We recently connected with Janette Brin and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Janette thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I started Caribbean POSH back in 2005, while still in undergrad school studying marketing at the then College of Notre Dame of Maryland (now known as the University of Notre Dame of Maryland). I was a single mom, working and going to an all-girl school in Baltimore Maryland, and trying to figure out what I wanted my future to look like for me and my son. I knew that I wanted it to be something that my son and people in my community could be proud of.

Fashion, music, and the spirit of entrepreneurship had already been instilled in me from young. So besides my marketing textbooks, I would collect several fashion magazines. Essence and Vogue are among my favorites. And with my son in the children’s books section, I would spend hours in Barnes & Noble discovering several international magazines. I wanted to understand their purpose, their positioning, and influence in the world of media.

It would soon occur to me that mainstream magazines lacked representation of Caribbean people. While this might have been intentional, I wondered well who really determines what is mainstream. Caribbean people had already had a profound influence on mainstream fashion, music, and entertainment but it seemed like no one was really recognizing it. Yet some of the most successful Caribbean people were not really known to be Caribbean or of Caribbean descent.

So ultimately I had the audacity to start my own magazine to help fill the void that I was feeling. This became a life journey in building not just a media brand but a lifestyle brand. There would be several doors shut in my face since my focus on the Caribbean made Caribbean POSH a ‘niche’. Call it that audacity again, but the Caribbean diaspora in the United States is actually quite significant. And with the introduction of Facebook, I would find a way to reach my market cost-effectively.

My mission was to create a platform for showcasing Caribbean talents. A platform that would showcase them in a way that was ‘mainstream’, hence the name Caribbean POSH.

As the years passed, I evolved and so did the brand. Following my graduation from undergrad, I took a position at the Maryland State Department of Business & Economic Development (now known as the Maryland Department of Commerce). My experience at Maryland State compelled me to notice the lack of focus on business and economic development back home in the Caribbean. I would build a career in Marketing. However, I credit my experience working at Maryland State as one that helped me to find my voice in my community.

I would take note of the limited resources, the underdeveloped infrastructures, and the sometimes harsh reality of our dependency. And I realized that no one was talking about the importance of being a player in the global economy. outside of sun, sand, and sea. Local politicians would often ask for successful persons living away to come back home and contribute. But what did that really mean or what does that look like? With no single answer, I decided that an ongoing conversation needed to be had.

With a few celebrity magazine covers under my belt, I would introduce Caribbean POSH Weekend with its feature event – the POSHgirl POWER Brunch. As the first event of its kind in the region boasting several of the Caribbean’s most influential women as guest speakers. Now in our 7th year of the event, Caribbean POSH serves a much greater purpose than it ever had before.

Caribbean POSH is now an online magazine that hosts a stylish weekend event designed for networking, fashion, food, laughter, inspiration, and woman empowerment. Caribbean POSH Weekend encourages conversations around pressing issues influencing the personal and professional well-being of female entrepreneurs in the Caribbean, particularly in the areas of Fashion, Entertainment, Marketing, and Retail.

Caribbean POSH is committed to telling the stories of Caribbean women, we are a lifestyle brand dedicated to encouraging her and empowering her for greatness.

Reflecting back on my days in Barnes & Noble admiring all the magazines — it is my dream that Caribbean POSH will one day be the ‘Essence’ or ‘Vogue’ Magazine of the Caribbean.

Janette, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am what some would call a multifaceted career woman, known throughout the Virgin Islands and the wider Caribbean for my marketing expertise and as the Founder and Owner of Caribbean POSH.

As a sole entrepreneur, it is my resilience, my consistency, and my overall belief in my brand that sets me apart.

Caribbean POSH has brought so many amazing women together. It is a brand that has inspired and encouraged brand collaborations and built meaningful friendships over the years. I am so proud of how the audacity of a big idea has somehow created a safe space for women in my community to network and grow together.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The addition of Caribbean POSH Weekend to the brand really helped to build the brand’s reputation within the market. From the first event, a new level of engagement was introduced. And my commitment to having consistency really builds on the reputation as well. Consistency in every single event detail, even the language used in event press releases helps to build on the reputation.

For me, it is important to stay true to the name. ‘Caribbean POSH’. So my brand colors are very prevalent and everything detail of the event is ‘poshly’ done. We fondly refer to followers/attendees as ‘poshgirls’. The Caribbean is very diverse, so we ensure our diversity is represented on the event guest panels.

As a sole entrepreneur, I also find value in making people a part of my journey
Caribbean POSH followers have dumbed me ‘Ms. POSH’ which I have fully embraced.

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

I had to unlearn the idea that entrepreneurship was something I had to hide from my employer or that I couldn’t let people know that I also had a full-time job.

When I first started, I used to think a potential employer would not take me seriously if I listed it.

A number of entrepreneurs struggle with this. And it is almost like trying to be everything for everyone rather than just being who you are.

When it came to building Caribbean POSH, I had a fear that followers would not value me as an entrepreneur. And perhaps expect Caribbean POSH to be on the level of Essence or Vogue.

In my journey, I came to realize that I am my brand and my brand contributes to my value and any value that I might bring to a private employer. And so I positioned myself as such. I am a multifaceted career woman. I also came to realize and find joy in bringing followers on my journey. We were building something, rather than just me. This allowed me to further define a space for Caribbean POSH.

The reality is every entrepreneur’s journey is different. As entrepreneurs, we just have to follow our hearts and do what feels right.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.caribbeanposh.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caribbeanposh/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaribbeanPOSH
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/caribbeanposh/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/caribbeanposh
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@caribbeanposh/

Image Credits
Caribbean POSH Weekend Event photos