current realities. ” It added that it will be pursuing a transition from oil to alternative sources of energy wherever possible with the aim of reducing price volatility to its customers. In this effort, BLPC says it will benefit from the experience and expertise of Emera, which is successfully involved in electricity generation using energy from natural gas, oil, wind, tidal, hydro and biomass. Said Managing Director Mark King, “2014 promises to be another challenging year. We will be revisiting our strategy in light of the changing times and the new working environment. We will redouble our efforts to be more efficient and productive in the coming year as we continue to strive to provide safe, reliable cost effective services to our customers.” BLPC’s present number of full-time employees is 457, and the company competes in the generation and provision of energy. •

InBusiness InBusiness •• February-April February-April 2014 2014 •• Page Page 10 10

InBusiness MILESTONES &ACHIEVEMENTS 2013

kpmg barbados celebrates 40 years of service

PMG Barbados recently celebrated 40 years of doing business in Barbados. This wholly Barbadian-owned partnership with affiliation to KPMG International was founded by Barbadian Accountant Ken Hewitt as a sole proprietorship and today boasts a staff of over 100, led by six partners and one director.

Located in its own recently-renovated office at Hasting Main Road, Christ Church, KPMG provides a wide range of Audit, Tax and Advisory services to private, public sector and international clients. In a congratulatory message for the 40th anniversary, Neil Patterson, chairman of the regional sub-grouping of island practices, described KPMG Barbados as a firm “built on a foundation of integrity, professionalism and fairness, where ethics and moral behavior are as much a cornerstone of the firm as technical ability and high standards, and professionalism remain at the core of everything that

KPMG in Barbados does.” The celebration of the historic journey of this firm was marked by a series of activities that focused on clients, alumnae, staff and the community. The events so far have included a seminar for accounting professionals, a church service, a beach clean-up and a community Christmas event. The Barbados firm is part of KPMG Caricom with practices in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. Carol Nicholls, managing partner of KPMG Barbados, explained: “The member firms of KPMG Caricom leverage the professional strengths and relevant industry knowledge of 30 partners and more than 450 staff members to enhance our client service deliverables in a cost-effective manner, particularly to multiisland client interests.” Transactions and Restructuring Partner Lisa Taylor is also Head of Advisory for KPMG Cari-

KPMG Barbados’ building at Hastings, Ch. Ch. com while Management Consulting Partner Brenda Pope is Head of Management Consulting for the entire Caribbean region of KPMG’s network of firms. Pope notes that KPMG Barbados has one of the largest advisory teams in Barbados with members who have worked in over 20 Caribbean countries in a wide range of areas. “We are particularly proud of our dedicated Advisory team, which is made up of 25 professionals and support staff.” KPMG Barbados also takes its Corporate Social Responsibility seriously, with engagement in several community service initiatives including adoption of the Arthur Smith Primary School, HIV/AIDS awareness, and environmental protection, having been awarded Green Business of the Year in 2011 by the Future Centre Trust. •

Using our global reach of over 152,000 professionals, and counting. At KPMG in Barbados we know numbers; yet we’re more than that. We share our collective knowledge with our clients. With a diverse global mindset, we use our accumulated insights to add value to every relationship. Let us share our expertise with you. For more information contact any of our Barbados Partners or Directors at 246 434 3900 or info@kpmg.bb

www.kpmg.bb © 2014 KPMG Barbados, a Barbados Partnership and a member Firm of the KPMG network of independent member Firms afliated with KPMG International Cooperative(“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 11

InBusiness MILESTONES &ACHIEVEMENTS 2013

columbus: transforming lives, businesses and nations

“A

t Columbus, we live by one very simple, yet powerful, mission statement: ‘Don’t Predict the Future; Enable It,’” says Niall Sheehy, managing director of Columbus Barbados. He notes that a business that started off almost ten years ago “as a one-man shop in the Bahamas” is now one of the region’s largest telecommunications providers, with over 3,000 employees in 22 countries, servicing over half a million customers. Mr. Sheehy adds that it’s in Columbus’ “DNA” to transform for the better any market it enters, a mission which requires a high level of local involvement and overall dedication. Barbados has been no different, as in less than a year, Columbus has brought a major transformation in the local ICT landscape, with maximum download speeds increasing from eight mbps to 150 mbps, the fastest speeds available to residential customers in the region. Customers are also accessing this increased bandwidth at much less cost, with the price of broadband services dramatically decreasing by as much as 42% in 2013. In April 2013, the Barbados market became the first of Columbus’ residential subsidiaries in the region to launch fiber to the home (FTTH) and Internet protocol television (IPTV). Investing over US$60 million, Columbus has already made these services available to over 50% of homes in Barbados. This will expand to over 80% in the coming months. “Very soon, we will be launching Video on Demand and Personal Video Recording Services with Cloud Storage capabilities - yet another first for the Caribbean,” says Mr. Sheehy. The company recruited over 70 new staff members in 2013, and hiring will continue this year. Noting that a recent report released by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) ranked Barbados No.3 in the Americas and 29th globally, out of 157 countries, for 2012-13, Mr. Sheehy said “This shows that Barbados is on the right track to providing the solid ICT framework” needed for the social and economic development and growth of any economy. It also helps position Barba-

