EVER since he could distinguish right from wrong, he wanted to establish his own business to become independent. Today, that dream has come true for Colin Small, the proud owner of Colfin’s Riverside Café at Christianburg.

The business opened its doors 12 days ago and, so far, the response has been overwhelming and Small is in high praises for all that made his dream fulfilled including his parents, siblings and the people of Linden, who are supporting the café.

The 25-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he began realising his dream of being a small business owner when he started to bake pastries and sell it by the roadside at McKenzie Market, Republic Avenue.

Small is a quiet kind of person, who was, however, determined to become a business owner while attending school at Texila University pursuing studies in medicine.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he would commute from the city on Fridays to prepare his pastries, including chicken patties and cheese twist, to sell, and he is putting more effort in his café when he can.

Colin is on rotation at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for seven months and 16 days.

Upon completion of his studies, he will become a general practitioner until he decides which field he will pursue.

“When COVID-19 came, I thought about what I could do, because selling on the roadside was not going well and after I took a break and went to the United States for a visit, I went to many places. I visited the fast food outlets and the concept of serving some of the same foods at my own café was birthed,” he said.

Small was looking forward to becoming settled, and having a place to sell his pastries and the idea of his café was conceptualised.

His home right at the riverfront was the ideal spot for a café and he began thinking more about establishing a café.

Upon his return to Guyana, Small related that he had a talk with his mother, Finita Small, who has her own salon, his biggest inspiration, and she agreed to assist in making it possible.

Small added that God and his family made it possible and he is very pleased the way things have turned out and it goes to show that dreams do come true once you have the backing of good people and faith.

He has in his employ six staffers, which includes four kitchen employees, one waitress and one cashier.

“My motivation came from my mom. She is a go-getter, a very determined woman, whom I admire and I wanted to be just like her, having my own business and providing employment for people. My parents provided for me adequately, so I was never in need, but I wanted to do my own thing as an entrepreneur,” Small said.

He explained that his mother was always pushing to establish herself and successfully opened her salon right from home.

“Although she did not have a ‘nine to five’ job in an office she did her best to make things work and she never finished high school so I wanted her to become proud of me and that served as my biggest motivating factor when I felt like giving up,” he said.

Small stated that his mother wanted him to have what she couldn’t; that is education and with the skillset in business, he knows what he is capable of achieving and with that in mind there was no room for disappointment.

“I thought about it, and now it is happening, so I still can’t believe it since I am also a part of it,” he exclaimed.

At Colfin’s Riverside Café, customers can enjoy a well-prepared wholesome meal of their choice in both an indoor or outdoor setting.

The café serves freshly prepared breakfast and dinner meals of waffles, pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, burgers, chicken Alfredo, pasta, chicken warps, and pepperpot with fresh bread among other dishes.

Colin’s goal is to expand his café to have branches in the city and to provide an acceptable service and good foods to people in an atmosphere that is spacious and have the right décor.