‘Zajo Products’ – Beautifully crafted pieces made from 100 percent Guyanese timber

Dec 25, 2023 Features / Columnists, News

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“I think young entrepreneurs will shape the landscape of Guyana. We are the best ambassadors of our country since we literally sell Guyana to Guyanese and the entire world. We also play a critical role in being an example, to demonstrate to others that business is doable even with limited resources.”

By Allyiah Allicock

Kaieteur News – As we celebrate Christmas today and with the New Year approaching, it is never too late to get that someone that special gift. If you are looking for unique crafted gift ideas, then Zajo Products is the place to check.

Zajo Products, a popularly known arts and crafts business which started in 2021 but which was registered in October 2022, is owned by the talented Jason Chacon. Chacon hails from the hill-top town of Mabaruma in Region One.

He operates the business with his wife Karen and their two children, Zara and Joseph; the name of the business was derived from their names.

In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, Chacon said the business started as a hobby in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were mostly indoors and wanted to explore activities that would enable us to follow our passion and create an alternative income,” he stated.

According to Chacon, given that he and his wife both have vast experience in the forestry industry and are both environmental professionals, a decision was taken for the family to develop a business using their knowledge of Guyanese timber.

The businessman revealed that he actually went to school to undertake studies in the field of Silvology; he is the holder of a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from the University of Guyana; an Advance Certificate in Supervisory Management from the American Society for Quality and Loyola University; and a Master of Science in Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology from the George Augustus University, Germany, with specialization in Tropical and International Forestry.

So naturally after he came up with the idea of using wood material, his wife started exploring floral designs and different styles of bows made from ribbons. The couple then decided on the designs and used the best locally produced wood that would be cut circular in shape to create a line of wooden wall hangers.

“We created and sold our first wooden wall hanger in 2021. Afterwards there was no stopping since this item was in high demand,” he commented.

After being recognized for their creative works, Chacon revealed that initially they struggled to keep up with orders and had to hire people to help them fulfill orders. Following this, he said they proceeded to rent a small unfinished room which was their first workshop.

Chacon told this publication that in January of this year, he made the decision to quit his job and manage Zajo Products fulltime. His main objective was to utilize wood, as an alternative to plastic, to create home décor and branding items.

“We acquired a Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machine that does carving and engraving on wood; hence, we added trophies, name plates, charcuterie boards, business cards, clocks, and plaques, all made form 100% Guyanese timber, mainly Red Cedar, Carabwood, Wamara and Purpleheart. All these items are personalized and customized to your liking,” he explained.

Zajo Products are made from 100% Guyanese timber sustainably harvested from Guyana’s forests. The wood is sanded, and finished with spar varnish that allows the item to be used indoors and outdoors.

Chacon said the support for the business over the years, has been tremendous. He shared that approximately 90% of their customers and followers on social media are women. He noted also that they have corporate clients such as government institutions and the private sector.

“100% of our business is direct to the consumer and almost 100% are returning customers.  Our ideal client is an eco-conscious individual in the corporate world who loves natural items,” he added.

With hard work though, came challenges he said and one major challenge they dealt with earlier this year came about after the cutting and engraving machine was damaged and eventually this brought the business to a halt.
“We immediately had to refund clients that we had long-term agreements with, and cancel all our orders, which was heartbreaking, since our income was no more,” he said.

Following this incident, he said that they started looking for funding to purchase a new machine and eventually acquired two machines, one being a back-up so as to avoid a reoccurrence.

“It also forced us to hire dedicated staff, instead of part-time labour, and invest in state-of-the-art equipment,” he related.

Having witnessed tremendous growth over the years, Chacon shared that one of their long-term goal is to utilize state of the art Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) technology, to create home décor, banding materials and bespoke furniture while at the same time showcasing Guyanese timber and creating an environment that attracts young people to be involved in some part of the value chain.

Apart from that, the businessman said their dream is to acquire a piece of land in an industrial area where they can build a state-of-the-art workshop that will not only be a production facility but also a facility that young people can visit and learn how to process wood and utilized technology in furniture making.

“We want to make this craft less labor intensive so as to attract more persons into this sector, since we feel that there is a need for Guyanese and the world to get timeless furniture made form Guyanese timber,” he disclosed.

Leaving an impact on society through their works, Chacon is of the view that young entrepreneurs will shape the landscape of this country. He told this publication, “I think young entrepreneurs will shape the landscape of Guyana. We are the best ambassadors of our country since we literally sell Guyana to Guyanese and the entire world. We also play a critical role in being an example, to demonstrate to others that business is doable even with limited resources.”

Questioned on how he thinks small businesses such as theirs can be boosted in our country, our featured entrepreneur said that they need affordable and less tedious access to sufficient finance. “I mention sufficient, since, what I have found is that the amounts that are easily accessed are not sufficient to enable your business to catapult from an idea to a small business. Hence, fledgling businesses, like Zajo Products, find ourselves in a vicious cycle, in our effort to grow,” he explained.

Apart from that, he suggested that there is a need for knowledge in the areas of marketing. According to him, there are a lot of markets; however, lots of small businesses are struggling to find markets because of lack of knowledge. Zajo Products, he briefly mentioned, utilizes Facebook sponsored ads as their main marketing tool.

Persons interested in placing orders, can do so via telephone number (592) 608-5220 or check out Zajo Products on Facebook.

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• Allyiah Allicock, Christmas, Guyanese, landscape, timber

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