“Life ‘s special occasions deserve a delicious memory “
That’s the tagline of Reminiscence, the online gift shoppe created by Indra Mekdeci that specialises in edible gifts that delight the eye and palate, as well as beautiful bouquets. Made with luxurious Belgian chocolate, the finest fresh and import
ed fruits, Mekdeci’s decadent yet healthy, artful gourmet creations have won her a devoted and ever-expanding clientele.
Asked what compelled her to start Reminiscence, the married mother of one and healthy livin
g enthusiast said: “I always felt the need to be earning for myself. I wanted to do something that was unique and high value and I wanted to be working from home. I saw the need for a gifting company in Guyana with access to overseas clients and wrote a business plan to suit my talents and interests.”
Mekdeci, who says there is an artiste in every one of us, after spending a year teaching herself the necessary skills to make her dream a reality and practising on friends and family, opened her “gifting company” in 2012 just in time to catch the Christmas rush.
As her exceptional online store and facebook page showcase, Mekdeci is an entrepreneur for whom quality is paramount. Her eye
for detail and meticulousness are e
vident in every delicious dessert and attractive bouquet. “We believe in healthy living, creativity and innovation!” her website notes.
“We are not a huge operation yet, but we are certainly efficient. And we keep our quality extremely high,” Mekdeci, who was raised along the East Coast of Demerara, declared. “The response has been heartwarming. We have 100 per cent repeat customers. We also have new ones every day; as such, I must say that I am always so grateful for the support of all my customers and the word-of-mouth advertising they give. Without customers you have no business.”
But how does she juggle the demands of family life and keeping her customers coming back for more of the time- and labour-int
ensive delights of Reminiscence, as well as satisfying her fondness for working out at the gym? “Because I work from home and I have a very supportive husband, son and staff, multitasking is extremely easy for me,” Mekdeci shared.
She described her husband, as her bigges
t influence and dream mentor (alongside Oprah Winfrey).
The former Annandale Secondary student, in highlighting the lessons learnt in her years of entrepreneurship, said besides the practical lessons in money management, people management, time management and customer service: “I have also gained a lot of insight into choosing the right partners. My biggest lesson by far is to trust others; I now believe that to be really successful, you do better in numbers. Everyone wins.”
Her advice to budding entrepreneurs: “…ignorance gives you a lot of bravado, but persistence is what yields success”. The former Guyana delegate to the Miss World pageant is herself a testament to the power of persistence, having tried several ventures before hitting a winning combination in Reminiscence. Mekdeci added: “Walk before you leap – Do not overextend yourself financially, most businesses fail within the first year in operation, because they overspend and do not get a solid return on investment as they first proposed, [and] have a back-up plan, as an entrepreneur you must be
able to adjust to market demands.”
With plans to expand the already-impressive operations into a boutique dessert and gifting store and later a franchise operation to share her business plan, marketing skills and artistic s
kills with women in other parts of the country, the stylish Subryanville resident’s Oprah Winfrey-like tendencies are clear. She says her biggest inspiration is “human resilience – our seemingly infinite ability to overcome adversity”.
“I can only see growth for my business. Because as it stands, ecommerce accounts for 25 per cent of my sales. I intend to up my marketing overseas to gain more web orders. This helps not only me, but Guyana’s economy by bringing foreign exchange into Guyana,” she stated in elucidating her take on the economic headwinds facing businesses.
Mekdeci – who simply defined success as respect – in responding to the question of what could be done for entrepreneurs such as herself, noted: “The question is, “Can be done by whom?” If you mean the Government, then I’d say, for my business in particular – I would like help with advertising overseas through the Embassies and on the Embassy websites. For other small businesses, perhaps a tax holiday and duty-free concessions for the first year or two.” On a more personal note, the fitness buff confessed: “I love working out, I like the feel-good hormones of endorphins and I absolutely love feeling and being physically strong.”
Contact: 5B 1st Avenue, Subryanville, G/town, Guyana; 592-664-3557592/629-9093; [email protected]; www.facebook.com/Reminiscence.gy/
