“The biggest threat to small business in Nevis”
It is now a truism that the success of small business is umbilically linked to the success of the country’s economy. Small businesses often complain about the high duties at the port, their utility bills and their rent. However in this article I intend to show how the biggest threat to small business in Nevis is none of the above but rather; the attitude of the Nevisian public. Allow me to make my case.
THE ATTITUDE OF GRUDGE
Many small businesses start out good. It may be a little barbecue stall or a small bakery downstairs someone’s house. People will say you chicken taste good and that your bread is awesome and will support you whenever they can. The minute you decide to open a restaurant with House of BBQ or approach a Bank to build Violet’s Bakery and Deli, Nevisians will automatically feel that you are playing too big and automatically stop supporting you.
It is worse if you are able to take that same money to send your child to college or build a better house. They will not say that Violet has sold chicken by the side of the road and at every sports day for five years and now she is able to improve herself, I will support her. Instead they will look for Jean and buy from her because Jean is now selling by the side of the road.
While on one of my many Real Estate excursions, one of the passengers in my vehicle asked me who the owner of a particular house was. When I told them that it was Mr./Ms. X house they announced that they will never buy anything from them again because Mr./Ms. X won’t get rich off of them.
I went through great pains trying to disabuse them of that mindset as it was similar to the “crab in a barrel syndrome” that has permeated our Nevisian psyche for too long. The end result is that Nevisian businesses lose money not because their product and customer service are not good, but because their very own Nevisians simply grudge them. James 5:9 reminds us, “Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.”
THE ATTITUDE OF SPITE
Some people are so spiteful that they will get close to Mova and her bakery and find out how she is doing. If they work out that money is in bread they will then go and try to start their own bakery because after all Mova shouldn’t make all the money. They will do this even if their gift is in nursing simply to cut off Mova from making money in bread. So there will be people who start to sell bread and fail miserably simply because they have no business selling bread in the first place. It was done out of spite and their bread won’t even rise because it was prepared with spite instead of yeast.
For me, I have no problem supporting a Nevisian establishment whether small or large. Sometimes I walk in to buy a soda for 4 dollars and the person is glad to see me to give me an assignment for $500.00. If I had never been in the bakery I would not have benefitted. When I constantly buy bread from Mova, I also know that if Jane sees my boys stranded without a way to get home that she would willingly give them a ride home or allow them to use her cell phone to get in contact with me. In other words as the old people say, “Hand go; Hand Come”. Some of us won’t ever get a thing or develop in life because we are so filled with grudge and spite that God above has to pass us over when He is ready to bless. If we would get rid of our spite, small businesses in Nevis might be able to get their fair share of dollars in Nevis.
OUR REFUSAL TO PAY OUR BILLS
We are quick to pay Cable and Wireless, Cable TV, Nevlec, FedEx, Mariotts and fuel because we know that we will either be cut off, get thrown out the hotel or won’t get gas. The situation is reversed though, as everything else we want to “trust” with little if any intention to pay.
We wear clothes to Sports Day, Culturama and Drag Race that we have not paid for.
We owe for months of bread, items from stores and even restaurants and we really do not want to pay.
Some people want discounts even when you are charging them break even prices and some feel highly offended when you, a lawyer or a bailiff calls for your money.
We are glad to take advantage of the small business-person because we went to school with them or the families go way back or we go to church with them but by the same token do not feel obliged to pay them for the very same reasons.
Some small businesses are so afraid to contact for fear that they would lose a friend and instead they lose out on their business because they have no money to pay the operating costs. We at Hamoron Services have learned the hard way that our “trust” really can only be in God and not in man. I make it bold to say that if people pay their bills on time or simply leave people things without “trusting” them that small business will survive and thrive in Nevis like never before.
I know that my article won’t automatically change attitudes of every Nevisian but if even one person per parish could change their mindset, it may have the kind of effect needed for our small businesses to succeed. I know all small business owners would want to give me an AMEN!
