JOAN ANN JOHN

Joan Ann John has brought to reality the old adage "turn you hand mek fashion"

A love for tourism and sales took Mrs. Joan Ann John from Guyana, the land of her birth, to Barbados where she hand made and sold macramé bags mainly to tourists. 

Ms. John was drawn to St. Vincent by the chords of marriage, when in 1984 husband decided to return home to St. Vincent and she followed him.

Upon arriving in St. Vincent, she began looking for the materials tocontinue her craft but could not fidn the macramé strings anywhere on the island.

While still pondering over what todo for a living in her new found home, she visited the wharf to watch the cruise ships and there she spotted a pile of conch shells.  She inquired as to the owner and was told that it was garbage and that she could take all she wanted.

The fishermen's garbage became the first step in mrs. John's unique trade in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  She took hom a sack of conch shells added her personal touch and retailed them at the same Cruise ship Wharf.

While on the Young Island dock one day, Ms. John had a bright idea as she looked at the Poinciana tree.  "Shak Shak, would make an excellent souvenir", she thought.

From the sale of shak shak and conch shells, Ms. John gradually expanded her trade to include other items such as t- shirts, tie and dye beach wear and any little item marketable to tourists. Before long, she had a striving business supplying visitors with many unique souvenirs. With tourism being seasonal Ms. John commenced sewing various garments during the slow season which she wholesaled and retailed in the Grenadines and Grenada.

In 2001, when the Cruise ship berth was built, Ms. John was the first to secure a shop and with funding from the NDF opened the now fully stocked Island Style Boutique.  

In addition to funding, Ms. John has received training from the NDF in several areas of small business development.   She strongly believes that personal development is imperative to the growth and survival of her business and uses every opportunity to enhance her entrepreneurial skills.

DAVE CAIN

When you are in need of fresh locally grown vegetables you must contact Dave Cain.

From a tender age Dave would readily assist  his parents on the farm.  Although he appreciatedhis parents hard work, Dave decided to seek employment outside of the farm.  He worked with Décor Products fora number of years specializing in the installation of green houses. 

Dave soon realized that he could enhance his own farming practices with the use of green houses.  He approached the National Development Foundation in 1999 to purchase two greenhouses.  He worked full time and on the farm on a part time basis.  Now into green house farming he realized that the returns far exceeded his expectation, this was Dave’s motivation to quit his job and go into farming on a full time basis. 

He invested in more green houses to date he has a total of twenty-seven (27) green houses at three locations, employs a total of ten employees and produces over 4800 lbs of vegetables weekly.  His main crops are tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers.  He also cultivates a variety of other crops.  His products are retailed at all corners in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  

Dave is a very ambitious young man, as the saying goes, “behind every successful man is a good woman” that woman is Steforn.  They are the proud parents of three lovely children. Dave being an astute businessman has provided a home and a comfortable standard of living for his family.

If you should ask Dave what’s the secret to his success he will tell you that first of all he owes it all to the Almighty and is grateful to the National Development Foundation for their continued support and guidance.