KESIA SMALL is just 21 years old but already she has learnt some valuable life lessons.
For one, she knows the importance of using your talents to help earn money. Secondly, she knows about perseverance and balance. And she understands that life does not always go how you planned, so you have to learn to adapt and rise above the setbacks and disappointments.
Like many others, the owner of Haize Designs was studying psychology with management at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus when she needed some funds to complete her first degree. Quitting school was not an option.
So, she dusted off her artistic skills which were honed at her alma mater Combermere School and started the company which offers home décor items and personalised gifts in handmade gift boxes.
“I started in 2015 and I was looking for something to do that would incorporate my art skills but would not be drawing because from school I have never succeeded in still life. I prefer decorating, so when I first started and the ideas were going through my head, I came up with an idea to use different materials to decorate and give a twist to things that people already used as home décor,” she told BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY.
“Then, instead of just offering individual items where people might not want to purchase them, I said why not do gift sets or gift packages to solve your gifting problems from birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions and retail them at the most reasonable price. Most of the items in the gift sets are handmade except for the wines, and they are made locally.”
The gift boxes came from a template she learnt when doing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate art exam.
“I thought at that point in time this will never help me in life,” she said laughing at the memory.
“I still had the templates when I started looking at the idea. I altered the size of the box to fit the item. I said I didn’t want to offer the items in cellophane because I realised that it makes it difficult to hide than to have someone go uncover the box to see what’s inside.”
While word got around slowly about Haize Designs it picked up quickly in December 2015 and she was slammed with the orders.
Small said that she “almost crashed” after pushing herself to complete the orders, sleep and study for exams. She disclosed that while that semester’s results “weren’t bad” it was “the lowest” she ever had.
“It was then I realised the business would be more seasonal with a few highs and lows in between Valentine’s, Christmas Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. I realised I had to start thinking about what I’m going to do and put it into place months before,” she said.
Small missed Mother’s Day last year because she was working on her thesis. Although her mother wanted her to make items for that occasion she could not handle it and “that I have years ahead to build on the business so I’m not going to forfeit my degree to try to push the business any further.”
Personalised T-Shirts are also among the items she offers and while she presently uses vinyl and an iron on a small scale, given their popularity she will be investing in more equipment.
“We’re looking to get the heat press though, as it will cut down on time and gives a better quality print. Being that it was a small business and I didn’t have the funds, I had to go with the home iron, but now that it is picking up we’re looking to get the press and some other equipment,” she said.
The micro businesswoman is grateful to her mother and aunt who invested their time and money to help with the business.
With studies completed for now – she wants to do a master’s degree in criminology, but needs the money to do so – she is concentrating on building the business. Her aim this year is to let more people know about it outside of her Facebook and Instagram pages and she is exploring options.
So, while she works to save the money to pursue being a criminal psychologist or a behavioural analyst, if the workload becomes too much to do alone, she will hire artists to help with Haize Designs. (GBM)
