The Power of Support

Last night was truly beautiful. I got the chance to experience the musical talents of several local and international artistes who donated their time and talent in aid of raising funds for our local children's hospital - The Bustamente Children's Hospital. No doubt, they were able to make a significant contribution based on the turnout, and it once again reminded me about the power of the collective.

En route to the event, I received a life lesson. While in traffic, two little boys approached a female driver at the intersection to wipe her glass (someting very typical in our society, and at times can be a nuisance). All glammed up ready to "Dare to Care" the lady proceeded to have hysterics about the boys touching her glass, wound down her window to rebuke them and proceeded to wind  up her her window. Amidst all of that, I honked my horn, called the boys over and gave them something, so that their effort would not be in vain. In front of me the little boys split their reward.

Now, I am not quick to judge, and at times have been guilty of behaving like the above mentioned woman, but last night called my attention to something higher than that. Several Jamaicans came together last night to achieve a common purpose and assist the needy. The same philanthropic spirit that resonated last night, would be oh so profound if continued past that.  Sir Richard Branson in his book - "Screw Business as Usual", has called for corporate entitities to incorporate making a positive impact as a part of their core.
In Jamaica I have also witnessed it with the creation of positions of Corporate Social Responsibility, and the establishment of several foundations. I would like to make a call to all Jamaicans to instil a civic duty and responsibility as part of our core.

To me these institutions and roles resemble the lady in the SUV  "all glammed up" to support the cause of the day, yet ignoring the base of the people.These institutions are only part of the collective, and we all have a role to play in bringing about the positive changes in JA. We have several needy people, and needy institutions, and the reward does not only have to be in cash, but in kind.What a difference it would be if we all extended our hand in varying directions, so that we could all share in the rewards.

 Jamaica has on overwhelming spirit of entrepreneurism. On every corner we have someone selling something, and every day another business opens, hopefully destined to succeed. How often do we take the time to extend a word of advice or renegotiate a business deal when things have gone awry.  Do we ever ask how business is going for the guy who is selling phone cases, or suggest to him another location where he could possibly get more sales. Or even to go on rotation at a variety of intersectons :). I wonder if the banks would ever propose a bad debt amnesty on principal similar to the tax amnesty introduced by the previous government, so that they too can recover some of their losses and people who are willing to clear their debt take advantage of the situation. That may make it feasible for them to offer interest rates that people can actually afford to pay and make a profit for themsleves.

The truth of the matter is that we are all caught up in our own lives, that we fail to provide the adequate support our businesses need in order to thrive. We all need some guidance, and often times we make mistakes. So instead of treating our businesses like the misguided teenager who has become pregnant with uncertainty, and shutting them out, we should take the time to nourish our business sector, so that they too can strive, and employ and export.  Would hope as Jamaican's we rally around our businesses formal and informal, to equip them with the tools and the knowledge they need to ride the waves of starting up.

Looking for a good read

So there rarely is any downtime in business, but when it does occur I take some time to educate myself. I do this by looking into the lives of other people through the books they have written. I am sharing my reading list with you, some profound, some not so much, but all of which are entertaining. Maybe some of the words can inspire and motivate you.

My ultimate favourite:  The Legend of the Monk & the Merchant - Terry Felber - pretty straight forward concept on accruing wealth. Hard work, Discipline, Perseverance.

Other good reads:

Thinking, Excelling, Success


A Call to Conscience - Martin Luther King. Profound writings if ever in need of inspiration.

Screw Business as Usual - Richard Branson . In this book Sir Richard explores the lighter and more human aspect of doing business by examining case studies from several leading market players who have made philanthropy in business work.

Blink, The Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell. These are definately stop and think books. Each has your cognitive wheels turning making you aware that it only takes an instance or an opportunity for an innate response to be unearthed in the form of a snap judgement or decision. Promotes intuitive thinking. Also makes you realize that those who excel are the ones who have been given the opportunity to hone their skills in excess of 10,000 hrs. So if you want to be good at something you have to put in the requisite time.

