December 2016 | Business View Caribbean

70 71 and I’m extremely blessed in that regard,” he avers. “At every level - my managers, my super- visors, my rank and file employees -bring an expertise and loyalty, and buy into the overall con- cept that if the business does well, by extension, they do well.” Looking toward the future,Abed lays out several initiatives.“We currently have a presence on the WorldWide Web, but not enough of a presence where we’re selling,”he states.“As of 2017,we intend to be more robust in that market and start selling online. I don’t need to tell you what a large percentage of retail sales are on the internet.We can’t ignore that any longer.Our consumers are electronic-savvy; they’re all consuming on the net, 24 hours a day.We understand that we need to have a presence, so we’re moving rapidly. By the fourth quarter of 2017, not only will we have a presence on the net,we will sell on the net.With- in five years, I’d like e-sales to contribute to overall revenue by at least 10 percent; I’ve been informed that that is very realistic.” “In the medium term,within 24-30months,we hope to have another large department store in the Warrens/Welches area,which is the newest com- mercial center in Barbados,”Abed continues.“All of the major highways in the country intersect there. It has been growing exponentially over the last 15 years, and every study we do tells us that our customer base wants us to be there. So,we will be putting down a sizable store there, somewhere in the 10-12 thousand square foot range.” S. ABED & COMPANY LTD. PREFERRED VENDORS n K.W. Professional Cleaning Services www.kwprofessionalcleaning.com K.W. Professional Cleaning Services, established in 2003, specializes in quality cleaning and maintenance of businesses, commercial, and residential properties, such as offices, financial institutions, daycare centers, medical facilities, schools, churches, and private residences. Some of its services include: sweeping; mopping; vacuuming; floor and carpet cleaning; dusting for blinds, windows and ceiling fans; complete interior glass cleaning; steam cleaning of carpets, upholstery, mattresses, and drapes; air duct cleaning; trash removal; pressure washing and antifungal treatment of exterior of buildings, drive ways, roofs, and pavements; spot cleaning; and trash removal. n M.E. Murrell & Co. murrell1965@gmail.com n CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers www.cgmgallagher.com “Finally,within ten years,we would like to go public and start increasing our footprint across the Caribbean,”he adds.“We feel if we had a franchise type arrangement where we bring to bear a large variety of what we do to some of the other Caribbean islands, it will give us a much larger revenue share.We’re not rein- venting the wheel, but we understand what is being done in the marketplace and we feel that that’s where we need to be.” Even after 35 years in the trade, EddyAbed still displays a fervent enthusiasm for the enterprise that his parents began over half a century ago. “My parents started this business with a passion– a mom-and-pop employing 1-2 persons,” he declares. “Today we employ 120.What got us here is their passion, their vision. They grew a business to the point that it became a household name in this country.” Passion– it’s abed’s cutting edge.