In December 2009, we told you about an Opportunities for the Majority business plan competition for companies seeking to launch tourism-related projects in the Caribbean that would engage with low-income communities. Two projects were selected as winners and each received $35,000 from the IDB to pay for consulting services to help develop the business models. Now, one of the winners, Bahamas-based entrepreneur Jaime Lewis, is about to launch his new tech accessory company, Islandz. Here, he tells his own story about what inspired the project, how it is creating unique opportunities for artists in the region, and his hopes for the company’s future.
Last March, I had a business idea that would change my life. After seeing a USB flashdrive shaped in a company’s logo design in an online video, it occurred to me that something similar could be done here in the Bahamas that would cater to the tourist market. In all my years living in the Bahamas, I had never seen ANY tourism product related to tech accessories. Also, the majority of products being offered in our souvenir shops are not authentically Bahamian. It dawned on me that there was a tremendous opportunity for the licensing of true Bahamian creations to create technology-related products for tourists.
I began working on a business plan and started to really develop my idea. As fate would have it, a friend told me about an IDB-sponsored business plan competition that was looking for tourism business ideas with social enterprise components. This seemed like a perfect match, and I was lucky enough to be selected as a winner. So now I had a good idea, and some funding to help develop it. I was on my way!
The grant I received from the IDB paid for consulting support in developing the business plan. I was able to narrow down my idea to focus on starting with an e-commerce store that would sell electronic accessories – cellphone cases, tablet skins, laptop sleeves and the like— that feature Caribbean artwork. I got crucial advice in the legal and financial requirements of setting up such a business. Another consultant worked on the marketing plan and helped come up with the company name, Islandz. A website developer is now in the process of building our online platform. Throughout the whole process, the IDB Opportunities for the Majority staff has offered enthusiastic and valuable advice. Today, I have not just a solid business plan, but in fact already have a new business. Without the IDB’s support, there is no way I would be this close to starting to sell products that only a year ago were just ideas.
The most exciting part of this venture is the fact that it will create a new revenue stream for struggling local artists, who have had limited venues through which they can sell, let alone license their works. All Islandz artists will receive royalty payments, and some artists may reap additional benefits. For example, one of the first artists we are promoting is Bahamian painter John Cox, founder of Popop Center for the Visual Arts, a local artistic hub. Besides his royalty payments, he will also be able to sell products featuring his artwork at Popop. These types of partnerships are exactly what Islandz is about… creating new opportunities. I can’t imagine the pride I will feel the first time I see a tourist carrying an iPhone in an Islandz case, showing off the work of one of our amazing Caribbean artists.
I see tremendous opportunities ahead for Islandz. I’d like to enter into other Caribbean markets, not only to bring more visual artists into the fold, but also to expand our product offerings to include music, sculpture, and spoken word arts. Perhaps next year we will be ready to open a shop where tourists will be able to buy our products in person. Additionally, I’d like to reach out to the North American market, home to the majority of tourists to our region. So even though my company is in its early stages, the future looks very bright for artists in the Caribbean Islandz.
To learn more about the project as it moves forward, follow Islandz at www.facebook.com/islandzmarket.com or www.twitter.com/islandz. If you are a Caribbean artist interested in submitting your designs, a shop owner interested in stocking Islandz products, or have other potential business partnerships in mind, contact Jaime Lewis at jlewis @ islandzmarket.com.
Photo of BlackBerry case with artwork by Kenny St. Mark provided by Jaime Lewis
