GCSEN recently completed its first Campus Partnership class at UVI-CELL (University of the Virgin Islands Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning), and we will be sharing with you the amazing stories of our remarkable graduates: Adult entrepreneurs with amazing grit, spirit, and business acumen!
Michele Renee Joshua is one of our star graduates. Michele owns New Horizon Clothing, a fashion boutique she opened in 2004. In 2016, she closed the business due to not one but two Category 5 Hurricanes that devastated the island, Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Showing remarkable determination to hold onto her dream no matter what, Michele found an interim job working as a Health Inspector. She says, “I longed so much for the day that I would reopen my boutique. While working for the government I also kept an opened eye for a new location. I reopened New Horizon Clothing II at our local mall, Tutu Park Mall in 2022.”
When we asked Michele how she decided that running her own business was right for her, she said, “My grandmother was my inspiration. Growing up in her apartment complex, I watched her go to church and spend most of her time taking care of me and my three other sisters. My grandmother had a sewing machine that she used to make us little outfits. I was fascinated and decided that I would open my own business someday.”
She cites GCSEN’s “Great advice, mentoring, one-on-one sessions, that creates motivation, shares vital information, and increases my determination to succeed and achieve success while doing something that you absolutely love that lifts up people and the community” as main benefits of the SE101 class. As for advice for other entrepreneurs, Michele, a woman of faith, adds, “God always sends help.... just believe in God and believe in yourself. Don't let anyone stop you from dreaming and making your dream come true.”
Michele knows that no great entrepreneur can stand still and will always work to achieve more. By 2030, she plans to expand New Horizon Clothing to three locations, providing a great customer service experience for every customer.
Thank you, Michele, for your commitment to learning, and the positive spirit you bring to your community!
For more information about Michele and New Horizon Clothing:
https://www.facebook.com/newhorizonclothingstthomas
https://www.instagram.com/newhorizonclothing
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-joshua
