Local Family Turns Bush Medicine into High-End Beauty Products

Arleigha Hall, the youngest of four daughters, contributes by acting as a manager and shopkeeper. The 22-year-old exemplifies a Gen-Z Turks Islanders' zeal for making her mark by partaking in her family business.

Arleigha said: “The way my mom and sister work, they’re always looking to get outside views on how to improve the shop. So, if I have a suggestion, they always look into how they can implement into the store, so right now I have a pretty solid say in what can happen with the store.”

Collaboration is a standing principle for how the business operates, from its partnerships with local and international creatives and its family-led approach that has accommodated the different skills of all its family members. Arleigha's mother, Arlene Hall, is behind most of the bath and body care products and her older sister, Kishanta, is the master behind the jewelry, home care as well as the homemade honeys and jams.

The professional swimmer, who trained alongside the Bahamian national team, Arleigha shared that while it may not be within her interest, she still sees value in assisting with the growth of her family business.

She said: “I just want to see them grow. They make a bunch of really good products that most people love, and I love seeing people talk about their products because it makes me feel proud of them.”

Arleigha admits that many of the products started as at-home remedies, like their line of dog care products that were initially intended to be used on their family pets, which is now being marketed to tourists visiting the pot-cake place.

The family touch does not end there, as the store is also chock-full of trinkets and art pieces made by her other sisters and a line of seasonings including mixtures intended for jerk, fish and all-purpose, made by her father, Ezekiel Hall.

When talking about her dad’s seasonings, Arleigha said: “Since we have a whole bunch of family that comes to our house every so often, they were fascinated by his blend of seasonings – he started selling it a year ago and it’s been a hit ever since.”

Most of their ingredients are locally sourced and sometimes can be found in their backyard, adding a layer of sustainability to their business practice which made them a perfect fit for Invest TCI’s amended MSME program.

Invest TC ensured that the program could be available to more local entrepreneurs, and thanks to the amendments made to the program in the years since its launch, Arlene Hall was able to launch her family business as a manufacturer and retailer.

Invest Turks and Caicos does not plan on stopping anytime soon as they begin to revolutionize their system to meet the needs of local entrepreneurs.

Invest Turks and Caicos is developing its website to allow for the submission of online applications while also creating a platform that provides live updates on the progress of applications—making the service accessible and more environmentally sustainable by reducing paper waste.

The Business Support Unit will be launched soon, providing technical support to MSME clients and mandatory basic training in specific areas related to their business to help develop and grow the companies within the program.

Amendments to the MSME program, including expanding the categories, lessening required paperwork and removing the application fee, have and will continue to open the doors for businesses to take advantage of the opportunities.

About the MSME Program: The program has operated for seven years, awarded over 180 projects, and committed over $ 3 million. For the first time since the program's start, Invest TCI has exhausted the money allocated by the government. The approval process is forging ahead with a 72% approval rate out of 251 applicants. 54% of the businesses supported by this program are still in operation today.