It has long been proven that unlocking the potential of MSMEs worldwide can transform economies to a phenomenal scale. Statistics have been thrown around for good measure, the International Labour Organisation in 2019 stated that MSMEs are responsible for more than two-thirds of all jobs globally, and in Fiji that’s 60% of Fiji’s total workforce according to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for External Trade, Cooperatives, SMEs, and Communications Manoa Kamikamica during the pre-national economic summit and budget dialogue in April of this year. The power of small business is big, so much so that the United Nations marked 27 June in 2017 as World MSME Day, not only to celebrate MSMEs but more importantly, to drive awareness to the enormous contributions MSMEs make to their respective economies around the world.
At Greenhouse Coworking, not only do we have the facts and figures from trusted sources above but we also speak from experience. Greenhouse Coworking opened its doors in November 2021 however, the small business that owns and manages it, The Greenhouse Studio, is almost a decade old. Being part of the MSME sector, we know not only the challenges and barriers that stifle the growth of our local MSMEs but also the incredible collective power that we have together. And this is exactly the reason why The Greenhouse Studio expanded and opened Greenhouse Coworking.
So in Greenhouse’s bid to continue lifting up growing MSMEs, Greenhouse Coworking is excited to celebrate World SME Day this week by bringing together a diverse range of remarkable MSMEs, each showcasing their unique products. From delectable pastries and mouthwatering roast pork to beautifully crafted jewellery, handmade crafts, and rejuvenating skincare products, there’s something for everyone to explore and enjoy this Friday, 30th of June, from 12 PM to 8 PM at Greenhouse Coworking located at 33 Des Voeux Road.
When asked why it is paramount to continue elevating MSMEs, “We live and breathe to support local and visiting SMEs, freelancers, creatives, techies, consultants, startups, organisations, and teams, who need support, connection, and opportunities through our coworking community,” answers Karen Fong, Managing Director of The Greenhouse Studio.
“Furthermore, in addition to our coworking space, our members are provided one-on-one business development support like access to coaches, mentors, and opportunities for partnerships, funding, professional and personal development, because I know firsthand as a female entrepreneur myself, how difficult it is to access this type of support,” says The Greenhouse Studio and Greenhouse Coworking Founder, Maria Ronna Luna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi.
Kalo Tukana, Founder of Bula.Vou shares “I’m excited for the Greenhouse Coworking SME Day on Friday! I’ve been waiting to launch a few new products and I can’t think of a better place for it! I’m excited to hear what the people of Fiji think about it!”
Ten hardworking MSMEs, Baked with Love, Riko’s Creations, Bula.Vou, Inama Threads, Hanaleia Creations, Spitroast Fiji, The Dropout Bakes, Jona’s Treats, Patel’s Restaurant and Sherry Davule, will be at Greenhouse Coworking’s Garden on Friday so bring everyone over – your family, friends, colleagues, and anyone who shares your passion for supporting MSMEs! We’ll be open until 8 PM so you have enough time after work to not only check out their products but truly connect with some local businesses.
Meet the exceptional Mrs Lavenia Drodrolagi. She is the director and brilliant mind behind Edu Hub Literacy Learning Center (LLC), which offers 2 tutoring sessions a day and a remedial class after school for students who are struggling to read. Edu Hub LLC believes in teaching children to read at an early age so that they can become the best version of themselves.
A passionate educator, Mrs Drodrolagi believes in shaping the next generation. When touring GCo in Feb with her husband, they loved that we had multifunctional open spaces as well as private zoom rooms that she could use to meet with her students for their tutoring classes, the bonus being that GCo is centrally located and easy for parents and students alike.
An interesting titbit that we learned about Mrs Drodrolagi was that she and her family lived in Chad, Africa for 17 years and that she also speaks fluent French and Chadien Arabic.
Interested in reading or remedial classes for your kids, nieces, nephews or siblings? Follow Mrs Drodolagi’s Facebook page, Literacy Learning Centre School of Nine or book a tour with us to to meet with other inspiring entrepreneurs and consultants like Mrs Drodrolagi.
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
Well I am originally English but I have now lived most of my life as an expat – both as a child in the U.S.
for a few years, and as an adult I lived for many years in Dubai before coming to Fiji in 2019. I am a
University lecturer, I currently run the psychology programs at USP and try to support the development
of mental health services and the psychology industry here in whatever way I can.
