Standing in front of the entire Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies’ student body, Alic “Toro” George told two secrets he’s learned about building a business: have passion and find a good niche.
“I was doing something that I loved doing. I liked it when I cut somebody’s hair, and I think that was what drove me to improve and go further in the industry and put a smile on their face,” said Mr. George, the owner of Virgin Gorda’s NTRO Salon and Barber Shop.
As part of a Nov. 19 presentation to the school in commemoration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, Mr. George, who also owns the contracting business AGS Construction and Woodworking, told students that developing skills that are in demand is a key part of being successful.
“Finding that niche is powerful because if you find something that everybody has to do, you’re going to make money,” he said.
Pursuing a trade, whether as a cosmetologist or in the construction field, can be lucrative, Mr. George told the students. But he cautioned them to seek specialised education in order to master their fields.
Cosmetology, for instance, requires knowledge of how to apply chemicals and how those chemicals may interact with moisture and oils naturally found in hair.
“Most of us, black hair has to be chemically treated,” he said. “When you chemically treat your hair you can’t just put chemicals in, you have to know what’s going to happen to it.”
Construction careers
As he spoke to the students, most of whom have two more years of school left before they graduate, many paid close attention. Several others, however, seemed disengaged.
Mr. George described his transition into the construction industry, a sector where most skilled workers like plumbers or electricians earn well over $100 per day, he said. Citing the construction boom in North Sound, which is being fueled by large luxury projects like Oil Nut Bay, Mr. George said experienced project managers could earn $10,000 per month. More students began to appear interested.
“That could be any one of you guys. People look at construction and think it’s a low-paying job, but it isn’t,” he said. “The person that hangs this door requires a lot of knowledge, a lot of skills, a lot of understanding.”
Sachkia Barnes, whose firm Barnes PR sponsored the week of activities, told the students that serial entrepreneurs like Mr. George take advantage of opportunities to be successful.
“Believe it or not, despite what you read on the blogs or hear on the radio, there’s lots of opportunity in the territory for young people and for Virgin Islanders to get into entrepreneurship,” she said.
Reception
Global Entrepreneurship Week, which began on Nov. 17 and was being held for the second year in the VI, also included a series of public awareness events, networking opportunities, and training for entrepreneurs.
At a reception hosted last Thursday at The Moorings Mariner Inn, Ms. Barnes repeated that message, advising a roomful of entrepreneurs to network and “engage each other and learn about each other’s businesses.”
Premier Dr. Orlando Smith, who sponsored the reception, said that government’s National Business Bureau aims to support as many start-ups as possible.
He added that he eventually would like to see the NBB staffed with accountants and business managers who can provide the sort of services that will help small businesses grow into larger ones.
He also spoke of the possibility of government creating an industrial park, which could aid entrepreneurs in the manufacturing industry, he said.
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