Primed for Success Volume 3

Camille admits that she was able to overcome some of her challenges through networking. In fact, she acknowledges this as one of biggest lessons she has learnt in building her company. “In the initial stages, I never did that because I am innately shy. But when I started to network I realized that there was so much value in doing so because of the opportunities that were now opening up for me and my company.” The pioneering businesswoman also understands the importance of strong relationships. As such is the case with her business partner Jason Lindsay. “Jason has been very instrumental is taking Full Circle on a new level with his innovative ideas. He joined the company in 2012 and now he is the Managing Director.” Camille believes the value of being authentic is also central. Stating that it was important to recognise that she was serving an international audience, and to become truly global it was sometimes necessary to compromise in order to meet the market demand. “I remember dropping my price for my first client. It was a lot of work but I wanted to get my name and my product out there so I purposely did what I needed to market myself. And today, the project is a major success, so it was worth the sacrifice.” In addition to establishing Full Circle, Camille is also the founder of the annual Animae Caribe Animation and New Media Festival, the Caribbean’s first animation festival. Now in its 13th year, Animae Caribe is the largest animation film network with a regional coverage in the Caribbean. “Animae Caribe was founded to raise the awareness of animation and technology in the region. It provides an outlet for young, innovative animators in the Caribbean and exposes their talents to a wider audience.” For Camille, entering new markets is high on her agenda of plans for Full Circle. She believes that in order to do this successfully, she first needs to boost her visibility globally. “I am a big believer in social media, but I think its potential is very underestimated in the region. Having a fantastic website is also critical in this business, but above all else my company is me, so I use my reputation to market the studio. My reputation is based on the work I do in developing the animation sector, so I think I have a good start.” An opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge and experience about the demands of international markets came when Full Circle was selected to attend a Study Tour to Europe with support from the Caribbean Export Development Agency.

The Study Tour was a part of the Agency’s engagement of Europe in 2012, which saw regional firms participating in a number of initiatives with the aim of identifying business and ultimately inculcating an understanding of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement. “The Tour exposed me to new markets and networks. I was able to negotiate an animation production test for Xilam Studios in Paris, which has the potential to lead to further work. Full Circle is also in collaborations with Studio Jay Recording, another tour participant, so I would say the initiative was a success.” In addition to contributing to her own success, Camille credits Caribbean Export with exposing the animation sector as a valuable asset and viable economic generator for the region. “The Agency has provided a lot of support to the sector, now the world has a chance to see what the Caribbean could produce and how talented we are as a group.” In the short term, Camille wants to increase her staff complement, as she is currently in collaboration with

www.carib-export.com

Primed for Success / Vol. 3 / 2014-2015

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