Born and raised in Beterverwagting on the East Coast of Demerara, Anije Lambert, at just twenty-five years old, is a Research Entrepreneur and has achieved what most people only dream of.
Upon completing her secondary education at Annandale Secondary School, Ms. Lambert immediately enrolled in the University of Guyana at just age fifteen to pursue a Degree in Sociology. While at the university she worked as a part-time consultant for a British agency called ‘The Research Institute’. Later she was employed full-time working on data management, which afforded her the opportunity to gain a wealth of experience in research methodology.
During that time, Ms. Lambert was fortunate to secure another consultancy at ‘Hope Research USA’ focused on project management where she spearheaded projects for big brands such as Coca Cola. Proving herself to be a visionary she helped to create a policy where both ‘The Research Institute’ and ‘Hope Research USA’ would hire university students.
However, there came a time when Ms. Lambert felt that it was unethical working for both projects. She believed the time had come to move to the next phase of her career. It was then that she decided to start her research assistance company and Project Development Consultancy (PDC) was born. The company was registered in 2014 and she wrote both ‘The Research Institute’ and ‘Hope Research USA’ and requested that they become her clients. The University student staff who worked with her on both projects became her employees.
Fortunately, her father, who is a businessman, had a spare room that he gave her permission to use as an office. Initially, she wanted a profit of $10000 by the end of the first month, but by the fourth month had secured jobs that had totaled 20000US ($4000000).
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The work that Ms. Lambert spearheads helps clients to learn the opinions of consumers, helps with product development, helps to track and monitor their brand, and also helps with policy development that is evidence-based.
But her success has not come without challenges. She was uneducated about the legislation and regulations as it relates to business. Fortunately, her father was able to advise and recommend someone who helped her. She also recalls embarrassing mistakes that she made initially and there came a time when she felt that she was losing herself. Her focus was shifting towards being more profit-oriented.
Eventually, it was her spirituality that helped her to remember her original purpose – the love of research and making a difference. She found clarity and little by little regained equilibrium. She interacted with many social entrepreneurs as a way of learning and also completed a year with Action Coach Guyana which is an agency that educates, empowers and coaches business owners.
Another challenge was marketing herself. Even though she was always being recommended for projects it was difficult to talk about her achievements. There were also expectations about how a young female entrepreneur should present herself – how she should dress and that she needed to be in the public eye and popular on social media. But every time she bought into one of those beliefs, she lost a piece of her authenticity. In the end, it was self-confidence and her brand that triumphed and today she has no regrets.
Six months ago, she moved into her new office and has a staff of between 15 and 20 persons. Her company has been able to attract more international clientele. She has been reaching her targets and, while it is never easy, the quality of work her company produces is a testament.
If Ms. Lambert were to restart the process, she would not change the course of her journey. It was the many blunders along the way that have brought her to a place where she is self-assured and certain that her company will continue to evolve.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to pursue the dream regardless of how much one has to invest. One should do their research, gather information on their competitors and learn about the regulations and legislation of the land. One should also know what their target audience wants, how they would like it communicated and through what medium they would like to receive the communication.
Ms. Lambert has surpassed the plans she made five years ago. Last year she won two awards; an international award for Market Research Projects and Young Business Executive of the year. In addition to that, her work has been featured on webinar platforms where she has been invited to speak, and she was nominated to be a representative on a global committee for research. Competing with about 7000 other researchers, many who have been working for many years before her, she is humbled by her accomplishments and credits her team.
She has plans to do multi-country studies as well as pursue a master’s degree along the lines of research.
“There will be points in time when in any venture you do, you’re gonna come to a point where you stop and it’s up to you whether it’s just a comma or a full stop. If you come to a point of halt just know that there is a purpose for the break but don’t throw in the towel.”
How did you arrive at the idea for your business?
The idea stemmed from passion. I was in love with Research (moreso data collection) and thought there was a need for more evidence-based decision making for businesses and social policy in Guyana.
What was your key driving force to become an entrepreneur?
More than Research, I saw starting a consultancy was a great platform to employ youth and in general University Students seeking part-time employment.
What is your greatest challenge being an entrepreneur?
Battling Self-Doubt. Before doing anything new, I have to build a barrier to block out negative thoughts. Then I proceed, and 9 out of 10 times- proceeding was the right decision.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
The most satisfying moment is two-fold. It’s when you look back at the year and you realized you created ‘X’ amount of part-time jobs, and when you see your RESEARCH IN ACTION. An example would be a Multinational Corporation expanding to Guyana because the research that was done showed that it was feasible.
What piece of advice would you give to other young people who want to become entrepreneurs?
The advice I would give would be ‘There is Power in Pause’- taken from my friend Ayana McCalman. It’s okay to take a break and realign yourself. Just make sure when you pause, it does not turn into inactivity. You need to start again.
How do you define success?
My definition of success is Peace. It’s the equilibrium of finding the balance with accomplishing your goals in the natural world and having tranquility on the inside.
Who has been your greatest inspiration?
It’s hard to quantify ‘my greatest’ inspiration. Inspiration, for me, comes from multiple sources that always tend to be there at the right time to add the spark that set a flame, the drive I need to move forward. These sparks at any given time come from my Parents, Siblings, Friends, and stories of other Entrepreneurs.
