Name: Angela deFreitas
Name of business: CHOICES Career & Education Advice
Your job title: General Manager
Age at which you started your business: 35
What do you think is the most important character trait in a successful entrepreneur?
A competitive nature
Identify one hardship that you experienced while building your business and how you overcame that.
I needed a short-term loan as start-up capital. I was able to borrow this at a low interest rate from my credit union in which I had been a member at that time for over 10 years and had built up shares and a reputation as a good borrower. I would have never received such a loan from my bank, so the credit union was very important to my business development.
Describe one moment in which you felt immense pride in your accomplishment as entrepreneur.
Launching our CHOICES career and education programme and its supporting products in the Caribbean.
How important were family/connections/relationships to your work’s success?
Building relationships through a network was key – not among family and friends, but among the companies which support our work and also among target groups for our products. Building trust and confidence in the name behind the business and the value of the product was also important.
What advice would you give to youth considering starting entrepreneurial ventures in Jamaica?
Go for it! Start as early as you can in developing your idea. Think it through carefully. Outline it on paper to make sure it makes sense. Find a mentor who will guide you. Do not delay. It may just be that next big idea which might change the world!
For the picture: Why did you choose this pic and what does it say about you?
The picture says that CHOICES is recognised, not just locally but has global reach also.
Be sure to leave your comments below. See responses from other Jamaican entrepreneurs here.
