Teacher turns entrepreneur at 48
"For years I have been trying to get into the know-how of doing business and to know and learn that. It was a great opportunity," she said.
Tuesday 27 May 2025 | 04:53
Savita Devi received a $5000 business grant during the handover ceremony at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on May 26, 2025.
Kaneta Naimatau
Former St Joseph’s Secondary School teacher Savita Devi, 48, has proven that age is no barrier to following entrepreneurial dreams.
She received a $5000 business grant yesterday to launch her tailoring business.
The mother of two from Nakasi, Nasinu was among 21 tertiary graduates who received funding under the Graduate Business Start-Up Grant Scheme at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.
Ms Devi, who taught at several schools including Assembly of God and Nabua Secondary, identified a gap in her community that sparked her business idea.
“We found that there is lack of tailors in certain areas, especially the place where I stay: I live in Nakasi so we hardly find tailors there,” Ms Devi said.
Her innovative business model, called Mimshack Investment, aims to create a tailoring hub where seamstresses can connect and share customers when overloaded with work.
“My business model is that I want to create a hub where tailors can connect and when we have customers, if one tailor can’t do it, they can connect to the other tailor.”
The venture includes an online platform allowing tailors to refer clients to each other with commission incentives, addressing the common problem of busy tailors being unable to meet demand. Ms Devi has a daughter with special needs.
“I want to establish a business so that she can also run the business,” Ms Devi said.
For years I have been trying to get into the know-how of doing business and to know and learn that. It was a great opportunity.
Savita Devi
The grant will help her buy equipment including overlock machines and establish a solid foundation for growth.
For Ms Devi, the training provided through the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service and Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation partnership was transformative.
“For years I have been trying to get into the know-how of doing business and to know and learn that. It was a great opportunity,” she said.
Her advice to other women considering entrepreneurship is clear: “Age is not a barrier. Anytime you are ready, you should start your business.”
Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj
