Christine Daley: A card-making machine
From humble beginnings in Green Island, Hanover, Christine Daley has come a far way. Employed full-time as an accounting executive, Daley, 26, started Chrisinique as a passion in 2011, a business which provides personalised cards, baskets, totes, jewellery and event planning for all occasions.
“Growing up I wanted to be either a flight attendant or an architect. My father especially wanted me to do architecture, so much so that I did technical drawing in high school,” she told All Woman.
“My lines, however, were never straight enough, and my work was always untidy.”
With time her career goals changed, and business became her core focus.
The Manning’s School graduate pursued a bachelors in accounting and marketing at the University of Technology (UTech), a journey she started after employing a bit of creative skills.
“Initially I wasn’t accepted into UTech’s School of Business but, after hearing the news, and knowing that UTech was my only option after fifth form, I put down a piece of bawling in the office,” she said.
“The head of the school took pity on me and allowed me to resubmit my application, and I got accepted.”
After school she got the opportunity to work with Digicel, where she was mandated to develop the activities and ideas for the company’s morale building programme.
“From that experience I quickly discovered that I had a very creative side. I found making cards, graphics and planning events really easy and effortless,” she said.
And so moving to Chrisinique was effortless, and she moved from one birthday card to countless invitations to parties, send-offs, baby showers and lymes.
“The real challenge lies with juggling the business with a regular nine-to-five,” she shared.
“I have had countless sleepless nights and limited resources including insufficient capital and creative block.”
She is, however, intent on success, and has gone on to sharpen her skills both in graphic design and business, most recently in a project management course at the Mona School of Business and Management.
“Believe me when I say my dreams are so big sometimes they scare me,” she laughed.
