Plan, prepare and organise if you want to take a risk and succeed, said Dean Salmon, owner of Di Foto Shoppe.

Starting a business is hard everywhere, said Salmon, who operates Di Photo Shoppe with his two brothers. People tend to think that Jamaica is an exception but there are procedures that need to be followed everywhere.

The Montego Bay-based photo studio, which started a year and a half ago, is the 18th nominee in the Observer’s Mogul in the Making programme.

The name, or more specifically its spelling, was the result of attempts to be identified as “contemporary” and “youthful”, said Salmon. “It’s Jamaican and the people are catching on”, not just to the name but also to the high level of service provided by the completely digital studio.

It offers the typical passport and visa services, portraits and calendars but also photography services for special events, such as weddings and funerals.

His parents also had a popular photo studio but when they retired, he decided to retire its name and location as well. “I wanted to build from the ground up”, he said, adding that he didn’t want to live on the legacy of his parents.

A month after opening his business, Salmon started his master’s degree. This made for a tough balancing act, as he had to also make time to for his son.

“It was a big risk”, he said, adding that the most successful businessmen took “calculated risks”.

Financing the business was difficult, especially given that the equipment had to be sourced abroad as it was not available locally. Additionally, staffing and marketing were major challenges. “Staff can make or break an organisation”, he said. “We were very careful in selecting those we wanted.”

He plans to expand the business towards the end of next year. “Right now we’re retooling, getting more modern stuff to get it at the standard we want.”