Outside of work my ‘Personal Brand’ (i.e. my social media posts) tend to center around my sporting
pursuits and my work to SPCA by fostering kittens. In that respect I guess I am the very stereotypical
middle-aged single female who has ALL the cats at home!
Tell us about your business/consultancy.
As you can see from the above I don’t have a business to promote and I am not one of the inspirational
entrepreneurs or digital nomad consultants that frequent the tables around me at Greenhouse. I have
spent most of my career focused on student teaching and support, school management and curriculum
development (in both UAE and Fiji) as well as working with applied psychologists to helps develop
professional practice. At various times I have done some of the ‘fun’ media stuff as well – I once even
had a little radio slot and did regular TV interviews on psychology related topics. So it is probably fair to
say I see myself on the lighter side of ‘academia’ and think a priority should be working with students
and to have strong links between the psychological science and the community we are in.
Describe yourself in three words.
Well I guess I must have reflected on this question many years ago when I got a tattoo on my wrist with
symbols of my 3 passions in life: Psychology, Music, and Fitness!
Best advice you have ever received?
I have received a lot of good advice over the years specific to my job and the nature of my work, but in
fact, it is the less formal ‘hashtag’ style life advice that I tend to fall back on more often. Saying to myself
things like ‘the only way out is through’ and ‘this too shall pass’ have genuinely helped me cope and get
through hard times.
Why did you choose Greenhouse Coworking?
Sometimes I think I may be the unicorn at the ‘Greenhouse atrium’ as I of course do have a perfectly
adequate office space at the otherwise very beautiful USP campus but I just realized during COVID that I am far more productive and comfortable working in spaces that I choose for myself and that give me a
sense of creativity (whether that be at home or in public spaces). And since my courses are all online
mode (they were even before COVID) and I have a range of other work tasks beyond working directly with students, the membership at Greenhouse gives me an ideal option for a couple of days in the week.
However it is more than that – I really feel energised being at Greenhouse. This is partly because it is
such as well-designed and ‘modern’ space, and partly because it is full of people who are all busy and
focused (and In my mind must all be doing very interesting and important things for the world!)…so you
feel both socially engaged and entirely focused and not distracted at the same time.
(plus coffee, music in the background, occasional shared food….and right down the road from the gym
and public pool helps!)
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
I was born and bred in Nausori, Fiji and am a husband to the most beautiful lady, I am also blessed with two amazing children and two loving canines. I spent fourteen years in the Fijian Civil Service before starting as a Senior Project Officer at Beyond Essential Systems (BES).
With a keen interest in technology, I studied Information Systems at the University of the South Pacific and completed my Masters in 2019. I also had the opportunity to study Technology in Japan, South Korea, and India.
My role in BES includes deploying cloud and on-premises environments for hosting our software and maintaining them. These are used on projects for health system strengthening and COVID-19 testing in Fiji and across Indo-Pacific. Apart from looking after the deployments, I also provide at the elbow support and training.
Tell us about your organisation.
I work for an amazing organisation with a multicultural workforce. Beyond Essential Systems is an Australian B-Corp that creates and implements innovative solutions. We have developed a fit-for-purpose suite of eHealth solutions, including flagship products Tupaia and Tamanu, that fit together to create a completely integrated software ecosystem. All our products operate offline, with syncing capability, and are open source. You can read more about the amazing work we do on our social media pages:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeyondBES
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondBES/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-essential-systems
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrqx5WxULXZrVKt4bOjrpPQ
What is your favourite way to spend a day off?
I love spending time with my family. My family has always been my number one priority and we love going out for movies, swimming, playing soccer, chilling out at home or just catching up with chores. Saturdays are spent taking the kids out to fun parks and shopping while we spend Sunday at home baking cookies with the kids or preparing a special Sunday lunch.
What makes you the happiest?
I am a foodie and cooking is my thing. I love to cook for my family and it’s awesome when they enjoy it as much I do. I generally cook well but it doesn’t always go to plan when you are trying out new dishes. I love seafood and keep trying new things from the internet.
From a professional point of view, I love it when I am able to assist clients resolve issues. It’s so rewarding to take on and resolve a challenge. I love meeting clients in person and learning how we have helped them overcome challenges with our system. As the saying goes ‘every problem is an opportunity for a creative solution’ and at BES, we pride ourselves as being able to do that and beyond.
What drew you to sign up at Greenhouse Coworking?
