While some companies have laid off or cut the salaries of staff members, to mitigate the business fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME), NM Flash Errand Services, has held salaries and kept its existing staff.
Entrepreneur, Nakeita Mullings, operator of NM Flash Errand Services and a JN Circle Member, made the disclosure of her decision at a JN Circle, Thrive Together Life Class recently, which was held under the topic, “Looking Back To Look Forward.”
Mullings pointed out that the deliberate decision was made to motivate her small team.
“I ensured that during the pandemic, I would keep all my employees, with their full salaries; and I was the one who decided to cut back and start to do some delayed gratification for myself, so that my team would remain motivated; and show up in the space every day, to serve the customers,” she informed.
Mullings, who started the business three years ago, said that it has not been easy keeping her business afloat during the pandemic; and that it takes a lot of improvising.
“My focus is to ensure that those recurring bills which affect operations are paid; and anything else would wait, as I want to ensure that they (her team) went home and could provide for their families,” she added.
Based in St Ann, the company offers a host of services, such as grocery and personal shopping; cheque pick-up and drop-off; tax office errands; food delivery; document pick-up and delivery; as well as, package pick-up and delivery from online shopping companies.
Other errands include: banking, senior citizen pick-ups and drop-offs, prescription pick-ups and drop-offs, customs errands, gift-buying and delivery.
Citing some of the business strategies she implemented, Mullings stated that they included innovation and creativity; building a good customer base; and ensuring that customer service was excellent.
She pointed out that since the pandemic, the demand for services, such as tax office and supermarket errands, have spiked.
Her recommendations for 2021 are: “The pandemic is happening; and it is an experience. It is a pivot for change and discovery; and two things I’m sure not to bring into 2021 with me are impulsive acts, as I need to be more focused and centric about the way forward. The pandemic has taught me that planning is important no matter how minuscule the goal is; and two, the lack of diversification,” she informed.
She added that in keeping with her goal to diversify, she will be adding online shopping and courier services in January 2021.
Season two of the JN Circle Thrive Together Life Class, seeks to empower JN members and customers, to thrive as they prepare for 2021; and is aired on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. The discussions focus on issues relating to self-care, goal setting, self-actualisation, parenting and financial wellness.
Persons can register, to join the sessions via the ZOOM platform, or watch and participate via the JN Group’s Facebook Page.
The discussions include interviews, lectures, and gamification. Participants also have the opportunity to win prizes during the sessions.
The next session is scheduled for Wednesday, January 6 and the topic will be: “For Love or Money: The Role of Finances in Relationships.”
Interested persons can register for the online series by visiting www.myjncircle.com.