Pandemic takes toll on small, medium-sized entrepreneurs

THE COVID-19 pandemic is still impacting a lot of small and mediumsized entrepreneurs to this day.

One such individual, who goes by the street name Jay, is a street vendor selling jewellery, wall hangings and perfumes.

“The earrings we make, the pure perfume is from overseas and carvings too are also made here,” he said.

He added most of the materials which he uses to make jewellery and his wall carving were from natural materials he found in his surroundings.

“We just buy hooks and sticks, that’s about it for the carvings. We just buy the big sheets of wood such as the plyboard and then we carve into it.”

The 27-year-old said he learnt his skills at the Fiji National University, which sustained him for five to six years in Suva.

For Jay, this was a huge risk which he had to undertake, one he never regreted.

The businessman said he spent most of his days in Suva near the corner of Rodwell Rd and Usher St.

However, he was constantly changing his locations to wherever there was greater foot traffic.

“I used to be near Tower Insurance and then I moved to RB Patel.”

He said some days business went well, however, most days it was slow.

Weekends were the busiest days for the entrepreneur as most of his customers would work during the weekdays.

On a busy day, Jay would earn as much as $100, however, on a normal day he would walk away with a minimum of $30.

He added COVID-19 had affected his business in terms of customer spending.

“We can tell the customers can buy because they can afford,” he said.

His advice for the younger generation was for them to find something to do in life and become self-employed.