RAAD’s –‘Custom Rugs’ made to your liking

Mar 24, 2024 News

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“By showcasing our creativity, achievements, and journeys, we instill a sense of possibility and resilience, encouraging others to take risks and pursue their dreams no matter what the outcome will be, it can be as simple as just taking the first step and if it’s meant to be, everything will fall into place.”

By Allyiah Allicock

Kaieteur News – How often do you find a customized rug business in Guyana? If your answer is not that often, then be sure to check out ‘RAAD’s Custom Rugs’.

In an exclusive interview with The Waterfalls, Ali said this business venture was inspired one day; her partner Romeo came across anime custom rug videos on YouTube where he became fascinated with it.
“He then began to expand his knowledge of making these rugs by watching countless videos online and learning the entire process,” she recalled.

She said he then informed her of his plans to gather materials to give the rugs a try. “Since he was very excited to make rugs for himself, I gave him the idea, why not turn it into a business? Because at the time, no one to our knowledge was making custom rugs in Guyana,” she told this magazine.

After the idea came to them, they eventually decided to invest in all necessary materials which included a tufting gun, acrylic yarns, a frame, tufting monk cloth, non-slip backing cloth just to name a few.

She related that at RAAD’s Custom Rugs which is an online business, they specialize in making personalized rugs, in which they use the cut pile technique to give it a detailed and neat finish. “At RAAD’s our tufting ability is only limited by your imagination,” she said. Ali added that through their business, they want to allow everyone to create a special rug to suit their personality and style, whether it’s an anime, portrait, or even a business logo. It should be noted that all rugs are neatly handmade by the talented duo.

Having celebrated their one-year anniversary in business just recently, the young woman expressed that their support system has been really amazing.  “My mom has been very supportive throughout this process and even volunteers to help out when we have a lot of orders,” she mentioned.

Speaking on the challenging side of things, she stated that there were a few that RAAD has faced. Similar to other businesses in their beginning stages, it was the sales.

She recalled at first, customers used to ask for quotations and never actually purchased, but after a while, the few persons who realized the worth of RAAD’s Custom Rugs, started to order, and since then sales have been great in most months but in others not as much, naturally there were ups and downs, she recalled.

Another major challenge they went through was getting materials.  “And since Guyana is such a remote country, it’s very difficult to get all the different variations of colors and types of yarn along with other materials,” she related. Despite the hiccups along the way they were able to overcome it and is still improving and developing their business.

When asked what is the long term plan for RAAD’s, she said they want to see their business be extremely successful in the long run. “A part of our vision is to attain a position where we can hire like-minded persons to expand the team and further organize the business and our services,” she pointed out.

In doing so, she mentioned that they are planning on creating a website where persons from the USA, Canada, and Guyana can be able to order their rugs at affordable prices and eventually make RAAD’s Custom Rugs a worldwide business.

Meanwhile, when asked what role young entrepreneurs have in our society, Ali related that they serve as role models for the next generation, and through their business ideas they inspire others to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions.

“By showcasing our creativity, achievements, and journeys, we instill a sense of possibility and resilience, encouraging others to take risks and pursue their dreams no matter what the outcome will be, it can be as simple as just taking the first step and if it’s meant to be, everything will fall into place,” she expressed.

Additionally, she is of the view that to help small businesses grow and get that exposure.

Ali believes the Small Business Bureau should organize more events like pop up shops, seminars, farmers market and many other ways that can boost the small business community. Even on social media, she added, a simple like, follow or share will contribute in a big way. “Most importantly, the customers who supported the business should leave reviews and rating on the business page so it will give assurance to the new customers,” she said.

Anyone interested in ordering can contact RAAD’s Custom Rugs via WhatsApp on telephone number (592)641-5710, or via Email: [email protected], Instagram at raads_custom_rugs.gy, or on Facebook at RAAD’s Custom Rugs.

 

 

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• ‘RAAD’s, Ameera Ali, Guyana, Some the personalized rugs RAAD’s Custom Rugs have created., The Waterfalls, Young entrepreneur

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