Biz Chat

Carnival Entrepreneurs: Jumping and Waving to the Bank

Karel Mc Intosh

Jul 25 |00:00

Everyone isn't destined to be an entrepreneur, but most of us would jump at the opportunity to make extra cash. Seasonal businesses can be very lucrative, and, in the case of Trinidad’s Carnival, you can choose which side of the cash flow you want to be. I mean…we all know that Carnival is prime season to get people to spend their money.

Mas aficionados and fete lovers will churn out their hard-earned and limited cash to get in the section of their choice, attend the best all-inclusive fetes, buy clothes galore, and accessorize to the hilt in attempts to look like a "10" on the road. So the demand is there.

Moneymakers don’t stick to complaining about how expensive costumes and fetes are, though. They capitalize on the season, sacrifice their social lives by working in fetes and on the road, and – depending on what they do – even manage to play mas still. They just get to jump extra higher, wave extra longer, and wine extra lower, when they count the dough they've made servicing masqueraders, mas bands and fete promoters.

Now, all of us can't be like Tribe’s Dean Ackin and land in the New York Times with a big business model. However, some of us can successfully turn or hobby into something lucrative. Like I said, the demand for a range of services exists; it’s just to find them.

Since I believe in listening to those who’ve been knee-deep in the mix for some time, I spoke to Edson Reyes, Technical Director of Triniscene. Triniscene has been in the entertainment industry for ten years now, and usually increases staff for the Carnival period to manage the influx of opportunities available for the period, such as increased event advertising, managing instant photo booths at events, and running a Carnival BlackBerry application. Edson also provides advertising props, photography, live promotions, streaming and ticketing services on his own.

When I told him about the premise of this article, his response was, “You want more people to try to milk Carnival?” Then he laughed. His take is this:

“Right now the Carnival teat has blisters. I’d advise people to target masqueraders and focus on things that improve their experience – makeup, costume customizing, costume delivery…those sorta niches. Right now mas is selling out, so services sell out too. In January, yuh cannot book time for a makeup artist to do yuh face for Monday or Tuesday”.

What does this quick booking of services mean? That there’s room for more people to cater to those last-minute bookers. Of course, you have to have quality behind you, and maybe the year after you’ll be another sold-out provider. That’s exactly what happened for Boots by Afro Chic, which customizes boots for masqueraders.

Afro Chic, who prefers to remain anonymous, came up with the idea to decorate boots, in 2007, after reading a post on TrinidadCarnivalDiary.com.

“I got it in my head to just do my own boots for Carnival,” she says. “I've done my own jewellery in the past and Carnival time I would always add my own little touches to my costume. Extra feathers, braids, and what have you. Her (Saucy of Trinidad Carnival Diary) post was on boots and wearing them to play mas, so when I got my costume, I bought a pair of handcrafted boots, added my stuff to it and that was it. People saw them after Saucy posted them on her blog and it kinda went from there.”

The first year, orders trickled in, because “people were still into the whole sneaker thing”. So, she made boot and sneaker design samples, and posted them on her blog. Soon after, Saucy posted them on TrinidadCarnivalDiary.com, and, the week before Carnival, orders poured in, moving her from only having two orders to eighteen.

“You might find I'm mentioning Saucy a lot,” she adds. “But it's because of her my business has blossomed the way it has.”

Now, three years later, growth has been “phenomenal because everyone wants boots for Carnival”. She takes orders of between 40 to 50 on average, had to close registration in October – instead of December – last year, has a waiting list, and a few broken hearts who didn’t get their orders in, and provides services for Barbados’ Crop Over Festival. She also branched out to customizing wire bras, backpacks and corsets in 2011.

Afro Chic believes that more young people are finding ways to ‘make money’ through culture.

“We have a lot of makeup artists doing their thing,” she says. “There are other boot people, and people doing wire bras, and specialising in Monday wear.”