Noting that a recent report released by the ITU ranked Barbados No.3 in the Americas and 29th globally, Mr. Sheehy said “This shows Barbados is on the right track to providing the solid ICT framework” needed for growth IN THE economy. Columbus Barbados’ Managing Director Niall Sheehy dos as a lucrative investment opportunity for out the region that is passed by its network. “Right now, more than 550 schools, libraries foreign companies. and community access points are benefitting from this program,” he said. Aiming beyond the status quo Columbus also partners with community Besides its ongoing investment in infrastructure, Columbus also invests in each na- organizations to donate computers, provide tion and community it serves. Says Mr. Sheehy: access to online-learning platforms and other “Programs like the Barbados Entrepreneur- software solutions. “These programs have ship Foundation’s $20 challenge have proven already resulted in smart classrooms, video to significantly enhance our youths’ entrepre- conferencing exchanges and innovative use neurial skills through targeted educational of education software throughout the region,” he noted. programs.” As Columbus expands its ICT “footprint” in Columbus is also facilitating a program the region, Mr. Sheehy adds, “it is important with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to allow students and teachers across that we also acknowledge the countless Inthe region to use its fiber optic and broad- ternet risks and threats facing our children band capacity to deliver “cutting-edge classes while they are online” from online sexual and e-learning programs, a significant boost predators, cyber-criminals and other cyber-reto the quality of education provided in the Ca- lated risks. To help protect children, Columbus recently partnered with the Caribbean Cyber ribbean,” he noted. In addition, TechLink, another regional proj- Security Center’s “THINK, CLICK, SURF” proect, will widen innovators’ and entrepreneurs’ gram, which teaches young people, as well as skill sets “by exposing them to Internet-based their parents, guardians and teachers, how to tools, media and apps that could improve use the Internet safely and responsibly. Columbus remains dedicated to raising their productivity and business efficiency,” Mr. Sheehy said. This program has already been the region’s infrastructural bar and aiming piloted in Grenada, and will soon be available beyond the status quo. “We deliver network capacities that connect the Caribbean region in Barbados. Columbus also supports education in a and the rest of the world, and we offer techgeneral sense by donating free broadband In- nologies that have the potential to transform ternet, digital cable television and discounted lives, communities, businesses and nations,” telephony services to every school through- said Mr. Sheehy. •

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 12

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 13

InBusiness MILESTONES &ACHIEVEMENTS 2013

t Virgin Holidays’ 2013 annual awards ceremony, Sugar Cane Club Hotel & Spa earned a gold award - for the second time - for Best Small Hotel of the Caribbean, while Drive-AMatic Car Rentals, won Bronze for the best car hire company category worldwide, for the third time in a row. Sugar Cane Club has also won both silver and bronze in previous years. Earlier in the year, Savannah Beach Hotel, less than a year after extensive renovation and reopening under management of the Sun Group, earned a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2013. In 2013, three other Sun Group tourism entities earned the prestigious customer-based award for the second year running. Sugar Cane Club Hotel and Spa, Worthing Court Apartment Hotel and Island Safari all retained their awards from 2012. One of the three, Sugar Cane Club, also earned the distinction last year of being chosen by travelers as No. 2 in the Caribbean and No. 15 worldwide for Relaxation and Spa, in the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards. Roddy Weatherhead, Managing Director of the Sun Group hotels, noted, We are truly elated that visitors to Savannah Beach Hotel have recognized the hard work put into the property over the last year.” In addition to the prestigious Gold Award from Virgin Holidays, Sugar Cane Club was also recently named a “Best of VIP Access” Hotel by the world’s leading online travel agency

SUN GROUP INC. WINS INTernational AWARDS Expedia.com. Bernie Weatherhead, chairman of the Sun Group noted, “We are all thrilled with the latest recognition of our companies’ exceptional service, based entirely on customer feedback, and want to congratulate our outstanding team of tourism professionals for maintaining such excellence.”

Sun Group re-opens a resort at Almond

In January 2014, after overseeing a $3 million dollar renovation to pools, public areas, restaurants and rooms, Sun Group Hotels reopened 135 rooms on the southern half of the former Almond Beach Village, St. Peter, as Almond Beach Resort. A four-star standard, family-friendly all-inclusive, Almond Beach Resort sits on a beautiful half-mile stretch of beach and features extensive on-site facilities and services. Spacious, breezy rooms, each offering a beautiful pool or ocean view, have been outfitted with elegant Caribbean fabrics, mahogany-stained furniture, cushioned armchairs, tile floors, and granite vanities. The resort features four swimming pools – one designed for toddlers, a family pool, and one for adults only. The hotel offers open-air and covered dining in two restaurants; flood-

