Taking an employee’s experience and becoming an employer is the best way to start a business says Sunia Tubuna.
Mr Tubuna who is heading the Niurua Creative is vying for the Ministry of Youth and Sports Youth Entrepreneur Award at the 2015 Westpac Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year award.
Niurua Creative is a graphic design, general printing and screen printing company.
Mr Tubuna said: “Through my experience as an employee in the different companies and institution for the last 12 years inspired me.
“I worked in various companies before and I have seen how they have progressed and I have learned through their strength and also flaws. I finally decided to start my own design and printing business.”

Growth
Niurua Creative has been in operation for only five months thus they have seen the growth and the success of the business.
“As of to date we have made partners with local communities, local schools, companies, financial institution, some government agencies and international agencies,” he said
These include corporate customers such as Café 30, Neptune Shipping, Fiji Development Bank, Kartika Construction, Kontiki Finance, Moana Apartment, Raiwaqa Bakery, HMT Company, Housing Authority, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and Ministry of Youth and Sports (UNFPA Project), South Pacific Commission (SPC- EDD) and the University of the South Pacific – Student Academic Services Unit.
Mr Tubuna explained when the company started they were printing for family but today it has brunch out to secured clients.

Challenges Niurua Creative is still facing some challenges of operating due to financial instability in the company.
“I had not applied for bank loan, I had to start my business with whatever money I had as my capital,” he added.
“At the moment, I am trying to build up on my capital by investing more into the business bank account and also to regenerate income to pay my three casual employees but have not been able to set a fixed income for myself as a business owner.”

Future
Niurua Creative plans to invest in purchasing some plant and machinery for the business.
This is a larger format printer and T-Shirt Digital printer to enhance the productivity and performance of the business.
Mr Tubuna said there is a lot of talent out there in this field but many a times it is not recognised.
“The main objective of the business is to provide employment to the young people of my village who have dropped out of school and have not found proper employment,” he explained.
“In a way it is an opportunity for these young people to show case and develop the skills and talent that they have in them.”
Mr Tubuna has only just started his business however, he believes his work speaks for itself in a short time and has taken up to apply for the awards.
The 2015 Westpac Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year award will be held at the Sheraton Convention Centre on Denarau Island this Saturday.