In 2021, amid the throes of the coronavirus pandemic and at a crossroads in her life, Nekeisha Graham opted to postpone further education to set up a poultry operation. With the bold decision, the 38-year-old embarked on a rollercoaster ride in business, but she has had no regrets while growing Niki’s Yolk over the last five years.

“I had a co-worker who was into farming, poultry farming, and he would come to work every day with his eggs, and I was intrigued by it,” Graham told Observer Online, recalling what piqued her interest in the venture.

Her interest was also influenced by her father, who is a farmer.

At the time, Graham was preparing to pursue a master’s degree, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her plans. With classes moved online and her tuition still unpaid, she reconsidered her next move.

“I said, you know what? I’m going to do this business. I’m going to open this business and use my school fee to finance it,” she said. “And after making a profit, then I can always go back to school.”

That same year, she launched Niki’s Yolk, investing approximately $1 million.

Nekeisha Graham

Unlike many start-ups, securing capital was not her initial obstacle. Instead, sourcing birds and finding reliable labour proved more difficult.

“Getting people to work for me — labourers — that was a problem.”

Nekeisha Graham pose for a photo with her basket of eggs

Graham established the farm in her home parish of St Ann, where family support became essential. When labourers was hard to find, her mother stepped in to manage daily operations. While her mother oversaw activities on the ground, Graham coordinated logistics from Kingston, transporting feed, sawdust, vitamins and other supplies on weekends. She also assisted with cleaning and general farm work when she visited.

Despite launching during the pandemic, the business remained stable in its early years. However, greater challenges emerged later due to extreme weather. After the first cycle of birds reached the end of their productive lifespan, Graham restarted operations in Kingston in April 2024. Just months later, Hurricane Beryl struck in July.

“I got some deaths but again it wasn’t too bad for me,” she said, though she noted longer-term effects on production. “Whatever it was that they said was in the air during Beryl…caused the birds to stop laying and the birds were just traumatised.”

As recovery efforts continued, Hurricane Melissa hit in October 2025. By then, Graham was operating two locations. She said her Kingston farm sustained minor damage, but the St Ann location was significantly affected. Power outages also disrupted egg production.

“The birds do need to have electricity for at least three to four hours per day in the night time for them to produce and produce smoothly,” Graham explained.

Graham also cited a regional shortage of birds linked to avian flu concerns overseas.

“The bird flu that came about too in America has affected us causing us not to get new birds which is still causing the shortage now,” she said. Even so, she remains focused on rebuilding. “We have managed to slowly build back… with the little that we have we are trying to maintain them.”

Although the business has generated profits, Graham has not yet resumed her graduate studies.

“That is still on hold, not that I have not made back the money because I have, however, I put that money into other businesses that I have started since,” she said. “My studies are still on hold but definitely I am going to start and start soon.”

Originally pursuing Human Resource Management, she is now considering law or business administration. Graham already holds a bachelor’s degree in tourism, hospitality and entertainment management and views further education as key to expanding her ventures.

“That is with the aim of pushing my business, pushing myself to become a better entrepreneur… and of course the end result is to make a bigger profit,” she said.

As a woman in poultry farming, Graham describes her experience as largely positive.

“Being a woman in the industry has helped me,” she said, further crediting social media for expanding her reach. With nearly 200,000 followers on her TikTok (@nekeishagraham/Niki’s Yolk), many from Africa, she frequently receives messages of encouragement and offers of support.

“I would not say as a woman I have had any difficulty, I would more so say help was offered,” she added.

One of her current challenges is securing land ownership. Both her farms operate on rented or leased property.

“I am in search of land,” Graham said, noting that she has sought assistance through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and her Member of Parliament. “Just searching, trying my hardest to find a piece of land so that I can put my own structure up and go bigger and better in my business.”

For others considering poultry farming, Graham’s advice is simple.

“Don’t let anything stop you. It’s a good business to go in to. Just be focused, think about it…know what it is you want to get out of it and just go for it,” she said. “You don’t need to start big, start small… Go for it, it will work.”