Motivation comes in many forms. For each individual there is at least one thing that can drive them to push forward and go after their dreams. In whatever form one’s motivation may come, one thing is for sure, once the journey has started there is no giving up halfway.
Latoya Mitchell, founder of the company Outsource St. Lucia Inc. has been pressing on, as she wants to leave behind a legacy for her children. The young and nascent entrepreneur has used her inspiration to form a company centered on meeting the needs of local companies. Dazzle Magazine introduces you to Latoya, whom, despite her quiet and modest demeanor, is very zealous and fervent about what she does.
Outsource St. Lucia was created in 2009 and caters to companies who need to outsource business services such as accounting, marketing and courier services. The company is located in Marisule, Gros-Islet and is comprised of five employees. Latoya explains that the company was born out of her personal experiences. She had started a business some years earlier called ‘Time Courier Services’ which focused on running errands for both business and residential customers. After much thought was given to creating something more viable, she put together a business plan and Outsource St. Lucia became a reality. The company is managed and owned solely by Latoya, which means that there is never a restful moment; every second is “go, go, go!”
Human resource is a key element to the success of the business, and as Latoya indicated, her employees are the backbone of her organisation. There are minimal challenges, she explained, none of which affect the progress or efficiency of Outsource St. Lucia. The company is very flexible and as a result also employs part-time staff, as well as partners with several other companies or business professionals, to meet the needs of their clientele and to ensure the smooth running of Outsource St. Lucia.
Latoya describes her typical day as “budgeting any accounting book, once you start, you are pretty much on your feet 24/7.” As a mother and young professional, it can be extremely difficult managing her time to meet the needs of her family and the companies she serves. Nevertheless, it is clear that Latoya enjoys what she does, as she continues to give it her all day-in, day-out.
The top three services Outsource St. Lucia provides are debt collection, courier services and sales. Three of Outsource’s more prominent clients include Moore (St. Lucia) Inc., LIME and Nature’s Discount. Outsource St. Lucia Inc. and Latoya Mitchell were nominated for ‘Idea of the Year’ and ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2013 St. Lucia Business Awards hosted by the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce. Latoya is proud to cite these nominations as one of her greatest accomplishments thus far but, notably, she marks being able to put together a successful and functional team as the epitome of her career. This, Latoya believes, is what drives Outsource St. Lucia and she will continue to strive for excellence in her team in order to maintain good customer-service standards and proficiency.
Faith is often a great propellant for any entrepreneur, and La Toya believes that everything happens for a reason and in its own time, and it’s a great motto to follow. “Everything happens at the right time! Circumstances and situations happened at the right time and it brought forth good fruit and so I would not change anything right now,” she added. Her mentor is Ms. Marcellin Chitolie whom Latoya believes is a profound leadership guide and a perfect inspiration for young people who need extra support.
Latoya believes that before anyone embarks on the journey of an entrepreneur, they should sit down and have a heart-to-heart with themselves. She further concludes that one should cover all bases, financially, emotionally and education wise. She hopes that within the next five years Outsource would have grown into a much larger entity with more staff, and will be operating with more and bigger companies in Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean.
Dazzle Magazine would like to congratulate Latoya and Outsource St. Lucia Inc. on their nominations at the 2013 St. Lucia Business Awards. We know that for the company, this is just a sign of more good things to come and we can only extend best wishes of prosperity and success. To Latoya specifically, we say keep your dreams alive and stay motivated, nothing happens by chance. You have to will it into existence and always give your best!