Greenhouse came up in our meeting while we were looking for an office space. We came to visit Greenhouse and were greeted by the friendliest staff who gave us a tour of the office and we just fell in love with the environment and the amazing Zen. Not forgetting the great coffee. We signed the agreement the following week and we have been enjoying the working environment ever since.
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
Bula! Natasha here and I hail from Teilevu, vasu Beqa but born and raised in Suva. Married to a wonderful man, my partner in crime, Derwood for almost 13 years. Together we have adopted our maltipoo, Wynter.
I went to Yat Sen Primary and Secondary then was fortunate to gain a scholarship at USP and graduated with a Double Degree in Geography and Land Management. After that, I joined the best Real Estate team, Harcourts. I worked in administration and then became a rental and sales agent. Having being there for a bit over 13 years gaining experience and just learning more about our market, I finally took the plunge and opened my own agency and if that wasn’t scary enough, the move was done during COVID.
I’m humbled and optimistic about the move and now have opened Tikotiko Real Estate.
Tell us about your business/consultancy
Tikotiko Real Estate is 3 months old and we’ve been appreciative to receive business from return clients and making new connections.
Tikotiko Real Estate looks forward to assisting all walks of life in achieving real estate success. We understand that it is more than property, we identify what’s important to you and we fill in those gaps to help you find where you belong. Whether that be finding your forever home, grow your investment portfolio and even selling to set sail into the sunset for that retirement dream.
Best childhood memory?
Where do I start? One of the many that I do have is of my grandmother and an uncle dressing me up as Madonna for a fancy dress for a friends birthday. Just having family support in just about anything is lovely to look back and appreciate. I also got my first little radio as first prize for that fancy dress.
What drew you to sign up at Greenhouse Coworking?
Starting my new business, I needed to surround myself with a positive and an innovative workspace and to be part of a community where networking would be done organically. GCo is that and much much more.
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
I was born, raised and educated in Suva, Fiji. I am a Fijian feminist activist. I have been working with civil society organisations in Fiji, Pacific collectives, and across the global south with feminist networks to mobilise analysis and action for gender equality and social justice. I love paddling, painting, and journaling, with really good coffee in town.
I have had the pleasure of working with and being inspired by Pacific advocates from civil society and academica. I hold a keen interest in critical Pacific-centred development. Recently, I have directed my focus to tracking and critically analysing from a global south feminist lens, the rhetoric, discourses, ideas, corporate links and interests and international law and policy making efforts of the diverse advocates of the evolving Blue Economy development framework. And wondering what are the implications of the Blue Economy framing for the Pacific, the SDGs implementation and gender equality.
I attended the University of the South Pacific, and received a Bachelors of Applied Psychology and Public Administration. Then while working in Fiji, I had the privilege of receiving a scholarship from the Australian Awards program that took me to ANU where I graduated with a Masters in Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development (advanced) with Honors, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management and Resource Development.
Tell us about your business/consultancy
During COVID time I stepped out of full time employment and took up short term consulting contracts with NGOs working in the same spaces. Supporting strategic planning, facilitating workshops and writing research papers and advocacy briefs with their teams. This is only my second year in this type of work, however I am learning a lot and working with amazing Pacific islanders, and networks.
What’s your favourite quote from a TV show/movie/book?
I love poetry so I will share some lines from one of my favourite writers, Kahlil Gibran, on Reason and Passion:
Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.
If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.
For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining, and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing;
And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection
and let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection
and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.
What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?
A good Fiji-style Tea and Talanoa with family and friends.
What drew you to sign up at Greenhouse Coworking?
It’s a great work space option for Suva, with good vibes and convenient facilities. GC is a nice addition to Suva’s hustle and bustle.
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
Bula, I am Rhenaud Hette, from France. I arrived in Fiji in 2020 and I love the Fijian experience so far. I am working as the Fiji representative for New Caledonia Trade & Invest. Our association aims to assist New Caledonian companies to export in the Pacific as well as assist Fijian companies to export to New Caledonian, since I am based here in Fiji. We help companies in every sector of activity, from startups to big companies. The main team is based in New Caledonia. Before working for NCT&I, I was finishing my Master in Business Engineering while working part time for 2 years at the Economic Development Agency of the city of Marseille. After that I took a few months off to work in a surf hostel in Porto (Portugal) and I got to surf everyday, which was an amazing experience.
How would you describe your personality?
