Female Entrepreneurs grab Expo Opportunity as WEP closes

Several Vincentian women feel better equipped to further develop their businesses following the completion of the Taiwan Technical Mission’s Women’s Empowerment Project (WEP) with an exhibition on Thursday March 28, 2024.

Some of the women shared stories of their involvement and participation in the programme as they proudly displayed their products at the one-day activity. Among them was Shevorn Deshong who said she developed a passion for crocheting from the age of nine. She is now the face of her own business, Craft House SVG, after being inspired by her mother who made dolls as a side activity.

Shevorn Deshong (right) stands next to a table with an array of her crafts

Deshong’s business specialises in embroidered, poly-fill crochet dolls, and custom-made birthday outfits for adults and children.

“I realised that most persons, when they are creating, they create more around adults; they don’t really create for the kids, so I decided to do clothing…so if you are having a photo-shoot, you can have something custom-made for the kids,” said Deshong.

In explaining her doll products, she said they are made to the customer’s needs with fully customisable hair, skin, eyes, and clothing.

Deshong told SEARCHLIGHT that in the past she “used to get a lot of licks” for not having products available for boys, as most of her products were female themed. However, she now offers male themed products.

Deshong shared that she was part of the first cohort of women trainees of the Women’s Empowerment Programme (WEP), and explained, “we had to do a series of online training in learning how to manage our business, in financing, in marketing our brand, in pricing our products, and after that we were awarded grants because it was around a time when we were coming through from COVID and also the volcanic eruption and so those monies helped us when things were really slow and I was able to expand on my business”.

She said the programme opened her eyes to mistakes made in the past.

“I would give a lot of discounts when I should not be giving discounts, but when I looked at what I was spending in material and the time it was taking me to make, they highlighted to me that I should charge for everything and then I can have specials around independence and Christmas,”she related.

Camile Warren, the owner of Brio Che was also at the expo. Warren’s business was featured in a March 2014 SEARCHLIGHT article at the launch of the Brio Che skin care brand.

The brand utilises every part of the coconut plant- from the leaves to the coconut water- to produce oils, soaps, and candles.

Warren, who was part of the WEP, said she was happy to meet new business women during the project.

“…you see how talented they are with very unique and wonderful products…they [instructors] provide you training in bookkeeping and business management.”

Warren said that though she was already knowledgable about a few things taught she found that, “sometimes in a business you think it is you alone going through the challenges and then you hear that other people have their own stories, so you have to balance your personal life and your business”.

Cassandra Farrell, the owner of ‘Miss Cassandra’s, was not among those involved in the WEP, but was able to put her products on display at the Expo.

She explained that had she registered with Commerce and Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) on time, she would have gotten the opportunity to be part of the project.

Farrell, however, is determined on taking what she learnt from her parents in wine-making to continue to grow her wine business.

“Passion fruit, sorrel, soursop, guava, jar plum, cherry- all those are some of the wines that we do.

“…then I do two speciality wines, which are the aloe vera wine and a sea moss wine.”

Farrell got a foot in the door when she began making wine from local fruits and gifted them to friends around Christmas time, or when they visited her home. After receiving positive feedback she said “I decided to give them a try at selling, and that was successful”.

Farrell told SEARCHLIGHT that her biggest challenge is finding the right help in wine-making as it is labour intensive and there are crucial steps that must be done correctly, so it is risky accepting help from just anyone.

Her wines are now available on the shelves of several supermarkets.

Representative of the Taiwan Technical Mission, and Project Manager of the WEP, Yi-Yang Shen said the two year project ended last year, with the closing Expo being extended to March, 28, of this year, in which more than 60 businesses and organisations participated.

He explained that the project has three phases- vocational training, which encompasses 16 courses; consulting and business skill training courses; and collaboration with other businesses. The Expo was held in the yard of the old Parliament building in Kingstown.