IT was through trial and error, after a position she held was made redundant, that Antrea Walker learnt to sew; but she has since transformed a skill she acquired with no formal training into a business — TrendZ 365 Swimwear & Fashions.

In February of 2008, unemployed and looking for a way out, Walker turned to a dream she had been nurturing for some time. She wanted to start a dressmaking business. The only problem was she didn’t know how to sew.

Not to be deterred by this, however, she borrowed a sewing machine and decided to teach herself.

“Initially, I would try and do what I could on my own; like learning to thread the machine etc, then I would get pieces of fabric and just stitch. When I got the hang of that, I would look at other designs and try to construct the pattern,” Walker said.

Realising she had a knack for it, she delved further. She said at one point, she had a mentor who helped her complete the designs, and she tried to learn as much as possible from her.

The 27-year-old said her friends, eventually becoming interested in what she had started doing, supported her and in the summer of 2008, TrendZ 365 officially came off the ground.

Walker explained that the name represents the fact that her pieces are trendy and wearable all year round.

“Also, I believe that a customer can start her own trend, so I really try to live up to our tagline of ‘Individuality Meets Style’,” she said.

The direction of the business, she said, came out of her own woes of trying to find store-bought swimsuits that would fit perfectly. Also, she wanted to express her own style rather than just picking a random swimsuit; she wanted different, customised, spunky, trendy.

She may have started with swimsuits, cover-ups and summer dresses, but Walker’s business has grown to include clothes for every occasion, as well as alteration services.

Since starting TrendZ 365, Walker, who has no children of her own but who is the guardian of her three siblings, has taken on a full time job as an accountant and admits that managing both efficiently has proven to be very difficult.

“When I leave work, that’s (Trendz 365) what I do. After working a nine to eight shift, it can prove to be very exhausting. I also do as much as I can on a Sunday. I have learnt though that time management is key,” she told Career & Education.

This is helped, though, by the fact that sewing and designing are things that she really loves.

“So that is where the drive comes from. It’s something that I’m really passionate about,” said Walker.

She currently operates the business from her home in Red Hills, St Andrew.

Walker explained that coming up with the start-up capital was her first major challenge. As she was unemployed at the time, she had doubts about taking out a loan. Luckily, however, she got a machine from her mother as a gift.

Still, she had to buy a serger at a cost of approximately $25,000.

“Then there was money for the fabric, trimmings, business cards, as well as labour costs,” she said, after noting that getting a skilled, dedicated person to help to develop her vision was also challenging.

“I am more or less halfway over the speed bump of certain financial constraints. However, I still continue to face the challenge of acquiring skilled individuals who are in line with the vision of TrendZ 365,” she said.

Walker currently employs one person on a part-time basis, and is seeking to hire one more.

For marketing, the young entrepreneur relies heavily on referrals from customers, social media, and wearing the pieces herself. They are steps she hopes will take the business, which she says has much potential, to profitability.

Pointing out that growth of her business is the main focus right now, she told Career & Education that her own personal philosophy about operating a business is ensuring that the products are of a certain quality.

“Whenever I make something, I am very critical. I ask myself would I wear this? Is this worth the cost? So, my philosophy as it relates to that is just basically giving the client what she needs and exceeding expectations if possible.”

Walker, who holds a bachelors in business administration with a finance major and human resource management minor from the University of Technology, advises persons interested in following a similar path to be dedicated and driven.

“If a dream is placed in your heart, you should really pray about it and go for it. You can’t convince anyone really, until you’ve convinced yourself that you have a good thing. It’s better to try and fail, than to never try at all,” she said.

Putting her faith in God as a driving force to her success, Walker has five tips for prospective entrepreneurs.

* Write a business plan and do a feasibility study where necessary.

* In order for people to believe in you and your dream, you have to believe it first.

* Success takes hard work and dedication, so don’t be deterred by certain challenges you may face; press on.

* Promotion and marketing are key. Try as much as possible to represent your brand or business, so that you always remain visible.

* Always try to distinguish your service or product from others. Also, good customer service is so important. This can make or break your business.