WHEN the COVID-19 pandemic brought Fiji’s aviation industry to a standstill in 2020, Mili Naituyaga faced the sudden loss of a career she had dedicated 30 years to building.
But the Nadroga-born businesswoman refused to let the setback define her future.
Instead, she returned to her roots in Sigatoka, rolled up her sleeves and began selling $10 lunch plates to banks and government offices.
That humble beginning laid the foundation for Nadro Events Solutions, a catering and events planning business that now employs more than 25 people.
An alumnus of Leadership Fiji’s 2013 cohort, Mili shared her journey during the organisation’s final Leader’s Lounge event in Nasese, Suva, reflecting on how resilience, faith and leadership helped her navigate one of the most difficult periods of her life.
Before joining Air Pacific, now Fiji Airways, in 1990, she worked as a dive master and instructor at Shangri-La on the Coral Coast.
Her aviation career came to an abrupt end when the pandemic led to widespread job losses.
“I told my friend, come here, sit down, we just need to pray. You need to be strong,” she recalled of comforting a former colleague who had also lost his job.
Within days, she was taking lunch orders around Sigatoka, determined to find a way forward.
Her business journey later brought further opportunities, including recognition as the most improved businesswoman in the Asia-Pacific through her participation in business development programmes.
Mili credited Leadership Fiji with strengthening her confidence and broadening her understanding of leadership, including areas such as agriculture that were previously unfamiliar to her.
Today, her business serves clients across the Western Division and Suva, with events taking her to different parts of Fiji.
The journey from airline employee to entrepreneur is a reminder that even when circumstances change overnight, determination and a willingness to start small can open the door to new possibilities.More in the Saturday’s edition of The Fiji Times.