One makeup artist who steadily plies her trade is Keisha Stephen-Gittens, of Defining Perfection, who got her start in makeup, after being inspired by the makeup done on her during her teen days, when she appeared in a few ads. Coincidentally, she also works as an account co-ordinator with one of T&T’s larger advertising firms.

“As a makeup artist, you would be considered dumb if you didn't do makeup for Carnival,” she says. “It's ‘quick money’ because you're bound to get a customer. But it can be considered fast paced, which is not even the right term to use. It's very stressful, very…very competitive, as there are so many makeup artists now, and challenging. But the pay off in the end makes up for the one or two days of stress, and it helps to pay the bills.”

Makeup artists, boot customizers, and entertainment site owners aren’t the only people making money. I could highlight other young businesses like Hybrid Theory, which is in high demand for the Carnival season with its décor, design (for events), and on-the-road, body paint, and costume repair and alteration services, and design studio Everything Slight Pepper, which designed BeachHouse’s book – “BeachHouse, the Experience” – in 2011. I’ve even seen taxi services being offered for Carnival.

What this shows is that among consumers, masqueraders, fete promoters, and other businesses, there’s room to supply a service or product.

Ask yourself what their workflows and projects involve, and see how you can add value or make their lives easier. Ask yourself, “What can I do to make money this Carnival?” Open a Carnival babysitting centre? Offer a service or product that all inclusives would like to include to wow patrons?

Are you the ultimate fashionista? Maybe you can help style people for the season, and get a celebrity client to boot. Or maybe you can sell ‘hot’ outfits for that period. Yuh know how people does 'dress up' for fetes. If you’re into publicity, why not target up n’ coming Soca stars? And that’s just on the local front. Other carnivals are outsourcing services from Trinis.

Carnival has been a huge business for years, and for the entrepreneurial mind looking for new pastures in which to feed, it holds promise. Plus, it’s a way to convert your passion or hobby into revenue, and help you pay the bills, or at least offset the money you’ll spend, attending fetes and playing mas. Like I said, you can decide which side of the cash flow you want to be on – in flow or out flow?

So tell me…how many of you would be open to starting a full-fledged business, or side hustle for Carnival? What do you think would make a good business for Carnival?

carnivalentrepreneurs Everyone isn't destined to be an entrepreneur, but most of us would jump at the opportunity to make extra cash. Seasonal businesses can be very lucrative, and, in the case of Trinidad’s Carnival, you can choose which side of the cash flow you want to be. I mean…we all know that Carnival is prime season to get people to spend their money.

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So You’re from The Land of Oil and Music. Or are you?

James Walker and Ryan Chaitram

Jul 18 |00:00

Trinidadians know a few things about the energy industry, our island’s sugar daddy. We know that oil comes out of the ground somewhere "dong Sowt", and that something happens at that refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre that causes us to maco the fire that's always burning, when we drive past on the highway.

First things first, Trinidad was the land of oil and music. Now we’re the land of natural gas and music. Oil production peaked in Trinidad in 1977, and, since the late 90s, gas has been king. This transition was not automatic, and took many billions of Yankee dollars in investment, and a whole lot of political will to make it happen.

The grossly oversimplified version goes something like this: a handful of energy visionaries figured that they could make use of the gas buried under the seabed offshore Mayaro by freezing it to a liquid and putting it on ships bound for established markets in North America and Europe. The company Atlantic LNG (LNG standing for liquefied natural gas) was set up in Point Fortin, sponsored largely by a few large multinationals, to make the refrigeration process possible.

So far, it has been a massive success. Nokia 5120s and Motorola Startacs started falling from the sky, Toyota Corollas and Nissan Primeras flowed from the Bamboo, and people danced all the way to TGIF and our 40 KFCs. One way to explain this amazing growth is the fact that we added the first fridge in 1999, the second in 2002, the third in 2003, and the last (and maybe final) in 2006.

