‘Lotus Crafts’ …for intriguing hand-made creations

May 15, 2022 News

Young Entrepreneur On The Move…

“Young entrepreneurs are special, they create new demands and tackle old problems with new technology and try to bring about a positive change in society by doing what they enjoy doing.”

By Allyiah Allicock

Some of the different creative pieces you can order from ‘Lotus Crafts’

Kaieteur News – Looking for handcrafted cards and gifts for that special person? Well, ‘Lotus Crafts’, a local arts and crafts business, just might be the place to go. It offers a variety of hand-made cards, photo props, invitations cards, iris fold wall décor, and explosion boxes.

Young entrepreneur, Dhankumarie Persaud, the owner of Lotus Crafts

‘Lotus Crafts’ officially opened its doors to customers in January this year but has been around since 2017. The brain behind this venture is 27-year-old Dhankumarie Persaud. Persaud in a recent interview with Kaieteur News revealed that it was her love for hand-made gifts and cards that inspired her to start the business. From a young age, Persaud recalled, she always had an appreciation for arts and crafts and it was this passion that drove her to pursue making cards in 2017. “The first card I ever made was for my husband in 2017 for his birthday. A very good friend saw the card I did for my husband and asked me to do one for her boyfriend. She was my very first paying customer. Since then I have been crafting and creating new pieces,” she said with pride. The name ‘Lotus Crafts’ was named after the Lotus flower and Persaud said, without giving too much details, it is in fact a tribute to her grandfather. Although it was only launched this year and her customer-base remains small, she noted, that the support from friends and family has been overwhelming thus far. The business has, however, not been without some difficulties. “One of the biggest challenges I face is sourcing materials for my projects,” she confided, noting that most times she has to purchase materials online because they are not usually found locally. As such, in order to meet clients’ needs, she purchases the needed items regularly so as to never disappoint her customers. While the onset of the pandemic caused a reduction of customers, Persaud said, “…there was a silver lining to it as I used that period to ponder on new ideas, practice new techniques and introduce new items.” Even as she strives to improve her business, since, according to her, “there is still a long way to go,” Persaud said that she plans to one day expand, making her operation full-time, with new and even more intriguing items. Of course, she also aims to become “…a recognised and successful entrepreneur,” by having an impact on the younger generations. She believes that young entrepreneurs in society today are creative people, who are able to develop new markets by producing new business ideas. “Young entrepreneurs are special, they create new demands and tackle old problems with new technology and try to bring about a positive change in society by doing what they enjoy doing,” she is convinced. Boosting young entrepreneurs and small businesses locally, she revealed, can be done by encouraging localism while at the same time providing more awareness to emerging businesses. “Shop Local,” she said, “I think that is the most important thing that can be done. Encourage our fellow Guyanese to support each other’s businesses.” For those interested in Persaud’s handiwork, you can check-out her Facebook page @ Lotus Crafts and Instagram @Lotuscrafts2022 or contact her on telephone number (592) 653-6737.