The goal of the Women Who Inspire series is to highlight women that have been making strides in their respective fields. In this interview, we will be highlighting Candace Bisram, a former engineer and the founder of the Planner Girl Collection, a luxury stationery brand. In this blog post, we discuss her inspiration for Planner Girl Collection, some challenges she faces as a small business owner, and much more!
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a 33-year-old woman from Trinidad and Tobago that enjoys a good challenge. A former engineer turned entrepreneur and a personal development enthusiast; I believe that anything is possible with determination and the willingness to work hard. In 2018, I founded the Planner Girl Collection, a luxury stationery brand designed and handcrafted in Trinidad and Tobag0.
2. What was the inspiration for Planner Girl Collection?
The inspiration was very organic. A few years ago, I was online shopping for a fitness planner and I could not find one that was both cute and functional, so I decided to do it myself. I designed the planner from scratch and was quite pleased with it. I also thoroughly enjoyed the process. Planner Girl Collection was the end result of that creative process, that’s where the idea came about to create and sell planner-related products.
3. Did your family and friends support your decision to leave your engineering career to start Planner Girl Collection?
When I got the idea for Planner Girl Collection, I was actually not working for a short period of time. I always wanted to have my own business and I knew Planner Girl Collection had potential. I had a clear vision in my mind for the brand and I knew once I was willing to put in the work, I could grow the business. However, I told absolutely no one about my business idea and intentions to stop working a full-time job. I did not want to be discouraged so I kept it to myself. I turned down a few engineering opportunities and to this day, very few friends and family know about my decision to turn down those offers.
4. What have been some of your biggest struggles as a small business owner?
Sourcing material locally in Trinidad and Tobago to make our products is quite a challenge. We rely heavily on imports which is subject to further challenges with respect to customs and shipping delays. However, our biggest struggle is maintaining our standard of customer service. Customer satisfaction is the main priority of our business. As the business grew, we had to rely on external service providers to cover crucial parts of our daily operations. Finding providers to meet our level of customer service has been a struggle. Choosing the wrong provider can negatively affect our brand. It has been a constant struggle to find the right fit for us and our customers.
5. How do you find customers? Do you actively market your products or are most of your customers from word-of-mouth?
In the early stages, our customer base grew through referrals, which was great for us – it meant that we were worth talking about, right? But over time, we’ve found that it’s more about networking with the brand rather than trying to push the product itself, just to make a quick sale.
More recently, we have been building brand awareness by participating in frequent Pop-Up Shops and collaborations throughout Trinidad and Tobago. There, we are not only able to showcase our products, but more importantly, we build meaningful connections that help with the growth of the brand. This approach by nature leads to increased product sales.
6. How has the pandemic impacted your business?
Despite all the adversity during the global pandemic, we have been blessed. In 2020, during some of the peak times of Covid-19 in Trinidad and Tobago, our business grew significantly. The pandemic challenged us to pivot, finding alternative means to keep the business up and running. Those challenges forced us to take the business up a few notches and played a key role in where we stand today.
7. Any advice for someone that’s considering leaving their full-time job to pursue a passion project?
Yes, sure. In theory, it sounds heroic – “I’m going to quit my 9 to 5 and pursue my passion” – but passion doesn’t pay the bills, INITIALLY, that is.
It is difficult pursuing a passion project while working a full-time job. If you are serious about leaving your full-time job to pursue your passion, ensure that you have enough savings to cover your expenses for a solid two years. When you do leave your job, be prepared to work twice as hard. Spend every single day of the first two years investing your time and re-investing your profits into your project – add a touch of persistence, and success will be inevitable!
8. Where do you see your company in five years?
This is something I think about constantly. I definitely see the brand as a household name locally and serving internationally on a broader scale. I see a wide range of our products professionally made and distributed to stores throughout Trinidad and Tobago, and I see a company that offers employment opportunities for young adults and one that contributes to society.
If you would like to check out some of the Planner Girl Collection planners and stationery, you can also check the website here or follow them on Instagram at @plannergirlcollection.
Women Who Inspire was initially intended to be a three-part series in celebration of Women’s History Month; however, I’ve decided to turn it into an on-going series on the blog. So, stay tuned for more highlights and insights from amazing women rocking it in their respective fields!
If you missed our first feature, who can read about Meredith Kaufman and her journey from big law firm partner to the founder of Kaufman Law here.
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