I would say I am someone calm, social and always excited to go an adventure, especially when unplanned. I value a lot time spent with friends and close ones, as well as time spent alone to refocus and recenter myself. I like sports, such as surfing, hiking, boxfit and basically any activities related to water. I would consider myself as someone funny, always joking, but the English speaking part tends to soften this side of me as it is less natural than in French.
What’s your favourite quote?
“Happiness is only real when shared” from Christopher McCandless / Into the Wild.
For me this quote has always made sense and every exciting experience will always feel much better when shared with close ones. Of course the experiences and encounters made alone are awesome and pretty exciting too, but the ones made with friends will just simply make better memories in the end.
What is the most important lesson you learnt in life?
As my current job is my first full time job, I would say to have a good personal / work life balance. We tend to get trapped into the work rush and deadlines circle, but at the end of the journey, what usually fulfils us and creates memories is the time spent with loved ones and our personal projects. So even during a busy work period, always take some time for yourself.
How would you describe Greenhouse Coworking?
Greenhouse brings me a very comfy and cozy working environment. I am actually hosted at the French Embassy of Suva but my team is based in New Caledonia, so I am working remotely with them everyday. Being at Greenhouse allows me to be surrounded with independent workers, consultants and entrepreneurs. It tends to boost my productivity and make work more enjoyable (especially as I have a tendency to be unproductive and distracted when working from home). The events are also very interesting when it comes to networking and professional advice.
Tell us about yourself and Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development?
I am first a husband and a proud father, and I am passionate about the broadcast industry in the region.
For the last 10 years, I have been working in Papua New Guinea, for the country’s first television broadcaster. My career and my background are in television, particularly in the areas of production and content.
After leaving PNG in December 2021, I decided to come back to Fiji to spend time with family and more importantly, to be close to my wife and son. We have been living away from each other for a total of nine months due to the pandemic.
I commenced work with the Asia-Pacific Institute of Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in March 2022 as a Programme Manager. AIBD is an inter-governmental organization, with the purpose of developing the media industry in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically in the areas of radio and television. AIBD has more than 40 members countries, of which 8 of these countries are from the Pacific. My role as a Programme Manager is to manage AIBD’s programs and initiatives in the Pacific.
What is your favourite thing about your career?
On an industry level, my favorite thing about working in the television industry is that no two assignments are the same. The next assignment will always be different from the last. Today you can be working on a live sports broadcast and the next thing you know; you could be working on a documentary about the Covid-19. It’s being able to work across a wide variety of topics, situations, and scenarios and with different people that can really help you widen your perspectives.
With my current role at AIBD, I also like the diverse cultures and nationalities that I get to work with within the organisation. We have people from different countries across the Asia-Pacific region, and we have all come together to work towards a common goal – the development of radio and television in the region. Externally, I also get to work with people from 8 different countries across the Pacific. I also like the fact that in this role, I am in a position to effect change and development in the broadcast space at a regional level.
What’s your go-to guilty pleasure?
Sometimes I like to order a particular dish from different places just to compare them and see which one is the best. Recently, we (me, my wife and son – yes, it’s a family activity) did this with fish and chips from three different fish and chips places in Pacific Harbor, in the same night, for dinner. There was of course a winner. We might be doing this for pizza next.
What is the best advice you have ever received and how has it helped shape you as an individual?
Some of the best words of advice I got was from watching a lot of sermons delivered by of Myles Munroe. Two of the messages he shared that I will never forget are:
- “Find your domain and serve it to the world.” – Myles Munroe
- “Our life is the sum total of all the decisions we make every day, and those decisions are determined by our priorities” – Myles Munroe
Why does coworking work for you?
While working from home can be liberating, co-working from this space is both liberating and empowering. Just seeing and being surrounded by passionate people who people who are driven is very motivating.
Tell us about yourself and Environmental Law Oceania Consultancy?
I grew up in France, in a suburb of Paris, the fifth of 5 girls. I was the first of my family to go to university, and studied law. I was always interested and involved in social justice issues, and I ended up graduating with a Master of international public law. As soon as I had enough savings, I left France to travel the world by sailing. I found a travel partner who happened to be Australian, and to cut a long story short, we made it to Sydney, hopping from boat to boat and countries to islands, in a little less than a year later. This is how I discovered the beauty of the Pacific Ocean and of the Pacific Islands. In Australia, while raising my two beautiful children (and surviving cancer), I went back to University. This time to complete my Master of environmental law. I eventually started working in the field of environmental law and development assistance in the Asia Pacific region, but mostly Indonesia. It is the opportunity to develop the Oceania environmental law program of IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature that brought me to Suva some ten years ago. I then worked for two years with Fiji Environmental Law Association as Environmental Legal Advisor under the Australian International Volunteer for International Development (AVID) program. In 2018 I established Environmental Law Oceania Consultancy, and started working as an independent consultant.
