Growth & Jobs | Young entrepreneur builds future through upholstery in Rose Gardens

At just 24 years old, Gavon Brooks has already spent nearly a decade mastering the craft of upholstery, turning what began as a teenage job into a growing business of his own.

Brooks, who hails from Rose Gardens in Kingston, first entered the trade at 16 when a friend invited him to try his hand at the work. Though his mother worried at first about the tough, unfamiliar job, he quickly fell in love with the craft.

“I got into it and started liking the work,” he recalls. “You learn something new every day, about the materials, the machines, even the creativity that goes into building new pieces,” he shared.

Over the years, Brooks faced challenges that many small business owners know too well. Without the right tools and materials, he often struggled to meet demand and expand his services. “First off, you have to be your own boss. You want tools; you need the right tools to really do good work,” he explained.

That changed when he received support from Project STAR’s nano grant programme, which he credits with helping him stay afloat and invest in essential materials. “It helped me a lot, really helped me,” Brooks said. “When I’m out of stuff, I use it to buy materials. I sell what I make and then buy more.”

Akieme Wilson, Project STAR Business Development Officer, emphasised the programme’s role in helping entrepreneurs like Brooks.

“The nano grant provides funding that young business owners can use to purchase tools, raw materials, and other essentials they often struggle to afford, and it is paired with intensive three-day business fundamentals training to help them build stronger enterprises,” said Wilson. “For someone like Brooks, that support means he can keep producing, serve his customers reliably, and plan for growth instead of worrying about whether he can afford his next set of supplies.”

Today, Brooks supplies his work to customers and even local stores in downtown Kingston, with an eye on building a bigger business in the years to come. While he currently works solo, he envisions employing others and establishing his own workshop.

Asked what advice he would give to aspiring entrepreneurs, Brooks stresses patience and persistence. “Take time to do your thing. Buy your tools. Step by step, little by little. You can’t do everything one time,” he said.

For now, the young craftsman is focused on keeping his customers happy and continuing to grow. Akieme Wilson said Brooks’ story stands as a testament to resilience, creativity, and the difference community support can make for small business owners.

Project STAR is a five-year social and economic transformation project that targets under-resourced, under served communities experiencing high levels of crime or violence. Through a comprehensive consultation process, communities assist in determining their own needs, which are further supported by extensive data and analysis.