Despite the ups and downs, crafter not giving up on her passion.
Lawanda Pillay has always been artistic but, for a while in her life, she says in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, her focus on art drifted. Life got in the way. Even after successful CXC results in 2005, she couldn’t get a job; most business places were telling her she was too young.
Born in May, 1988 in Georgetown, Lawanda had attended Saint Stanislaus College where she wrote CXC.
Unsuccessful at job hunting at 17, she took her first job as a seamstress, but after a year she left to begin working at the University of Guyana where she remained for six years. While working at the university she studied Interior Design at the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE), and graduated with a distinction.
She would resign her post as personal assistant to the University Librarian to work at Madewini Villas designing for the homes there – a turn in her career made possible by her interior design studies. She has also attended the Adult Education Association for a course in Curtain Making.
It was from this foray into her creative side that, after a few months, she branched off on her own. But life isn’t always that simple.
“I was home for a period of time and, with nothing to do most days, majority of my time was spent on my laptop just browsing the internet,” she recalls, “I came across a site named Pinterest.com, which is a web and mobile application company that operates a photo sharing website… It is known as the world’s catalogue of ideas. I was fascinated by all the amazing craft and decor on the site and would log in everyday to see what new projects would pop up. I then started trying out projects and creating samples of my own… I became addicted and tried out something new every day. This renewed the artistic side of me and sparked the whole of idea of turning it into a business.”
Then along came Roraima’s Wedding Expo in March 2015, and, says Lawanda “[I]saw it as a chance to start marketing myself, so I decided to participate in the event…The on-spot response was great, everyone was amazed with the decor of my booth and loved my handmade creations. This landed me my first job, which was to decorate the Guyana Marriott Hotel’s Ballroom for their opening in April 2015.”
But again, it wasn’t enough for a steady income.
“Even though I gained a lot of attention at the Expo, business didn’t exactly ‘kick off for me’, it was really slow. I spent most days wondering when I would get my next customer. For the remainder of that year I only got about five small jobs, which were craft related,” she reveals.
Then the Christmas season approached and she decided to make and advertise greetings cards.“The responses,” she describes, “were great.I always get positive feedback from my customers. They are always amazed by my work and make sure they contact me to let me know how pleased they were, and congratulate me on a job well done. I’ve never had a single negative comment since I started my business and I’m proud of that.”
But business is never consistent. “Sometimes I have a lot to do, other times I get no work at all – but I guess that’s how it goes with business,” she considers. “I find that work comes in mostly on general occasions, such as Valentine’s, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Christmas etc. but overall, this year has been way better than last year.”
“I still have a far way to go…” she muses.
Currently working from her home, her biggest desire is to have her own store/business place.Something she plans to work towards. Her company, Hats Off Custom Décor, provides craft and decor services for Home, Office, Parties and Weddings.
“I’m also considering studying Event Planning to combine the two aspects, so not only would I provide great decor for my customers but also plan amazing events for them,” she adds.
The second child of her parents, who are separated, Lawanda also has an 8-year-old son.“I always felt like something was missing… that I needed to do more with myself…I realised this was it, it’s what I love. I also needed a means of income and I had grown tired of working for others,” she recalls of her decision to get into business.
Her interests besides crafting, include researching new ways on how to improve her business and products, karaoke and “most importantly, spending time alone… I’m sort of an introvert so this is the best time for me,” she declares.
“I would advise [persons] to just go for it. Think about what you want to do, set your goals and work towards them. It wouldn’t be an easy road, but with persistence and determination, you will get there,” she concludes. (Cover photo: ‘Thank you’ boxes for baby shower made by Lawanda)
