Vinesha Lewis holding her own in the windshield repair business

Vinesha Lewis always dreamed of running her own business.

So when a friend introduced her to glass repair technology, something completely new to her, her curiosity made her explore it.

After doing some research, she said she realised that the service was not popular.

"I started to dig deeper 'cause there is a saying ' anything that is scarce is gold'. I was then introduced to a businessman who operates the said business out of my area and he gave me a few ideas; and so I was able to start my own glass repair business with help, of course, from my family and friends," Lewis told the CENTRAL STAR, who caught up with the 26-year-old at the Clarendon Youth in Business grant presentation recently.

Being a woman in a male-dominated field, Lewis said there are times when her male customers cannot hide their surprise when they realise she is carrying out the repair.

"Many, when they see me, consider me to be a secretary, so I always enjoy watching their reactions," she confessed with a smile.

Lewis, who lives in Mineral Heights, is a past student of Garvey Maceo High School.

She said she was not much of a people person as she was really shy, but her present job has seen all that changing - she, however, admits to still having those timid moments sometimes.

Although she is loving her job, she said that she wanted to be a veterinarian when she was growing up, as there was always a dog in her home and she hated watching it die from illness.

"But on the flip side of that, I always loved cars. I had a passion to know what is kept under the hood of any vehicle, the ins and outs, the engine, everything; and I always told myself, I wanted to be the best female recognised for something great in a male-dominated field," she said.

Starting up was not a breeze for Lewis, though, as she said she had no idea on the right location for the business. Plus, the start-up capital was a major challenge, as she had used up her resources while attending the Caribbean Maritime University, where she completed a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering.

There were other challenges, too, and that's why she is thankful for the boost she received from the Clarendon Municipal Corporation's grant of $100,000.

She said the training she received has taught her much and has made her a more confident entrepreneur in marketing her business, identifying target markets and networking with other entrepreneurs.

Looking ahead, Lewis said her ultimate goal is to grow her business, which will see her eventually moving from repairing windshields to replacing them.

- C.CL.