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Out of a bag of cement, Creative Manufacturing Company launched
By Vanessa Braithwaite Moore
Kaieteur News – It was the boredom from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, that pushed Linden’s creative artist Monique Gilks, to cultivate her talent for crafting beautiful home décor and personalized pieces. Today, Creative Manufacturing Company is steadily becoming a household name in Linden for sourcing unique and locally produced home décor items as well as décor for ceremonial events, personal souvenirs and other craft items. With tenacity and the drive to own her own gift shop one day, where all or most of the items sold are molded by her hands, Monique spends countless hours in her little craft workshop at her home, refining and perfecting her skills and meeting deadlines for customers.
Monique Gilks
It is hardly a reality to her three years after, that it all started with one sack of cement. “Being the creative person that I am, I looked for ways to delve into my creativity and I came upon a bag of cement and so that is how I started creating my cement crafts,” she said. Gilks started exclusively working with cement and transforming the aggregate that is mostly used to build houses, into beautifully crafted home décor. After realising her knack for this talent which she commercialized, she started testing other materials like wood, fabric, resin and reed diffusers. Three years later, she owns a home-based registered company with a steadily growing clientele and popularity on social media.
In addition to social media marketing, she also participates in exhibitions where she uses the opportunity to promote her products. She recently participated in the Linden Locfest and wowed many patrons with her exceptional creations. “Whenever I complete an item, I always like to hear persons say, “Oh you made that?”, it gives me that fulfilling feeling and I also like to challenge myself when it comes to creating things,” she said. Monique is also focused on getting her reed diffusers into more homes by penetrating the local and regional markets.
Monique at work
Reed Diffuser
Reed diffusers, which are her signature creation is a material that uses natural oils as scent boosters for the home and office. It is deemed a safer alternative to scented candles, and lasts longer. Her other home and event décor and personalized items are of high quality as she sources all her materials locally. While there may be other alternatives in variety stores such as Chinese stores, supporting a local business as hers means one is supporting local talent at an affordable cost and will be guaranteed durability, standards and uniqueness, all in one package.
As an entrepreneur that creates items with her hands, the process can be very time consuming for Monique, but she strives to keep a balance as she also has a full-time job as a typist clerk, and is a mother and a wife. “It’s not an easy task balancing family life, work life and business life; I try to create that balance…but it’s a bit tiring when trying to create that balance but all in all, I have the support of my family and I am grateful for that,” she proudly related.
She encourages other youth who also possess creative talent, to not sleep on their skills, as they too can have success stories. Monique’s success story started with boredom and a bag of cement but continued with determination to reach her goal of one day owning her own gift shop. “I would say to drown out the noise, just do what you have to do,” she encouraged.
Persons interested in purchasing items from Creative Manufacturing Company can contact Monique on +592-685-9845 or visit her Facebook page at Creative Manufacturing Company.
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