lit tennis courts, squash courts, a fitness centre and golf practice range. Included in the rate are select watersports, glass bottom boat rides, complimentary shopping shuttles, exchange dining with the nearby award-winning Sugar Cane Club, and a variety of adult on-site experiences such as beach fun days, mixology, yoga sessions, and cooking demonstrations. For families, key features of the resort include the expansive nursery, a kids’ club and a teen centre, all with play equipment, table games, the latest With trained staff to supervise creative play indoors, throughout the grounds and in the outdoor play park, parents will have the time to fully relax. And when they are ready for some family fun, parents and children alike can enjoy an exhilarating ride on a custom-designed Thriller powerboat! Visit the resort’s new website www.almondbarbados.com for full information on its all-inclusive offerings. Sun Group Inc. is a well-established Barbadian group of companies with interests across the Caribbean. The group encompasses operations in hotels, retail travel, general insurance, land and sea adventures, duty free retail, vehicle rental, ground transportation, destination management, villa rental and convenience shopping. •

It’s business. And personal. Just read our “up close and personal” stories on Ralph Taylor, Elias Habib, Paul Altman and Bernie Weatherhead, or any of our profiles of rising young professionals, and you’ll see what we mean. We’re passionate about our reporting and we hope it shows. We are read by thousands of entrepreneurs, executives and professionals in Barbados, both in print and online. They represent an upscale target market interested in real estate ownership, banking and financial products, vehicle purchase or leasing, as well as travel and insurance services. If you want to reach this market, let’s talk. We’re passionate about serving our clients, too.

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Contact Pat Hoyos at (246) 230-5687 or pathoyos@gmail.com InBusiness InBusiness •• February-April February-April 2014 2014 •• Page Page 14 14

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 15

yP S

oung

rofessionals

ince we published the first instalment of Young Professionals in our November 2013 edition, the response has been positive and highly encouraging. The comments I received were mostly about careers other than the generally accepted paths of law, medicine, accounting and the like. People have been curious as to how people are finding the balanace between art and business, and how creativity helps young entrepreneurs create successful businesses. Indeed, the arts themselves have so long been regarded as non-business endeavours, but what I have found in my exploration of innovative careers and businesses is that if they are not based in the arts, they must employ creative think-

ing and processes to sell their products and services. This is not to say that education in their fields is not extremely important. However, we have also discovered that education alone is not always enough. Even the seemingly 'normal' careers in fields like IT and Education must be approached with out-of-the-box thinking and a keen eye towards the development of their respective industries in order to survive the harsh economic climates and smaller markets, and to make the careers sustainable. We are proud to present our second batch of innovative, dedicated and highly motivated Young Professionals. - Amanda Cummins, YP writer

InBusiness â&#x20AC;˘ February-April 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 16

education and arts

EWAN ATKINSON

balancing the desire to teach art with the need to create it

“A

Artist and teacher Ewan Atkinson (Photo credit: Alyson Holder)

career in the arts chose me,” says thirtyeight year-old visual artist, illustrator, designer and educator Ewan Atkinson. Being raised in an artistic household by parents who are both active in creative fields, Ewan says his “exposure to the arts was constant and varied. I never considered being involved in any other area.” After obtaining B.A. in Fine Art from the Atlanta College of Art and a Masters in Cultural Studies from the UWI at Cave Hill, Ewan says he became a teacher purely for financial reasons. “It was not a direction I had wanted to pursue. I began to teach at Barbados Community College in the hopes that it would support me for a short while before I continued my education. Thirteen years later, I’m still there!”

Ewan has, over his tenure at BCC, become “more involved with projects that directly address educational strategies, both formal and informal. “But, he continues, “the desire to aid in the development of art education” is something he balances with “the need to keep producing my own work on a continual and professional basis.” Ewan told Young Professionals that the programs at BCC are constantly being reevaluated and readjusted, as “different students have different needs.” One current program that he says has “excited me more than anything else recently” is the launch of the Punch Creative Arena. Housed in the college art gallery, Ewan explains, “Punch is an initiative that seeks to solidify the link between the Division of Fine Arts and Barbadian, regional and international creative communities.” Visual arts isn’t the only division taught at BCC, and so Punch aims to be much more than an art gallery by hosting a wide range of ex-

