Small business owners share lessons learnt and their plans for 2024

THE Pepperpot Magazine took to the streets of Georgetown and asked several small business owners who started this year and a bit earlier about the lessons learnt in 2023 as a start-up, and their plans to scale their businesses in the New Year.

Here is what they had to say:
Chumanlall Vishnanauth, a pushcart vendor who operates on the busy Regent Street, Georgetown, a central hub for businesses, said he embarked on his small business last year.
So far, it has been fair. The father of one is from Third Field, Industry, East Coast Demerara, and he is hoping to expand his business in 2024.

Firstly, he would like to have a permanent location for his stall, since he has to move from one place to the next, and the other street vendors aren’t kind to him.
He explained that he is being bullied to relocate. When the Pepperpot Magazine spoke to him, he said that a vendor was telling him he had to go. He had just stopped to fix his bicycles and pack up his items to start his day of vending elsewhere.

The 24-year-old said that he sells plantain chips, cassava chips, chicken foot, phone cases, key rings, sunglasses and cold beverages with his pushcart with a bicycle attached.
Vishnanauth would mostly walk and sell on Regent Street, and in 2024, he plans to expand his small business with a permanent stall, and buy more things that would sell quickly, including trendy clothing.

The father of one stated that he is hoping to build a stall and establish a permanent location for the New Year.
Michael April is a vendor only at Christmastime. This year, he is selling lemonade/beverage jars with the spout for $1,500, and he is located at Regent and Camp Streets, Georgetown, in front of Burger King.

As a small-business owner, he reported that “it is all about the spot,” meaning that location is key to doing business.
April added that unlike the years gone by, things have been really slow in commerce this year, but all hope isn’t lost, since the holidays are not yet over.

Jordan (only name given) is a hot dog vendor on Camp Street, Georgetown, and he is a Spanish who has been living in Guyana for almost two years.
The young man said that business is good as a food cart vendor, and his customers are pleased because he makes his hot dogs from scratch. They are fresh, wholesome, and prepared under hygienic conditions.

Jordan is new to Guyana, and doesn’t know much English, but the locals support his small business, and he is grateful.
Maybe he will upgrade and expand his small business as time progresses, but over the past year, he has learnt that life is better here in Guyana for him.
Most vendors along Regent Street are everyday sellers, and during the peak holiday season, others come out to sell items they receive from barrels and overseas to earn.

Some would make wholesale (bulk) purchases of items from stores to retail on the pavement along busy shopping areas in the city to earn.
It is a norm for vendors to encumber the pavements in the city, especially during the Christmas holidays when shopping is at its peak.
Leading up to the holidays, during and even after the festive season, Guyanese would shop to their satisfaction to adorn their houses with decorations, Christmas lights, ornaments and food.
In Guyana, shopping at Christmastime is hectic, and it is usually a crowded affair with lots of vendors and late opening of stores and other retail businesses to accommodate the volume of shoppers.