SHANAN Smart is not the typical entrepreneur. She is a lover of science, a storyteller and a creative at heart. And long before she stepped into boardrooms, supplier meetings and logistics planning sessions, she was shaping one of Jamaica’s most popular television programmes –
The Ity and Fancy Cat Show
.

As an enthusiastic creative force behind the iconic show, she helped curate the humour, rhythm and cultural pulse of a programme that had Jamaicans across the island and in the diaspora glued to their screens. After the massive success of the show, the powerhouse duo returned to television with a sitcom,
Bigger Boss in 2019, bringing Smart as part of their team.

It was in the controlled chaos of television production that Smart learned how to make something out of nothing. The experience taught her the discipline of storytelling and how creativity can turn a simple idea into a powerful bridge that connects people. Today, that same creativity is helping her solve a different problem. Instead of television scripts, she is writing a new chapter in Jamaican business through supply chain solutions.

As chief operating officer of Smart Haves Distributors, Smart leads the company alongside her husband, George, the chief executive officer. The couple launched the business together in 2020 with one mission: to enrich lives through essential, high-quality products and exceptional service. This mission has led the company to help Jamaican manufacturers and micro, small, and medium enterprises navigate rising operational costs and supply chain disruptions that often threaten business stability.

Smart Haves is addressing a critical market gap by connecting Jamaican businesses with essential supplies, reducing indirect procurement costs by up to 20 per cent, and delivering long-overdue operational stability. Their primary market is the manufacturing sector, which is the largest contributor to Jamaica’s goods-producing industries, accounting for 8.9 per cent of total gross domestic product. The sector expanded by more than $6.7 billion between 2020 and 2024.

“Many managers and business owners do not realise how critical operational supplies are until they can’t get them,” Smart said. “The local tax increases, international tariffs, and economic volatility make it difficult for businesses to plan and budget properly because prices are always fluctuating. What we offer to businesses across the country is stability in pricing, delivery, and customer service that you can rely on.”

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Smart’s career trajectory weaved through several fields that might appear unrelated at first glance. She studied environmental biology, gravitating toward science from an early age because of a deep curiosity about how things work. Later, she moved into media production, writing and producing for television, and eventually worked in sales, operations, and training at iCreate.

Looking back, she now sees how each step prepared her for entrepreneurship. “Science teaches you to ask questions and understand systems,” she said. “Television production teaches you how to create something meaningful with limited resources. When you run a business, you need both of those things.”

George credits much of the company’s growth to the leadership and discipline his wife brings to the business. “Shanan has an incredible ability to see both the big picture and the daily details,” he said. “She’s an amazing mother, a trusted partner, and a business leader who approaches every challenge with patience and focus. Building both our family and our company together has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Seeing the level of commitment and discipline it took for her to do both has been truly inspiring.”

Their partnership reflects a balance of trust and shared responsibility. While George handles business development and logistics, Shanan manages client relationships, inventory monitoring and operational systems that keep orders moving smoothly.

Their approach also focuses on building strong customer relationships rather than relying on transactions. “We see our clients as partners,” Smart explained. “When their operations run efficiently, it means their employees keep working, their customers receive products on time, Jamaicans get better prices when they shop, and the entire country benefits.”

While Smart Haves has already made its mark in distribution, Smart is also looking ahead to the company’s next chapter. Her vision is to expand into a broader Smart Haves Group of Companies, supported by a line of sustainable products that reflect the rising demand for naturally derived ingredients.

“We’re watching the market change in real time,” she said. “People are paying closer attention to what they use every day, and businesses have to keep up with that shift. For us, it aligns perfectly with one of our core values: sustainability. We pride ourselves on thinking ahead and being innovative. So we are excited to provide products that support healthier choices while still delivering the reliability our clients depend on.”

Ask Smart about navigating male-dominated spaces, and she does not pause to soften her answer. She tells it like it is. There have been more moments than she can remember where she has had to assert herself, demonstrate her capabilities, and refuse to be talked over, talked past, or talked down to. What sets her apart, too, is that she never tried to be like the men.

“My approach has always been to show up as myself. I am confident, capable, and clear. And I don’t take anything personally,” she said.

Where others may have code-switched or tried to be ‘one of the boys’, Smart stands on her own terms. Her advice to young women entering the working world is, “Be yourself. If you think about it, most industries are male-dominated. You don’t need to be like the men. Learn your role, know your industry, and be disciplined. The road rises to meet the woman who walks it as herself.”