In LNG, we were what economists describe as a “first mover”. Even though we didn’t have the world’s largest deposits of natural gas, we were able to put things in place to allow us to get these four LNG plants off the ground, ahead of any one else this side of the Atlantic, and our location close to the US made us a supplier of choice.

Even before LNG, we were able to become a major player in ammonia and methanol, following decades of investments made at Point Lisas, again by large multinational companies and through state companies like the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC).

The reason we chose LNG, methanol and ammonia is simple. Quite frankly, there weren’t that many other options. With a population of 1.3 million people, there was only so much gas we could use locally; we needed to find ways to export it and generate income. Unlike oil, gas in its natural form cannot be exported easily, and must be converted into a product, which can be shipped.

Being a big exporter – as we are – has its benefits, the most obvious being cash money. Some people make money by being directly or indirectly employed by the industry, but all of us benefit in some way from the revenue the Government earns, taxing oil and gas companies.

In fact, this year the Government expects more than 30% of its revenue to come from taxing oil and gas companies. From these companies, in the last ten years, the Government took in more than $115 billion, the equivalent of about $90,000 per person. It paid for GATE (and other education programmes), CDAP (and other health programmes), the blimp (and other crime busting machines), CEPEP (and other social programmes), and our skyline (and other shite) – more or less in that order.

Ying yang, thank you ma’am; there is a dark side to everything, naturally. The trifecta of world-scale LNG, methanol and the other plants at Point Lisas Industrial Estate means that, relative to our land and population size, we emit world-scale pollution. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is produced when we burn stuff and we emit a lot of it because it is a waste product from all of our plants. As a result, Trinidad has an unenviable position on the list of top ten emitters of greenhouse gases per person. Climate change is a big deal these days, and since carbon dioxide is a major contributor, we too are a big deal.

Most industries come with some good and some bad. We (as in James and Ryan) would argue that oil and more recently gas revenues have done more good than bad in this country, and it is largely because of this that we enjoy the wealth that has come to define the modern trinisapien. Per person, we earn more than all but two of our neighbours in Latin America and the Caribbean. And even though Barbados has and the Bahamas will officially become “first world” countries before we do, I think we should thank our lucky, geological stars that we have what we have. Or had what we had.

Indeed, it won’t last forever. You learnt that in Common Entrance; oil and gas are non-renewable resources. One day, we will exhaust our precious money-maker. That day is not defined by Ryder Scott, and no one knows the time or hour. Hallelujah. Instead, it depends on how well we manage what’s left, and how we develop alternative sources. The goal of this country should therefore be to sell our product for the highest possible price, extract the maximum value until it runs out, and be ready for when it does.

oilandmusic Trinbagonians know a few things about the energy industry, our island’s sugar daddy. We know that oil comes out of the ground somewhere "dong Sowt", and that something happens at that refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre that causes us to maco the fire that's always burning, when we drive past on the highway.

Whether we’ve thought about it or not, we know that “the industry” has had an impact on our culture and identity; Winston “Spree” Simon made our national instrument out of something used to transport and store oil, and Machel Montano and David Rudder sang that now famous hook – “this is the land of, the land of oil and music”. But how much do we really know about the cornerstone of our economy? First things first, Trinidad was the land of oil and music. Now we’re the land of natural gas and music. Oil production peaked in Trinidad in 1977, and, since the late 90s, gas has been king. This transition was not automatic, and took many billions of Yankee dollars in investment, and a whole lot of political will to make it happen.

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Advertising in T&T: Boring or in need of a Red Bull?

Joshua Ramirez Wharwood

Jun 13 |00:00

You know, there’s nothing like a good ad. Something to make you laugh out loud, relate to the scenario, and just possibly... buy whatever product or service they’re trying to sell. And when I say ad, I don’t only mean TV, radio and print. We see advertising virtually everywhere – on the highways, on benches and even when we go to the toilet.

