Made in Belize – Deidra Deandra

Simone Biles would look fab in our Belize Tee!

Take up the Belize Tourism Board’s offer!

You betta come to Belize Simone Biles!

After claiming the top two Olympic all-around spots, Aly Raisman joked she would crash Simone Biles’ vacation to Belize. Well it seems like Simone Biles is coming and she gets to bring her friends too! The Belize Tourism Board invited Simone and the Final Five for a visit after Rio: “Congrats @simone_biles! Belize is so proud of you. We’d love to host you and the entire #FinalFive on a vacation once you’re ready to relax.” What an offer?! An all-expense-paid vacation to Belize? I think yes!

Simone has been named the “greatest gymnast ever” and in Belize we are celebrating her victory! Achieving so much at 19 is quite an inspiration, especially to our youth. We’ll sure be referencing her a lot in our youth camps and conferences.

Simone, congrats again! We’ll find a way to get one of our 2016 Belize Tees to you; just let us know your size! It would be great for one of your fishing trips and we’ve got one for mom and dad too!

Simone Biles in Belize

MORE: Read USA Today’s Coverage on Simone’s Belize invite.
Featured image by Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports

TEDxBelmopan – Tony Rath’s TEDx Talk

Tony Rath’s TEDx Talk: Photography and the Light of Respect!

Today (December 9, 2015) the first TEDxBelmopan Talk was released. Belizeans especially have been patiently waiting for this release. Tony Rath’s TEDx Talk was titled “Photography and the Light of Respect.” Using photography as a tool to explore the world, acclaimed nature photographer Tony Rath takes us on four journeys where photography helped him learn life lessons about respect. From bird hunting and whale kills in the Faroe Islands, to kayaking unexplored canyons and being mesmerized by a small grey rainforest bird in Belize, Tony Rath uses his spectacular imagery to shed light on the meaning of respect.

Deidra Deandra with Tony Rath

Tony Rath is a well published editorial and commercial photographer based along the shore of the Caribbean Sea in the picturesque village of Dangriga, Belize.

He was born somewhere, and then grew up. Along the way he canoed the Quetico, flew gliders in the USAF, became a marine biologist; worked as a technician, diver and underwater photographer for the Smithsonian Institution; worked underwater on oil rigs, missile launch sites and submersibles off the California Coast; captained a sailboat across the Atlantic Ocean (twice) and through the Mediterranean and North Seas, commercial fished north of the Arctic Circle, lived in different cities and worked with different famous and important people.

To keep up with the latest from TEDxBelmopan visit their website www.tedxbelmopan.com or connect with them on Facebook.

Deidra Deandra is proud to be a Gold Sponsor for this event.

5 Small Business Tips!

5 Small Business Tips from Business Plan Presentations at The University of Belize

The University of Belize’s Bachelors students presented their Business Plans today. Six groups had worked with existing businesses in the community to assess their current status and make recommendations to help the businesses grow in the market through marketing plans and financial advice.

I was invited to be a guest judge for the areas of brand development, promotions and marketing. It was a fun experience for my company getting to help these students learn from an existing small business. It was also a learning experience for me as some of the businesses the students assessed have been in the industry for 15+ years. I especially loved all the treats they shared. (:

I was particularly impressed with a group who chose to develop a start-up. They introduced to the Belizean Market, Clover Dressings. Clover Dressings produces Caesar and Sweet Mustard Dressings. Both have no preservatives and through their current research will last about 10 months when refrigerated. Though I guarantee you won’t keep them that long; they are very tasty. I especially like the Caesar as it has extra cheese! If you’re wanting to see this product on the grocery store shelves, start supporting the business by ordering on their Facebook.

Here are 5 Small Business Tips I put together based on the presentations:

1. Facebook is the top marketing method in Belize to reach customers especially in the food industry (based on surveys by the students)
2. Fast food delivery is a rapidly growing niche in Belmopan.
3. Keep good track of your accounts. It is necessary especially as your business grows and wishes to seek funding. Get training if needed.
4. Develop a good brand from the start. You want to look good to the public. Deidra Deandra would be happy to help you develop your brand.
5. Be careful not to intermingle personal expenses with that of the business. A great way to avoid this is to pay yourself a salary.

More Photos on Facebook.
Testimonials of Deidra Deandra, a Belize Graphic Design Company.

10 New Belizean Businesses from Belize’s National University

New Belizean Businesses from the University of Belize

November 16, 2015–Today was such a fun and exciting day as I got to be a judge for the University of Belize’s Marketing Expo. Ten groups had worked to develop products to introduce to the Belizean market. They created the products, developed branding and packaging, and financed and marketed them.

Among the products were glow in the dark, eco-friendly lava lamps; yellow tomato ketchup, fruit juices, jams (including a delicious tomato jam, who would have thought?), wooden bottle holders, coconut oil, face scrubs and barbecue sauce. The response from the public was great and one of the businesses even sold out! Professor Audrey Pascasio said she was very proud of the effort her students put into their businesses and the feedback from the public.

It was so great seeing the next people the enter the workforce creating new Belizean businesses. I encouraged them to not let it be just another project but to actually follow through with their businesses. If they do, you should be seeing a whole new variety of “Made in Belize” products on grocery store shelves. Be sure to buy them!

University of Belize’s Mission Statement
The University of Belize is a national, autonomous and multi-location institution committed to excellence in higher education, research and service for national development. As a catalyst of change it provides relevant, affordable and accessible educational and training programs that address national needs based on principles of academic freedom, equity, transparency, merit and accountability.

See Photos of these New Belizean Businesses on Facebook.