Caribbean Startup Scene Issue#2

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT Volume 1: Issue 2

IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP NATURE OR NURTURE?

PRODUCING INNOVATORS: AN EXAMINATION OF THE CARIBBEAN EDUCATION SYSTEM & ITS RELATION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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“It takes a village to raise a child�...but a

COMMUNITY

to build a business

www.tenhabitat.com

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT

Where Entrepreneurs Come To Grow

CO N T ENTS 6:

Editor’s Note

8:

TEN Habitat Makes History

by Peter Thompson

12:

Unboxing The Entrepreneur Within at Age 16

by Sandra Harding

16:

Tech Woman

by Belle Holder

20: Is Entrepreneurship Nature or Nurture?

by Stacia Browne

24: Caribbean Designers In Step

With Lebron James

by Belle Holder 30:

Empowering Dreamers Inspiring Change: A Caribbean Startup Summit preview

By Selwyn Cambridge

33:

13 Degrees North: A story of Love & Entrepreneurship

by Kerri Birch

36: TEN Questions

with Denny Cronneit

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INNOVATION: 24

INSIDE TEN HABITAT: 8 TEN Makes History TEN Habitat launches the Eastern Caribbean’s first Code school with its Source Code Developer Academy

Caribbean Designers Step up A look at the influence of Caribbean design and culture on the world stage and how two from the diaspora contributed to the Lebron 16 basketball sneaker.

THE START: 12

IMPACT: 16 TECH Woman 28-year-old Jamaican launches Youth Can Do I.T. Fuelled by her passion to encourage and empower young girls to pursue careers in technology.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: 20

Unboxing The Entrepreneurship Within At only age 16 this young female entrepreneur is turning her creativity into dollars

Caribbean Startup Summit: 30

Is Entrepreneurship Nature or Nurture Examining the role of education in developing high quality entrepreneurs

ENTREPRENEURS: 29 CSS19 Sneak Peak A preview of the upcoming Caribbean Startup Summit and what attendees can expect

TEN Questions With Founder Denny Cronneit Grenadian entrepreneur and designer gives some insight into his wooden bow tie venture 5

EDITOR’S NOTE

INVESTING IN YOU

T

he year 2019 certainly feels like it is moving full steam ahead, and just like that we are all months into our new year’s resolutions… did you just cringe or started looking at this page all side eye?

That may be an indication that like many of us, you’ve already fallen off the wagon or you never quite got on the resolution railway to begin with, even though you did the vision board and even though you wrote down your list of wannabe accomplishments and goals, your resolution train has hit a roadblock.

Consider this, the right resolution(s) can have a positive long-lasting impact on our overall selfvision, health and well-being, which of course would also have a favourable profound impact on our loved-ones. So, instead of beating ourselves up for not yet reaching certain markers on our new year’s goals, let’s give ourselves a systematic course of action and direction. According to Author & PHD Professor of Psychology and Marketing at the university of Texas at Austin, Art Markman, behaviour change is often two steps forward and one step back and most of us don’t take the time to plan effectively for how to actually achieve our goals. In a January 2019 fastcompany.com article, Markman, recommends, “Take that resolution you made and give yourself the next eight weeks to figure out how you are going to achieve your goal. Generate a plan for what needs to be changed and how you will fit new actions in your life. You might even start

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doing a few of those activities knowing that you might not succeed right off the bat. Use the first few weeks to learn how to deal with the steps back, so that they don’t derail your long-term success… become mindful about the many things that may get in the way of your success.”

This made me think about 2019 being the year that we all commit to investing in ourselves both personally and professionally! Entrepreneurs certainly work hard at developing their ideas and growing their businesses, therefore the support for their startup dreams and goals of scaling is immeasurable. In this issue we share the stories of Caribbean entrepreneurs from Jamaica, Grenada, Barbados and Guyana whose journeys inspire us to stay the course.

For many that journey begins with the right education, the fundamentals of which, can never be underscored; with entrepreneurship endeavours primed as the way forward for positive changes to the Caribbean economy, Stacia Browne explores how the region’s educational system does or does not foster innovation and creative thinkers. For one Jamaican startup founder, Lianne McNaughton, her program Youth Can Do I.T. was founded on the principle of introducing more young people to the gift of learning tech.

us how attending the two-day business summit, themed, Mindset, Skillset, Reset, can provide every entrepreneur with awesome opportunities to set themselves on a new and heightened path to success.

Most small business owners in the region would certainly leap at the opportunity for equity investment that could potentially move their startups from side hustle to growth and scale.

One Grenadian company, Cronneit’s Forest Bows, which creates unique bowties carved from wood, would certainly be a unique addition to any wardrobe. In TEN Questions, the founder, Denny Cronneit shares some of his lessons learnt as well as his business highs and lows.

From neckwear to footwear, the past year has certainly been a memorable one for CaribbeanAmerican fashion designers Fe Noel and Undra Duncan. The pair made history by designing the first female athletic shoe for NBA player LeBron James’ Nike line, which celebrates the strength of women of colour across the globe.

As the resolution train continues to chug on down the track, the continued journey of entrepreneurship is filled with infinite possibilities; stay the course! Write down your personal and entrepreneurship objectives and set real, workable, measurable, daily and weekly It is no secret that the realm of technological achievements to keep you focused. development continues to change the dynamics and the skill-set of the workforce. In response to I’d love to hear your ideas for goal setting, which this global demand the Source Code Developer we can share in our next issue. Tell us your startup Academy opened in Barbados, teaching students story or about an entrepreneur who is doing of all ages how to code. This is yet another way interesting things in your area. Let’s stay in touch. of laying a foundation for an actionable careerchange or enhanced skills that moves you forward.

Staying on that upward trajectory the signature entrepreneurship conference for the region, the Caribbean Startup Summit is now in its fourth year. CSS19 Producer, Selwyn Cambridge tells

Belle Holder The Media & Communications Manager at TEN Habitat.

