Seeing opportunities where others see failure
Victor Nugent started to live a dream nineteen years ago — he had opened his own business living what he preached, enterprise to serve his fellowmen. Now he is fighting to keep his business going. Mr Nugent is managing director of Nu-SaniKleeners, located at Gully Road in St Ann’s Bay, St Ann. A man who lights up a room with his wit and turns of phrases, Victor Nugent finds himself in a battle that many business people face keeping their business and long-time investment afloat. During an interview with the North Coast Times, Mr Nugent explained that the harsh economic climate facing the country is seriously threatening the continuous operation of the business in which he has been investing for 19 years. During that time, Nu-SaniKleeners had become well known in St Ann, at one stage operating out of three of the major towns — Brown’s Town, St Ann’s Bay and Ocho Rios. “Sad to say I have survived FINSAC through a lot of goodwill withassociates. I was able to hold on until now, but the economic arrangement now with the IMF has dispossessed most of my customers and so we hardly have a business going anymore,” he shared with The Times. Mr. Nugent explained that when he decided to venture into his own business, a feasibility and market survey he did on the industry, showed that there was great demand for a dry cleaner in the parish.
GETTING STARTED
Originally, he decided to set up a plant in Seville and was in the process of doing so, when he came across an advertisement in the newspaper advertising a dry cleaning service for sale.That business was somewhat rundown but “where others saw problems, I saw opportunities,” Mr. Nugent said. He was able to acquire funding to renovate the plant at Gully Road.He opened and move into Nu -SaniKleeners at Gully Road on June 26, 1995 with branches in Brown’s Town and Ocho Rios. As the economy continued to trend downward he was forced to close the Brown’s Town branch and focus his attention on the main plant and the branch in Ocho Rios. Business continued to trend downwards and as the economic situation worsened he closed the Ocho Rios branch in December 2012, merging the staff there with his team at St. Ann’s Bay.
COMMITTED
“The peak of our year is the back –to-school time when the new uniforms come in for steam pressing,” he said, explaining that after that period many customers find it difficult to return until the following year back to school time .”One customer told me that laundry is not on the list of priorities.” Despite the difficulties he continues to offer quality service to his customers for as long as he is able to. A Panamanian by birth, Victor Nugent was educated at Kingston College, CAST (now UTech)and Institute of Management & Production (IMP). He began working with Government in the Ministry of Works before he moved on to the private sector where he spent many years working at several companies in managerial positions including at Guinness Jamaica, Carreras, D&G , CMP and Elite Enterprises. Mr. Nugent who is also a social commentator said he has been advocating through various media for an improvement in the standard of living for Jamaicans. The reason for this is that if the standard of living for the average Jamaica is improved then eventually he would also benefit. Through his business Mr Nugent has helped a number of people and organizations, over the years. He participates in a number of community and civic activities.
Mr Nugent has been married for 39 years to Connie.
