Changing the make-up landscape of Guyana
Choosing the right shade of foundation, the perfect lipstick or even eyeshadow palette is a task many underestimate. It requires the help of some who not only knows the product but also understands the importance of the “perfect match” and for the past year Robert Hiscock and Tamera DaSilva created that space when the launched the Little Make-up Bag.
Robert is a 28 year old Englishman but because of his love for Guyana and the fact that he spent most of his time here, it was only right that he became a Guyanese national and that he did in 2010. Meanwhile, Tamera is what we describe at the born and bred Guyanese millennial. Robert is the holder of a degree in Business and Caribbean Studies from the London Metropolitan University and was previously a Beverage Marketing Manager with Caribbean beverage giant-
AnsaMcAL. Tamera is just 21 years old but has a passion for being independent and hence the reason for undertaking this joint venture with Robert. She has also worked several jobs in retain and marketing but never felt the level of comfort she now feels
“I believe strongly in self-empowerment and being your own source of happiness. Perhaps the latter is the main reason why I chose this particular industry to get involved in,” she says.
Both Robert and Tameka strongly believes in Guyana’s potential for growth over the next few years and thought that becoming entrepreneurs, “throwing out ya belly” as some may say, was the best way for then to benefit from this growth. Further, the duo says owning your own business is in many ways a stepping stone in life towards independence, like buying your first car or first house.
“Striving for this independence and to ensure we, as Guyanese, make the most of what our country has to offer, was key to our decision to open our own business.”
Little Make-up Bag is located at 129A Duncan Street, Bel-Air Park, Georgetown and retails cosmetics and skin care products. For the owners, seeing the smiles on customer’s faces when they open their new eyeshadow pallet or try on a new shade of lipstick is second to none.
“With this said, the focus on our customers, and thus our customer service and marketing initiatives geared towards giving back to those who give to us, is what sets us apart from others in the industry. At Little Make-up Bag, not only can a consumer expect the best variety and prices, but the homely nature of our business allows us to give our customers the time and attention they deserve.”
Unlike most stores that offer cosmetics in Guyana, make-up and skin care is not just a component at the Little Make-up Bag rather it is the entire focus of the business. As such, Tameka and Robert spends significant time testing products before they hit the shelves in order to ensure that they are satisfied with their quality and that customers will have the best experience possible.
“We also offer a wide variety of leading cosmetic brands and don’t just focus on one particular portfolio. This helps us to ensure that when customers come to Little Make-up Bag they stand a good chance of finding exactly what they’re looking for.”
With cosmetics being a relatively new industry in Guyana, it leaves a lot of opportunity for young entrepreneurs to really capitalize.
For Tamera and Robert age is just a number that does not really affects the possibility of launching a successful venture. Their challenges, like many others, were the same. Finding the capital to launch their business was among the major challenge, but for them starting small is not a problem and they did start small. Over the past year they have grown as individuals, business partners and so did the Little Make-up Bag.
“We started as a small door to door retailer with a minimal investment. From there we continued to grow and re-invest whatever we earned. This, with support from our parents allowed us to open a physical location (but this is only the beginning). Another challenge associated with starting a venture is commitment. Everything that can go wrong will! It will never be a walk in the park and there will be many sleepless nights if you want to get it right. However, pushing through and keeping your thoughts fixated on your overall objective will help you to remember why you started this journey in the first place,” they advised.
Managing your own business will also be tough at first especially if you came from conventional employment where you typically served one function of the business. Running your own show means getting familiar with all aspects of an operational business from accounting to inventory management and marketing. Time is also a challenge. Start-ups very rarely become profitable right away. Research the industry you want to get involved in, ensure there is real opportunity to be exploited and know that Guyana has so much opportunity. Think outside the box and don’t hesitate to come out of your comfort zone. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
