SUCCESS doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.
For 47-year old self-made entrepreneur and fashion designer Taina Danford, consistency has been the driving force behind her lifelong passion to contribute meaningfully to the world of fashion.
“I love to do fashion. I love to clothe human beings and to be fashionable,” Danford said.
Hailing from the beautiful highlands of Namosi and raised in Vatuwaqa, Suva, her passion for sewing started early, inspired by her mother who was a talented tailor.
“She was a very good tailor, but she was the same like me, she loved working.
“When she used to do tailoring at home, sometimes she would ask me to hem.
“So, I had that in me, that I loved to stitch garments.”
After attending St Marcellin Primary School and Lomary Secondary School, Danford left school during Form Six and entered the workforce.
She started in the garment and textile industry, where her natural skills and growing interest in fashion helped her build a foundation in sewing and design.
Not one to let circumstances define her, Danford later returned to school through the Matua Program at Nabua Secondary School, a second-chance education initiative for adults who didn’t complete their formal education.
This program pays dividends in the lives of students who could not complete their education in high school, for your information.
She went on to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at USP to strengthen her business acumen while pursuing her passion in fashion.
Eventually, she invested in her first sewing machine and started her small business at the Suva Flea Market, a side hustle that she ran while maintaining a full-time job.
“For the past 12 years, I’ve worked an 8 to 5 job, but I’d wake up at 3am to get my stuff to my stall.
“I’d go to work, then return to the stall after. It was tiring, but it was a sacrifice I made to get to where I am now.”
This year Danford took a significant step forward by enrolling in the Start and Improve Your Business’ training offered by the Ministry of Trade and SMEs, a program she had heard about for years but finally pursued to take her business to the next level.
“I thought to myself, I need to move forward. I can’t be stuck in the same place.”
Now, with the training complete, Danford is preparing to apply for a grant to expand her business, with a clear vision to serve a broader market and eventually offer custom sizing and online ordering.
“I want to cater for people’s needs in fashion, different sizes, colours, styles. I can design, I can cut.
“That’s what’s pushing me forward.”
Through Danford’s Creation, customers can reach her via Facebook, Viber, and other social platforms.
She also distributes business cards from her stall at #1306 at the Flea Market.
“If you have a dream, you have to build on it. Everything is worth a sacrifice. You have to trust your instinct and work on your skills, whatever skills you have. That’s the only way you can be successful.”