hibitions and events. “We hope to expose the students to the world they will eventually enter, and vice versa,” he explains. “The students are very involved in these events, so it operates as a practical learning space as well.” It has been an uphill battle, Ewan says, because support is thin, but the first few events for the semester have been successful. Ewan also tells YP that one difficulty with the ‘creative industries’ in Barbados is the use of the term itself. He says that he finds that term hinders an understanding of the creative process. Although it is true that creativity, especially in the arts themselves, is required for the success of an industry, the term ‘industries’ suggests that the end result is always a physical product that may be bought or sold, rather than an idea, or a story, or empowerment.” “There are no set guidelines for success,” he says, “because the very idea of success in the arts is inescapably varied and relative.” This is an area where Punch will attempt to strike a balance. “Even though we will have to depend in part on commercial activity to be sustainable, we have the opportunity to encourage and support experiment in creative activity.” As a teacher, Ewan faces another kind of challenge. “Art education has always been plagued by the notion that art is easy and does not require thought, [that it is] little more than a hobby.” Indeed, he continues, primary and secondary school students who are deemed “unfit for traditionally accepted academic pursuits are led to the arts,” giving further fuel to this notion in both public and political opinion of art being an inferior field. Conversely, adds Ewan, the students who excel in the arts as well as other areas are often dissuaded from continuing with their arts education. “The arts are seen as a distraction rather than being “There are no set identified as a vital component to learning in ANY field. Too guidelines for often, when students enter our they are unbelievably success,” he says, program, unprepared for the amount of “because the very intense work that is required, physically and intellectually.” idea of success As a both a teacher and a professional artist, Ewan says in the arts is in- he wants to see the visual and arts being addressed escapably varied performing “meaningfully in a scholarly context within our own academic and relative.” communities,” saying that we can draw on the skills and experiences of the many artists in Barbados whose work varies in style, purpose and audience. “It’s about learning to act, being honest with ourselves, and encouraging thought, from early. If we actively take control of our field, reclaim the task of defining our practices, we can influence and discern how education is to continue, how our work is presented and conceived, and how we grow. It’s something I’m still working at myself,” he maintains. Ewan says that as an artist, he is fascinated by situations where “personal expression or experience either contributes to the construction of a communal identity, or is in direct conflict with a limiting notion of what community even means.” For him, creativity is key to how artists and people in general define themselves and their world, and this is what he strives to develop both as a teacher and an artist. “Creative acts inspire me and help remind me that what I have to contribute is important,” he says. •

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 17

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artiste management

LOUISE DeCOURCEY-DaWE

setting out on a ‘lifetime journey’ of managing artistes

t a very young age, Louise DeCourcey-Dawe began modeling. “I instantly knew I wanted to be in the entertainment field, whether it was in front of the camera, behind-the-scenes or both,” she tells Young Professionals. It was this early love of the business that prompted a young but fiery Louise to start her own company in 2011.

She had graduated Brunel University in London with a B.Sc. (Hons) in broadcast media (design and technology), covering all aspects of the media and entertainment industry. Prior to that, she had earned an associate degree in mass communication at the Barbados Community College in Barbados, then studied at Bournemouth University where she obtained a certificate in advertising and marketing communications. While at Brunel, Louise began working at the BBC, and was later promoted to production team assistant. Louise co-managed all of the edit suites at the London BBC White City facility and then went on to work at Clear Cut Pictures, an audio and video post-production facility in West London, and as an executive PA at online marketing agency Quad London. She then transitioned to the music side of the entertainment industry, where she began to work closely with Bajan recording artist Jaicko Lawrence and took on the role of artist manager to Joneal, a young singer from Queens, New York, and worked with many artists, songwriters and producers. In the midst of this, with a solid background in media and experience working with artists, Louise founded Loud 87 Ltd., a boutique-style entertainment and music management company, which offers development, branding, PR and consulting services. “The goal of LOUD 87,” she explains, “is to creatively build, brand and develop the talent of each individual to their full potential and ensure a successful career, while acting as an agency linking each member of the industry together.” As any entrepreneur would, Louise maintains that her biggest hurdle was getting the company off the ground without having a huge financial backing. “I never found the business to be difficult,” she says. “I think it is more about endurance and having a passion for this industry – it’s not for everyone. It takes a lot of hard work, no sleep and every day there is something new and different to learn. You have to be able to keep up with the constant everyday changes of the industry. It is all about the learning experience and being able to stay current.” Louise maintains that more attention and funding should be given to the development and quality of the arts industry in Barbados. “In my experience, there is very little funding being made available to be injected into the business, educational and development sides of the

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Louise DeCourcey-Dawe (Photo credit: Alyson Holder) entertainment industry and it is not taken as seriously as it should be.” She says that she therefore uses her own personal resources and finances and puts everything into each project. “I make sure that not only is the quality of what we (Loud 87) produce of international standard but it is done cost-effectively and efficiently.” Not surprisingly, Louise maintains that social media “I have a passion is one of the most valuable marketing platforms. “The for this business. majority of what we do I aspire to bring involves branding our talents, and social media people together plays a crucial role in doing and to grow as so in today’s market as it is a platform that allows us a brand built on to network, build fan bases quality,” She says. and generate exposure for each talent.” Louise’s aim is to build LOUD 87 into an international brand. She wants to continue to develop the arts as an industry in Barbados as well as create a platform for the entertainment entrepreneurs of the future. She currently works with a select few Bajan artists, including Fitness Model Anke Griffith and Photographer Alyson Holder. “I have a passion for this business,” she says. Because the entertainment is ever-changing, Louise maintains that the most important qualities for her to have are adaptability, innovation and creativity, in order to keep up with the evolution of the industry. “I aspire to bring people together and to grow as a brand built on quality professionalism and efficiency at an international standard,” she says. “This is a lifetime journey for me.” •

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 18

information technology

KAILASH PARDASANI

building Promotech by placing customer service over profits

s a kid, Kailash Pardasani would tinker with and repair computers for friends and family. This led him into full-time IT work at the young age of 18, after completing studies in mathematics, physics and accounting at Barbados Community College.

