We were lucky to catch up with Shanika Issac recently and have shared our conversation below.

Shanika, appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

The short answer is YES. Despite the financial stress, general difficulty of running your own business, and long hours, I am happier as a business owner. Before the pandemic, I worked as a Sous Chef for Marriott Hotels. It was a great experience, but what I saw lacking in the workforce was a work-life balance.
As a small business owner I have more time to spend with my family. I work fewer than 40 hours a week and can take at least four weeks of vacation. I flourish alongside my business, take pride in my work, and the company’s success is immensely satisfying.
As with all things in life, our jobs require giving and taking. For me, if I can handle the additional burdens of running my own business, then the benefits can be excellent for my family, career, and bank account.

Shanika, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Shanika Issac, and I am the Proud owner and operator of Calypso Flava. I was born and raised in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.

When the Pandemic shut down businesses nationwide, my husband and I decided it was a perfect time to start a new one. People of color and women bore the pain of the recession. As a woman of color, I turned those obstacles into opportunities and was resilient.

The flavas of the West Indies inspired Calypso Flava. We offer authentic Caribbean cuisines, American cuisines, and different baked goods—all with a bit of flava. We are all about giving you that experience and building relationships.

What sets us apart from others is not the business itself but going above and beyond in our customer satisfaction/service, products, and relationships.

In the end, the engine for growth in this economy is new and young businesses.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Having a positive reputation is priceless, but building one takes effort.

What helped build Calypso Flava’s reputation within the market is being good at what we do—providing our customers with a quality experience every time, being friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile to make things right.

Transparency and honesty are also essential. When you try to be something you are not, it’s easy for people to see through the deception.

Even when we are not perfect all the time ( and what businesses are?), doing the right thing as much as possible gives us credibility with our customers.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Not surprisingly, word of mouth and referrals from existing customers has been the best source for new client’s.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/calypsoflava
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calypsoflava/
• Other: Email: [email protected]