Andia Elliott, proprietor, Andia’s Bar.
ON a quiet stretch of land in St Elizabeth, Andia’s Bar is greater than only a watering gap; it’s a lifeline. By day, its proprietor Andia Elliot tends to her chickens, farming a chunk of land she inherited from her household. By evening, her bar transforms right into a beacon of exercise, internet hosting group members, native patrons, and partygoers from throughout Jamaica. Nevertheless it’s Andia’s management in one in all Jamaica’s decade-old traditions — the spherical robin — that has turned her modest institution into an financial pressure.
Spherical robins, a mixture of social gathering and a monetary system, have lengthy been a part of Jamaica’s cultural cloth. These occasions, rotating between bar house owners, mix partying with pooled investments, offering a platform for hosts to earn a lump sum whereas boosting their bar’s visibility and income. For Andia, it’s greater than a enterprise mannequin — it’s a community-building mechanism.
“Spherical robins are just like the associate system, however with a celebration twist,” Andia explains. “Everybody contributes, and when it’s your flip to host you get monetary help however you additionally draw a crowd that may double your earnings for the evening. It’s a means of lifting one another up.”
Her signature collection, Campari Highlife, supported by J Wray and Nephew, has grow to be a standout within the spherical robin circuit. Identified for its vibrant ambiance and well-organised occasions, it attracts partygoers from so far as Kingston and Montego Bay, making a ripple impact of financial exercise in St Elizabeth.
The numbers inform the story of why spherical robins matter — not simply to Andia however to the broader group. Every occasion entails the contributions of roughly 30 bar house owners, with hosts receiving a minimal lump sum of $300,000 {dollars}. For a lot of, these payouts fund vital life targets — from dwelling enhancements to small enterprise expansions.
Andia, for instance, reinvests her earnings into her bar and farm, guaranteeing each companies stay viable. “After I host, the earnings assist me restock my bar, preserve my property, and even develop my farming ventures,” she says. “It’s not nearly me — it’s about creating alternatives for others.”
The financial impression extends past the host as spherical robins generate jobs for servers, disc jockeys, and set-up crews, whereas distributors supplying meals, drinks, and decorations see a surge in demand. “After I host an occasion, I rent individuals in the neighborhood,” Andia notes. “And when another person hosts, they typically come again to me for help. It’s a cycle of group help that advantages everybody.”
A resilient businesswoman in a male-dominated trade
Andia’s success as each a bar proprietor and a spherical robin chief stands out in an trade typically dominated by males. Her journey started in 1998 when she opened her first bar on her aunt’s land. After being compelled to relocate in 2009 she rebuilt on a plot inherited from her mom and hasn’t seemed again since.
“This enterprise requires self-discipline,” Andia says. “I run my bar myself as a result of I wish to guarantee every part is finished proper. You must love what you do, however you additionally should be strict. Mixing enterprise with friendship will solely damage you in the long term.”
Managing dangers is one other hallmark of Andia’s strategy. Working a bar might be harmful, particularly at evening, however Andia mitigates these dangers by closing early and punctiliously vetting her prospects. “Bar work is dangerous, however you study to handle,” she says. “I do know my regulars, and if somebody appears off, I don’t promote to them.”
Her sensible, no-nonsense strategy has earned her respect in the neighborhood and impressed different ladies to observe her lead. For Andia, being a girl within the trade isn’t a barrier — it’s a bonus. “We see issues in a different way,” she explains. “We take note of particulars males would possibly overlook.”
The COVID-19 Take a look at
Like many small enterprise house owners, Andia confronted her hardest problem in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. With bars compelled to shut or function beneath strict limitations, she leaned on her farming background to outlive. Elevating chickens offered a gentle, if modest, earnings stream that helped her climate the storm. “COVID was tough,” she recollects. “However I had my farm, and my husband was supportive. That saved us going.”
The pandemic additionally underscored the significance of diversification. At present, Andia balances her bar with farming, guaranteeing that her livelihood isn’t depending on a single supply of earnings. “The bar and the farm work collectively,” she says. “When one slows down, the opposite helps me keep afloat.”
Because the driving pressure behind the Campari Highlife occasions, Andia has remodeled her bar from an area hangout right into a hub of financial and social exercise. However her ambitions don’t cease there. Wanting forward, she hopes to see spherical robins proceed to develop, benefiting not simply bar house owners however total communities.
“The spherical robin isn’t simply concerning the cash — it’s about individuals coming collectively,” she says. “Once we help one another, all of us win.”
For Andia, success isn’t measured by the dimensions of her bar or the crowds at her occasions however by the impression she has on the individuals round her. Her story is a testomony to resilience, ingenuity, and the facility of group — a reminder that even the smallest companies can drive massive change.