Email: bholder@tenhabitat.com

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Visiting instructor, Amanda Iverson from Code Fellows USA in session with new students of the Source Code Developer Academy

INSIDE TEN

TEN HABITAT MAKES HISTORY WITH LAUNCH OF CODING ACADEMY By: Peter Thompson

T

he first coding school for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean swung open its doors on December 8th 2108 to a fully subscribed introductory course, Code 101. The Source Code Developer Academy, which was launched by TEN Habitat in partnership with Seattle’s Code Fellows, serves as an excellent resource for people in the region to gain the skills necessary to access the lucrative technology and innovation market.

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“We Want To Show Everyone That You Don’t Have To Be A Traditional, Stereotypical Nerd To Be A Software Coder, Everyone And Anyone Can Do It, You Just Have To Put Your Mind To It.” Instructor Amanda Iverson Of Code Fellows USA

Academy’s Executive Director, Selwyn Cambridge in conversation with Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations, Colin Jordon at the Media Launch

The Academy’s first student intake saw 27 people if we want to advance and be competitive enthusiastic participants who ranged in age from we need to at least understand the basic mid-teens to 60 plus, proving that coding is truly principles and have every individual competent for everyone. “There is a huge appetite for coding in technology and start developing tech tools in the Caribbean and I think the attractiveness instead of only being consumers.” is that you need no pre-qualifications to get started,” said the Academy’s Executive Director, The Source Code Developer Academy, which is Selwyn Cambridge.

housed at Barbados’ entrepreneurship hub TEN

“At the Source Code Developer Academy, we Habitat, is the organisation’s response to the are democratising access to technology careers. demand for people with IT skills, which is rapidly Individuals can start from nothing, learn and growing every year. Many studies show that create and then be able to access well-paying globally the gap between demand and supply jobs, locally and internationally.”

of skilled IT people in the market is getting bigger and bigger. The launch of this new coding

Cambridge further explained, that the Code academy opens up a significant opportunity for 101 session allows individuals to start the ball people in the Eastern Caribbean to now have a rolling on understanding the skill requirement direct avenue to the international technology and upscale toward getting their foot into industry. lucrative technology careers with large tech companies overseas and do so from right here Lead Code Instructor Amanda Iverson of Code in the Caribbean region. He added, “As Caribbean Fellows USA, taught the first 12-hour introductory 9

course in Barbados, she explained, “Our aim is to change perceptions about the tech industry. We do offer our curriculum across the world, sharing it with communities to help power their ecosystems and build their economies.” Amanda’s responsibilities included training a local instructor, she added, “We want to show everyone that you don’t have to be a traditional, stereotypical nerd to be a software coder, everyone and anyone can do it, you just have to put your mind to it.”

The Code Fellows program can boast of successful graduates who have been hired by International companies such as Google, Nike, Expedia, Xbox, Zillow, Disney, Microsoft, Starbucks, Facebook and Getty Images. Similarly these opportunities could now be available to local graduates of the Source Code Developer Academy. This can be done through outsourcing agreements and relationships as the Academy delivers an up-to-date curriculum and demand driven software training, while also acting as a direct talent source for startups.

One of the Academy’s first intake students, entrepreneur Nia Brathwaite of Dara Barbados fashion line, who holds a Masters degree in Public International Law, shares her reasons for taking Code 101, “Coding is not just about computer science, it is a step in the right direction for me. You can incorporate coding into your business and you can make any idea a reality through coding, which would open up a whole new world for us.”

Fellow student Andrew Walkes, who signed up for SCDA’s Code 101 along with his wife, runs an E-commerce business, “I think this course is good for me because my side-hustle involves the sale of goods online, and I’m hoping to make this business my mainstay.”

The 27 participants who were issued certificates of completion for Code 101, received instruction, which included developing websites using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascade Styling Sheets (CSS). They also learnt the importance of how clients and servers interact and what to expect when you first begin web development.

Next up for the academy is the introduction of its summer coding school for kids and teenagers. This initiative is designed around developing the region’s future leaders and innovators, by using 10

“We are democ access to techn careers. Individ start from noth and create an be able to acc paying jobs, lo and internatio

cratising nology duals can hing, learn nd then cess wellocally onally”

the basis of technology, and a combination of various disciplines to produce students who are well rounded. TEN Habitat and by extension, the Source Code Developer Academy has always been about regional development and using the powerful tools of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial thinking and now technology to do so. According to TEN’s founder, Selwyn Cambridge, “We are more than a startup hub, we are a community of innovators helping to drive critical change across our beloved Caribbean region.”

TEN Habitat’s partnership with Code Fellows will result in connections to some of the top international technology firms. TEN’s existing global network will provide graduates with access to lucrative outsourcing job opportunities and internships with leading global software entities.

The Source Code Developer Academy operates at TEN Habitat’s Bridgetown location.

Students at the Source Code Developer Academy learing to write code

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THE START

Young aspiring entrepreneur, Nyela Farnum

UNBOXING THE

ENTREPRENEUR WITHIN AT AGE 16 By: Sandra Harding

M

eet the teenage startup founder of NyNyDesigns, Nyela Farnum. This budding entrepreneur, whose name means, “one who will succeed,” started the company out of her love for art. As a high school student of Queen’s College in Barbados, she is leveraging her talent to generate her own pocket money, while building a part-time business.

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Although Nyela is fuelled by her love for creative arts, dance, visual art and crafts, she is currently enrolled in an academic science stream, which meant she was unable to continue studying fine arts at school, however she found a way, “I just like to do art and since I can’t do it at school anymore, I decided I wanted to do it some other way,” said the teen.

Nyela’s ‘other way’ led to NyNyDesigns Decorative Boxes and her Hand Crafted Collection. Originally creating the functional art in her spare time just as a hobby, the light bulb moment came when others began asking her to create more of the custom made pieces. With a little seed money from her mother the part-time entrepreneur

invested in her first set of paints and hasn’t looked back.

Nyela gets the boxes made and then customizes them, guided by her own creative expression.

