SAUDIA Edghill envisioned being an entrepreneur of a small but thriving business when she started to have conversations on social media about our rich culture and history. Later, with the hope of keeping it alive, Edgill introduced her signature pieces of arts and craft.

As a Buxtonian, growing up hearing stories about our culture and history from her elders, some of whom are no longer around, she aspires to tell others about culture and history through her platforms on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Coupled with her bubbly personality, zest for life, and desire to explore, Edghill doesn’t limit herself and continues to create more pieces depicting our landmarks, buildings, and other local things.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she began dabbling with souvenir pieces a few years ago after she returned from a first-time Girl Guiding Camp, where people from other countries swapped souvenirs of their respective countries and gave a detailed history about it.

It piqued her interest after the participants were not shy about speaking openly about their history and culture, and she admired their energy in enlightening the group.

She began looking at significant pieces, all ideas in her head, and later materialised into a small business offering functional souvenirs and unique pieces that are ideal tokens for travellers and locals.

Edghill said pushing Guyana’s history and culture through unique, functional, culturally significant pieces and conversations via social media has been rewarding and people have responded positively to her work.

She produces desk and night lights and keychains depicting Stabroek Market, City Hall, St. George’s Cathedral, the 1763 Monument (Cuffy), the Lighthouse and the Map of Guyana.

She reported that so far, there has been a lot of positivity when people see that she is young and what she is about. They have given her good advice and encouragement to continue to empower herself as an entrepreneur.

Even though her small business is two years old and she operates from her home in Buxton, East Coast Demerara, Edghill said she would like to expand to have her products at all ports of entry in Guyana, such as the airports and also have a little store to display and sell the products.

Recently, she has benefitted from a multi-agency training programme and she feels really empowered because it targeted entrepreneurs directly and provided the know-how to get about doing a small business.

“As an entrepreneur, it is quite challenging when that business is your sole income earner, and with the cost for production and materials, pricing can be a bit tricky because you want to cover all the bases and still make a small margin of profit as well as, make the product pocket-friendly and not too pricy,” she said.

Edghill disclosed that her focus is to get into business with other companies to sell her products, which can be used as tokens at Christmastime or other events to gift employees.

Presently, she creates products based on orders and delivers or arranges for the items to be picked up from her home until a physical store is realised.

Edghill will be participating in the upcoming Building Expo 2024. She is looking forward to all exhibitions to showcase, and sell her products, network, and expand her market.

“I am really pleased by the support of my peers and the wide encouragement I have received since the [sic] established my small business. Despite challenges I have been able to keep my business open and I am positive I will be able to overcome hurdles,” she said.
Edghill stated that she would like her business to be more of a social entrepreneurship, hoping to raise awareness and appreciation for our history.
She added that in her five-year plan as an entrepreneur, she will be positioned to host or collaborate interactive programmes and events.