Dazzle: Holding its own in a competitive graphic art and embroidery market

Ryan Braithwaite is one of a growing number of young Guyanese professionals who have slipped into the world of business. It is, he says a matter of answering a call, confronting a challenge and in his particular case, responding to a challenge.

Before entering the world of entrepreneurship the 29year-old Guyanese worked as an aircraft engineer, first, with Caribbean Airlines in Port of Spain and subsequently with Suriname Airways in Paramaribo.

Since his departure from Suriname Airways Braithwaite’s preoccupation has been with Dazzle a company that specializes in graphic art and embroidery and Dazzle Distributors an emerging sister enterprise that is currently pursuing some initial importation of a product named Benjo’s Sea Moss from Trinidad and Tobago. The business connection arose out of a 2013 visit Braithwaite made to Port of Spain which during which an association was developed with the product through its distributor RHS Marketing.

Team Dazzle: Ashmin John and Ryan Braithwaite
Team Dazzle: Ashmin John and Ryan Braithwaite

The Dazzle team comprises Ryan and his fianceé, Ashmin. Her Business Studies pursuits in the United Kingdom, Braithwaite says, make her the ideal partner. The business, even as it emerges, is already facing considerable competition from other players in the industry. Not that the competition bothers the Dazzle team. “I believe that business is the way to go. Rather than climb the ladder I prefer to own the ladder,” Braithwaite says.

He is, he says, more than satisfied with his journey towards ‘owning the ladder.’ In a few short years Dazzle has graduated from graphic art to embroidery, offering its customers greater variety. I would say we are holding our own in the market,” Braithwaite says.

He singles out the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED) as being one of Dazzle’s staunchest financial backers. As far as the commercial banking sector is concerned Braithwaite believes it still has a long way to go to meet the needs of the local small business sector. Add to that the high cost of marketing an emerging business and, he says, the risks associated with venturing into business become readily apparent.

From its vantage point in Ashmin’s Mall Dazzle looks out on the tough world of entrepreneurship and gets a cold stare in return. Still, Braithwaite says, he remains undeterred. The market, he says in growing. “There is greater demand for novelty items and tokens and because we are a newcomer to the sector we work that much harder to win a bigger share of the market,” he adds.

Dazzle’s staff of four includes a graphic artist, an embroiderer and a machine operator. Customers, Braithwaite says, are generally pleased with the service and Dazzle is prepared to work that much harder to hold its own.