The young designer’s collection includes pieces entitled, Friends, Love Despite it All, African Queen and Journey of The Wind. Her customers are eager collectors looking for unique decorative pieces or functional art to spice up their homes or offices.

NyNyDesigns Decorative Boxes are marketed on social media and sold online through the teenager’s website, nynydesigninfo.wixsite.com, where she declares, “Think Out Side The Box; this is where ideas and dreams turn into creations.”

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We make it possible for you to enter into the lucrative technology industry.

LEARN TO CODE

With no previous experience required, the Source Code Developer Academy moves you through a modular curriculum to teach you the languages to attract lucrative and in-demand jobs while learning the skills to develop innovative tech-enabled ventures! www.tenhabitat.com Tel: 1 (246) 621-7355

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www.tenhabitat.com

“

“Quote Unquote” “My partner Kim and I have been running Yelluh Meat for a couple of years, after learning about TEN Habitat, I was attracted to the Hybrid Accelerator Program as a process that could foster an incredible amount of business and personal development in a relatively short period of time.

As the prerequisite for the Hybrid Accelerator, I attended TEN’s Entrepreneurship Startup Founders’ Boot Camp. A part of the process was being able to distill information about Yelluh Meat into an impactful 30 to 60 second pitch that clearly defines our business to potential investors. Although I jumped into the Boot camp expecting an intense two days, this process was more challenging than I originally thought.

Taking a deep look into the core of our business through the eyes of our customers and potential stakeholders is one of the most valuable exercises a founder or an aspiring entrepreneur can do to improve their chances for success.”

Kim Hamblin & Dwight Forde Founders: Yelluh Meat

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IMPACT

TECH WOMAN By: Belle Holder

F

or digital natives, the Internet is their playground, their workspace, their social network; it is their stepping-stone for growth, development and innovation.

While millennials have certainly made more inroads than their parents when it comes to career gender disparity, the technology industry still has a lot of catching up to do.

According to the American based growth equity venture capital firm, Catalyst, which focuses on technology-enabled businesses, women account for less than 10% of the computer network architects and 20% of software developers.

Despite these bleak figures women are making strides in the technology industry.

One great example is Jamaica’s Youth Can Do I.T., which was founded in 2016 by 28-year-old Lianne McNaughton who has a Masters Degree in Management Information Systems. Recognizing that technological creativity is integral to development in the Caribbean, she is fuelled by her passion to encourage and empower young girls to pursue careers in technology.

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“Innovation is paramount to Caribbean youth development and entrepreneurship. The ability to think freely, to think outside the box and to create something different, is what I think of as innovation” “Innovation is paramount to Caribbean youth development and entrepreneurship. The ability to think freely, to think outside the box and to create something different, is what I think of as innovation. This is where entrepreneurship will thrive and where youth will find success. We have to support them and create opportunities for them to achieve” Lianne explained.

For this startup founder the move toward I.T. seems predestined, growing up in a household she describes as ‘technology centered and entrepreneurial’. In 1996 her parents co-founded Jamaica Online (JOL) one of the island’s first Internet Service Providers. Lianne’s Father, Dr. Maurice McNaughton served as JOL’s Director

and developed it into a significant niche player in the evolving Jamaican telecommunications space. Five years later they sold JOL, reportedly with significant returns on investment to the principal shareholders.

Lianne recalls, “My older brother was always breaking down and putting together computers.

I was very fortunate because I always had access to technology. Before the digital native era, I was a digital native. I’ve always been a philanthropist at heart. I’ve always been the type of person that wanted to be of service to others. One of my favourite quotes, which is truly my life mantra is Ghandi’s, Be the change you wish to see in the world, I live by what that means.”

Her YCDI programme, which targets young people at high school and University levels, uses technology to empower Jamaica’s youth through interactive learning initiatives and by using selfactualization as the catalyst for capacity building; Lianne is also the Director of the organization.

She added, “My ‘aha moment’ came during my studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). I was just going through the motions.

Then I attended the Grace Hopper Women in Computing Conference and got a major eye-

opener seeing all these powerful women in technology and the support they received.”

Lianne’s catalyst, the annual Grace Hopper Celebration, is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists. The convention is produced by AnitaB.org, a social enterprise, named for American computer scientist Dr. Anita Borg who founded a digital community for women in computing. Today, the organisation works with technologists in more than 80 countries.

Bolstered by the idea to give back by creating opportunities for young Jamaicans, Lianne created the YCDI foundation based on four pillars; • Technology • Professional & Personal Development • Faith • Physical Wellness “I believe this is my purpose and calling. I was praying a lot about what my next step in life should be, I was seeking guidance and answers.

Should I stay in Omaha or should I go, if I go where should I go next? One morning I woke up and I felt compelled to write and I got the name Youth Can Do I.T. and the pillars on which YCDI stands.”

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I’ve always been a philanthropist at heart. I’ve always been the type of person that wanted to be of service to others” Lianne admits that one of her biggest challenges was finding the right people for her team, however within its first two years the programme has seen about 150 participants through workshops and summer camps, hosted at companies and community centres. In terms of social enterprise YCDI raises funds through paid workshops and events, while garnering grant support through the United States Embassy and the SEPROD Foundation in Jamaica. SEPROD’s focus includes funding programmes, which integrate technology into all learning opportunities and fosters entrepreneurship skills. Although YCDI’s strategy is in line with Jamaica’s national economic and developmental goals, they have not yet received any governmental support. Lianne expects this will change as she works to strengthen YCDI’s structure and foundation.

As a tech woman, her profession includes coleading a data analytics team at a major financial institution in Jamaica, she explains how her skillset benefits the youth programme, “I am a Gallup Strengths Coach, so I do individual 18

and corporate strengths coaching to empower people and teams to identify and be more purposeful and intentional with their strengths.

We have something called the YCDI Effect where we seek to, Engage, Educate and Empower.

For us the ultimate form of empowerment is entrepreneurship or employability. We’re also developing our ambassador programme, to be able to support more initiatives. We refer to our ambassadors as the legs and the goal is to soon have programmes in schools across Jamaica.”

