The Tribune

A digital printing company has obtained $215,000 in loans from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) through the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC).

Juluis Tinker started Kevco Printing, a large format digital printing company, as an auxiliary marketing branch of another organisation. However, after receiving his first major contract with Sun Oil, the affiliate of BISX-listed FOCOL Holdings, he forged ahead on his own.

The RBC loans will enable him to scale-up Kevco Printing’s production by adding new equipment, products and services to the company’s line-up as he aim to fulfill his long-term ambition of becoming the largest print service in the Caribbean.

“The hardest part of the funding process is the waiting,” said Mr Tinker. “I didn’t go through the classes since we already had an existing business. Everything else was relatively straightforward. A close second is scrapping all your ideas to start over and accepting the constructive criticism, then moving past it with the change implemented.”

Tehranique Darrell, Kevco Printing’s SBDC advisor, added: “Kevco Printing is a fun and promising company. I’m looking forward to witnessing the expansion of the company and the continued growth in Juluis.

“It’s just as exciting to see a business grow as it is to see young entrepreneurs getting a better outlook on their businesses and nurturing the mindset needed to succeed as business owners.”

Mr Tinker credited the SBDC for giving him a better grasp of running his business properly, and has encouraged other entrepreneurs to seek the organisation’s services to do the same.

“My conversations with my advisors at the SBDC helped me to get a firm grasp of the procedure and theoretical business deals that I later turned into real deals, with real money,” he added. “I recommend people to the SBDC all the time, even if it’s just to get a good grasp on how to run a business properly and not just for funding.”

The SBDC is the product of a tripartite arrangement between the Government, through the Ministry of Finance, University of The Bahamas (UB) and the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC). The Centre will work to guide the development, funding, growth and evolution of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in The Bahamas.