Strategy, Planning, Execution


The Art of War - Sun Tzu - need I say more. The title speaks for itself


The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene - This book is a very powerful tool, not to be misused and has to be careful understood. If you don't work it wisely, it will be your demise.


Outwitting the Devil - Napoleon Hill  The book reveals the inner workings of the mind and how one battles with his/ her own fears in order to accomplish objectives.


Built to Last - Jim Collins - From the author of  Good to Great, Collins takes a step further into examining the core concepts about what makes some companies create an advantage in their respective fields.


Relationship Management


(The below list is extremely unconventional, but after reading them you will kinda get the drift)

The Celestine Phrophecy - James Redfield  - helps to understand how interconnected and interdependent we are a individuals.

The Alchemist  - Paulo Coelho. A million thanks to my aunt who introduced me to this author through his writings of the Zahir. The alchemist reminds us of the power of self.  It is very important in business to stay true to who you are and to not lose yourself along the way.

Dealing with Difficult People - Roy Lilley  I can guarantee you that in business you will come across that individual who will make you want to ___________. (You know what I mean)

Susan's Diary for Nicholas - James Patterson. A life lesson on how much people matter.


Haven't read too many books on networking and social media. Feel free to leave your recommendations or your thoughts on some of the books I've shared. Thanks for viewing.

Up and Running

After a couple years of working for people,  I decided that it was time for me to start my own business. Mind you these couple of years were exactly that. So I am at square one: A university graduate with a first degree and two - three years work experience under my belt, about to take on the mammoth task of running a business. I was kind of aware that doing business in JA was a bit rough, but I swear, the environment in which we operate, you have to be a champion hurdler to to survive.

 So first is first:  kudos to all the businesses operating in Jamaica right now who have passed the five - year benchmark. You guys are miracle makers. Worse coming out of an economic environment where unsecured loans are in excess of 30%, credit card rates are in excess of 47% from some banks (won't call names) and you have to reveal down to the colour underwear you have to acces government financing, and miraculously if you obtain it have to struggle through cash-flow, as there is no such thing as COD ( Cash on Delivery) in a Jamaican economy. (Not complaining though, just observations)

All this made me realize that when taking such a step as to venture into business ownership and management, preparedness is key. There is a three step rule which applies to running businesses period.

1. Make informed decisions.
2. Secure Adequate Financing
3. Mistakes and Disasters will happen. Communicate, fess up and stay on course.

 I found "Starting  & Running a Business in Jamaica" written by Kimala Bennett, a life saver. It outlines most of the procedures for starting & running a business and made getting the structure and shape and some of the legal framework which goes into setting up a business much more manageable and less time consuming as her procedures are pretty straight forward. Calling around and talking to some of the agencies was also helpful, as sometimes there are industry specific considerations that need to be followed, and they are very insightful when it comes to areas such as manufacturing. Places like the Jamaican Manufacturer's Association (JMA) as well as the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) are able to give you  industry specific guidlelines that will help you in your field.

It is one thing to secure investment, another thing to maintain it, and a whole different kettle of fish managing cash flow. For businesses starting with really great ideas and a wonderful customer base, a word of caution. Pace yourself. There is nothing worse than having a good reputation take a nose dive as  a result of taking on more than you can manage. Words of advice - find a really good accountant. Not only to do your books, but find and establish a working relationship with your accountant/ financial controller. They will be able to guide you with decisions as it relates to selecting financing, timing of cash flows,  loan repayments, investment scheduling, payment scheduling and even pricing to ensure that you are able to cover all your costs, pay your staff, suppliers expenses and manage your receivables.

Making sure your informed, and securing the right financing are key, but what matters most in business is the relationships you form with your clients.
(Bird in the hand, two in the bush concept).
Identify your bread winners and ensure open and honest communication with them. At times there will be instances where you may be afraid of confronting an issue, but experience has taught me that it is always best to be direct and keep them informed so that they may plan accordingly. Decisions have consequences, so be prepared to think these situations through and seek counsel from people with experience and remember that in business you are only as good as your last performance. Maintaining a standard is key.

Now with a business up and running, I can't wait to see what other challenges are in store!!!!