Page 34 - IB April 2021

SPBD SPBD

MEET THE MENTOR

NEELAM MAHARAJ: BUSINESSWOMAN AND MENTOR

Businesswoman Neelam Maharaj is a mentor with South blasting, tile polishing and rug shampoo. Friendly Mates is
Pacific Business Developments’ Fiji Bloom program. With her owned by my sister and I, and we’re both totally involved in
sister Neelma, she has built up three businesses from scratch the business.
learning many valuable business lessons along the way. Our second business is Salon 21, a hair and beauty salon.
Neelam talks to us about her own business journey, and her And my third business is Extreme Debt Collectors, which is a
mentoring of SPBD members. debt collection company.
Apart from these businesses, I also do farming. I try to
Hello Neelam. Please tell us about your business, Friend- motivate people to farm and keep things lively even at home
ly Mates. What services do you offer? by doing this.
Our business is all about providing janitorial services. The
business name is Friendly Mates—cleaning services and we’re Can you tell us about how you established your busi-
17 years old. Our business employs only women, and we nesses?
provide interior cleaning, and exterior cleaning such as water We used to be employees before. I come from a legal back-

34 Islands Business, April 2021