Darcel Kajim-Roach is a mom of two, wife, and the founder of The Business Manager—a consultancy dedicated to helping entrepreneurs do business better. With a background spanning events, brand management, and creative production, she has built a career on turning ideas into structure and vision into strategy. Before launching her own business, Darcel worked as a Brand Manager and helped transform one of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading event production companies into a full-time operation. This experience became the foundation for her work today. Known for her curiosity, thoughtfulness, and resourcefulness, she brings a practical, people-centred approach to business strategy.
The Making of a Modern Entrepreneur
Darcel’s career began in marketing, brand management, and the entertainment industry. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, she joined Oscar Francois Ltd. as a Brand Manager for consumer and beauty care goods.
I started as a hair care brand manager who knew NOTHING about hair, much less relaxers lol. But my willingness to learn developed me into one of their most valued team members.
Over time, she managed multiple brands, creating advertising campaigns and on-premise activations that allowed her creativity to shine. But it was her next career move that would prepare her for entrepreneurship.
Darcel helped transform the organisation into one of Trinidad and Tobago’s leading event production companies. Lending her creative expertise and unique approach to business to their operations.
I assumed a role as a General Manager for Caesar’s Army which helped me learn what are the requirements to run a registered business – from tax schedules, to managing staff and HR challenges, to the importance of team engagement, business strategy and financial planning etc.
This was where Darcel discovered her knack for combining creativity with structure. This balance would become the cornerstone of her work today.
The Pandemic Pivot
When COVID-19 hit, events came to a screeching halt…and so did her full-time role. But where others saw uncertainty, Darcel saw an opportunity.
As the pandemic hit, it was a time when I was already thinking about my future and what I could do for the rest of my life, and this idea was born right at the start, when I found the perfect business planning template that truly helped me figure out how to turn my unique set of skills into a full time business of my own.
At first, she explored Virtual Assistance as an entry point. But she quickly realised she wanted something deeper.
I found a business planning template on Pinterest by a social media personality called @by.rosanna who is also a business educator. She introduced me to the term business education and her template was so relatable that I spent an entire day engrossed in working on this plan – which quickly taught me that virtual assistants were in fact a thing in Trinidad but confirmed it’s not what I wanted to do.
This marked the birth of her business and her new identity as a business educator and consultant.
Building a Brand That Feels Human
When Darcel launched her brand, she knew she wanted to be approachable, not intimidating.
I always knew I wanted to be friendly and approachable. So, even in the way I presented myself on camera, I kept a casual dress code and conversational voice, to encourage people to just talk and ask any question.
Even her brand colours were intentional.
This then led me to search for colour palettes that aligned with this energy which landed me to the yellow that I primarily use which is meant to be bold, energetic, warm, and innovative.
To communicate complex business ideas, she often relies on storytelling and analogies.
My favourite content piece was the puzzle box analogy where anyone can build a puzzle without having the box to see the picture, but won’t it be less difficult and faster if you HAD the picture to know what you were building? That’s what a business plan can do for your business.
Her approachable voice and practical wisdom quickly built trust among her clients.
I established credibility by being a trustworthy voice and usually when I list how many clients I’ve worked with. To date no one has asked me for any credentials.
Five Years In—and Still Figuring It Out
Even five years later, Darcel admits that entrepreneurship is a constant balancing act of learning and unlearning.
I am 5 years in and still learning – do we ever stop? lol I have lots of ideas but I still feel like I’ve only just begun.
Her biggest challenge? Discipline and time management.
Working from home allows you great flexibility but you realllllly have to be disciplined otherwise the work piles up and panic ensues.
Like many entrepreneurs, she also struggles with imposter syndrome and pricing her worth.
I still worry about pricing but what keeps me in check is my debts and mouths to feed otherwise I would probably be giving away all my info for free all the time.
And despite her corporate background, some things didn’t translate easily to entrepreneurship like maintaining email as her primary form of communication.
No matter how I try, people still circulate my personal number and respond to me via WhatsApp with pieces of information. I’ve used the simplest tools like ‘fill in the blank’ Word documents as a means to capture info and it still can be difficult to get clients to submit what I need in a timely manner to get the job done.
What Experience Really Teaches You
Darcel is refreshingly open about her mistakes…and the lessons that came with them.
I got super excited about the name The Business Manager that I excitedly searched the Companies Registry, saw it as available and went ahead to purchase my domain and set up my social media handles etc, only to apply for the registered name and get declined because it was too generic. So, I registered my business under another name which uses TBM as the public facing brand.
After five years in business, she continues to stay grounded in her values and the expertise she’s built, maintaining her credibility by staying within her zone of genius.
There are topics I know are very important to some business owners but because it’s not my area of expertise, I avoid them to not misspeak and lose credibility.
Trusting the Process
Darcel’s journey hasn’t been without self-doubt.
Sometimes I doubted if people even needed people like me when things get quiet but I get reminded when someone pops out of nowhere to book me after they waited a year or more, when they were ready.
There are still moments when she questions her path.
I second-guess this at least once a quarter. I was never a praying person, but now I am and I really just try to trust what is meant for me will be.
And through it all, one thing keeps her going—her clients.
When they tell me how much I’ve helped them and how relieved they are to have my help, it feels great to know that I am serving a purpose and have impact.
If she could go back, she’d do one thing differently:
I would have saved more and started paid consultations a lot earlier lol. I gave away a lotttt of my time & value for free.
Learning, Growing, and Becoming
Darcel’s approach to entrepreneurship is equal parts realism and optimism. Darcel sums up the transition from corporate employee with words of financial wisdom:
There’s usually no sure salary to come every month so be wise in your spending habits. Profit margins don’t equate to money in your pocket. It should be reinvested into the business for growth.
Darcel’s journey is proof that the best things often begin unexpectedly. She didn’t set out to become a business owner. It happened through a mix of curiosity, courage, and a willingness to keep learning, even when the path wasn’t clear. What started as a pandemic pivot slowly transformed into something bigger. It became a purpose rooted in helping others do business better, with more clarity and confidence.
Her story reminds us that entrepreneurship isn’t a straight line. It’s filled with lessons, detours, and moments that test your faith. But through it all, Darcel shows that growth isn’t just about what you know. Entrepreneurship is about becoming a better version of yourself. When you stay curious, stay open, and keep moving forward, even uncertainty can lead you somewhere meaningful.
Key Takeaways from Darcel’s Journey
- Stay curious and adaptable. The more you learn, the more equipped you become to handle whatever business throws your way.
- Know your worth and own it. Confidence in your value is essential.
- Lead with authenticity. People connect with what’s real, not what’s perfect.
- Be disciplined about growth. Reinvest in your business; that’s how you build something sustainable.
- You don’t need to have it all figured out. Start where you are, stay consistent, and trust that each step will make the next one clearer.
About the Becoming the Expert Entrepreneur Series
The Becoming The Expert Entrepreneur series celebrates professionals who are focused on translating their corporate expertise into thriving businesses and impactful brands. Through candid stories of growth, grit, and grace, we explore what it truly means to build from experience and blend strategy with purpose. Each story is a reminder that expertise is not where the journey ends…it’s where it begins.
