Fashion entrepreneur turned logistics operator Ashaka King says Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy and oil-driven transformation pushed her to rethink her career path, leading her from styling and fashion into trucking, contracting and waste management.
King shared her story during the latest episode of Well to We, where she reflected on pivoting industries, identifying new opportunities and building a business in sectors tied to Guyana’s booming development.
Known by many Guyanese as “Miss Pieces and Things” for her fashion work and styling business, King said she eventually realised she needed to align her ambitions with the direction of the country’s economy.
“I realised that to go where I wanted to go, I needed to pivot into a market that is supported by where the economy is going,” she explained.
After returning to school to study business management in the fashion industry, King said she began looking beyond fashion and into sectors experiencing rapid growth because of Guyana’s economic expansion.
“The year was 2023 and I sought procurement,” she explained. “If I was buying clothes for Guyana, I could buy things for a market that already exists.”
Her first opportunity came through a procurement contract supplying items for the Ministry of Education. From there, she expanded into other government-related work, including waste management and haulage services.
“This fashion girl was given an opportunity to literally pick up garbage on the street,” she said with a laugh. “That became something continuous because I did a good job, and I saved my money and then I invested.”
Today, King says her company - King's Logistics - offers delivery services, business-to-business logistics, waste management, haulage, consultancy and property management services. She also now owns multiple trucks operating across Guyana.
While she believes opportunities always existed, King said the oil and gas sector made many industries more visible and profitable.
“The opportunities were always available, but they became glaring,” she said. “It was a flashing light that this is a field that is lucrative.”
She described her business as a “spin-off industry” benefiting from the country’s broader economic boom, particularly increased construction and housing development.
“There’s a whole lot of construction waste that we carry, and that’s because of the expansive housing drive,” King noted.
Though only about three years into the business, King says she has already moved beyond the startup phase and is encouraging young Guyanese to take risks and pursue opportunities, even if they look different from what they originally imagined.
“Just go for it,” she urged. “You really need to get away from that fear of failure.”
King also encouraged young people to start wherever opportunities exist and build from there.
“If you’re a cook and somebody tells you to go clean a gutter job, go andclean your gutter job,” she said. “Take that money and build upon it. Itdoesn’t really matter where you start. It’s where you’re going to go.”
She also welcomed government initiatives aimed at helping small businesses access financing, saying easier access to capital could help entrepreneurs expand more quickly.
“Three million dollars no interest is a steal,” King remarked, adding that additional financing could allow her to purchase another truck for her growing operation.
For King, the transition from fashion to logistics was not about abandoning one dream for another, but recognising where new possibilities were emerging in a transforming Guyana.
“Opportunity may not look like what you’re used to,” she said. “But if youdon’t have a ticket, you don’t have a chance.”
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