We were lucky to catch up with Dat Gurl Secrete recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dat Gurl Secrete, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

As a musical artist, my desire to be creative sometimes supersedes my ability to focus on a single endeavor at a time. Once I started into the entertainment field, I began to travel frequently within the US and internationally. On one of my visits to Jamaica, I was visiting New Kingston and I met a cool driver and befriended him. After spending a few weeks with my new driver in New Kingston, I was introduced to a very prestigious family who owned multiple businesses throughout the island. Upon meeting one of the prominent business owners, we began to discuss the possibility of working together to establish a new business venture. With a hobby and passion for cooking, I began to toy with the idea of opening a restaurant in Jamaica that would specialize in creating an affordable menu consisting of American and Jamaican meals such as hamburgers and fries, shrimp baskets, curry chicken, brown stew chicken, jerk chicken, and more. After deciding on my idea, everything else fell into place. I was able to find an extremely affordable location in a high-traffic tourist area in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I opened “Secrete’s Jamerican Bar & Grill” in 2018 in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Opening my restaurant was one of the most exciting feats I have accomplished in life. Having the ability to create American meals in a foreign country provided me with a unique opportunity to stand out as a local business owner in a new community. I also utilized my restaurant as a means to promote my music and artistry as a whole.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

For readers who do not know me, my name is Dat Gurl Secrete and I am a musical artist and entrepreneur from Atlanta, Georgia. I also own my own record label, PrimeTime Productions Music Group, and I am the owner of “Secrete’s Jamerican Bar and Grill”, based out of Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

When I am not creating and releasing music, I enjoy perfecting my craft in the kitchen by experimenting with new meals and recipes. While I love to let my creative side flourish, I am extremely business-minded and I love to brainstorm new ideas with others. I surround myself with other entrepreneurs so that I can always be inspired by their drive and never give up on my passions in life.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The main lesson I would recommend aspiring business owners and creators to unlearn is the notion that there is only one set way to be successful. I’ve found on my journey that the most successful individuals are those who do not limit themselves in their thinking. Always live, dream, and think OUTSIDE of the box.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

During 2020, the lives of everyone around the world were changed drastically. Travel restrictions ensued and the economy was hammered tremendously. As a result, many small business owners were forced to close the doors of their business(es). Unfortunately, with travel restricted, Secrete’s Jamerican Bar and Grill was forced to close its doors. Although the Coronavirus pandemic resulted in the close of my restaurant, I have been diligently working to have it reopened soon. It took patience, hardwork, persistence, and a fighting spirit to not give up on my dream of being an established restaurant owner and I am glad that everything has worked out the way it has. I was able to use the first few years understand how to create and run a restaurant. Now I can apply the learned experience to my new location and be more successful than ever!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretetheboss/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100063737313136/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/datgurlsecrete
• Youtube: https://m.facebook.com/DatGurlSecrete/

Image Credits
Justin Sicard @PTPMusic