ith the 2013 monarchy under her belt, Cave Shepherd All Stars tent manager Eleanor Rice is a woman of versatility who proves that gender cannot limit you unless you allow it to. Successfully running the tent for the past five years, Rice never sees her gender as an issue.
“I believe as a woman I should be able to get things done efficiently, as if a man was running the calypso tent,” she said.
As far as she is concerned it is all about one’s ability to manage and have your establishment run as successfully as it should.
“It is about your style and however you decide to run your tent.
“If you are a bad manager you are a bad manager it does not matter whether man or woman.”
Usually preparations for the upcoming Crop Over season start the following January but this year might be a little different for her.
“Sponsorship is a little tight all around, so if I want to attract more people, I think it is time for me to get up and start moving . . . . So I probably won’t get a vacation time this year, Rice said.
Rice, who is also a back-up singer and an actress, said she does not find her various responsibilities to be any form of burden on her.
“For me, it is easy because one thing I have learnt is there is a time to let go. If I am on the stage, then there is a manager who is there to direct. While I’m onstage as a back-up singer, I’m singing, not leading.”
So how does this active businesswoman find time for a normal family and social life?
Well, as far as Rice is concerned, it all comes down to time management.
“When I am out, I get what I need done finished so when I am at home, I do what needs to be done . . . . Both my husband and I work”.
But experience in this field is no joke and as far as Rice can see, there is no certificate or classroom that can replace actual experience in any field of work.
“I am not discriminating against schooling but the reality is, school does not give you experience. School is just something you learn in a book and you write it back on pieces of paper.
“When you put half of those in school to do the job, they cannot get it done . . . .
“You have to live it to know you’ve gone through it!”
Bearing this in mind one may wonder what special skills or tips this experienced woman can offer newcomers or people wishing to pursue this line of work.
“Style . . . it is all about style and how you manage people and things.”
She said the hardest thing about the job is being aware of what you have to do and despite many years in the business, Rice sees no end anytime soon.
Asked how long she plans to stay in this line of work, she said “until”. She admitted that she becomes upset at times but quitting is not an option.
“I am stronger than that. You may get upset but the thing with being upset is, you cool yourself down and work out the pros and cons,” she explained.
She also expressed the notion that she isn’t intimidated by other woman entering the field.
“I do not mind if more women want to join – at the end of the day, I know they can’t manage like me . . . they would try but they are not me . . . . I know what I stand for and I know my skills and capabilities,” she said confidently.
Eleanor Rice loves and enjoys everything she does.
“I like Crop Over and the different things that happen during this time.
“I like the music the season brings and the fact Barbados has a product.”
