Brad Singh, popularly known as Dave, the founder of local e-commerce and trading hub G-Bay Deals, is one of the new wave of Guyanese digital entrepreneurs, using the opportunities created by new technology to help buyers find products and services and sellers make money, without a fee attached.
The 24-year-old, who is also the owner of cellphone store Cell Point, has grown his 13-month-old Facebook-based business into a network of more than 28,000 local daily users, and today takes his next step to truly becoming the E-Bay of Guyana with the launch of his website and app. Users of the website and app have access to many features, whereby they can obtain their own virtual store and build a reputation for themselves and business in the near future.
G-Bay Deals developed organically out of Singh’s need to do market research for his cell phone store. “…it was always time-consuming, difficult and costly to outreach to as many persons at the same time when doing a market research; I decided to create the local market as a bypass to do easy market research before making an investment. After doing so, I’ve foreseen many different ideas in enhancing it and making it what it’s becoming today.”
The young business owner with a taste for “adventuring out in the wild….fishing and hunting”, in describing G-Bay Deals, said: “It’s the first online marketplace where individuals could buy, sell or trade locally; whether it’s used or new items. It has developed into a living business network: persons are now able to work two jobs and still earn that side income. It even gives the young entrepreneurs the advantage of becoming business orientated as it offers them an open playfield with all options.”
If like Singh, you concentrate better after hours, www.gbaydealsgy.com offers many part-time business opportunities that could be developed into fulltime work or businesses. It also gives the traditional stores a place to reach customers 24 hours a day, complete with an online payment system, without the added hassle of setting up your own website.
Expounding on some of his goals for the e-commerce business, the ‘techpreneur’ revealed he “would like to capitalise on the local market; strictly all Guyanese. As we expand, I would like us all to grow together. Especially the young entrepreneurs who don’t have access to any physical location, this is a start to raise that capital, build your own clienteles, etc. Creating your own image for yourself, all it takes is a spark”.
He added that with the launch of the website and app, he was aiming for “maximum public support since it’s all free and it’s been assisting persons tremendously…In the near future, we can expand to have a physical showroom to enhance opportunities for members. After we have built a reputation in connecting buyers and sellers in the local market, we can then think about moving on to online shopping, with hopes that we could create more services than what is being offered presently.”
The Bel Air resident noted that working on G-Bay Deals, which is serviced by eight admins who work around the clock as a team on its various platforms, has taught him different marketing strategies in dealing with the public, and also given him the chance to venture into different businesses.
“Anyone who is starting their own business, I would advise them to always believe in themselves, never get discouraged, no matter how tough it gets. Business isn’t always easy and success doesn’t come overnight, but with hard work and dedication, you can move mountains,” were his words of advice to those who wish to follow in his footsteps.
The Business School graduate, who has been putting his commerce- oriented schooling to good use, stressed that staying determined was the most important quality for any entrepreneur.
Drawing inspiration from his parents who he lauded for giving him nothing but the best and shaping him into the person he is today, Singh said: “Success comes from self-motivation and for me, the source of self-motivation is learning new things and doing things perfectly. It’s not about being the best but about always getting better, SUCCESS is not a DESTINATION, it’s a continuous JOURNEY that never ends.”
Contact: Cell Point 120 Regent Street, Lacytown Tel:226-3950, email:[email protected] www.facebook.com/gbayonline/