He was able to gain experience on the job in various IT-related services, from repairs and upgrades, website and graphic design, network administration, consultancy, running an Internet service provider and network cabling, among other things. Kailash later gained formal certifications with Microsoft and CompTIA, and decided to open his own IT retail store. Thus, in 1999, Promotech Inc. was born, providing corporate technology solutions and hardware. “Experience means a lot in this area, and gaining experience in Promotech Founder Kailash Pardasani (courtesy Promotech) all of these services has enabled me to build the company to what CSRs, assistant managers, managers for logistics, administrative, it is today,” he says, “providing PA, accounts, sales and more. Our people are our company and our an all-in-one solutions stop for face, we are nothing without them.” Kailash says that social media platforms are vital to his business. every type of customer, whether “This is the future, social media and e-commerce. We invest heavily corporate, government or retail.” Kailash, now 32, says that the biggest challenge for Promotech in this and continue to increase our budget for this purpose.” To this at the start was “selling ourselves. IT’s a challenge but the ability end, Promotech’s inventory is live on their web-site, and customers can shop online at their convenience. to sell yourself is a huge asset.” “I saw a huge need for what we do today and at affordable He adds: “If you are concerned only with profit you’ll sacrifice prices,” Kailash maintains. “No one should growth.” To cope with the financial pressures of have to overpay for anything. Success is opening a new business, Kailash says he took Today, Promotech his time building his company’s reputation and has three locations not measured monetarily but by making a difference here.” credibility. “Banks weren’t giving loans without To combat the current difficult economic having at least equal security, something I across the island, climate, Kailash has a somewhat radical didn’t have.” He also says that in his experience, and close to 40 approach. “We are investing heavily today amateur entrepreneurs are more likely to be instead of cutting down.” He recently taken advantage of, resulting in bad debt and employees. “Our even opened a new branch in Holetown wasted time. By taking it slowly he was able to people are our to target that demographic, and he overcome these challenges and now, he says, “we company and our continues to hire, and increase his budget can take more calculated risks.” Kailash says that though his business isn’t face, we are nothing for advertising, among other things. “The idea is to get through this and make a considered part of a niche market, it can still without them.” name for ourselves so when things turn enjoy similar benefits by creating its own loyal around we will reap the benefits,” he says. customer base, based on the customer service Kailash recalls that he was recently at a social event when a provided. “It’s the fine detail which we pay attention to, and we are very thoughtful as to how we apply this to each and every client came up to him to thank him for the support. “To me, all we were doing was providing affordable products and services customer individually.” Today, Promotech has three locations across the island, and but they saw the value in this, as a customer, and expressed their close to 40 employees. Kailash says the structure of his business gratitude,” he explains. “This is what makes me happy and helps me could be considered quite complex for its size. “We have many to realize our daily objective, as it’s never ending. It’s a continuous positions in the company varying from CSRs, technicians, senior achievement that needs to be constantly met.” •

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InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 19

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Being part of a tiny minority “gave me a backbone,” says Avi. “I developed the strength to express myself.”

Creator of The Cemetary Party brand “Avi” Jones. (Photo credit: Avi Jones) ACCESSORY DESIGN

vanessa ‘avi’ jones

finding a niche market for accessories with her Cemetary Party brand

anessa “Avi” Jones’ fashion sense has always been, as she says, “a little different”. Before she even knew that there was a label for what she liked, she was drawn to things others would have found peculiar or downright ugly. This passion of finding beauty in macabre things eventually led Avi to start her own accessories line.

Born in New York to Bajan parents, Avi visited the island often on holiday, until the family moved back to Barbados when she was 9. She started drawing when she went to Springer Memorial secondary school, which offered a CXC class in clothing and textiles. She also learned to play the clarinet, and her love of classical music led to an interest in the Nu Metal genre of music, and from there, she gradually began to identify as Goth. One misconception attributed to the Goth community, she notes, is the assumption that

Goths are Satanic or evil. This is something Avi vehemently denies. “It’s a music- and literature-based subculture, and has nothing to do with religion. It’s a place for my particular aesthetic,” she says. “I’ve always been interested in the beauty of the darker side of life; I was drawing and creating things like this before I knew that there was a word for it.” Having been quite socially separate in her teen years, Avi was happy to connect through online communities with other Goths. Being part of a tiny minority, especially in a small society such as Barbados, “gave me a backbone,” Avi maintains. “I developed the strength to express myself.” Avi discovered a portfolio site called DeviantArt around 2006, and began to build an interest in creating her own accessories. “I was inspired! Through advice and tutorials on DeviantArt blogs, I started making things I wanted since alternative styles were not available here.” After secondary school, Avi had taken a