So who among you can easily name an ad that really hooks you, and gives you a feeling that links you to a brand? My favourite of all time is the Red Bull ad with the man and the pigeon (http://youtu.be/fxOSwl1p5RQ), which, I admit, still has me rolling to this day. Or maybe the ever-so-cute polar bears Coca Cola rolls out every Christmas (http://youtu.be/rA_BQorRBms) that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

I can go on… and on, making reference to other international entities such as the latest collaboration between State Farm and “Cars 2” (http://youtu.be/k0SPudMl4Fc), or even Geico’s latest set (http://youtu.be/IcZd-ql7t1I). But one has to wonder, why aren’t amazing ads like those a regular thing here in Trinidad and Tobago?

I’m not talking about those we import from other countries just to redub in English. I’m talking true-blue, real-deal, Trini-to-the-bone campaigns that we can laugh at, start discussions about, get excited about, and feel fulfilment, if we were to follow the message.

I’m not saying the landscape is entirely bleak. We do have our once-in-a-blue moon masterpieces – case in point, the Lucozade Stickman (http://youtu.be/aQwPbMa3xQo), and Radio Tambrin’s minute-long slot (http://youtu.be/yI5OrlanVS0). But still, we find ourselves mired in some boring, lacklustre and downright bad advertising. Tell me, can you easily name some current, local campaigns that impress you?

This brings us to the question of why it is the way it is. I conducted a lil’ survey of sorts, with some former co-workers and associates I encountered during my stint in the advertising industry six years ago. I mean, who better to go to than the insiders on this matter?

Now, first of all, the opinion was unanimous – the local advertising industry could do better, they said. There are, however, several, major problems members of the industry face on a daily basis, which lower the overall standard in comparison to what we see out there in the grown-up world.

So let’s start with the perspective of the clients, those who want to sell a product or service through advertising. When approaching an individual or agency, clients look for credibility, the supplier’s general track record, their previous work, and acclaim from the general public through awards, word of mouth and such. Building a campaign is not cheap; they can run into the five, six and seven-figure category. So it is understandable clients do not want to take any kind of major risk, because one false step can send a campaign down the drain. This leads to questioning the individual or agency’s ability to deliver, so in most cases the campaign suffers on the creative and originality front.

Agencies may find it difficult to sell ideas to clients; I’ve seen many clients cling to old concepts and ideas, because it has worked in the past. So many times, new campaigns may have the same antiquated ideas (case in point, those Charles Chocolate ads where there are so many product placements and shots of people eating, you’d swear the actors put on at least 20 pounds in those 30 seconds). Yes, there’s an element of nostalgia, which can be capitalised on for brands like this, but surely nostalgia can be communicated through more innovative means.

Then, there are the cases where clients come with their… ahem… knowledge, and shove their philosophies down the agency’s throat. This results in what I like to call the “simply buy this” campaign, or maybe a foreign ad redubbed with local voices.

Now, there’s a myth that’s been circulating for years – something about T&T’s size, economy and competitive landscape being the reason why there’s no need to go all out. In other words, if a certain brand has an industry in a chokehold, why put all the effort into being innovative when there’s no one else to compete with? Not as if consumers have a choice, right? It’s true we live on a veritable speck and there’s not much room for anything, far less mammoth rivalry (think State Farm vs. Progressive vs. Geico, or Colgate vs. Crest, though we do have Digicel vs. bmobile), but that’s no excuse for being complacent.

Let’s take a look Angostura’s launch last year with their newly shaped bottles (http://youtu.be/zjkjzwufvS0) and their new rum (http://youtu.be/WRWuolfXNTE). When these campaigns started making the rounds, the agency responsible screamed “SUCCESS!”, while their colleagues in the ad business lost their lunches and the general public compared the new rum to axle grease cleaner. So my question would be what do they consider successful about a campaign filled with scantily clad chicks with spray tans and ice? I’m sure I’ve seen that before, like in every alcohol ad. Probably, they’re talking about the fact that people didn’t stop buying rum after seeing that?

