It is said that “necessity is the mother of invention” but for Aneca Clarke becoming a mother led to her invention of SnaZZy TrenZ, her online store which retails her hand-crafted African-inspired jewellery.

“After having my son, I was forced to brainstorm ways to provide an alternative income to sustain my household,” Clarke said. “One day while browsing the Internet, I saw some jewellery pieces and I had a light bulb moment which spawned this grand idea to create raw, authentic, Afrocentric pieces.”

The beautiful pieces are particularly unique to Clarke, a graduate of the Caribbean Maritime University, who “realised that the knowledge I gained from creating knots in the seamanship course while studying Marine Engineering could be put to use”, adding that she is “a fan of black culture, supporting and highlighting its beauty which is the backbone of my designs”.

The 24-year-old, who is pursuing an undergraduate degree in mathematics with education at The University of the West Indies, said after seeing her pieces come to life, and getting commendations from those around her and her clients, she realised this was a passion of hers.

“In my spare time, I truly enjoy coming up with new ideas on how to wrap the ropes to find a new style for a piece. I like getting my hands dirty and being the ‘fixer’. My current path is linked to all that I have learnt as my engineering skills can be seen in my work, especially with fixing watches.”

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the entrepreneur who said the promotional aspect of her business took some work once she got started. “Marketing was a bit of a challenge — getting the business out there and the sourcing of materials that ensure quality pieces that last”. She is currently focused on increasing her social media following and engagement as a means of increasing her presence.

Clarke’s family and friends provided support at the start of her business and continue to be a significant factor in keeping her driven. “After doing my first batch of pieces, my family was in awe at my talent and they have been there as my motivation,” she said. “My friends have always been huge supporters in pushing me and showing up when I needed a hand or when I start doubting myself. Also, my mother plays an important role in babysitting on days where I have to attend expos.”

When it comes to advice that she would like to offer other young people looking to venture into business — planning is key. “Plan! Consider all that you have and all that you want to accomplish. Make your check-lists, prepare for late nights and know that everything won’t be smooth or perfect all the time, but always remember that sometimes there are happy mistakes; so if things don’t go as planned just trust the process.”

Clarke is currently working on a collection for the holiday season, which will have individual pieces targeting men. In the long term, she said her dream is to “own a store to feature my collection that also has a small space to host exhibitions for fellow artisans’ work.”