‘Dav’s Designs’ proving to be premium choice for amazing customized gifts

Oct 30, 2022 News

“Young entrepreneurs are the gateway to a better Guyana. They create jobs, not only for themselves but also for others. They foster innovation and bring new technologies and ideas to our already diverse and quickly changing community.”

By AllyiahAllicock

Kaieteur News – Looking for nothing else but customised gift items? Well, ‘Dav’s Designs’ is the place to go. Dav’s Designs which is about to turn two years old next month, offers customers customised gifts such as tee-shirts, mugs, tumblers, key chains just to name a few.

Young Entrepreneur, Davonna Bess

The business which was launched on November 19, 2020, is solely owned by 21-year-old Davonna Bess, who is a fourth year University of Guyana student, currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Environmental Health.

Ms. Bess in a recent interview with this magazine said that what had inspired her to open her own business was partially because of her love for crafts, and her inability of finding a job at that time.

She stated that back in 2020, she was looking for a part-time job that would align with her full-time UG schedule, but was unsuccessful at finding one. As a result, she shared “I started scouting the online market to see if I could start my own business. With the help of my mother and an aunt, I was able to purchase my first cricut machine that I use to do most of my work. I’ve always loved crafting and gifting handmade items, so this venture was perfect for me.”

After acquiring the cricut machine she began to sell handmade cards, and then later expanded to doing the custom gifts items. Since having the business, Bess commented that the support she has been receiving so far is very encouraging. The business, because it was launched so close to the Christmas season, saw escalated sales very quickly. “Family and friends were very supportive and I acquired a healthy customer base in the first three months. Ever since, I’ve had amazing opportunities like Expo 50 (hosted by Sonia Noel) and regular invites to popup shops at Parc Rayne, Guyana on Show, and Upmarket,” she shared.

All of these events, she noted, has given her a fair amount of exposure to the public and constantly bringing new faces to the business.

Notwithstanding the overwhelming support, Dav’s Designs also had its handful of challenges. She explained that the main challenge she faced has been juggling classes and running her small business. “Time management has never been my forte, but running this business has forced me to try to have planned schedules for certain things. It’s also hard to know when to stop. Working alone and from home blurs the lines between work and rest,” she mentioned.

Nevertheless, Bess added that with a better time management now in place work has been easier to handle. As it relates to the pandemic, the young woman said that it allowed for a more saturated online presence, which has contributed to a wider customer base for Dav’s Designs.

With the business gaining more attention, her ultimate goal is to have a physical location of her own. This is a challenge because it has been a struggle to find a suitable physical location to operate. Another goal Ms. Bess said is that after completing her degree, she has intentions of expanding her services and widening her customer base to all corners of Guyana.

Entrepreneur Bess, who is looking to expand her services, related to this publication that young self-starters, such as herself are the gateway to a better Guyana. She is of the view that without them there would be no new product ideas, very little innovation, and no improvements to the standard of living.

When asked what she think can be done to boost small businesses locally, her response was that there should be more platforms where entrepreneurs can access information to help with their businesses.

Persons interested in ordering from Bess’ business, can check Facebook or Instagram at Dav’s Designs or reach out via telephone number (592) 651-3234 or via email at [email protected].