School dropout turns successful businessman

As a teenager, Navardo Richards was faced with the reality that he would have to drop out of high school because his mother could not afford the cost of his education.

Richards did not let the premature end to his high school education at Clarendon College stop him from attaining success. Instead, the entrepreneur decided to learn a trade, tailoring, which he says is the best decision he has ever made.

With nine years of experience in the industry, Richards has branched out to start a business called 'Leobrium' with a partner. The company creates shirts, handbags, shoes, backpacks, dresses and sandals. "Three years ago, Tymonie and I started a business that creates everything that people need in the fashion industry," said Richards.

According to the father of two, building a business has been rewarding because he is able to tap into his creative side. "We are able to do things that are out of the box because we want our clients to have a different look," he explained.

For Richards, managing a brand has had its challenges. "The main obstacle is to get my brand out there for more persons to know about the brand and buy into it," he added. However, the entrepreneur has not been daunted and has been utilising social media to build his brand.

Richards has also embarked on bringing young persons into the industry. "I brought on two apprentices because we want to teach more persons the trade as we look to expand even further," said Richards, who up to now has not completed his high-school education.

The entrepreneur has also been using workshops to teach the importance of entrepreneurship. "We ask them for feedback on Leobrium and also teach them about having their own business," he explained.

Richards says he is urging young persons not to be deterred by the obstacles in entrepreneurship. "Be creative, innovative and respectful to your customer" is the advice he also doled out to young tailors.

If you are interested in getting your own unique designs, you can find Leobrium on Facebook and they can also be reached at 438-6235.