The Tribune

A Bahamian entrepreneur last week told Andros residents they must “tear up the box and innovate” to achieve their financial ambitions and develop sustainable communities.

Robert Pantry, who left his career in banking to found Simplified Lending, told attendees at The Counsellors-organised Andros Business Outlook conference that collaboration and radical thinking were critical to economic empowerment in the post-COVID-19 environment.

“Don’t just think outside the box,” he urged. “Tear up the box and innovate. Collaboration and out-of-the-box thinking can make you more money.”

Mr Pantry said developing a concept, and finding a way to collaborate or maximise space, materials and talent, was more important than borrowing money - the very business his company is involved in. He encouraged Andros residents to focus on tourism or farming, light manufacturing, digital asset management and making the island a technology hub and solar energy pioneer.

“What can be produced in Andros and easily shipped via mailboat?” he asked, suggesting a nail production facility. “It’s simple and easy to set up, and there is a demand. On the same land you are farming on, carve out a small piece to produce nails. When your workers finish their farm duties, they start up the nail machine and produce nails the same day. “

Shipping nails along with produce could reduce costs associated with single-product shipping, and allow Andros farmers to price tomatoes and cabbages more competitively. While that scenario was one type of collaboration, Mr Pantry offered several other suggestions including multi-lingual travel agents who create an Andros-based “Privacy Oasis”.

“When I drive around, people tell me this is mainly bush, but is it just bush or is it really a ‘Privacy Oasis?’” he asked. “People are paying a ton of money to visit locations that are remote.” Still within the tourism spectrum, Mr Pantry suggested Andros could cater to millions who speak Spanish and French.

“Why not become a photographer who also does tours of French and Spanish-speaking people showing the best angles and views, and how to shoot them with only their cell phone? Can you imagine that: A photographer who doesn’t travel with a camera?” he added.

Giving a real-time, real-life example of collaboration, Mr Pantry suggested putting a go-pro camera on a farm animal for an hour per day with the animals developing a following who watch them on YouTube.

Calling on Androsians to go beyond relying on government for the safe, secure job route, Mr Pantry said they should target niche and underserved markets such as mobile camping. Such concepts, he added, worked best alongside another initiative.

“Is there a way to combine tourism and farming? Maybe people will come to Andros because they can stay on a farm and, each morning, they can pick their fresh fruits and provide them to the chef to prepare their meal. Or get a little radical – in your privacy oasis resort, you can offer horseback riding and hunting, or maybe start the first bull-fighting event in the Caribbean,” Mr Pantry said.

Andros also has the land and space to become a data centre or digital asset management, he added. “Understand the power of people, go out and build new connections,” he urged. “The people of Andros can separate Andros from the pack.”