Nafkote Shaw: I love being in agriculture and agro-processing

One young man, passionate about agriculture and agro-processing, is using his business acumen to promote local in Dominica.

Nafkote Shaw, entrepreneur and salesman, owns Sure Time Markets, an establishment where "we cater to local manufacturers by reselling their products at a retail price."

Sure Time Markets was officially registered in January 2022, but Nafkote has years of experience. He tells The Sun, "I came from my dad's business, Sure Life Sava, doing sales for the past five years. I have enjoyed selling local products, and I'll keep it going. Promoting locally produced items is important, so I decided to open this market."

Despite his love for agriculture, agro-processing, and years of sales work, Shaw says his first year running his company has been without trials.

"The first year has been really rough and tough, but that is not keeping me back. When you get into something new, every day is a challenge, and there is something new to learn every day," he said. "So it has been tough so far but satisfying."

Time management was cited as the most challenging aspect in this line of work since Nafkote has to balance his duties in his father's company while investing equal amounts of time and dedication to his.

As identified by many entrepreneurs, the challenges range from the price of the material to a tough economy and few people taking a chance on the homegrown business idea. Shaw says his mindset towards his enterprise is among the things that keep him going despite external factors.

"My support system from my dad and family also keeps me going," he said. "I have a 'Never Give Up' attitude; that is my motto in life, as a person. No matter what I do, I will always keep working and trying something new to keep it going."

This young innovator is committed to helping develop the agriculture and agro-processing industries as he firmly believes it augers well for Dominica.

"I love being in agriculture, anything to do with agriculture and agro-processing, I just love being in it. It is a joy to do that in my country, where I see it can make so much progress to further our economy and have a sustainable future for more generations."

As regards the future, Nafkote, with his positive outlook on the world of entrepreneurship, says, "The future looks great; I want to get this business international. I am not settling for anything less, just international."

Shaw focuses on the prize as he explains his long-term goals to The Sun.

"International means these outlets can be distributed to different islands, states, and countries so that I could have Sure Time Markets as a franchise worldwide," he said.

Shaw has carefully fleshed out his long-term plan, sharing that exporting products to make his name in the region is in his ten-year plan. While establishing his name worldwide will occur in the next fifteen to twenty years.

Consumer support is vital in ensuring the longevity of any company. Nafkote implores Dominicans to patronize the local agro-processing industry as "it is very sustainable, keeps the economy going, and can feed the population."

Though his eyes are on the ten and twenty-year plan, Shaw is still using his entrepreneurial skills to drum up support for local ideas, ventures, and initiatives. He promises the public that there are greater things to come. He beseeches the public for increased patronage to keep the grassroots business afloat.

-By Andrea Louis