11 Jun Entrepreneurial Profile – Joshua Mangroo

Entrepreneurial Profile – Joshua Mangroo

Invest with caution

“I am a young Caribbean entrepreneur who is fascinated with telling visual stories.” This was the beginning of my conversation with 27- year-old Joshua Mangroo, who was proudly supported by Youth Business Trinidad and Tobago (YBTT) when he started his entrepreneurial journey approximately two years ago.

Mangroo’s business entity, Nine Breaker Ltd, specialises in digital media consultancy to many facets of the national community from individuals to community groups to organisations.

As Mangroo puts it, “My entire life has been centred around being creative and doing things differently, and I believe that my love for the creative industry has propelled me in this direction.”

He provides an integrated suite of services to his clients including web design, photography, graphic design and the production of promotional videos. Navigating the entrepreneurial ship is usually challenging for many, and as a young entrepreneur, Mangroo has had to endure many challenges including being a victim of a recent robbery.

“One of the things that I’ve had to face, is the truth that it’s only me who will bear the full weight of my vision.

Despite how much I try to express what is in my heart to someone else, no-one will truly understand,” said Mangroo who seemed quite passionate by this utterance.

But how can entrepreneurs prepare for unexpected occurrences which can sometimes hinder their progress? According to Mangroo, “You need to develop a system that would assist you in remembering your purpose and reason behind what you’re doing; whether it is a journal, video log, or even having it written on your walls. As an entrepreneur, you always need to fight for what you believe.”

Looking towards the future, Mangroo will continue to assist in building people and their businesses.

“I see many great ideas throughout this beautiful twin-island Republic, but the market is tight and good graphic design is costly.

This poses a problem for local start-ups, and that is the gap that I intend to fill by giving them the competitive edge,” said Mangroo. Because of his understanding of the environment within which entrepreneurs operate, Mangroo usually combines web design, photography, graphics and promotional videos into affordable packages for his clients, which are also aimed at building their brand.

When asked about his advice for young entrepreneurs, Mangroo responded, “It takes a special breed of people to become entrepreneurs, and if you think you have what it takes, I will leave you with this little piece of advice – be careful of how you invest in your business, as spending a lot of money does not mean that you do something well, or that it makes a strong impact. Rather learn to be creative with the little you have, and enjoy the organic growth of your business.”

By: Sandrine Rattan

Project Co-ordinator – Stakeholder & Media Relations (YBTT)

Published in the Trinidad and Tobago Newsday on Thursday, June 11th, 2015
http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,212490.html