THE parish of St Thomas is not always the first to come to mind when people talk about business hubs. For decades, the south-eastern parish has been dubbed the forgotten parish. But recent developments like the highway upgrades and the Morant Bay Urban Centre signal things are changing.

According to Selena Whyte, business development officer of the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) Business Centre in Morant Bay, “this change looks like micro, small and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) carving out opportunities in cosmetology, skincare, aromatherapy, and retail”.

Powered by the JBDC, the business centre is located at 49 Queen Street and also serves the sister parish of Portland, offering business support services to a growing number of entrepreneurs eager to formalise and scale their operations.

“Most of my clients are in the start-up phase. They’re passionate, creative, and committed but many are also informal and just figuring things out,” says Whyte.

Whyte has been serving at the JBDC St Thomas business centre for several years, and as a native of the parish she brings not just technical support but a deep understanding of the cultural and economic background. Through coaching, formalisation support, and access to resources, she’s helping entrepreneurs move from concept to market.

Despite the parish’s potential she acknowledges entrepreneurs in St Thomas face real barriers. One of the most persistent is funding — or the lack thereof. Many MSMEs begin with minimal capital, relying on savings, family support, or personal hustle to launch their business ideas. But even with the best ideas, limited access to financing often stalls growth.

“Start-up costs can be overwhelming, especially when people are working from their homes and don’t have the means to rent proper production space,” says Whyte. “We often have to find creative ways to help clients bootstrap until they can qualify for funding or attract investors.”

And funding is just one piece of the puzzle, she insists. Many clients struggle with marketing, packaging, business registration and, crucially, market research. Entrepreneurs often enter business with a good product but limited knowledge about their target audience or how to competitively position themselves.

That’s where the JBDC and Whyte step in.

“When people come to us they often think money is their biggest problem but most times, it’s also lack of planning, pricing issues, marketing struggles, or just not knowing where to begin,” she says.

Whyte and her team walk clients through a structured programme focused on formalisation and training. Entrepreneurs learn how to register their businesses, conduct market research and validate ideas, develop pricing and costing strategies, create a start-up budget, and navigate licensing and regulatory requirements.

Whyte comes across as someone who is passionate about hands-on coaching and eager to support clients with packaging and branding through referrals to JBDC’s Incubator & Resource Centre.

“You can’t just show up with a raw soap and expect to get on supermarket shelves,” she says. “We help them with labelling, packaging, even linking with food technologists for site visits if they’re producing from home.”

Her commitment to business development is deeply personal, she says, noting that her own journey — from helping her mother scale her small corner shop to earning qualifications in business administration and customer service, to becoming a trusted voice at JBDC — “is rooted in a belief that business is one of the most powerful tools for community transformation and, by extension, the transformation of St Thomas”.

“Call any of my clients,” she says. “They’ll tell you I try my best. Business isn’t one size fits all, so I build relationships. I learn what makes each person tick, and then I guide them in the right direction.”

Ready to be a part of the business beat in St Thomas? Don’t just take Whyte’s word for it. Call her at: 876-516-8158 or 876-436-3925 to book a consultation.

Selena Whyte