... Robbed three times, but never gave up
SONYA DUNSTAN operates her company A Taste of The Caribbean Ltd from a location along Hagley Park Road, St Andrew, and employs five persons on a full-time basis. But, despite the progress she has made, there have been setbacks.
“My biggest setback was that I was robbed three times in one year. It affected my self-esteem and I also became fearful. I thought about quitting, and I prayed to God for the strength to continue. I had a network of farmers who relied on my orders to send their children to school. Therefore, I was not going to make mishaps like that hinder me, and so I picked myself up and continued,” she related.
The College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) – now UTech – and Florida International University graduate used to market her brand mainly through word of mouth, establishing booths at expos and through product samplings at supermarkets.
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However, after being featured on ‘The Innovators’, a 30-minute reality TV series, which challenges up-and-coming entrepreneurs to grow their business, she now has a presence on social media.
“The Innovators really helped me,” she declared. “I had specific challenges to complete and I executed them as best as possible. I was also advised to create a social media presence for my business and that helped my marketing. In addition, I was also urged to seek new distribution streams and make other changes to improve efficiency. Those suggestions have helped my operations.”
One of the prizes she received for winning ‘The Innovators’ was a grant from JN Small Business Loans (JNSBL).
“The support from JNSBL will be used to improve (the business) as I focus on areas such as research and development, because I am keen on these activities,” she maintained.