How one entrepreneur overcame the fear of criticism

WHEN we consider the hurdles to developing a business, most people would say that securing sufficient capital or possessing the necessary expertise are the biggest of these hurdles. But for Verlyn Garrett, founder and owner of Nandi’s Manufacturing Enterprise, the most daunting obstacle was something far less tangible: fear. This fear of criticism and failure is a familiar feeling for most entrepreneurs. In an interview with Pepperpot Magazine, Verlyn shared how she started her business, overcame her fear, and found faith in both herself and her product.

Verlyn’s journey began like that of many aspiring entrepreneurs: with an idea, she wasn’t quite sure how to follow. For years, she juggled her role in the food industry while trying to build her small business on the side. Despite receiving positive reviews for her products, she remained hesitant to fully commit. Even while she furthered her skills in food preparation at the Board of Industrial Training and started a business of her own, she admitted, “One of my main challenges that I’ve had was fear because I was always fearful to be out in front of the public and to fear. I was afraid of starting something, and then it was not a success.” She further added, “I kept not being fully involved or doing it on a committed level, because I was still doing my normal job, which is working in the food industry, and I was just having the business on the side. Because I was afraid of public scrutiny, putting myself out there.”

But it wasn’t until her health forced her to slow down that Verlyn truly began to re-evaluate her priorities. In 2021, she became severely ill and was bedridden for nearly two years. It was during that time, faced with uncertainty and reflection, that she made a promise to herself. “It’s only after I became sick in 20, around 2021 to 2022, and I was bedridden for two years. I decided when I recover from this, I’m going to apply myself wholeheartedly to the business and give myself what I’ve been giving others over the years that I’ve worked,” she stated. From that moment on, Verlyn threw herself into growing Nandi’s Manufacturing Enterprise with intention and heart. No longer operating in doubt, she made the conscious choice to step forward, and it’s a decision she has not regretted.

Of course, the road to business success hasn’t been without its practical challenges. One recurring hurdle she faces is consistently sourcing packaging materials, a common issue for many manufacturers in a growing industry. “Sometimes when your labels would normally have the size of a bottle and the amount of the content, sometimes we purchase the bottles, and then when you go back a month, two or three after to get the same bottles, you won’t have them. Then you would either have to wait a while until the stores would stock, or you would have to change the bottles.”

These logistical challenges, while frustrating, have not stopped Verlyn from moving forward. If anything, they have strengthened her belief in adaptability and passion, qualities she says are vital for any entrepreneur. Customer response, she shared, has been largely positive, which further fuels her drive. “Customer response for me has been good. It’s been good because I got a lot of positive reviews. A few constructive criticisms, which I accept. It was very helpful because sometimes I had one batch of product, same product, two customers bought the same product from the same batch. One person was praising it. They loved it,” Verlyn shared.

But more than compliments, it’s the sense of fulfilment and purpose that keeps her going. Through her business, Verlyn has learned that the greatest transformation begins not with external factors, but with mindset. “I would advise new entrepreneurs to work in overcoming their fear, because when you’re fearful of stepping out into entrepreneurship, it keeps you in a box, because you keep thinking of, you know, what persons might be, if your product is good enough, if your stuff would attract customers, if you’re going to have a lot of traction from first, you know, coming and using your stuff, if your stuff is going to be recommendable and stuff like that. So I would advise them to try to come out from fear. You know, don’t give in to fear, because it keeps you in a box from exploring all of the possible opportunities that are there for them.”

Opportunities to develop, shift, and change are something Verlyn has learned to embrace, particularly when it comes to compliance and business development. Her journey towards bringing her product up to standard began with research. “My experience in getting my business up to standard was not hard, because I did my research, and I went and got registered at the registry.” She further added, “I walked with the product. They saw my product. They [said] the packaging is exceptional, but then they gave me pointers of what I needed to add to it, and they directed me in the right places where to go and get the stuff.”

Now that she’s operating with confidence and direction, Verlyn has become a champion for quality. Quickly becoming known for her wide range of delicious seasonings, Verlyn believes that standards are more than a formality; they are vital to the success of any business. As she stated, “Standard is very important to me, because when you market a product that is at a high standard, you would more than likely get, you know, recommendations, not only locally but internationally.” In her opinion, presentation matters just as much as content. That’s why she has invested time and effort into the branding and appearance of her products. “Packaging and branding is also important, you normally are attracted to stuff first with our eyes, whether it be food or whatever it is, we are attracted to it with our eyes first. So you have to make yourself, your product, you know, presentable, so that when someone sees it, it would attract their attention,” she stated.

Still, she feels that many small business owners in Guyana could benefit from more information about quality control and regulatory standards. It’s not just about putting a label on a product. She emphasised that it is about doing the research to ensure safety, compliance, and long-term viability. “In terms of we doing, Guyana doing all that we can to uplift standard. I think a lot of persons are not truly tapped into information. In order for us, the entrepreneurs, to know more about the standard stuff, they would have to do a lot of research. It’s not just about making a product, modelling it, and putting a label on it. You would have to do a lot of research as to know what is needed, what tests need to be done on your product to make sure that it’s of a standard,” she shared.

Today, Verlyn and her business, Nandi’s Manufacturing Enterprise, stand as yet another reminder of what’s possible when courage outweighs fear. What started as a hesitant side hustle has grown into a business with promise, integrity, and purpose.