Having spent much of her childhood helping her Dad in his wood workshop, Lacey-Ann grew passionate about it, noticing a gap in the market for genuine Jamaican gifts in the tourism industry – thus influencing the creation of her company, Bartley All in Wood. Capturing the Jamaican culture Lacey-Ann holds dear, her company manufactures and sells quality 100 per cent handmade wooden jewellery, corporate gifts, potpourri and home accessories. Jamaica’s landscape, flora and fauna are all reflected in the products, whether through motifs or the use of red, green and gold as a tribute to the deeply rooted Rastafarian Jamaican culture.
Selling wooden products does come without its challenges however – as an industry traditionally formed of chopping down trees and creating excess waste, it is not renowned for being environmentally-friendly. Lacey-Ann however, is passionate about creating a sustainable business and tackling these challenges. Bartley All in Wood plans to launch a tree planting programme to reduce the environmental impact of her business. She also visits local wood workers and carpenters to use the waste from their furniture production for Bartley’s All in Wood’s products – reducing their carbon footprint, as well as her own.
A friend introduced Lacey-Ann to the Branson Centre in the Caribbean and she soon signed up to the 12-week business training course – the course aims to teach entrepreneurs skills in all aspects of the business journey. Lacey-Ann describes the centre as her “Fairy Godmother”, giving her the skills to grow her confidence and market herself and her business.
She told us: “Through the centre, I learned how to value my business, my work and my time. Prior to the centre, I was shy and willing to sell my pieces way below market value”.
Since joining the centre, sales at Bartley All in Wood have increased tenfold and Lacey-Ann has received local and international exposure, including winning three national awards. Her company has also recently been able to start exporting to the Caribbean and the US, bringing Jamaican culture to the masses.
As well as a passion for local Jamaican products, Lacey-Ann wants to use her business to empower her local community and help to solve local challenges. For her, positively impacting the lives of those around her, through jobs, training, and environmental conservation is vital.
She said: “There is nothing more important in life than people, and by extension the planet.” We certainly agree Lacey!
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