Seamoss producer Kamarsha Sylvester, who copped the first prize in the 2nd annual Phillip Nassief Entrepreneurship Challenge, said she plans to use her winnings to expand her business.
Sylvester who is the Managing Director of ‘HEY MAMA’ walked away with $20,000 after competing among seven other entrepreneurs in the Ultimate Pitching Challenge held at the Fort Young Hotel on Wednesday night.
“The ambition is to invest in some equipment, because I want to expand my product line, and to be able to do that I am going to need some equipment,” she told Dominica News Online (DNO) during an interview on Thursday.
According to her, this will help in the further success of her business.
The Paix Bouche native who had already participated in that competition, held for the first time last year, said she was elated to have emerged victorious this time around.
“I was elated because I worked hard and I was happy that my hard work finally paid off,” Sylvester stated.
In preparation for the competition, Sylvester said a written proposal had to be submitted to the organizers, followed by a training session online where participants received coaching from a member of the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce (DAIC).
She is confident that her method of delivery gave her the edge in that competition.
“It was my method of delivery. I was well-spoken, I was very audible and I ensured that I did not give my back to the audience,” she explained. “I presented my raw sea moss in bulk form as well as the retail form and I also had samples of my sea moss gel for the public to see [and] I presented my brochures to each of the judges.”
Sylvester continued, “You had to know your numbers, you had to know your business internally…”
Her message to entrepreneurs is that they should not be afraid of failure.
“I have failed publicly, but the thing about failing is that this time you know exactly what not to do,” she advised. “Whenever you fail it’s just a stepping stone, one more lesson learnt, so you are closer to achieving your goals.”
Sylvester explained that prior to ‘HEY MAMA’ she owned Taste of Eden which she started in 2015.
“I started by producing herbal teas and that didn’t work out for me,” she revealed. “I bottled green seasonings, that too didn’t work out and then I did Bannann Pézé that still didn’t work out.”
She added, “That is why I encourage people to not be afraid to fail…”
Presently, Sylvester can boast of success in the production of her sea moss.
She further encourages entrepreneurs to never give up.
‘HEY MAMA’, launched on September 30, 2022, is located in Portsmouth where Sylvester presently resides. The product is available at all major supermarkets on the island which includes; the Douglas-Charles Airport at the departure lounge, at hotels, Zeb Kweyol, in Roseau as well as various business places in Portsmouth.
Meanwhile, the second place went to Dr. Gail Defoe of Caribbean Agro Producers. She received $15,000, while the third place was secured by Charlene Xavier of Allens Poultry who won $10,000.
The Phillip Nassief Entrepreneurship Challenge was rebranded from the GEMS Entrepreneurship Challenge. This program is designed to offer significant financial assistance to entrepreneurs eager to invest in and expand their businesses. The initiative is inspired by Phillip Nassief, the founder of Dominica Coconut Products (DCP) and the Fort Young Hotel (1986) Ltd., who made a lasting impact on the economic and social fabric of Dominica. Phillip passed away on April 28, 2024, leaving a legacy characterized by entrepreneurship, kindness, and a strong sense of community.
Well done, Kamarsha. You are an inspiration to us all.
Your success proves that creativity (Kamarsha is one of Dominica’s foremost poets) goes hand-in-hand with business innovation.