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All Woman
Andrea Bryan is Grizzly's iron lady
BY NADINE WILSON All Woman writer
Monday, November 02, 2009
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HER warm, captivating smile cannot be missed, neither can her unmistakable friendly demeanour go unnoticed. But a few minutes with Andrea Bryan, general manager of Grizzly's Entertainment Limited, and you will undoubtedly find that her true strength lies in her strong resolve, and penchant for being an iron lady even when adversity knocks at her door.
Bryan's resolve was put to the test in a most unfortunate way last May with the passing of her only son, Rohan, as a result of complications from an asthma attack, while he was assisting with the technical side of a major event.
"We rushed him to the hospital and all those nice things you see on TV where they rush for the crash cart and they are doing CPR, all of that was done just like on TV. Unfortunately for me, just like on TV, when I heard the doctor say 9:27, I knew what that meant, it was the recorded time of death," she said, visibly shaken from just giving this account.
Since that grim day, Fridays have been particularly painful for Bryan.
"I am well aware that he is not dying every Friday, but every Friday I tend to think of the fact that on that Friday - is there anything differently that could have been done that maybe could have changed the way that Friday ended?" she asked choking now as she fought to hold back tears.
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| From left, Grizzly's events manager Nina-Grace Sterling, division manager Tiffany Bryan and marketing manager Lesli Williams support their boss Andrea Bryan. (Photo: Garfield Robinson) |
Twenty-four year-old Rohan had been the lighting director for Grizzly's, a company Andrea Bryan and husband of 28 years, Robert - who is chief executive officer -established 16 years ago.
But even though she will always be dealing with the emotional turmoil of that fateful night, Bryan is now more determined - and with the help of her staff at the Dumbarton Avenue, Kingston-based Grizzly's - to fulfil each client's obligation, as she soldiers on.
The company now has the reputation of one that gives the clients what they need.
"I try to ensure at all times that we do not short-change or compromise our clients in any way," Bryan said. And even after the tragedy - "What could we do? We had to go on," she said solemnly, while admitting that she still struggles to find an answer, when people ask, 'How many children do you have?'
Grizzly's Entertainment offers party equipment for rent as well as plan and manage all types of events - be it corporate meetings, stage shows or weddings.
While Bryan manages Grizzly's operations, which means helping the clients to plan their events according to their budget and overseeing the staff, her husband deals with the technical side of the business.
Although they had limited background in entertainment prior to starting Grizzly's the two learnt on the job.
"Entertainment services are totally different. It's all day, all night, heavy duty, going along with what the customer wants, moreso than sitting and planning and executing according to your plan. So it calls for a great deal of flexibility and time," she said.
But even though Bryan is kept busy with Grizzly's business, she still finds time for her charitable work.
The Ardenne High School and University of the West Indies graduate has assisted the children at the National Children's Home after school with homework and general school work; and she crocheted and knitted craft items for the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre.
And when it comes time to relax, she is either reading or gardening.
"[I like reading for] the thrill of seeing the world through someone else's eyes, and being able to completely forget your problems and get lost in a great story," she said. "[And] gardening for the relaxation and the pleasure of watching hard work literally blossom."
Bryan's inspiration and motivation comes from her family and "from all children".
"I try to spend time with children because I appreciate their innocence," Bryan said. "I simply love them and find them truly inspiring."
And so she tries to assist the children of all her employees in any way she can, particularly through financial support for their education.
Bryan said her family means the world to her which is why she got involved in the business in the first place. She uses her organisation, follow-up, and people skills to assist with the management of the company.
Her daughter, Tiffany Bryan, who is now the division manager at Grizzly's said her mother was fun while growing up and along with their father has set a great foundation.
"My mother is a character. Growing up for me, she was a perfectionist of sort. She was a strong disciplinarian, but she allowed us to be silly," she said.
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