A young Guyanese woman residing in New York has launched a website selling makeup and other products.
Teerani Ramdeen also known as Nadia Jay is 22 years old and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her business Kamakshi NYC, which she launched late last month sells makeup and skin care products, but she is looking to add clothing. “These are the quality… luxurious products [people can buy] without breaking the bank,” she said.
The website, www.kamakshinyc.com, displays the catalog of Kamakshi NYC products. According to the young businesswoman, payment can be made by use of credit or debit cards and PayPal. When a customer places an order, she said, “… I’ll receive that order notification where I will be able to package and customize their packaging by myself. Each package will be customized differently because packaging says most about how the business is handled. Once I package the orders, clients will receive their orders by USPS or other companies such as DHL or even Fed Ex. I am offering worldwide shipping.”
While talking to this publication about what sparked the idea, Ramdeen said, “For almost two years I’ve been trying to invest in a business that I genuinely had an interest in… I wanted to create my brand to make females of any age look and feel amazing inside out.”
She stressed that she wanted her brand to represent confidence for young woman. “There’s not one thing women can’t do,” she added. “We are the epitome of life much like a goddess on earth. Growing up in the Indo-Caribbean community I started to appreciate my religion, my culture and even my upbringing a little more. I decided to name my brand after the goddess, Kamakshi. Not only was the name unique and beautiful, but it also means she whose eyes awaken desire or she who has beautiful eyes.”
Ramdeen pointed out that with her brand she is also representing her culture and home country. “2020 is all about breaking barriers because there isn’t anything that the female kind isn’t capable of doing,” she stressed.
The former nursing assistant is currently an accountant at Aria’s Driving School, assistant to the tax preparer at Ace Tax Services and a patient care technician at Maimonides Medical Center for Labor and Delivery. She has a lot going on but said her dream of owning her own business keeps her motivated to run her website.
She has tried other ventures before but feels that she is now on the right path. “I even tried selling handmade bath salts. It just wasn’t for me. My family members and my boyfriend motivated me to keep going,” she said.
“There are so many types of bread on the shelves. Yet people would still try all types of bread to see which they like the most. Why should we not do what we want? I’ve also been supporting other companies that sell clothing and makeup. Sometimes it wasn’t even quality worthy and I knew it was time for my own brand.”
She hopes that her business will expand in the near future where she can ship to a large number of countries at once.
“I would also like to use a percentage of my funds to help children directly in the orphanage,” she said. “My first trip back to Guyana I really didn’t like what I witnessed with malnourished children. I would also love to help India. These are the two countries that I am focused on right now.”
Her advice for other young entrepreneurs is, “Do not get into business because everyone else has one. Find your purpose and then strive for the best. No one is you and that’s your superpower.”
She warned that people will judge you but give it your best anyway. “Some days will be hard, you may feel lost, but there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel especially when you love what you’re doing,” she added.
