Shani Duncan Falconer – Fulfilling her life’s purpose

SHANI Duncan Falconer was raised to be an entrepreneur. While growing up in Trinidad, the Jamaican-born woman watched her maternal grandparents run their event planning and rental business, then watched even closer as her mother took over the reins. She fell in love with the level of freedom that came with being an entrepreneur, and she set out to become one. She would eventually discover, however, that she could achieve more with her entrepreneurial spirit than just have her own business — she could help other entrepreneurs to live their dreams.

Today she has the best of both worlds. As the senior corporate manager of JMMB’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Resource Centre, Duncan Falconer enjoys the benefits of being an intrapreneur while using her skills, experience and education in entrepreneurship to guide others on the path to financial freedom.

“I had a consulting business and I was actually consulting for JMMB through my business when we realised that within JMMB we needed to be able to support our SMEs,” she related to All Woman from the financial institution’s Haughton Terrace head office.

“So I went to Keith [Duncan] and Donna [Duncan-Scott], and I said, ‘How can we do this? Can we start a centre for SMEs where we not just provide financial assistance, but other tools needed to help them to grow?’

“I am able to do that from within JMMB with a structure that works well for me,” she said proudly.

Duncan Falconer, who holds a masters in entrepreneurship from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain, and a bachelor of science in marketing and international business from the University of Maryland, feels at home in her current role.

“I love to be able to meet new clients and I love to see where they are in their business journey, where they want to be, and to be able to help them grow. We have partners within the resource centre, like marketing partners, tax advisory partners, and others to help them beyond the banking solutions. That’s what I used to do in my consulting company, so being able to do it now is fulfilling,” she smiled.

Since birthing the idea of the resource centre in 2018, she has been constantly motivated by the many success stories that have emerged from their starting blocks.

“When I have clients who message me to say that they’re happy with the service that they’re getting, or they go elsewhere and talk about how we helped their businesses to grow, that’s what really encourages me to say, ‘Yes, we’re doing a good job and we’re really helping these clients,’” she beamed.

Born to a Jamaican father and Trinidadian mother, Duncan Falconer also has the best of both Caribbean countries and cultures.

“My husband is Jamaican and I soon learned that Jamaican men love to stay in Jamaica,” she laughed, explaining why she chose to build her nest on the Rock.

“I find that the cultures are very similar. The people in both countries are very warm and happy.”

For fear of being revoked by either of her home countries, she decided not to choose between curry or jerk chicken, but instead loves both. Similarly, she decided to keep a foot in entrepreneurship by investing in a venture with her lifelong partner.

“I always loved the idea of creating something for myself, so my husband and I have a brand called I Love Dancehall — we put on events, and we have also gone into clothing and other areas,” she shared.

And just as she has grown to love dancehall in the 12 years that she has resided here, she has brought her husband to Trinidad carnival to give him a taste of real soca. She makes it a priority to visit the republic regularly to spend time with that half of her family.

Being the mother of an easy-going 10-year-old boy and a fiery four-year-old girl, means Duncan Falconer also has the best (and worst) parts of parenting to look forward to when she leaves the office.

“It’s a lot,” she admitted. “But for me, I have to put my family first and then find a way to balance work with it.”

Having just celebrated her 38th birthday last week, Duncan Falconer is content that she is fulfilling her life’s purpose, because she cannot think of anything else that she would rather be doing. She believes, however, that there is still more work to be done.

“In everything I just try to be a good person,” she said simply. “I may not be the most outgoing person, but I value being accessible and loyal to my friends and family. I love helping people bring their visions to life, and I’m okay with just being known as an open, genuine soul.”