As businesses continue to feel the pinch of COVID-19, smaller operators are having to dig deep to stay afloat.

One small business operator has decided to collaborate on creative, unique products with other SMEs in the hopes of sharing the burden and managing to thrive in light of the pandemic.

Zuber Fiji Creative Director Fuzz Ali says the small businesses have their own concerns and fears during this Pandemic, but they are using their business’s survival story to lift spirits and motivate other creative entrepreneurs.

“Remaining positive in the face of what is a difficult situation and creating something beautiful because psychologically people respond well to beautiful things. Its a well proven fact so we’ve basically just really focused on that, honing in our skill, making sure that our product is more beautiful than before and making sure that the space we are operating out of is more beautiful than before.”

Fashion Designer Ilai Jikoiono says their boutique was born out of collaboration and this is a driving force in their decision to work with other SME’s to keep earning an income and providing employment.

“We realized that it had a ripple effect to inspire the collaboration with Kavara Wood art to create cheese boards for us, coasters, and this further inspired the next collaboration with Alice Hill from Hot Glass to create tumblers and jars that are inspired by our latest Vatu Print and then we continue on to look at other collaborations.”

The recent COVID-19 lockdown has given these young and local entrepreneurs a time to revamp their boutique in collaboration with other artists in the hopes of creating a rippling effect of more support amongst and around other local creative SME’s.