My name is Delon Charles and I am a young entrepreneur from the village of Mt Horne St Andrew Grenada. I grew up with my brothers in Mt Horne whilst my mother traveled to Canada to make a better life for us. While growing up I spent time with my cousin Laurina Waldron who contributed to my positive mindset and overall development. My Weekends were usually spent in our mountains gardens gathering nutmeg to sell on Monday to maintain me for the school week. I am a banker by profession and I have been doing that for over 12 years. But my passion is business and promotions. Most persons would know me as the guy who’s always involved in some sort of business venture and I love exploring different business ideas. I am a risk taker and have attempted a lot. Some have failed and some have been successful but in all, I have learned that life is all about learning so never restrict yourself to one field always try to learn something new.
I grew up tough but got a break when I started banking which leads me to start exploring the world of entrepreneurship. My latest and so far the best business ideas I have had is “Real Grenadian Taxi and Tours. A company I created to provide a coordinated network of reliable taxi and tours services.
One night one of my co-workers invited me to a cook-up. Obviously, I went, I didn’t think too much about how I was getting home as I believe I will get transport from Grenville no matter the time. The cook-up ended about 2 or 3 am that morning. My friend had a number of people to drop home so we agreed that he will drop me off in Grenville and I will find transport from there. I remained in Grenville until around 4 am that morning and nothing, I didn’t get a ride nor any transport for that matter. My friend dropped everyone home and he had to return to Grenville to give me a ride to my home in Mt Horne. It was in that moment I realize there was an important need, an important need for a taxi service that can provide convenient and reliable taxi service to people to avoid having to remain in Grenville till 4 am in the morning like I did. It was in that moment, Real Grenadian Taxi and Tours was born.
We cater for all taxi/tour needs including island tours, airport runs, hospital runs and private trips. It is a coordinated network service which uses other taxi and tour operators. One of my biggest challenges is having to deal with a loss or a failed idea. I have failed but never have I given up. Failing only pushed me back to the drawing board to think of ways to do it better or call it quits on that idea and think of something else but never saying I am done.
I am grateful for the life I have lived thus far, for that, firstly, I must give credit to God because sometimes is only with his grace and blessing did I pull through or overcome the difficulties I faced. My biggest motivation is my daughter and I pray that I would be able to continue providing for her so she could attend university something I never did. My favorite memory of Grenada is not just one memory but all the beauty our island holds. We are truly living in an island paradise and we owe it to ourselves to explore and know our Pure Grenada.
My advice to young people is simply this, your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Never give up great things take time. Coca-cola only sold 25 bottles in the first year but that didn’t stop them.
