Having the job he always dreamt of is very rewarding for Kevin Stoby, of Buxton, East Coast Demerara, a clinical pharmacist who birthed his own brand of homemade perfumes and colognes that can par with the high-end ones.

The 27-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that having a full-time job at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) while developing his own brand of fragrances was a bit challenging at first, but he has had some practice and he is getting better at it.

Stoby added that he has a pharmacy at his residence and also a room specially for his laboratory for making perfumes and cologne.

The idea of making his own fragrances came about when he was in the classroom at the University of Guyana (UG) during a session with one of his lecturers. She made a statement saying, “Of all the spices, cinnamon is one of the strongest, and it has a variety of uses.” This got him thinking of the possibilities.

Coupled with his knowledge of clinical pharmacy and information from his classroom teaching of the course ‘organic/physical chemistry’, he began experimenting with the oil extracted from cinnamon.

“I was always intrigued with fragrances and scents and said to myself one day I will be able to create high-end fragrances for the people, something local from scratch, and it happened,” he said.

Stoby, married with a daughter, related that the course on natural products facilitated by Mrs. Jewel Carter and Professor Raymond Jagassar really enlightened him about getting it right the first time he developed a fragrance.

Stoby reported that the knowledge imparted to him via classroom sessions enabled him to prosper in his small business, and today, he has 15 different fragrances and is working on developing 10 more.

He pointed out that he began making perfumes and colognes in 2019, even before he graduated from UG and currently, he is pursuing his Master’s in Public Health.

The small business owner added that he started mixing fragrances at home in his spare time using spices, and cinnamon, after he extracted the oil from it.

Stoby noted that his first signature scent is Mr. and Mrs. Stoby, a favourite of his wife, and the second is Magnetic Attraction, a really high-scented fragrance that is both alluring and captivating.

The ingredients for his perfumes and colognes are all locally sourced and it’s from oils of 10 different spices, and seeds, including fruits such as watermelon, herbs and flowers.

Stoby revealed that one day, he will have a modern lab to make his fragrances and presently, he is looking for a place in the city for his store to sell his perfumes and colognes, which is priced from $3,000 to $15,000 depending on the bottle size which comes in three sizes.

One of his best-sellers is Heart scent, which always sells out fast since it is in high demand.
He makes his fragrances based on orders and he does the delivery himself He also has in stock in his pharmacy named ‘Quick Relief’ located at Brusch Dam, Buxton.

Stoby said that for the past seven years, his customer base has grown, and his colleagues at GPHC fully support his small business.

“If someone comes to me and says I like a certain fragrance such as One Million, I will replicate the same or close to it as possible in my own brand for that person and it is also affordable,” he said.

“I am working towards elevating myself. Career-wise I am aiming to become a clinical pharmacist who will be a part of the administration team at GPHC,” he said.

In that role, Stoby disclosed he could play a much greater role in promoting healthcare by developing ways to administer drugs to patients for optimum therapeutic effect.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he has been employed at GPHC since 2016 and he started out as a Pharmacy Assistant.

Stoby is a staunch Christian and is a part of the band at his place of worship, Reveal Word Christian Centre at 58 William Street, Kitty.

He revealed that his faith in God has kept him focused and humbled, and he is at a place in his life where he has always wanted to be satisfied with his achievements and is still aiming high.

Stoby stated that he is from a single-parent home of four siblings, but even though his father wasn’t in the picture, he supported them and from his boyhood days, he was moulded to make use of all opportunities.

He credited his success to God and his mother, who always encouraged him to remain focused and grounded and work towards achieving his goals.

“My real joy and rewards come from serving people as a pharmacist. I would sit and talk to people for as long as it takes to assist them in choosing the right medication, to explain in detail what it will do for them to make them better and I like helping people in this way,” he said.

Stoby explained that growing up, he didn’t have it all and came from humble beginnings, thus his likeness to help people via his pharmacy and his job at the hospital.