The Foundpreneur Podcast
Stagione 1
She Built a 15-Country Caribbean Brand With Zero Investors — Here's How
The 15-Year Plan That Transformed a Jamaican Boy Into a Caribbean Investment Pioneer
di Stephen Stanberry
Stephen Stanberry sits down with Melesia Adderley — the founder of Women's Haven and the first female Caribbean-owned organic feminine care brand in the region. Melesia built across 15 countries. With zero investors. From the Cayman Islands. This episode covers the origin, the near-collapse, and the decisions that made Women's Haven what it is today. Plus questions submitted directly by the Foundpreneur community. 3 quick take aways. One — the gap is the opportunity. Melesia didn't invent the concept of organic feminine care. She identified that the Caribbean had been excluded from it entirely and decided to close that gap herself. Every Caribbean founder has a version of that gap sitting right in front of them. Two — zero investors is not a limitation. It is a decision. Melesia has built a 15-country brand on her own terms because she chose to control the build. Funding shapes everything — including who you answer to. Three — distribution is the real product. Getting the product right was step one. Getting it into 100-plus stores across 15 different Caribbean markets — different regulations, different buyers, different retail cultures — that was the actual build. Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review where ever you listen your podcast it helps more Caribbean stories reach more people. Or send us a message at hello@foundpreneur.co Subscribe to The Foundpreneur Weekly — foundpreneur.co Follow Stephen across social: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube Follow Foundpreneur across social: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube Connect with Melesia Adderley: Instagram — @MrsAdderley Shop Women's Haven — womenshaven.com
In this episode, David Mullings shares his journey from a disciplined childhood in Jamaica to becoming a pioneering investor in Caribbean markets. He discusses the importance of failure, strategic investment in emerging markets, and the vision behind Blue Mahoe Capital to transform Caribbean investment opportunities. In this episode, David Mullings shares insights on Caribbean entrepreneurship, investment strategies, and the vision for Jamaica's future, emphasizing the importance of unity, innovation, and strategic thinking. David Mullings' 15-year life plan in Jamaica Lessons learned from entrepreneurial failures The creation and impact of Blue Mahoe Capital SEC qualification to raise capital for Caribbean investments The importance of storytelling and transparency in business Building a regulated, transparent investment vehicle for the Caribbean The role of culture and diaspora in Caribbean investment Overcoming regulatory challenges in financial markets The vision of making the Caribbean the Singapore of the Western Hemisphere Lessons for Caribbean founders building first-of-its-kind ventures Caribbean infrastructure gap and investment opportunities Raising capital as a Caribbean founder Cultural industries as economic drivers The Singapore-Jamaica comparison and lessons learned Unity and collaboration in the Caribbean Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review where ever you listen your podcast it helps more Caribbean stories reach more people. Or send us a message at hello@foundpreneur.co Subscribe to The Foundpreneur Weekly — foundpreneur.co Follow Stephen across social: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube Follow Foundpreneur across social: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube Connect with David: www.davidmullings.com www.bluemahoeholdings.com www.bluemahoecapital.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmullings Twitter - https://twitter.com/davidmullings
The Caribbean has produced some of the most remarkable founders on the planet. But you'd never know it from the coverage. The Foundpreneur Podcast is a weekly show hosted by Caribbean journalist and media founder Stephen Stanberry. Every Monday we sit down with Caribbean and diaspora founders building businesses that matter breaking down the revenue models, the market entry strategies, the decisions that almost killed the business, and the ones that saved it. Plus the strategies and lessons you can steal. And use in your own build right now. New episodes every Monday. Subscribe to The Foundpreneur Weekly — our free Thursday newsletter covering the Caribbean founder economy: foundpreneur.co Connect with Foundpreneur: On Instagram On LinkedIn On YouTube @Foundpreneur on all platforms Thanks for listening. New episodes every Monday.