When asked, what would she do if this programme fails, smiling, Lianne emphatically responds, “It won’t!”

She added, “This dream used to absolutely terrify me. I would ask God and myself, who am I to do this? But then seeing the impact it has made, seeing confidence growing, businesses being started and young people getting employment out of our programmes, there are no words to describe it. It seems almost surreal. But it gives me the confidence to keep doing it!”

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP NATURE OR NURTURE? Producing Innovators; An Examination of The Caribbean Education System & its Relation to Entrepreneurship By: Stacia Browne

T

here are many who would argue that for far too long the educational system in the Caribbean tends to motivate its workforce towards becoming employees, rather than inspiring them to become innovators or entrepreneurs. However, perhaps the real question should be, “Are schools throughout the region preparing young minds for the rapidly changing, innovation-driven, globalized world in which we operate today?�

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THE WORLD DOESN’T CARE WHAT YOU KNOW. WHAT THE WORLD CARES ABOUT IS WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH WHAT YOU KNOW.

A former expert in residence at the Harvard Innovation Lab, Tony Wagner, who is currently, the senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute argues, “There’s no competitive advantage today in knowing more than the person next to you. The world doesn’t care what you know. What the world cares about is what you can do with what you know.” Further to Wagner’s view, within the Caribbean education system, is knowledge itself continually being prioritized over the application of it?

Commentators and educators across the globe have observed that there has been a cultural prejudice in economies coming from a colonial and post-colonial background for the workforce to focus on safer occupations, rather than follow passions or the needs of markets to create businesses that are in high demand. However, to create innovators, as a region we must be prepared to challenge the “safer options” and produce students who display greater levels of

curiosity and critical thinking; the region needs more entrepreneurial thinkers.

Young people throughout the Caribbean are gravitating more and more toward this kind of entrepreneurial thinking. There is an evolution, which is taking root, and it is challenging the modus operandi that has kept Caribbean innovation slow and stagnant. The key drivers in this shift include: - The transformative effects of the digital economy - Millennials entering the workforce - The need for small open economies to diversify - The current trend for employers to grant limited contracts to employees.

These realities require Caribbean-learning institutions to critically examine their role in furthering the cause of transformative thinking and forcing students to focus on their suitability for the future. In the region, safe jobs, traditional employment and restrictive careers, foster a 21

...A COMMUNITY WHERE ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING IS ALLOWED TO TAKE ROOT AT MUCH EARLIER STAGES, CAN GIVE RISE TO STUDENTS WITH MORE AGILITY AND ADAPTABILITY...

increases students’ autonomy and motivation, and lowers their anxiety levels since they are interacting as equals within a small group of their peers, rather than performing for the teacher.

This form of transformative learning is a route to the development of critical thinking.” He believes that to develop the right entrepreneurial mindset, is what will lead to students and members of a workforce who, “Can make decisions faster preoccupation with security as a societal norm. and enhance their outcomes through different This has resulted in a more stifling society and a learning experiences.” culture of less creativity and innovation. However, a community where entrepreneurial thinking For this to take root and become a viable option is allowed to take root at much earlier stages, for economic development, startup support can give rise to students with more agility and from organizations such as the Branson Centre adaptability, subsequently resulting in a work of Entrepreneurship Caribbean, TEN Habitat and force teeming with critical thinkers, problem the Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean will be increasingly necessary. solvers and creators.

These hubs allow Caribbean entrepreneurs to One of the Caribbean’s leading lecturers and develop businesses designed to create viable educators in entrepreneurship and project solutions to significant developmental and management, Dr. Paul Ponder, completed a study societal problems. For Caribbean economies to on, Entrepreneurship Education in the Caribbean: truly evolve and showcase entrepreneurship as a major driver in the development of their future Learning and Teaching Tools. markets, the concepts of business creativity and In his 2016 study, Dr. Ponder shared; to effective innovation must be introduced before tertiary teach entrepreneurship, students must be level instructing. The culture of entrepreneurship exposed to simulations based on real world must be introduced to children from primary and business practices. “This feature of simulation secondary school ages.

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FOR THE CARIBBEAN TO PRODUCE INNOVATORS THERE MUST BE AN ASSURANCE THAT INSTITUTIONS PRIORITIZES EDUCATION REINVENTION AND NOT REFORM.

A decade ago many commentators would have been accurate in saying that the educational system in the region is failing to chart the course for where the world economy is going.

It is now clear that the educational system in the Caribbean is at an important crossroads.

A sustained concentration on innovation and entrepreneurship is what is required, considering they are proven aspects of the global economy.

Most importantly the essential mix of knowledge and application must be brought into sharp focus. For the Caribbean to produce innovators there must be an assurance that institutions prioritizes education reinvention and not reform.

The Caribbean needs curiosity pursuits rather than standardized tests and students who see each other as collaborators rather than individual competitors. The region requires its citizens to have multiple and different visions of educating, teaching and learning. It requires that policy makers and educators explore reinvention and stop talking about reform!

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INNOVATION

CARIBBEAN DESIGNERS IN STEP WITH LEBRON JAMES By: Belle Holder

T

he Caribbean’s influence on world culture is undeniable; way beyond the limit of geographical square miles and comparatively small populations, Caribbean people have showcased skill, creative expression and style, which resonates on the world stage. While millions of tourists flock to the region each year just to experience a taste of authentic island life, internationally, West Indians have had immense impact, while contributing to the development of foreign economies.

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Designer and entrepreneurs Felisha Noel and Undra Duncan

The vibrancy, energy, and flair of Caribbean style has now inspired the NEXT SNEAKER CRAZE WITH THE HFR NIKE LEBRON JAMES 16 Long after his death reggae great, Robert ‘Bob’ Nesta Marley is still being hailed as a musical icon, resulting in Rastafarian communities popping up on every continent. More recently pop singer, turned designer and business mogul, Rihanna, revolutionised the face of the beauty industry with her Fenty Beauty makeup line, by offering the long neglected shades for darker skin tones.

