AT 47 years old, Dr André Gordon is doing exactly what he wants to – run a business that caters to the development of the productive sector in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The Kingston-based business is called Technological Solutions Limited (TSL), and offers a variety of technical and business competitive services, including:

. Laboratory services in the testing of a range of foods, such as agricultural items (produce fruits and vegetables) and meals (from restaurants, hotels or food service operations);

. Laboratory services in testing chemicals, water and environmental samples;

. Food safety systems auditing, implementation and training for manufacturers, exporters and food service business operators;

. Production and occupational health and safety systems auditing and implementation;

. Logistics and operations assessment and design; and

. Facilitating market access and exports to Canada, the United States, the European Union, and Caricom.

TSL also does export marketing plan development and implementation.

It is a venture with which Gordon, a married father of two, is most satisfied.

“I am doing what I love. I am helping to develop my region, which is what I wanted to do, and trying to make a living doing it,” the managing director and principal consultant told Career & Education.

“We provide scientific backing for the main service we provide which is technical advice, direction and problem-solving for firms that are competing in the domestic or global marketplace in the importing, exporting, manufacturing, food service and distribution business. This is for firms locally and throughout the region,” added Gordon, who holds a PhD in Food Science from the University of Guelph in Canada and an M Phil in Biochemistry from the University of the West Indies, where a portion of his laboratory is located.

Among TSL’s achievements to date is helping Jamaica regain access to the United States and the European Union for its ackee and conch respectively, in recent times.

Gordon recalls how he came to form the company in 2006.

“Having done an assessment and worked with GraceKennedy and a lot of the small manufacturers and suppliers in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean, it was evident that without world-class technical support, the Caribbean would never be able to achieve food security, nor have firms able to compete with the global market in their domestic market or in the export market. So TSL was set up specifically to provide world-class technical support to the productive sector throughout the Caribbean,” he said.

The name, Gordon noted, was coined on the basis of their offerings.

“(The name was the result of) the fact that what we provide are solutions for businesses that are based on the application of technical knowledge to solve their business problems or meet the key business objectives, for example, increased profitability through development of new products, and the implementation of new systems, etc,” the man, who also lectures part-time in the Doctorate in Business Administration programme at the Mona School of Business, told Career & Education.

But setting up his business three years ago was not without challenge. For one thing, he had to raise the required $2.5 million.

“The challenges included the lack of adequate capitalisation, the cost and difficulty in accessing capital, the novelty of the areas of business in which we do business, the reluctance of many firms to pay for these services, government bureaucracy which prevented easy importation of inputs (reagents) and samples sent from overseas, fierce competition from government-owned entities, despite a formal Government position that these entities should not compete with the private sector,” Gordon said.

And the challenges have not disappeared with the start of the business that currently has 12 permanent employees, as well as four part-time employees and associates.

“The challenges continue to include the cost and difficulty in accessing capital, and the challenge many of our Jamaican customers are having in difficult times – containing operating costs,” the TSL boss noted. “(But) we are reinvesting and building the capital base of the company, working closely with our Jamaican customers while increasing our focus and business with our international customers, increasing our focus on the provision of services, including our business services.”

Despite the difficulties, including the global economic recession, he said TSL continued to attract business.

“In this environment, we are thankful that particularly we have a niche where there is no other firm, not just in the region but I would venture to say in this hemisphere, that have the mix of skills that we do in the Caribbean and as such we are able to compete with international firms budding on business in the Caribbean,” he said. “Our international business is right now what makes the company viable at this point in time since the domestic market is not very strong right now,” he added.

Going forward, he said that their objective was to continue to expand, while collaborating “locally and, more importantly, internationally as we seek to grow our international business”.

Gordon’s tips for entrepreneurial success

. Properly capitalise the business, starting with at least 6-12 months of working capital, if possible.

. Clearly define your business, including your product offering and your specific target market.

. Try to get as much information as possible from people in the area of business in which you are interested.

. From day on, seek to operate using best practices.

. Get the best advice and guidance possible, from those persons and/or firms who have a proven track record in your chosen area of entrepreneurial endeavour.