Yes, sales matter, and it’s the ultimate measurement for a campaign. However, creativity in execution should count. Plus, consumers have high expectations now that we’ve been exposed to cable TV and the Internet for years. Society has become more discerning, and now we have international entities throwing their hats into the local ring like Axe, and their multiple big-dollar campaigns (http://youtu.be/8qskcmabLuQ). More creative tactics are required to attract attention. Surely, the agencies know this; so why aren’t we getting innovative, local ads?

Bringing a campaign up to modern standards means keeping up with current technology, and conceptualising a new idea every time means a new set of costs. As I said before, advertising, depending on the size of a campaign, can run upwards from thousands to hundreds of thousands and even millions. Then there’s the process of going back and forth from the drawing board, presentations, focus groups, market testing, acquiring slots in the media, billboards, merchandise, and the list goes on. In order to keep costs down, some things must be sacrificed, namely, creative freedom, originality and quality, resulting in a mundane ad at best.

However (I think this goes without saying), advertising is an investment. If done right, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it.

So what do industry insiders and stakeholders need to do? I got another unanimous answer for that – take more risks, give more leeway and trust the professionals. When it comes to creativity, an open mind can do wonders. You see things from multiple angles and you’re more open to different ideas.

All things in life are best in moderation, so too many restrictions leave no room for growth, while too much freedom can result in chaos. Finding a balance between the two, where everyone can agree, is best.

Really, it’s a pity that as a society that has so much creative potential, we don’t go all out on many things. But I do have hope – sooner or later we’ll get there, hopefully sooner than later.

The utopian idea of clients and agencies coming together to create truly innovative, local advertising that meets their need for profit, and consumers’ love for stimulating, entertaining advertising may seem far fetched. However, I don’t think we haven’t seen that kind of creative growth in the local advertising industry, because the talent is missing. Maybe, it’s a matter of them putting in more brainwork and elbow grease, we, the consumers, demanding the creativity and innovation we’ve been deprived of for so long.

adsintt You know, there’s nothing like a good ad. Something to make you laugh out loud, relate to the scenario, and just possibly... buy whatever product or service they’re trying to sell. And when I say ad, I don’t only mean TV, radio and print. We see advertising virtually everywhere – on the highways, on benches and even when we go to the toilet.

So who among you can easily name an ad that really hooks you, and gives you a feeling that links you to a brand? My favourite of all time is the Red Bull ad with the man and the pigeon, which, I admit, still has me rolling to this day. Or maybe the ever-so-cute polar bears Coca Cola rolls out every Christmas that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

I can go on… and on, making reference to other international entities such as the latest collaboration between State Farm and “Cars 2”, or even Geico’s latest set. But one has to wonder, why aren’t amazing ads like those a regular thing here in Trinidad and Tobago?

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If we’re innovators, why are we going after old models?

Karel Mc Intosh

Jan 10 |00:00

Innovation is easy to please. All it asks is for you to be open to new possibilities and new ways of doing things; and much like your new lover, who asks that you never once dream of your ex, it wants you to let go of the past.

Most young entrepreneurs fancy themselves to be game changers, and sometimes they really do approach their businesses with new models that cut costs, increase flexibility, and make them appealing to their target audience. A business model describes how an organisation creates, delivers and harnesses value, so as a game changer the aim is to manipulate models to create alternatives that are effective and strategic. You can’t be a game changer and play by the same, old rules.

However, there’s something I’ve noticed with some people. Even though their innovative business model is working, as is, and has numerous benefits, they fall into the trap of doing things the old way. Let’s take an online-driven business for example. You’re selling books via Facebook or a website, delivering items to customers who pay upon receipt, and business is growing. What’s your benchmark of success? Increasing online presence and sales, and becoming a sort of mini Amazon.com, or seeing a brick and mortar bookstore in Port of Spain that bears your name?