The sports arena has also been dominated by some of the region’s best, cricket’s greatest allrounder Sir Garfield Sobers and the greatest sprinter of all time, Usain Bolt, who has altered the speed of man.

the HFR Nike LeBron James 16, a limited edition women’s basketball shoe, which has captured the imagination and attention of American consumers and sold out within five minutes of its release!

Two-thirds of the all female design team who are both first generation Americans, each have roots firmly planted in the Caribbean. Fashion designer and entrepreneur Felisha Noel, who is connected to the spice isle of Grenada and fellow designer and entrepreneur, Undra Duncan who has Guyanese heritage, are both based in Brooklyn.

These unwavering entrepreneurs made history Today that vibrancy, energy, and flair of Caribbean by creating the first athletic shoe, designed by style has now inspired the next sneaker craze with women for women, endorsed by a male athlete’s 25

sports line. That athlete is top-rated NBA player LeBron James, who inked an extremely lucrative lifetime deal with the athletic footwear and sports apparel mega brand Nike in 2015.

for multicultural designers to gain much needed resources and exposure. When Nike originally reached out to Brandice the idea was to find one designer to work on the shoe. After having Undra, Kimberly and Fe sign confidentiality agreements, According to ESPN.com the deal can see LeBron and giving them no information on the project, earning up to U.S. $1 billion. Needless to say this Brandice submitted all three names and history is an awesome opportunity for both women who was set in motion. acknowledge that the narrative goes way beyond a shoe. From her Fe Noel design studio and Fe explains, “We just connected, making the showroom in New York, the excitement still in her shoe with the others really was an emotional and voice, the self-taught designer explains, “There spiritual journey. It was an amazing process and is an inscription on the inside of the shoe, which an amazing experience. What matters the most is says, strength, courage, loyalty, dignity, so when the stories of the women in our lives. The fact that you slip your foot into this basketball shoe that LeBron wanted to create something that honours is what you are standing on. What’s important his mother, his wife and his daughter, makes us about this sneaker is the story behind it, this is a proud.” point in history where we broke ground.”

Both designers count strong Caribbean women Fe, which sounds like ‘Fee’, as she is affectionately as their greatest influences. Undra, whose fashion known, was hand-picked along with Undra line Undra Celeste New York bears her first and Duncan, and American Kimberly Goldson, a middle names is quoted as saying, “The women season nine contestant on the reality show in my family came here [to the U.S] and did a lot Project Runway, by the female founder of Harlem of domestic type of jobs, but when the weekend Fashion Row (HFR) Brandice Daniel. Brandice, a came, they would get dressed up and transform true visionary, created HFR in 2007 as a platform into Diana Ross and Donna Summer.”

What’s important about this sneaker is the story behind it, THIS IS A POINT IN HISTORY WHERE WE BROKE GROUND 26

Fe’s influencers, include her grandmother Shelia George, a former educator. “I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur from a very young age, both my grandmother and my Mom are entrepreneurs.

My Mom opened and ran day care facilities throughout Brooklyn. My grandmother created a restaurant in Grenada called Well Fed that she ran for years. When I look at her, I’m always in awe of who she is and how she accomplished everything she has, while raising nine kids. One thing grandma Shelia always says, which I still carry with me today is, Difficult we do today and impossible we do tomorrow. She truly is a multifaceted woman, whom you cannot put in a box, much like the Fe Noel woman who I design for.”

very early age. My 10 years in fashion product development was great, which allowed me to travel and learn so much about the industry, but I knew I needed to do more.” In 2008, she cofounded a handbag company, Cousin & Co with her cousin and best friend Shekima, “We saw some great wins in that business, getting Tory Burch as a mentor, gaining tons of national press and landing in some great stores. Eventually the business had exhausted its reach and in 2013, we decided to end the party.”

With their individual brand aesthetics and entrepreneurship dreams sharply in focus, these Caribbean daughters have demonstrated, through a funky white sneaker with gold The similarities between Fe and fellow designer and leather accents, the affirmative power of Undra, doesn’t stop at their Caribbean heritage, collaboration above competition. they both recognize the value of mentorship and paying it forward and they both have solid It is important to note that this historic narrative academic backgrounds, Fe with a degree in finance came at a time when the sociopolitical climate and Undra a degree in business management. around Black activism and minority justice is still While Fe initially sold other people’s clothing at at the fore. In September 2018 Nike launched her retail boutique Wagon, Undra started her their 30th-anniversary Just Do It ad campaign, fashion career working for other designers such announcing activist Colin Kaepernick, as the face as Calvin Klein and Marc Ecko, but both women of their promotion. The ad featured a close-up of Kaepernick’s face emblazoned with the quotation, wanted to create their own brand.

Believe in something; Even if it means sacrificing Fe explains, “Having that finance background everything. The former NFL player was shut out of does give me leverage, fashion is a numbers the league after starting the contentious Taking game. It takes a lot of financial resources to stay a Knee stance during the U.S. national anthem, in fashion; it isn’t just about being creative. The in protest of injustice toward Black people and market is hard for independent designers, even minorities. after 10 years I’m still encountering obstacles every day. I feel like I’m now only starting to make Although Nike received some immediate a dent. There are a lot of challenges to creating backlash and calls to fuel boycotting for featuring a successful brand, resources, funding, getting the controversial quarterback, with people taking your clothing into stores. People always want to to social media and even burning their Nike gear, know, who is wearing you? What magazines are the company’s self-described ‘disruptive’ move, you in? Going forward I still have some critical paid off! Within three months shares of the sports apparel maker soared 7.2 per cent and sales rose thinking to do.”

10 per cent in Nike’s fiscal second quarter, which In a 2018 interview Undra shared, “My passion ended Nov 30th 2018. was always in fashion entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship was ingrained in me from a 27

“I feel like throughout this whole process everything has been very spiritual. Our relationship with LeBron and our relationship with Nike has been really good timing,” Fe said. “I consider myself an underdog and this all makes sense. It pushes our agenda to no longer be over looked, our voices are being heard, and we made an impact.”