screen printing course through the Skills Training Board, and then went on to study visual arts at Barbados Community College (BCC). However, she is completely self-taught in crafting and design, aside from a pottery class. After making her own clothes and jewellery while at school, Avi began to seriously make jewellery for sale, along with cell phone and hair accessories. After several personal trials and difficult experiences, Avi completely rebranded her products, and from the “bubble gum pop aesthetic” of her first pieces, her line, The Cemetery Party, has evolved into Goth-inspired pieces in the timeless combination of black and white, sometimes with a splash of red. “They are actually very tasteful, very wearable, not grotesque as many people would assume,” Avi says. For her phone cases, which use silicone piped on like cake icing, Avi had to practice for “days and days” to make her piping pretty and even. Practice with resin and clay took just as long. After molding, each piece is hand-painted and finished, making each one unique. There are also images that are sketched on art paper, then sealed and placed behind glass in a frame. Most of her pieces are Cameo-style necklaces, “because it’s more grown up, there’s something elegant about it, and it fits with the Goth aesthetic.” Avi has also begun to make synthetic fashion dread locks for individual clients, and says she will get into making earrings and rings, and would like to open her own store online. The Cemetery Party officially debuted at Animekon 2013 after doing promotional work on FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram, and Avi says she sold out of pieces, for a very encouraging start. Avi is also not surprised that much of her line was purchased by people who are not even remotely Goth. “More celebrities are becoming edgier, taking inspiration from the goth/punk genres, and many people are leaning towards it. And you don’t have to be Goth to love skulls and want to wear them.”•

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 20

Food & beverage

stuart kirton

dispelling the notion that for food to be healthy “it has to be vegetarian”

ealthy Eats began in 2010 as a “small, delivery only, concept,” says owner Stuart Kirton. He and business partner Amacarsi ‘Cora’ Freer were frustrated by what he describes as a “lack of places that focused on clean eating and healthier options.” The business was successful and in 2012 Stuart and Cora were able to open a café in Wildey Business Park.

Stuart says that while “health” means different things to different people, most agree that healthy foods are those that limit sugar and salt, use natural, fresh ingredients, are portion-conscious and generally avoid unhealthy fats and additives. Today, Healthy Eats serves breakfast and lunch and provides catering services for corporate and private events. “I’ve been a dishwasher, a prep cook handshredding over 50 pounds of cabbage for coleslaw and cutting over 100 pounds of potatoes for French fries daily as one of my first jobs. I’ve been a waiter, a barman and a stores clerk and even a banquet maitre’d,” Stuart says. He took advantage of every position he held to learn how they all tied together in the food industry. “I have always had a love and passion for making good food but also having the service be reflective of all the behind-the-scenes work that goes on to make the experience for the customer a great one.” Stuart earned an associate degree in culinary arts from the Hospitality Institute of Barbados, and went on to further his education in Rhode Island, obtaining a Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts. Soon after graduating, Stuart got a job as the head chef of a Caribbeanthemed restaurant in Boston. He went on to manage Finale, an upscale desserterie in Boston’s Theatre District, for five years before returning to Barbados. Stuart tells Young Professionals that when Healthy Eats began, he found the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (Y.E.S.) and the Small Business Association to be “great resources”.

He also turned to other small business owners for advice. “What I have always found and still holds true is to find others who have been through the same thing,” he maintains. “You can learn a lot from their experiences and most people are willing to share.” Another challenge they still face is the idea that “for it to be healthy it has to be vegetarian,” but he asserts that “health is individual-

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ter or Instagram,” he advises. Stuart and Cora manage the business but “are also very hands-on,” Stuart says. He notes that the current economic climate has affected both the customer side of the business as well as the supply of fresh ingredients. “We purchase fresh foods, and these don’t always come with an inexpensive price tag,” he says. However, he maintains that they have “made every effort to absorb costs where possible so as not to inflate our menu cost to our customers.” One other aspect of the business, Stuart says, comes out of his “deep-seated passion” for good customer service. “We want Healthy Eats to provide experiences for our custom-

we offer everyday foods like chicken, steak, pasta, rice, potatoes, and always plenty of fresh vegetabLes, and put our spin on them so that they are prepared in smart ways to make them guilt- free eating, says Stuart.

Healthy Eats Co-Founder Stuart Kirton. (Photo: INBusiness Magazine) istic,” and good food can be very tasty when prepared well. “We offer everyday foods like chicken, steak, pasta, rice, potatoes and always plenty of fresh vegetables and put our spin on them so that they are prepared in smart ways to make them guilt-free eating.” Healthy Eats employs both traditional methods as well as social media to market the business. “If you want people to know about something, put it up on Facebook, Twit-

ers that inspire them to live better and eat healthier.” Stuart says that they hope to open a second location in the near future. “I’m happy and incredibly thankful to have this opportunity to do what I’m doing,” he says. • For more information, visit www.healthyeatsbarbados.com, or go to its Facebook page: H.E. Barbados or Healthy Eats Café. •

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 21

Fashion

heidi aboab

creating a go-to source for makeup and cosmetics advice

o niche market businesses suffer in rough economic climates? One can argue that they shouldn’t, because they offer a unique service. But, on the other hand, if it’s a luxury service, business generally falls during economic recession because luxuries are the first things that people cut down on.

