– Founder of Women in Business Expo, Sonia Noel urges

POPULAR designer/fashion icon, Sonia Noel, says there are no words to describe her feelings as she continues to witness the positive effects that the ‘Women in Business Expo’ have been having on women from all across Guyana.

Included in the midst of the over 50 women, who have been participating each year, are those who are the sole breadwinners of their families; youths, single parents, and even housewives who carry on small businesses to support their families.

The expo, Noel’s brainchild, was launched in November 2018 and will be held this year on March 2 and 3 at the Pegasus Hotel, in Kingston. This year, makes the fourth, since the Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts (SNFCA) has been hosting the event.

In the months leading up to the expo, the participants are able to benefit from forums on health, business, technology, and leadership, with some of the classes teaching them confidence; dress and grooming, branding and marketing, and the importance of a healthy body.

While some of the women are shy and unsure about their products in the beginning, the training allows them to become more confident and successful at their businesses, Noel said in an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.
Four years ago, she realised that there were many business owners who simply did not have the capital for advertising. “So I thought of creating the platform to give them a jumpstart, and from year one to four, the testimony is amazing. We’ve really been achieving our objectives,” Noel recalled.

“I feel so blessed to be part of these lives. I don’t have enough words to describe the feeling that comes from being a part of something so inspiring, and knowing that I am helping to add value to lives. This is not about me, but I believe I am being used as a vessel by God to help these individuals,” she said.

The expo came off to a good start due to the kindness shown by Chief Executive Officer of the Pegasus Hotel, Robert Badal, who allowed for the hotel to be used for free that year.
Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson has also been throwing his support behind the expo, and this year the Ministry has committed to sponsoring an ‘expo booklet’, featuring all of the businesses on board.

The training so far is going great, according to Noel, as each participant is getting the time she needs to correct her mistakes and come up to speed with what is required for a successful expo.

And as the women continue to rub shoulders, they are able to bring out the best in each other and help each other to hone their business skills. The women have also been forging strong friendships as they continue to work together.

“They tell me my energy is contagious, but the energy I have after I leave those women…Every year we go a level higher. It happens when you’re in a growth, positive environment. People, you don’t even want to miss it. Let’s support the young women in business locally,” Noel urged.

Three women, Carolyn Caesar Murray, Leisa Gibson, and Marisa Jaisingh, who are all busy preparing for the expo, spoke with the Pepperpot Magazine on their experiences so far over the years.

Gibson, the owner of ‘Leisa Salon and Beauty Supplies,’ manufactures natural hair and body products made with coconut oil. When she participated in 2016 for the first time, she went with a single product. “We now have hair and scalp conditioner, hair growth oil, coconut and crab oils and five types of natural soaps. The expo has been great for me,” Gibson expressed.

With six more products in hand, along with five types of soap, Gibson is working hard to get them into more supermarkets. Currently, her products can be found in Guyana Shop. Many persons order from her online, through her Facebook account, and she also does delivery around Georgetown.
“I would like to encourage everyone to come out and support Guyanese businesses,” she said.

Caesar-Murray, another exhibitor and member of the committee overseeing the expo, is the owner of Harmony Inn and Secret Villa, that has three branches in Georgetown, one on the West Bank Demerara, and one at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.
“This expo has allowed me a lot of exposure in our services. That’s what this platform does for women; it gives you the opportunity to showcase your business. Holistically, it is unlike any expo that we have in Guyana. It features primarily women, and showcases how they contribute positively to the economy,” Caesar-Murray noted.

Her services include apartment rentals and laundry services. “We have visitors from all over the world who come to enjoy luxury accommodations at an affordable price.”
Caesar-Murray, a former city councillor, is looking to expand her customer base at this year’s expo. “I am looking forward to interacting with persons and bringing awareness to the services I offer. We need to give some more credence to this expo because it is creating employment. I really feel that the public needs to come out in their numbers and support it more.”

She said the growth and exposure afforded to the participants of the expo is unmatched. “The women are empowered through training and enhanced branding, new entrepreneurial potentials are realised, and their confidences are built. Sonia has worked vigorously, pushing beyond limits and boundaries; not taking no for an answer to ensure that this platform is available to women. We are perpetually grateful that she championed our cause; that she inspires, motivates and helps us to innovate for change.”
Jaisingh, the owner of ‘Trails and Treasures,’ is an event decorator and is well-known as the “balloon girl.”

“We decorate for any event but we specialise in balloon artistry. Balloons are nice space fillers and we can make any designs with them. This year we did some pretty awesome designs,” she expressed.

Jaisingh decorated for her own wedding and thought to herself afterwards that she can use her talent to do the same for others at a reasonable cost. “I have always been creative so it’s a natural talent that I kept developing. Eventually, you can gain financially from your talent once you keep working on it, and that’s what I did.”

Jaisingh said the impact of the expo is amazing; helps her meet many clients, and helps her to receive lots of referrals.