For the runway release of the HFR Nike LeBron 16 sneaker, all three designers showcased their individual clothing collections. Fe paid homage to her own beginnings by starting her show with the depiction of a little Grenadian schoolgirl.

“The little girl represented my mother as a child, with the audacity to dream big. She came to America and created a life, which gave me the opportunities to live the life I have today.”

In a recent blog post, Undra admits that she did not envision most of the awesome things that happened to her during the year 2018. “How could I have worked or even prayed to co-design a basketball shoe with LeBron James and Nike, that sold out in five minutes? My radar doesn’t even vibrate that high…at least [not] before now,” she wrote. “What I did do was set intentions. I am big on setting goals, to-do list, and resolutions, all of it. What I’ve also learned is that talent is great, a drive is necessary, but without a divine plan and appointment, I’ll find myself spinning in a circle in my studio.”

People from the region are much more than the sum total of rum, rhythm and racing, Caribbean cultural forms and expressions continue to penetrate international markets and gain acceptance. Those who become West Indian change-makers are usually the ones we least expect. In Undra’s words, “You see success only when your give everything; even if people are nasty and cruel that shouldn’t stop you from offering what God has put on your heart, for you to offer to the world.”

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(L-R) Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel (Trinidad), Dr. Rachel Cooper (President of the Design Research Society) and Barbadian Designers, Debbie Estwick and Shelly Mayers

We believe in the power of

BIG DREAMERS working together to build something GREAT

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT

www.tenhabitat.com

Where Entrepreneurs Come To Grow 29

EMPOWERING DREAMERS INSPIRING CHANGE

THE CARIBBEAN STARTUP SUMMIT By: Selwyn Cambridge

T

oday’s entrepreneur is presented with an amazing array of opportunities and challenges. The beauty of this dilemma is the chance to be innovative and transformational in your thinking. This is what the Caribbean Startup Summit is all about—Helping to nurture innovation and transformational thinking in our region’s entrepreneurs and business leaders.

With two days of amazing insight, inspiration and powerful experiences, the summit brings individuals up close with the possibilities of exploration and successes of perseverance and thinking differently.

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For those who have attended within the past three years, being part of the summit is empowering! “There are a million benefits to attending the Caribbean Startup Summit. There is a lot of information, a lot of contacts, networking, everything, just go!” says Chef Allison Burnham who won the 2018 Pitch Pit Competition, which is staged each year during the CSS. In just 90 seconds the founder of Coconut Baby and Plant Lyfe Vegan Fast Food, wowed the judges and captured the grand prize valued at over $10,000 of personalized marketing, branding, business mentoring and a one-year subscription to TEN Habitat!

Allison added, “You gotta go to the Caribbean Startup Summit and also apply for the pitch pit because even if you don’t win you will get a lot of valuable information out of it about pitching and how to improve your pitch for future opportunities.” The 2nd place finalist, Kristian Payne, got his future opportunity less than a year later when he won a pitch for his Ai Startup, Intergen Software, which helps insurance companies leverage their existing data.

May 2019 will mark the fourth cycle of the CSS, which has now moved to the Limegrove Lifestyle Centre on the West Coast of Barbados. When the conference began in 2016, it brought together

three continents and an amazing array of founders who delivered an innovative forum of insights and knowledge designed with the entrepreneur in mind. Within the past three years, attending entrepreneurs have learnt, improved and gotten better at building out their ideas and working toward scaling their businesses. There has been a noticeable shift in mind-set and leveraging the experiences and even the failures of others, allowing entrepreneurs to learn as a community, building investor ready businesses.

The fourth cycle of CSS will be staged on May 24th and 25th, 2019 at the Limegrove Cinemas in Barbados, under the theme, Mindset, Skillset, Reset! In addition to the established fundamental aspects of the Summit such as local, regional and international business support, master classes, workshops, open forums, live linkups, pitches, Q&A sessions and business exhibits, this year for the first time corporate executives teams will have their very own immersive experience. The startup summit will introduce Groundswell: an initiative for corporations to use Intrapreneurship to drive innovation from within. This master class will expose teams to principals and examples of using the practice of entrepreneurial thinking and startup methodologies to help derive new revenue streams, grow bottom lines and fuel innovation.

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CSS19 provides the opportunity for Caribbean entrepreneurs to get face to face with professionals from large international companies such as, Facebook, Google, Instagram, NetFlix and Amazon.

Additionally, a new feature of the 2019 summit is a full-day Fashion Master class being taught by international fashion expert Mercedes Gonsalez a must do for every entrepreneur involved in any aspect of the fashion industry from design to retail looking to advance their brands. Added to this year’s CSS experience will be the after summit event called Beach, Bonfire and Breadfruits, a feet in the sand, relaxed party gathering to network, socialize and build new friendships in a fun-filled atmosphere.

The power of community is at the heart of the Caribbean Startup Summit, which is exemplified through speakers and advisers hailing from around the world. In the entrepreneurship cooperative, founders will build capacity and better entrepreneurs will be produced. No individual is stronger that the community, CSS19 is therefore your opportunity to reach out, connect, interact, share, learn and grow together.

For your access to the summit log on to https:// www.caribbeanstartupsummit.com

“You gotta go to the Caribbean Startup Summit and also apply for the pitch pit because even if you don’t win YOU WILL GET A LOT OF VALUABLE INFORMATION OUT OF IT ABOUT PITCHING AND HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR PITCH FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.” 32

COMPAN I E S ACR O S S THE G L O BE A R E NOW TAKI N G I NNO VATIO N S E R IO US LY

ARE YOU? This event will expose you and your teams to best practices, experiment with new methods and tools, and learn essential skills from Amazon team members and Leading experts in the field!