Moden Makeup by Heidi, opened in 2011, is a small business that aims to strike the perfect balance of remaining profitable and visible through social media and client referrals. Founding Director and Lead Makeup Artist Heidi Aboab, a certified makeup artist, says that one of her greatest challenges as a small business owner is “keeping costs down while maintaining very high standards.” Moden specializes in bridal and runway makeup and hair styling. Heidi says that when she first decided to “take steps to hone my skills, with a view to having my own beauty business,” she felt a lack of encouragement from people already established in the makeup and fashion industry in Barbados. “Anything new and different is going to be regarded as unusual by those outside the industry, and unwanted by comModen Makeup Founder Heidi Aboab (Photo credit: Vecpict Photography) petitors,” she says. However, Heidi overcame the negativity and pressed on. In the struggle to establish Moden as a well-recognized makeup business, Heidi was able to continue to develop her artistry, explore the very subjective world of makeup as a creative endeavour, and provide what she describes as “excellent customer service.” Moden Makeup has three other team members: Assistant Makeup Artists Verrol Ann Scott and Lesan “One of the reasons Brereton, and Product Analyst Lucinda Robinson. we have been In addition to providing makeup artistry sersuccessful so far vices, Moden, in partneris because we are ship with T.E.A.M. imports, provides a retail service generous with which imports cosmetinformation,” Heidi ics into Barbados that are not otherwise available. explains. Moden is also responsible for a YouTube channel and a blog that have seen an increase in traffic over the last year. “One of the reasons we have been successful so far is because we are generous with information,” Heidi explains. “We take the time to do the research about the best and worst cosmetics and beauty products, popular and unpopular. We find out where they are available and the costs, and we tell our followers and potential customers what we honestly think about them.” In early 2013, Moden Makeup partnered with Vecpict Photogra-

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phy, which, Heidi says, helped to boost visibility for the brand. Moden also relies heavily on social media, managed by Lucinda, to drive clients to the business. Late last year, Heidi independently began working with Exotica Makeup and Hair Extensions at Sheraton Centre and Colonnade Mall to further improve her artistry. “Maintaining visibility is a daily job. And brand recognition is paramount to our success.” Heidi continues. “Everything happens on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Keek, etc. If you don’t have at least one of these networks, you’re practically nonexistent. The internet is where people aged 14-55 spend most of their time.” “My ultimate goal is for Moden Makeup by Heidi to be recognized internationally as a go-to source for makeup, cosmetic and beauty information, reviews and, of course, education,” Heidi says. She has also added the title of tutor to her cap, working on developing makeup workshops for women with REI Model Academy. As she continues to learn and develop her craft, Heidi aims to assist the rest of her team with their makeup education, and she dreams of one day soon opening her own salon and beauty school. Moden’s clients include Lady Virtue, Keisha ‘Suga Diamond’ Aimey, DL Smith Productions, Flying Fish Productions, Vecpict Photography, and Unique Productions Worldwide, among others. Heidi’s advice for small businesses is to “Have a plan, and stick with it. Stay focused, and do not take no for an answer.” •

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InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 22

“the company was born out of a recession, which imbued it with a certain fortitude. If we can make it through this, we’re not going anywhere,” says Greg.

raphic designer and perfectionist Gregory Parris says his one pet peeve while working at various media houses was “constantly having to submit work that I considered to be just ‘Ok’, because the faster the work went out, the faster my employers could bill the client.” After seven years in the industry, Greg realized he could deliver a much higherquality product if he had more autonomy. He decided to start his own company where the motto would be simple: “Make it good,” and in 2008, Autosync Media was established. “If you can see it, we can do it,” he tells Young Professionals.

Greg, who holds a B.F.A specializing in 3D computer animation from the International Fine Arts College in Miami, says he always loved art. “I always knew that my path would head in that direction. The challenge became finding the part that I loved the most, but was still viable as a career. I had no interest in being a ‘starving artist’!” Having completed the Visual Arts program at Barbados Community College, Greg went to IFAC with the original intent of studying Graphic Design. But during the college tour, “their 3D Animation department blew me away and I signed up for that instead,” Greg says. The original focus of Autosync Media was video production, but the company is full service, specializing in graphic design, 3D, photography, videography, web design, and motion graphics. As with most companies at their inception, Greg recalls that his biggest challenge was financing. “You need to spend money to make it, but you need to make it to spend it - a bit of a catch-22,” Greg says. The world economy was just beginning its nose-dive when Greg decided to quit his job and open his company, and he explains that “as a result, there was a lot of research that went into every dollar we spent on equipment. The silver lining is that the company was born out of a recession, which imbued us with a certain fortitude. If we can make it through this, we’re not going anywhere.” Greg says that his market, while it may have been considered a niche market 20 years ago, is now a fast-paced industry. Widespread use of mobile devices and social media make for a much more connected and savvy population, and there is pressure to create content at rapid-fire rates. “People are no longer tied to the old TV-and-advertising model, you no longer need to spend a whole year’s advertising budget to get your product noticed,” Greg explains. “Put it on the Internet, make a Facebook post, send a tweet and watch it propagate outwards.” He maintains that this new attitude and approach to advertising, coupled with a slowly

