Making magic with Nicole Benjamin
NICOLE Simone Benjamin always felt as if there was something more for her to achieve, and she reckons that she will always feel that way. This overwhelming thirst for more has led the 29-year-old on a path of self-discovery through business, art, and entrepreneurship.
Benjamin, who is a front desk agent at a hotel in Kingston, shared with All Woman that it was just the desire to learn more that pushed her to enrol in the workshop that uncovered the hidden talent from which she is now building a business.
“I was selling women’s accessories on the side, but a couple months later I saw a DIY [do it yourself] decor workshop being offered by the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) which I enrolled in instantly,” she recalled. “I strongly believe that doing this class helped me to tap into this ‘secret talent’. Realising that I was good with my hands is what brought me to my second line of business — wall accessories in the form of paintings and accent pieces.”
Benjamin quickly capitalised on her new area of expertise by adding a line of interior design pieces, the Collection Ni’vadne , to her existing Access O’ Ries by Nicole-Symone brand. She drew on her innate knack for accessorising that was nurtured by her mother, who would sit with her and make fashionable outfits for her dolls, and give her beautiful magazine cut-outs a treasure place on the wall.
“So Collection Ni’vadne is derived from my name, Nicole, and my mom’s name, Evadne, who passed away in 2014,” she explained.
As the last of seven children born to the homemaker and her entrepreneur father, it’s no surprise that Benjamin absorbed traits from both parents to become the woman she is today. While growing up in the cool community of Rose Hill, Manchester, her parents did not just inspire her love for entrepreneurship and design, but they taught her not to get comfortable being the big fish in the pond, because there were deeper waters to explore.
“I attended Rose Hill Infant School and later my mom transferred me to Bethabara Primary School because she thought I wasn’t being challenged enough,” she recalled.
This move would lead Benjamin to excel in her GSAT exams to get into Manchester High School, and then the Northern Caribbean University.
“There I read for two degrees concurrently — an associate degree in business administration and a bachelor of science degree in teacher education,” she said.
When an opportunity to teach English in South America presented itself, not even the fact that she did not speak Spanish could vanquish Benjamin’s desire for more. She desperately wanted to see what experiences awaited her beyond Jamaica’s borders, and her ‘take the risk or lose the chance’ mindset would not allow her to stay put.
“I didn’t know any Spanish before leaving Jamaica but I taught English in Colombia and Ecuador for two years before returning home,” she said animatedly. “I’m still not as fluent in the language as I’d like to be, but I can definitely help myself.”
Benjamin is now focused on delivering unforgettable experiences to her clients, along with great service and inspiring handcrafted pieces. This is the part that comes most easily. The hard part, she says, is sourcing the right materials at the right price.
“It’s a bit challenging to source the raw material needed to complete each project and acquire them at a reasonable price,” she admitted. “Another challenge is the import taxes applied to raw materials when I purchase them online.”
But these hiccups are quickly quelled by the time she does her magic and makes a sale.
“The most rewarding parts of my business so far is waking up to videos or messages from my customers expressing appreciation for the product/products they purchased,” she beamed. “I’m intrinsically motivated and strongly believe I was called to do business. Of course some days are harder than some but there’s an inner passion that pushes me to be the best version of myself each day, no matter what.”
Benjamin looks forward to her 30s with excitement and anticipates starting a family soon and is eager to see what more is in store for her career-wise. For now, though, she takes it one day at a time.
“I enjoy going to the beach but now that we are encouraged to stay home, I spend time watching my favourite series, spending time with family and friends, and most of all —painting!” she said joyfully.
Her belief that slow progress is better than no progress keeps her grounded not just through the COVID-19 pandemic, but through life.
“My passion and deep-rooted motivation to just be the best version of myself each day is what continues to keep me focused and driven,” she shared. “I want my name to represent my brand — a name that is renowned for success and a brand that not only provides excellent pieces but exceptional service. I want people to think beauty, quality, loyalty and consistency from my hands and heart to theirs, always.”