MAY 24TH & 24TH: LIMEGROVE LIFESTYLE CENTRE

INTRODUCING

GROUNDSWELL

GROUNDSWELL HOW CORPORATIONS ARE USING INTRAPRENEURSHIP TO INNOVATE FROM WITHIN

Discover more: www.caribbeanstartupsummit.com/groundswell

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o

13NORTH A STORY OF LOVE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP By: Kerri Birch

L

ong before I had ever heard the term entrepreneur, I knew two truths about myself. One, I wouldn’t stay in a job as long as my parents did because I couldn’t come to terms with the idea of spending 25 to 30 years in someone else’s corporation. Two, every bit of experience gained would eventually lead to starting my own business.

After graduating university I held three different jobs, none of which I stayed in for longer than two years. When my employment post was made redundant in the last job, I started to focus on my media production company, which I had previously registered, but treated as my side hustle.

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It was an interest I had on the back burner for a while, as I certainly found it difficult to put in the necessary hard work, while holding down a nine to five job. Now faced with being unemployed I had all the time I needed, combined with the experience I had already gained by successfully completing a couple of video production jobs under my company brand.

That definitely didn’t stop me from wallowing about my immediate loss of income. However I knew I had to come to come grips with the fact that I now had to grab the bull by the horns and generate my own money. So, I changed the business name, narrowed down the services offered and started to read everything I could on starting a business and getting your name out there. I put in the time and it worked, I even got business from my former employer. It was while all this was going on that I “met” my business partners, “met” because we already knew each other. One, a former classmate and the other a professional colleague with whom I was actively working on international

projects shot on location in the Caribbean.

The three of us quickly realised that our thought patterns were the same. We felt there was something missing in the landscape of video production in Barbados and we wanted to fill that void and as a result, the era of 13° North Productions Inc. began. Fast forward six years…we are down one business partner, but we are making strides. If I were to say the process has been easy, I would surely be lying.

In Barbados, the act of physically starting up a business is a bit daunting. Based on my interactions with other small business owners, there are certain steps to starting up that they themselves do not know. That’s why it is imperative to have a physical or virtual place, where business founders can go to see a checklist of what needs to be done when starting.

The registration of companies with the various government entities is also a point of confusion and contention that should be streamlined. There is no reason why a person who wants to

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register a company, should have to travel from office to office across the island to get it done. This tedious process takes time away from work and costs money. Since my first business, I did extensive reading on starting your own business. Most articles came from North America, the UK and even Australia, but I was able to get the gist of some of what to do. The parts that did not apply to Barbados, I surely found out through trial and error.

This allowed 13° North Productions to be a step ahead, to this day people we meet are still amazed on learning that that the company has an attorney, an accountant, is incorporated and is registered with VAT, to us all of which should really be second nature to running your business. I usually think of being an entrepreneur as one of those internet memes showing, “What my friends, family and the world think I do” vs. “What I actually do.” Many people perceive being an entrepreneur as, setting your own schedule, working when you want, being your own boss and being flooded with cash. What they don’t know is that all these things are relative and more often than not, it takes years for and of those things to be true.

in relationships. There is our work relationship and our personal relationship and these two should not heavily affect each other.

For example, if we have a personal disagreement in the morning before entering the office, we try to make sure that, that does not affect “office” Kirk & Kerri and “at home” Kirk & Kerri. We have gotten so good at the boundaries of our relationship that it takes some clients a while to figure out that we are much more that just business partners. Don’t get me wrong, we certainly don’t hide the fact that we are a couple, however in a business realm, we prefer to remain professional. A proclamation of our coupledom to clients does not ring true as professional. Though now, thanks to this article for Caribbean Startup Scene, I guess the cat’s out of the bag. Working with your significant other does have its advantages. Most importantly taking the journey with someone who completely understands the struggles and the triumphs and has a shared vision of your business and how you would like it to grow.

I knew I had to come to come grips with the fact that I now had to grab the bull by the horns and GENERATE MY OWN MONEY.

There is a level of determination, discipline and tenacity that you must possess when running your business. Walking into Corporate Affairs and registering the business name is the easy part; it’s what you do after you “bring that baby” home that counts. The reality is, creating anoperating your own business usually involves long hours, loads of planning, buckets of tears and overcoming the unexpected. With the risk of scaring other potential startup founders, you may not get paid at the end of each month, you do not get to clock out at 5pm and leave the work behind until the next day. Each day you have to push the work to ensure that there is a next day for your business, especially when you have people who work for you and depend on you to bring in the business so they can get paid.

Let’s not even talk about vacation….what is that?

Whether you are in Barbados, the Caribbean or the wider world, this is the life of an entrepreneur. You constant goal is working to bring the business to success or to keep it a success; this is often done at the detriment of your personal life. For me, the balance between work vs. personal life is a bit strange because my business partner, Kirk Dawson, is also my life partner. For us it’s easy to confuse work time with quality time, especially when working to scale the business and the time spent is literally twenty-four seven. We also have to remember there’s a division

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From its inception we saw 13° North Productions as a large player in the Caribbean media landscape.

A Barbados-based company with high international appeal, not limited in any way to just these 166 square miles. We have been constantly making strides, from securing our first big production job, which took us throughout the Caribbean, to working with Vogue Magazine. We also secured the contract for production of destination images for Barbados and most recently working with the American reality show series, Married to Medicine. Our aim is to constantly go further. In fact, we recently prepared a six-year strategic plan, which would move us into other Caribbean territories with the longterm goal of creating an Academy for media production training. The ideas of that plan were dreams we had six years ago, however we are only able to realise them at this time, because now we are truly ready. The one thing to remember when entrepreneurship life hits you in the gut, as it certainly will from time to time, is that everything you do now and the experiences you gain will prepare you for your next step. Preparation is key.

Kerri & Kirk are the co-founders of 13° North Productions Inc. which specialises in Film & Video Productions, Production Facilitation, Photography, Animation and Scripting.

ENTREPRENEURS

TEN QUESTIONS

Cronneit Forest Bows Founder & Designer, Denny Cronneit

By Belle Holder

Behold the bow tie!

