LOTOYA ‘Cedella’ Scott never dreamt of owning her own business at 26 years old, but the young entrepreneur is now trading in markets like Japan since the establishment of Glam Pieces by Cedella.

An Immaculate Conception High past student, Scott says the venture started after she encountered difficulty finding headwear for her natural hair. In February last year, she started the production of headbands, which had an immediate knock-on effect on the market.

“Whenever I wore the headbands I would get compliments about them,” she told the Jamaica Observer in an interview on Monday. “But what started out as an accessory for me quickly turned into something that everyone wanted. I began making headpieces for family and friends but the demand was so heavy that I had to get some ready-made ones to retail along with my own designs.”

Currently, Scott manufactures headbands for women and children. Her hair accessory line dubbed Indie Collection features cloth, flower-crown and jewelled headwear with prices ranging between $600 and $1,000.

Operating from her home in Portmore, St Catherine, Scott stated that she discovered her love for design art after studying at the Greater Portmore Junior Centre. She later went on to the University of Technology, Jamaica where she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Additionally, the young entrepreneur comes from a generation of creative professionals, with her mother being a dressmaker and her father doing upholstery jobs.

“I knew what I loved doing after attending that school. I have been sewing since then, so manufacturing headbands was just another step. The market has taken to my designs a lot better than I thought it would initially,” she told the Business Observer.

But her success was not earned without a struggle. In launching her business, Scott stated that she had much difficulty understanding what her target market really wanted. After a few early misshaps she managed to secure a niche market with her headbands, which have now outpaced competition from the Chinese market.

“My clients often tell me that they prefer to buy something that is made in Jamaica, than to get China’s production that is made in a sweatshop and is often of poor quality. Even though my prices may be a little higher than China’s production, people are willing to pay the price for better quality and to support their own country,” she said.

Like many small businesses, she had to pool investment capital of $15,000 from family. She now supplies more than 20 headbands per month to clients at her Phoenix Faces and More location on Portmore Mall.

“Getting that location was one of the best things that has happened to me,” she said. “Not everyone has access to Facebook and Instagram, so having a brick and mortar location allows persons to visit my store and purchase on the spot.”

Scott plans on expanding her product line to include necklaces and bracelets. What’s more, her products will begin showcasing in Vere Pharmacy, Clarendon, and plans are in the pipeline for the launch of her e-commerce platform for online shoppers globally by the end of June, just in time for summer.