Woman opens clothing business after earning degree

Nickeisha Thompson estimates that she spent $2.4 million on a bachelor of science degree in logistics and supply chain management at the Caribbean Maritime University, but is yet to formally use it.

However, she is not perturbed, neither does she consider it money wasted. While pursuing the degree, unfortunate events caused her to put it aside and start an online clothing store -- it's a decision that has changed her life.

"I started my business with $3,600 and I started with six bags, posted it on my WhatsApp, saw that my friends were gravitating to it. They bought from me, then I invested $15,000 more," Thompson told THE STAR.

"While I was going to university, it became really rough. I started to struggle as it relates to tuition, getting locked out of exams and so forth, and it became really hard. So one day, I was home, late night talking to God and mi seh 'Yuh know seh mi wah duh something to make a little extra money'?"

So, while in her second year of studies, Thompson started Nice Things Store. Although she quickly recognised that it was her true calling, she completed her studies in honour of her father who always wanted her to get a degree.

"He just wanted that for me because I have a sister who is living overseas and him always seh 'Yuh have to get one a the sumpn dem (degree) weh yuh sister have, suh yuh can get the big work'," the 29-year-old recalled. She added that prior to starting her store, she was confused about her career path.

"I changed what I wanted to be like three times when I was in high school. Even when I left high school, I did the police test, and then I wanted to be a social worker...but I still wasn't sure what I really wanted to do," Thompson told THE STAR. Despite her uncertainty, she still worked hard and acquired nine Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate subjects and three unit one Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination subjects with grades one to three while at Lennon High School.

Despite not utilising her multimmillion-dollar degree yet, Thompson insists it will aid in her big plans.

"My clothing business is imports and exports; it still falls under logistics.It's still the movement of goods, so even though I know my store is my path, I still needed the knowledge and the know-how in the logistic department," Thompson said.

"I'm thinking big for my business and I would love to be able to bring my containers in and go and source my goods. And even if I'm not in the field 100 [per cent], I needed to know what it took to get goods into the country," Thompson added.

Thompson said that even though some may find her decision strange, she is proud of what she does because she is a sales person at heart and her store has allowed her to find joy, purchase her first car and comfortably care for her 10-month-old daughter.

"A could a sun yuh gimi, mi aguh sell it...I love the zeal, and I love how my clothes make people feel. I love the rush of getting the clothes, making people look pretty, the dressing up of the mannequin, the content creation we have to do," Thompson said, adding that traditional careers are not for everyone.

"We need persons who sell clothes. We need persons who sell in market and taxi drivers, so we balance out the world. I think anywhere your calling is, that is where you should be," Thompson said.