This sophisticated neck adornment holds the distinction of being the most classic look for formal occasions, however its origins served a more functional purpose. History has it that in the 1600s Croatian soldiers used bow ties to keep the collars of their shirts together. By the mid 1880s, the bow tie had become a staple in the fashion conscious man’s wardrobe.

Enter Grenada’s Denny Cronneits, a multi-talented entrepreneur who believes in setting himself apart and building his brand Dr.Image Production, one wooden bow at a time. The 28-year-old launched his line of unique fashion carved bow ties, Cronneit’s Forest Bows, in November 2017. Though the road to entrepreneurship has been bumpy, Denny maintains his focus for the success of the business around faith and family. Along the way the business has garnered positive attention by winning awards and receiving seed funding. Denny is currently in the process of designing wooden bow ties for Grenada’s St. Georges Seven Days Adventist Choir and the Lion’s Club.

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BELLE Were you a regular bow tie lover and/or wearer before you created your own specialty line?

DENNY

Wearing a bow tie was my style since my early teens. I use to make my own patterns out of cloth and I had a wide range of colours and patterns.

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BELLE What woodwork or carving skills did you have before this if any?

DENNY

I had no prior woodwork or carving skills. I’m very visual and I learn from what I see, so it is easy for me to look at designs and create them.

Denny Cronneits likeness Illustrated by @kenb_real

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3

BELLE

Your wife Rekiesha works with you in the business and she took sewing classes to upgrade her skills, allowing her to create the fabric accents and the bow tie bags. What is it like having your life partner as your business partner?

DENNY Having my wife as a business partner is bitter sweet. Some days the energy and enthusiasm is high and other times it’s on a low. Sometimes I think my motivation is not her motivation and my drive is not her drive. My wife is extremely supportive and having her as a partner helped to kick-start the business, especially because I didn’t have to pay her, Ha Ha Ha.

4

BELLE

You use scrap lumber to create the bow ties and scrap cloth for the center accents and the bow tie bags, why is this type of material sourcing important to you?

DENNY Using scrap materials help the business financially. I don’t spend much on lumber and center pieces unless customers desire a specific pattern of cloth that I don’t have. On the contrast, the bags are made of a special type of material, which has to be sourced and purchased in bulk. It’s a linkage industry; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

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5

BELLE You are a professional Environmental Health Officer in your native Grenada, in your view, what is the biggest health concern in the Spice Isle?

DENNY

Yes I’m a District Environmental Health Officer. Pollution is one of my concerns, though it may not be the biggest on a national level. One of my pet peeves is seeing people throwing food boxes outside of moving vehicles. On a number of occasions I had to stop vehicles for the aforementioned. It concerns me that people don’t see the need to hold their garbage until they meet a garbage bin and realize that they are slow poisoning the environment.

6

BELLE

You list photography as one of your passions and you have worked as a resort photographer for Sandals LaSource, how does that skill set fit with your other entrepreneurial endeavours?

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You were mentored by another Grenadian entrepreneur, Tamara Prosper the founder of Tambran, which is a luxury line of eco-jewelry and art-cessories, how important is mentorship to you as an entrepreneur?

DENNY I love photography! Based on my entrepreneurship arsenal, it helps my business cut back a lot on cost for promotions. I do my own photo shoots and handle the creative direction, that way the ties are promoted the way I like them to be. Professional photography is also a side business. I handle weddings, personal photo shoots, baby dedications and other photo capturing moments. I also do all of the photo editing and retouching myself.

7

BELLE

You speak openly about some of the trials and tribulations you faced as a startup founder in terms of a lack of record keeping and money management in the beginning. As a result of those experiences, what advice do you have for other startup founders and small business owners?

DENNY As a small business owner my record keeping was a disaster, as fast as the money came in, it went, because I didn’t have a structure in place. My advice to small business owners is, to seek help, do research, and ask questions to make sure you are on the right path. As the winner of the 2017-2018 Young Innovators Challenge, I thank the Grenada Investment Development Corp for the education I received as a result. Although I’m not 100% there yet, I’m at a much better position now regarding the importance of record keeping.

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BELLE

DENNY I believe mentorship is the foundation of great things. Learning and sharing business knowledge, experiences and downfalls can lead to lots of growth and development. As a result, knowledge will not be stagnant but flows with the intention to empower. receive.

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BELLE In 2018 you became a first time dad of a son, Jyremiah Denzel, how has becoming a father changed your perspective and what scares you the most about parenthood?

DENNY

Yes I’m a full time dad of my active baby boy! My heart is filled with joy; it is such a pleasure to be a father. Having Jyremiah gives me extra drive to push my product out there, knowing that I have my son to provide for. It is also very humbling and I have to be a versatile father. I’m now spending more time with the family and helping out at home more than I use too. My greatest scare, as a father, is not being there to educate and be my son’s best friend. I grew up with my grandmother and I know the feeling of not having a father around to talk to or just be there to teach you and guide you along. I want to be the type of father I never had in my childhood.

BONUS QUESTION If you could go back in time and launch Cronneit Forest Bow ties, what period would it be and why?

BELLE Describe your experience with the GIDC Young Innovators Challenge in three words and what impact did that victory have on your business?

DENNY

The experience was Edifying, Nerve-racking and Unforgettable.

Coming out victorious in this challenge placed my product on a higher level, so that persons don’t see just a piece of wood, but rather a product that deserves a medal. Also, persons near and far who hadn’t heard of my business got to know about it due to TV interviews and Newspaper stories.

DENNY Definitely that time would have been in my early teens because that’s when the idea first came. If I had the support I have now; then, maybe things would have been different for me. My career choice would have been different; the challenges I faced, as a teenager would have been different. But like it or not, I know God chose this time to pour his blessings on me. I’m grateful, so so Grateful. As the song puts it, ‘…Gratefulness is flowing from my heart’.

Learn more about Cronneit Forest Bow Ties on Facebook & Instagram at Dr.IMAGE Production Arts & Crafts Store in Saint John, Grenada

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Don’t Miss Caribbean Startup Summit 2019 MAY 24TH & 25TH

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www.caribbeanstartupsummit.com