CEO and founder of Gift of Financial Freedom and Hope (GOFFAH) and published author of No Regrets, Just Lessons , Odetta Rockhead-Kerr recounts that as a young teenage mom, she went “job hunting” while going back to school.

Interestingly, a stranger who eventually became her mentor and friend recommended her for an entry-level payroll job at a US-based business process outsourcing (BPO) company. Shortly afterwards, the opportunity to be well-compensated motivated Rockhead-Kerr to further her studies. After returning to the company, her tenacity and commitment saw Rockhead-Kerr getting promoted to a managerial position which she enjoyed because it involved interacting directly with people. Rising through the ranks, she was promoted again as the vice-president of the organisation Xerox, a US Fortune 500 company. She was the youngest, first black non-expatriate to land the role. She dedicated 15 years before going to Sutherland as country head for seven years.

Rockhead-Kerr shared that while she was well compensated, she understood the value of financial freedom; therefore, her approach to retiring early at age 42 was strategic and deliberate. She recalls making a conscious decision to have several “side hustles” while making shrewd investments in Jamaican and US stocks.

For Rockhead-Kerr, her life has been an exciting journey, and chronicling it in her book was essential to inspire others. After doing her research, Rockhead-Kerr found that self-publishing her book would be more economically viable than paying a publisher and would also present an opportunity for her to incentivise the people who read and then refer her book to others.

With this inspiration, she conceptualised GOFFAH, an e-commerce marketplace that allows people to sell, shop, earn, and save. Sellers enrolled on the platform have the autonomy to sell, track, and manage customer orders in the platform’s backend. She also disclosed that GOFFAH is the only e-commerce platform globally that allows customers to view a grid that lists how much commission they have the opportunity to earn by sharing the product link, tracked in the platform’s backend. Rockhead-Kerr will also be paying it forward by teaching people how to use the referral model to earn commissions. Her team has also created an ecosystem that connects to their local and international distribution partners.

The GOFFAH Product Gallery, based in Jamaica, caters to customers who want to interact with the products before purchasing. If the product is unavailable in-store, customers will be able to scan the product’s QR Code, which will direct them to the item on the GOFFAH platform to purchase and have it delivered to them or at a pick-up location.

Her experience in the BPO industry has proved that hiring and retaining employees are resource-intensive in terms of cost and time. Therefore, as a brand ambassador and investor of IKON Work, Rockhead-Kerr is thrilled to endorse the recruitment platform that facilitates optimised sourcing of qualified talent in a way that reduces cost and increases retention rates.

The IKON Work platform, which is currently in its beta stage, uses artificial intelligence and analytics to match the job profile of the employer with the individuals, called icons, who have created a profile on the platform via video or by listing their qualifications and accomplishments. The matched results go to the company’s hiring manager, who can continue the recruitment process. The platform also suggests job opportunities that fit their “icon” profile. Rockhead-Kerr asserted that the later version of the platform would be enabled by robotics, in addition to more sophisticated AI. This will facilitate the end-to-end recruitment process, including automated background checks and interviews. Her team aims to sensitise the local market and the region then expand the platform globally.

Rockhead-Kerr is also keen on giving back through scholarships and her private foundation called “Give Without Recognition”, ultimately helping people change their mindsets and realise their most true potential through her book and social media platforms.