The Value with Kevin Valley Kevin Valley

This episode features educator and high-performance coach Dr. Shelly-Ann Gajadhar. Dr. Shelly is the founder and Mentor of a women’s mentorship online community of 200+ women called the Go Bravely Mentorship Community and the Author of a daily inspirational book for women entitled Go Bravely: Building Confidence Daily. Having shifted careers from law to business and academia, she blends academic principles with effective management and mindful leadership, delivering rapid results.
In this episode, Dr. Shelly talks about her PhD journey and challenges as a black woman pursuing a PhD. in the UK. She imparts her insights on performance management, a crucial skill for entrepreneurs seeking to excel in their endeavours. Moreover, she also dropped a lot of tips on various topics spanning brand identity, task management, and product launches.
Get ready to delve into a wealth of knowledge in this episode as we kickstart our journey toward high performance together.
Highlights:
00:00 Unlocking Self-Leadership and High Performance
00:57 Podcast Introduction: High-Performing Entrepreneurs
02:32 Journey of Transformation: From Law to Leadership
04:48 Navigating Challenges as a Caribbean Academic in the UK
07:05 Activism and Advocacy: Championing Diversity in Academia
19:25 The Genesis of 'Go Bravely': Turning Mantra into Movement
23:20 Mentorship and Building a Community of Empowered Women
33:02 High Performance Coaching: Legacy, Vision, and Systems
39:04 The Power of Staying in Your Lane
39:45 The Impact of Focusing on Your Audience
40:22 Leveraging Influence Over Imitation
40:51 Redefining Success Through Discipline and Inspiration
41:26 Task Management vs. Time Management: A New Approach
45:16 Planning Your Week for Maximum Productivity
51:48 The Magic of Writing Things Down
56:02 Strategies for Successful Product Launches
01:04:39 From Message to Movement: Upcoming Leadership Bootcamp
01:04:51 Vision and Growth: The Future of Alphastute
01:09:38 Innovative Ideas and Personal Projects
01:12:17 Final Thoughts: The Dream Chose You
 
References:
Go Bravely - Londrelle, Shelly-Ann Gajadhar | Spotify
Energy Focussed Weekly Planner
Go Bravely Mentorship Community
Go Bravely: Building Confidence Daily by Dr Shelly-Ann Gajadhar
 
For More of Dr. Shelly:
Website: www.alphastute.com
YouTube: Dr. Shelly-Ann Gajadhar

In this episode, we are with the Managing Director of The Bahamas Development Bank (BDB), Nicholas Higgs. Nicholas was also the Director and Chief Operating Officer for the Access Accelerator Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where he led the business development department. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with deep expertise in development finance, research, and capital raising. 
Here we delve into investing and raising funds in the Bahamas. Nicholas discusses his journey as a managing director, sharing insights gained along the way. He also emphasizes the importance of networking, tenacity, and expanding one’s horizons. Join us as we look deeper into the Bahamian economy and explore its investment opportunities.
Highlights:
[02:08] Taking on the role of Managing Director at the age of 31
[05:27] The value of networking and controlling your narrative
[12:36] Overcoming fears and getting out of the box
[19:00] The power of tenacity
[24:43] The art of valuation
[29:23]  Nicholas’ insights on raising funds and securing deals
[36:07]  The Bahamian economy during the COVID-19 Pandemic
[40:43]  The Bahamas Development Bank and its rebranding
[43:05]  The Sleeping Giant: Bahamas’ Potential and Opportunities
[48:11]  Investing and raising capital in the Bahamas
[51:38] Crowdfunding in the Caribbean
[53:45] The BDB’s vision and goals
[59:22] BDB’s fund allocation
[01:00:39] How do you present your business for financing
[01:05:19] Common misconceptions about investing in the Caribbean
[01:10:57] Nicholas’ upcoming podcast: Mastering Finance
 

In this technologically advanced world, everything is getting digitalized. For any business to keep up, it has to learn how to efficiently incorporate technology into its processes. 
 
In this episode, digital marketing and e-commerce specialist Keron Rose sits with us as we delve into the world of digital marketing and e-commerce. Keron is also a writer and a podcast host, and his platforms aim to educate Caribbean entrepreneurs about the technology they need to start a business.
 
Here, Keron discusses the different digital payment platforms available in the Caribbean and the value proposition they offer. He emphasizes the importance of considering the pros and cons of the various digital payment facilitators and choosing the most suitable for your business.
 