ELO Consultancy provides technical assistance and capacity building services in the field of environmental and natural resources management law and governance in Fiji and / or the Pacific Islands region. In practice, it involves mostly analysing the legal and policy frameworks governing any particular environmental issue or natural resource management challenge, and making recommendations for improvement; developing awareness and training resources, running capacity building workshops and contributing to various workshops and events. In the last couple of years, I have worked mainly on projects relating to the prevention of plastic pollution, which is a very serious environmental transboundary environmental issue affecting significantly the Pacific Islands. Beyond the most visible ocean plastic litter problem, the production of plastics and plastic pollution are also associated with climate change and with threats to biodiversity, food security, human rights, and health. Recent research has even found microplastics in human placenta and blood!
If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be?
1- Curious / Adaptive
2- Determined/ Resilient
3- Citizen of the world
Can you share your favourite quote with us and why ?
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito.” African proverb quoted by the Daila Lama
I like this quote because it is empowering. It gives motivation to persist working towards changing the things and systems in the world that may appear too big or too powerful for a single person or a single group of people to challenge.
“It’s not what happens to you but how you react that matters”. Epictetus, Greek stoic philosopher
This quote reminds me that there will inevitably be things or situations in my life that are not what I intended or wished for. What I can control however, and will make a difference to my life in the end is how I respond to them, accept what I cannot change, learn from it, look at the big picture and move on.
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Why does coworking work for you?
I enjoy working independently as a consultant, but the flip side of working at home is isolation. Greenhouse Coworking is the ideal solution for consultants who, like me miss being part of a community of work. It gives me a workspace outside of home, a bright and open space, pulsing with positive energy, the chance to meet likeminded people and, importantly, good coffee. All of this helps me stay focused on my work.
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
I work with 350.org, an organisation that is building a global grassroots movement to take on the fossil fuel industry and big polluters the world over. In my role as the Head of Regions, I oversee work in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Pacific. I also serve on the Pacific Climate Warriors Secretariat and support Pacific Climate advocacy across 16 Pacific Island nations and diaspora communities in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. I am passionate about storytelling, photography and filmmaking. I also identify as a climate justice movement trainer and facilitator. I have taken those passions, combined them with my love for podcasting, and created my own podcast, Beyond The Narrative. I am also currently a Nia Tero Storytelling Fellow.
What do you consider the most difficult aspect of your job and how do you overcome it?
There is a lot happening in the world right now with climate impacts, war, loss, grief and often times acknowledging that can be difficult. To overcome that, I often have to honor what is and do the work to reconfigure my relationship to the future I hold some fear around. Our brains and hearts are not well equipped for uncertainty so when I begin to go down a rabbit hole I remind myself that its OK to recognise these feelings, honor what it is and how it feels in my body, and answer the call to rest- to take a pause, to breathe and find joy in the world we are all stewarding right now. A beautiful sunrise, an empty beach, the perfect roti parcel from a takeout in Suva, a fresh ‘bu’ (coconut water) on the side of the road, a hug from a family member, and a deep conversation with a friend. All of these things generate such positive emotions and it’s important to be reminded of all that when I’m faced with any difficulties with my job and outside of my work as well. Counting the blessings of the little things have been so great with navigating challenges.
Best piece of advice that you live by?
Staying consistent with whatever somatic practice aligns with your lifestyle. Dedicate time in your mornings to plan out your workday – pay attention to how you steward resources. Let every dollar you’ve been blessed with have a job in your life.
How has coworking at Greenhouse been for you?
Having this space has made such a huge difference. The team at Greenhouse really has been intentional with building out a community around this space and you really do feel like you are coming into a space that is welcoming and generative. I work 3 days a week from here and it’s helped me tremendously! From the private zoom rooms to the open space where the shared desks exist, to the outside decking. Each corner of the coworking space strikes the tricky balance of being fit for purpose and versatile! Its a welcome alternative to the traditional ways of working that exist in our societies.
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