THE ‘Women in Business Expo’ has been having a positive effect on many small businesses from all across Guyana, and as participants gear up for the event, a lot of hard work and planning is being done to facilitate a successful exposition.

The exhibition, the brainchild of popular designer Sonia Noel, will be held at the Pegasus Hotel, as usual, in Kingston, on March 2 and 3. This year marks the fourth since the Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts (SNFCA) has been hosting the event.

Among 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.

Bibi Ramlall- Khan, for instance, is the owner of ‘Lisa’s Beauty Shoppe,’ a beauty supplies store that provided products that are efficient, unique and most importantly, affordable.
Bibi started her business in February 2016 with just a few products in hand. To date, however, she has managed to acquire a wide variety of items. She brings in cosmetics, makeup, bags and fashion jewellery.

“We first thought of bringing brand name products at a very affordable price, but we found that people still couldn’t make the prices, so I shifted to bringing other products that are more affordable,” Bibi told the Guyana Chronicle.

The exposure the business receives at the expo always has a good effect on her business, Bibi said. “So many of the people who meet you there become your customers; some people have even been coming back to look for me.”

The business is located at Lot 2 Public Road, Albouystown, and can be contacted on telephone number 699 4610.

“Crafted By Chey” is another business owned by Shonta Noel. It specialises in the making of handmade crafts, such as greeting cards, invitations, party supplies, and paper flowers. “You think it, we create it!” Noel said.

Noel, who started up her business in March 2015, works from home. She did it as a hobby initially but found the response from others very encouraging. She thus decided to make a business out of it. “I feel I was born with my creativity,” she said, adding that she would also get ideas from looking at Youtube videos.

The annual expo helps her with exposure and motivates her to something new each year. She is hoping to be able to expand it sometime in the future.
Noel can be contacted on telephone number 668 3019.

Collita Mansfield is the owner of ‘Colita’s Floral Creations & Bridal Corner’ which specialises in floral arrangements and bridal accessories.
She started the business last December and views the expo as an opportunity to be able to showcase her talent and be able to network with others.

Mansfield works from Laing Avenue and can be contacted on telephone number 695 9647.
Another woman participating at this year’s expo is Natoya Noble, who is the proprietor of Benchmark-supplies Fragrances.

“We sell fragrances because you’re never fully dressed without perfume,” Noble said.

She started her business last year March and brings in fragrances manufactured by Milton Lloyd in the United Kingdom. There are seven fragrances that she brings, with the most popular one being “Color Me.”

Noble is looking forward to the publicity that her business will receive at the expo. Her showroom is at Lot 45 Hadfield Street, Georgetown, and she can be reached on telephone number 685 8021.

Meanwhile, 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.

The expo was 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.