Highlights:
Keron’s journey to digital marketing and e-commerce
Exploring the different payment platforms and knowing what suits you
Digital tools and strategies to enhance your online presence
Utilizing digital tools to build your brand: success stories
Challenges in adopting digital payment solutions
Understanding how various digital payments work
Looking into the value proposition of different payment facilitators
Republic Bank’s Endcash digital wallet
Weighing payment solutions and consumer behaviour
Digital payments: A look into the future
The importance of legal conversations on fintech
 
Resources:
Digipreneur FM
Keron Rose Website

In this episode, we are with Cherie Williams, a Jamaican entrepreneur living in the United States, who has identified a billion-dollar market opportunity in the Caribbean car rental industry through her startup, Veekle.
Williams shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the US while balancing being a mother of four.
She discusses the challenges and milestones of launching Veekle, a peer-to-peer car rental platform aimed at revolutionizing car rentals in the Caribbean and potentially other developing regions. Williams emphasizes the importance of resilience, continuous learning, and a supportive community in entrepreneurship.
The discussion also covers the significance of MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), the power of pitch competitions, and strategies for overcoming setbacks. Williams' story is a masterclass in entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of passion, perseverance, and adaptability in turning innovative ideas into successful businesses.
 
Highlights:
01:59 Guest Spotlight: From Jamaica to a Billion-Dollar Vision
03:48 Cherie Williams' Journey: Education, Entrepreneurship, and Empowerment
08:03 The Birth of Veekle: Revolutionizing Car Rentals in the Caribbean
12:25 Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities Amidst the Pandemic
32:41 Pitching Veekle: Strategy, Storytelling, and Scaling Up
37:01 Future Plans and Expansion: Building a Caribbean-wide Network
39:19 Diving Deep into Financial Modeling and Target Markets
40:05 Tourism Trends and Business Viability
40:53 The Art of Pitching and Seeking Investment
44:54 Expanding Horizons: Beyond the Caribbean
47:03 Navigating the Challenges of a Startup
01:03:13 The Entrepreneurial Journey: Resilience and Learning
01:11:39 Closing Thoughts: Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
 
Contact Cherie Williams:
LinkedIn: Cherie Williams, CPA, MBA
Instagram: @iamcheriewilliams
 
Find out more about Veekle:
LInkedIn: Veekle™
Facebook: facebook.com/justveekle
Instagram: @justveekle
Twitter: @justveekle

In this episode, we are with the well-known Caribbean media professional and personality Samantha Best. Samantha is widely known as a former prime-time news anchor at CCN TV6, but more than that, she is an accomplished author, content consultant, and insurance agent. It was her ability to connect with the audience and her personal touch that made her one of the most popular media personalities on television and radio. In 2023, she made a career shift as she became a member of the Guardian Group as an insurance agent, making a positive impact on people's lives.
 
Samantha enjoys empowering people to work smart and make more which is what this episode is about. She shares her journey from her humble beginnings in the media industry to transitioning in different career paths. Moreover, she emphasizes the benefits of insurance and the importance of time management in achieving success.
 
Key Takeaways:
Samantha's life before entering the media industry
Finding her path in media and handling the pressures of being a beginner
How can you improve your craft
You must have different layers and be in different places to build your brand.
Learn from your mistakes.
Dealing with burnout and negative comments
Samantha's journey on rebranding and getting back to her passion
Being a woman in media and Samantha's advice to those aiming to get into the media industry
Samantha's unique approach to insurance and financial freedom
Build a system of content creation that fits your routine. It can be different for everybody.
How to manage your time and get organized.
 
Resources:
The Balance Block Method: A Guide to Improved Time Management and Productivity by Samantha Best
Transform Your Life With Samantha's Balanced Success Checklist 
 
Watch this video on YouTube here
 
Contact Samantha Best
Website: samanthabest.life
 

In this insightful episode, we are with Ocey Phillips, an expert on digital transformation, focused on assisting companies in keeping up with customer needs in a technologically advanced world. He helps companies grow revenue by matching their perceived value with the problems consumers are looking for solutions to. As an experienced digital consultant with over ten years of successes and failures in the digital, technology, ICT, and telecoms sectors, he is adept at handling various projects and challenges.
 
As Ocey sits down with us in this episode, we take a deep dive into the Caribbean financial services sector and talk about reinventing the process to adapt to the technologically advanced world. He also shares his insights on managing and adding value to businesses.
 
Key Takeaways:
Defining Digital Darwinism
People management through framework and autonomy
What inspired Ocey to reinvent himself?
Introducing Inifye: A brief overview
Key challenges in the Caribbean financial services sector
The benefits of reinventing the process and going digital
Total customer experience: What determines a value of a company
Constantly be proactive with your market research
Upscaling your business with a marketplace business model
Go into business thoroughly, and understand every aspect.
Staying ahead with prompt engineering
Business vs. Hobby: What makes a business
It is essential to have an understanding of the various business models.
Going back to the core business principles
Finding value in the Caribbean Fintech sector
Challenges in funding within the Caribbean region
 
Resources:
Disrupt You: Master Personal Transformation, Seize Opportunity, and Thrive in the Era of Endless Innovation by Jay Samit
 
Watch this interview on YouTube here