Tired, perhaps, of the fun and fashion associated with her accustomed circle of entertainment, local fashion buff Sonia Noel took a decision to mark her 50th birth Anniversary in an unaccustomed manner. Rather than use the milestone as a reason for self-celebration she decided to shine a light on fifty (50) small business enterprises the proprietors of which have, at one time or another, fallen under her mentorship wing. It was one of those undertakings which, she told the Stabroek Business, had been facilitated by her “faith and confidence. I back myself because I’m not afraid of failure.”
With the boldness of a brass image she engaged the prestigious Giftland Mall with a request for a birthday present………a space in the Mall to host her Expo 50. In an era when marketing spaces can cost ‘a pretty penny,’ she acquired the space courtesy of a sponsorship arrangement involving Giftland and another company, Urban Life. The space was afforded her event free of cost.
With underfunded small businesses needing every affordable product promotion opportunity they could secure, Sonia’s invitees to the event, boasting a range of products ranging from clothing and art and craft rto jewelry and condiments ‘piled into Giftland for the event.
The ‘Expo’, Sonia said, afforded the invited exhibitors the opportunity to maximize what turned out to be a more than worthwhile marketing opportunity. “I believe that the event provided a valuable lesson in the virtue of working together. It turned out to be a collection of amazingly like-minded entrepreneurs. We shared ideas and sought to inspire each other. It was a lesson in the power and value of working together. We were able to speak with the media, generate sales and get attention.”
Sonia was generous in her praise for the proprietors of Giftland. “What Giftland’s gesture did,” she said, was to demonstrate that the country’s big businesses can also help to build their smaller counterparts.”
