KINGSTON, Jamaica — Having quit his ‘9 to 5’ after decades on the job to find success as an entrepreneur, a local businessman is advising fellow Jamaicans with similar thoughts to develop a transition strategy that will allow them to make the move.

For Nigel Saulas, the owner of 190 View Productions, leaving his job to become self-employed wasn’t an impulsive decision. It was well calculated.

A seasoned media professional, Saulas worked a desk job as a television editor for over 30 years. He told Observer Online that he started his company out of a need to make ends meet.

“It’s like you work from 9-5 and at the end of the day you still can’t see your way out. You’re just like a robot, you’re just working to pay some bills because at the end of the day you still have other bills that you can’t manage… The 9-5 just don’t cut it,” he explained.

Recognising that his career wasn’t providing the financial freedom or fulfilment he craved, Saulas started looking into niche markets for business ideas to bring in extra cash. That’s how he discovered LED screen rentals, a market that did not have a lot of players when he launched 190 View Productions in 2019.

“Now you have more people in it but, when I started, you only had a few players especially in the LED screen market, and the demand for it is what grabbed my interest,” Saulas said.

190 View Productions is an entertainment equipment rental business that specialises in LED screen rental but also covers other production elements including lighting, stages, generator, sound equipment and more.

The company services a broad range of clients — from small local parties to high-profile events for government officials including the prime minister, international conferences, and even events for institutions like the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

What started as a venture with two persons has grown threefold into a small business that now employs five individuals, ultimately leading to Saulas leaving his 9-5 job and focusing on his business.

“When I compared what my 9-5 was paying me to what this venture could provide, it was a no-brainer,” Saulas said, adding that he then used his pension pay-out to reinvest in his business, a move that helped it to grow further.

Reflecting on his decision, Saulas warned individuals contemplating stepping away from a traditional job, “Don’t just leave your 9-5 without a plan. You have to have the financial backing and that does not come overnight. Use your extra hours— if you can find something to do a few hours that can bring in some form of income to subsidise what the 9-5 is doing, you can start that way but don’t jump out of your job if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

The 50-year-old businessman noted that there are 24 hours in a day, and even with a full-time job, there’s still time to pursue side ventures that can eventually subsidise or even replace your primary income.

“Do the research, find a niche market and surround yourself with the right people especially if you’re interested in an industry. You’ll have the naysayers who will say don’t leave your 9-5 and go there, don’t do this on your own but you do the research for yourself,” Saulas said.

He continued, “My younger brother calls me ‘Bob the Builder’ because I try to do everything. Knowledge is power. The internet is a very powerful university, you can learn a lot of things. Gone are the days where you have the traditional jobs— which is like the accountant or the bank or the lawyer, doctors — there are so many industries, there are so many titles, there are so many jobs out there that you can learn from.”

“Get up, put in the work and reap the reward. I tried it and I can say it has reaped rewards. The satisfaction for me is knowing that I can impact three, four more lives through giving employment. That is good for me. I can support my family, I can support my employees and that is gold for me,” Saulas added.