“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only option you have.” Bob Marley
My name is Josie Maitland; I am a young entrepreneur, model, nature lover and a student of the Universe from the beautiful historic parish St.Patrick. I am the third seed of six seeds. Although I was born and raised partially in St.Patrick, my love for St. Andrew was calling because my father’s resided there. My siblings and I were very spoiled by our dad. After mommy and daddy tied the knot, we went to live with him in Simon, St.Andrew. I attended four different primary schools because of changes in location. I then attended St. Mark’s Secondary School and later went on to T.A. Marryshow Community College to study Business. However, I ended up switching to Tourism and Hospitality Management. I did my first internship at Spice Island Beach Resort and second at the Crane Resort in Barbados. I was honored to be selected based on my overall performance.
Many young girls grew up playing with dolls and mini kitchen set; I was not one of them. I was the total opposite; I hated these things. When I wasn’t in the classroom, I spent my free time with my siblings swinging on trees in the backyard, hopping on trucks down to the bay, learning to swim on the seashore, cycling along with the boys to Pearls Airstrip to watch car racing “Drags” and riding the sea waves with our dad on his boat.
Three amazing people nurtured me, my mother, Grandma (Mom’s mother) and my Dad. While attending my primary school, life had graced me with a rare and potentially life-threatening disease, Rheumatic Fever; I also ended up losing my dad who was lost at sea years after.
Fast forward to my young adult life, I have been involved in Network Marketing and numerous online opportunities, like trading, cryptocurrency, fashion, selling of health products, etc. I had some failures, but remain open-minded to giving others a shot. I am a certified travel agent; I am currently bringing awareness along with my boyfriend to healthy eating on Instagram at ‘TropicalVeganz,’ We are also planting crops and designing earrings.
I am also stretching my legs in the modeling industry; my biggest opportunity was back in 2015 when I was selected to be apart of MMTS (Music Model Talent Showcase of the Islands) where I came third in all my categories. The one-week event was very educational and exciting. I met with many well-known stars in the entertainment industry such as Kim Fields ( American actress and television director), Van Brown (actor in Tyler Perry movie) and Kamela Forbes (International Model). They gave us countless eye-opening advice on our careers. After placing in the top 3 of my categories, I was scouted by Manikin Agency from the USA. However, I recently discontinued my membership.
In 2017 I was featured in Miss Jetset Magazine, in the image below, I am in the 8th column in the first row.
In 2018 I worked alongside my boyfriend, and another gentleman in creating three fashionable wear made from cocoa leaves for the Grenada Chocolate Event held last year May. It was a great team effort brought to success.
If I am to step back a bit, my Journey began when I started looking into my full potential and knowing my worth as an individual. I was in a job that wasn’t shaping me to become the person I wanted to become, a person to inspire, to be a leader and one who controls her destiny. I started experiencing challenges after I left the job, reprogramming what society has taught me, unlocking my true potential and not having a mentor to lead me in that direction of success. Overcoming all these was indeed a fun journey. I always wanted to know more. I have learned that any masterpiece that’s created takes time.
I haven’t accomplished half of my goals, but I give thanks to the Almighty and the Universe for instilling in me all its intelligence, my three parents and other family members and friends who shared good words. My obsession with learning more and having an optimistic mindset.
My favorite memory growing up is spending quality time with my Grandmother who was my best friend — Grenada’s unspeakable beauty of nature and its people. The red, green and yellow say it all. “Nowhere sweeter than home.”
Getting to know myself and I mean really doing some deep search within myself made me the person I am today. My encouragement to everyone reading this is to believe in yourself always, give time to what makes you happy and surround yourself around positive individuals.
My name is Josie Maitland and #iamgrenadian