Autosync Media Founder Greg Parris (Photo credit: Greg Parris) computer-aided DESIGN

Gregory parris

building a design company that’s ‘automatically in sync’ with its clients

reviving economy, has led to the market expanding at a “tremendous rate” over the past few years. Greg describes Autosync as a boutique production company, and for the most part it is just him and his intern/assistant. He calls on industry professionals when he has a large project. “I’ve had the privilege of working with a lot of gifted people,” he says, and so he is able to discern “whose skill set best complements a project.” Keeping Autosync small keeps overheads down. While social media is “invaluable” to companies in the market at large, Greg does not employ it to promote his own business. “Almost all our business is by referral and wordof-mouth.” This is sustained by the fact that Greg believes in exceptional customer service. “We know clients have a vast array of choices when it comes to spending their media dollar, so we strive to ensure that there are no re-

grets when they spend it with us.” In addition to excellent customer services, Autosync stays competitive by maintaining flexibility, “both to the needs of the market and to the individual.” Greg gives the example of most companies charging extra for HighDefinition video. “Why? Most cell phones shoot HD video. It shouldn’t cost extra.” It is this principle of flexibility that Greg insisted his company be built on. “That’s actually the basis for our company name. ‘Autosync Media’, is meant to allude to ‘automatically in sync,’ an effortless process in which the client doesn’t have to raise a finger. Go ahead, relax, we got this.” “I genuinely love what I do,” Greg says. “There’s an old saying, ‘Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ I firmly believe in that.” •

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InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 23

ear by year, the arts evolve. Every year, artists push the envelope and the bounds of creativity. New techniques are always coming to light and standards are constantly increasing. In a small place like Barbados, artists face both the social mis-perception of the arts - that artists are all airy-fairy and no business sense, and that art is not a sound way to make a living - as well as the seemingly contradictory fact of oversaturation, says Alyson Holder.

Alyson, who is 30, is a professional photographer with six years’ experience. While at the Barbados Community College studying mass communications, she took photography as an elective, and learned the “dying art” of developing photos by hand. “Even though I work digital, that course gave me a very real appreciation for the intricate art of photography. I learned to respect photos. I also love that with hand-developed photos no one photo will be exactly the same as another, even if the image is the same.” After BCC, Alyson attended UWI, got her bachelor’s degree, and went to work as a journalist with the Advocate. “Journalism gave me the chance to revisit photography, and I remembered how much I loved it,” she recalls. Alyson started doing photo shoots for weddings and magazines on the side, and it began to grow. Soon she was doing creative editorial shoots that she conceptualized with trusted makeup artists and designers, as well as artistic shoots. After she left the Advocate she worked with commercial photographer Carl Blenman, owner of Studio Studio, with whom she had previously done a photography course. During the year she worked there, Alyson was awarded two silver medals and the Most Promising Photography Prize at NIFCA for some of her artistic work. “It’s nice to get recognition for the work you put your heart and soul into. On some level it validates your choice to pursue the arts, especially if it’s for a living,” Alyson says. After leaving Studio Studio, Alyson went into photography “full force.” She began a Facebook page called “3rd EyE Photography” (now called Alyson Holder Photography) and did numerous photo shoots which she sold to various online magazines as well as beauty and fashion websites. While she cites gaining clientele as an initial challenge, Alyson now finds that keeping her work “profitable but affordable” is her greatest challenge. She does photo editing and creates photo concepts for her clients as well as the photography itself, and she says the “difficulty of staying afloat in the current economic storm has been something that all business have had to deal with.” Alyson keeps her head above water, she says, because she offers “something unex-

“artists have a duty to examine issues that are very real to themselves as well as to their community,” says alyson.

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Photographer Alyson Holder (Photo credit: Alyson Holder) photography

alyson holder

pursuing her career as a photographer and artist in the digital age pected, something edgy.” In November 2011 she held an exhibit at Artsplash called “Closet Of Daydreams.” The exhibit, which explored colour and self-expression, was well-received, called ‘provocative’ by reviewers. In May 2013 she held a second exhibition called “In Black & White,” which was even more provocative and “asked the tough questions” about race, beauty and social acceptance. Alyson explains: “I believe artists have an obligation to examine issues that are very real to themselves as well as to their community, and by extension society at large.” She also has work being exhibited in the U.S., and has been featured in a UK magazine.

Right now Alyson is working on re-branding her business alongside two partners. To this end, she recently opened a new website. She says that although business gets slow at times because “people don’t have a lot left over at the end of monthly necessities to spend on photos,” she could never imagine herself as anything other than a photographer. “Photography is an ever-growing and maturing thing. Photographers are story tellers, historians, memory-keepers. And nothing worth achieving was ever easy.” • View Alyson Holder’s portfolio at www.alysonholder.com

InBusiness • February-April 2014 • Page 24

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