If this model severely cuts costs like rent, salespersons, utilities, and other taxes, and brings you closer to your customers, enabling them to make quicker purchasing decisions and feel more satisfied with having goods delivered to them, why move to that brick and mortar model? You can capitalise on your ‘word of mouse’ momentum, increase visibility, and use the money that would have gone into these overheads to boost your business. So why create more workflows than required?

Ultimately, business models seek to create value for customers, society and of course the business owners. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but if you can do it differently and cut costs, why not? It doesn’t matter whether your methods are simple; if they work, there’s no need to complicate things.

Sometimes we don’t realise just how much the old way of doing things affects our thinking. We’re all gung-ho to approach things differently, but the danger is that the old model of success is so imprinted in the recesses of our minds that it becomes our ultimate goal, as opposed to the destination we bypass. I’m not saying that there’s something wrong with wanting a physical operation, or using tried and true methods. However, it only makes sense… if it makes sense. And if it makes sense, be sure to give it some sort of unique appeal.

Business success will always be measured by growth and value – not by mimicking the image of success.

I’ve noticed a few operations, whose value proposition and appeal were based on bringing goods and services at customers’ fingertips through social media and other online channels, and have moved to a full, physical operation. The new focus is on the physical operation, thereby decreasing online distribution, and basically having to redirect and convince customers, because people now have to come to them, when it was so much easier to connect using the full, online model. All that does is set back a young business from a financial and marketing aspect. It also takes away what drew people to you in the first place – this different model of yours.

Now this isn’t an online vs. physical discussion. It’s simply an example meant to show that in shaping our ultimate goals, we should also consider whether they constrain or open us to greater possibilities. Experimentation is absolutely necessary. Music artistes have learned this with the advent of digital downloads, and iTunes becoming the new music charts.

I’m no business guru. Neither do I consider myself an entrepreneur. When I started Outlish, I did it because it was something I wanted to do since I was a teenager. I had nothing to prove to anyone. Being strictly online made sense for me because I literally live in front of a computer screen all day, and the start-up costs were extremely low. I didn’t pay attention to what other publications were doing. I just created a magazine I would read. That was my only focus. I also experimented with content, and just said, “let’s see what happens”. Now that it has been embraced so quickly, I now find myself challenged to create a business, and a model that supports it.

People have asked me if I’ll move to a print version of Outlish and the answer is a definite no. Would I ever do a special, print version? Yes. However, I won’t change the current model, which provides flexibility, or my ad hoc, organic approach.

I believe that when given the opportunity to chart your own course, chart your own course you should. Young businesspersons have the opportunity to do things their way, use unconventional methods, merge the conventional with the unconventional, where required, and create their own operation models. If you’re looking to start your own business, build your business around your customers’ needs… and yours, create your benchmark of success, and move at a pace you can manage.

Don’t do what you think others expect you to do. Do you. Be authentic. Ignore the old mindsets that don’t work for you or mesh with your personal philosophy. You might trip while trying, and you may take a little longer to make it to the finish line, but if you approach things in a way that suits your customers, your development as a self-starter, and your ability to develop and manage your business/ hustle/ project sustainably, then ignore the models that tell us we need to go out with the new and in with the old.

So what if people are watching you and doubting you. Trust your gut, because it’s telling you something for a very good reason.

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Trini Entrepreneurs - The Now Generation

Karel Mc Intosh & Kenyon Champion

May 17 |00:00

Young lady It seems that all of a sudden, everyone is an event promoter, photographer, graphic artist or a plain ole salesman thanks to social media. This is evidenced by how many times I, and I'm sure you, have received requests to join Bob's, Sandra's and Jim's fan page or group on Facebook on a daily basis.

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Carnival Entrepreneurs: Jumping and Waving to the Bank

So You’re from The Land of Oil and Music. Or are you?

Advertising in T&T: Boring or in need of a Red Bull?

If we’re innovators, why are we going after old models?

Trini Entrepreneurs - The Now Generation

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