During your next trip to Barbados, here are three women-owned businesses on the island to pick up souvenirs from.
Julia-Ann Holder, Owner of Hummingbird Soap Studio
Julia-Ann took a passion and favourite pastime and turned it into a local favourite business. The Hummingbird Soap Studio was born in 2012, officially entering the local market in 2017. Julia-Ann started exploring soap making with her daughter, as their favourite afterschool and work activity, always eager to learn new and exciting methods and recipes. Having now built her beloved hobby into a thriving business, Julia-Ann participates in local events, like the Holetown Festival, to share her passion with her community. She aspires to break out into the international market to extend her passion globally.
Nadja Soodeen, Owner of Banz Barbados
The Caribbean-devoted jewellery line was inspired by Nadja’s desire for a Barbadian momento. Nadja wanted to create a piece of Barbados that she could hold onto and offer visitors and locals alike to cherish the tropical paradise. Nearly three years ago, Nadja created Banz, which includes necklaces and bracelets with the signature Bim maps, motifs and Barbados coordinates. Nadja acknowledges the challenges of being a small business owner in Barbados, like limits to resources, but loves what she has built and every lesson that she takes as an opportunity to grow and establish her business further.
During her years in the accounting industry, Montreal-native Wendy Abed felt a void that could only be filled with artistic expression… and chocolate! Wendy saw an opportunity to fuse her French cuisine background with Caribbean flair, finding creative inspiration in the beauty of the Barbados sea and landscape, she starter her shop, The Green Monkey Chocolatier. When it comes to future aspirations, Wendy is in no rush to expand, and in fact intends to maintain the company’s handmade, high-quality by taking baby steps towards expansion.
