Gooden

Despite difficult economic times there are persons who are still willing to take the risk and start a new business, proving themselves to be true entrepreneurs. At 23, St Mary-born Marvin Gooden is one such person.

Gooden, who now lives in Buckfield, Ocho Rios, St Ann, has taken the huge step from being an employee to being director and CEO of his own business, Marilium Industries, which manufactures wines. And so far, he has no regrets.

Professional butler

"I started the business in October 2008 after I left Sandals Grande Ocho Rios where I worked for three-and-a-half years as a professional butler," said Gooden, who is an associate member of the Guild of Professional English Butlers.

The graduate of Titchfield High School and Runaway Bay HEART Academy is actually continuing a family tradition that saw his grandfather and father making wines.

"I decided to take up the family tradition of wine making. I started out doing my investigations then I decided to make it happen. It's very simple, it's just how you put it together, so once you know what you're doing and you have the ingredients, it's very easy to put together," he explained.

Marilium, a name which Gooden says is derived from a combination of Marvin and millennium, now produces wine-soaked raisins, sorrel wine, ginger wine and the Classic wine.

"I didn't have any name for the classic, it was just a dark wine and so I decided to name it Classic. The ginger is a regular that my family always made but I actually introduced the sorrel one to the family tradition."

So far, sales have been "going great", Gooden explained, saying the public has endorsed his products.

The best on the market

Products manufactured by the company owned and operated by 23-year-old Marvin Gooden.

"The response has been extremely good. People say it's the best they have come across on the market, all of them, in terms of taste and smoothness," he said.

Gooden is now busy trying to get his products to as many outlets as he can. So far, he has over a dozen outlets which include bars, shops, supermarkets and a wholesale, all in St Ann.

He is satisfied with the progress he has made and is confident his business will not just survive, but will do quite well.

"I plan to take the business to the top, straight to the top," declared a confident Gooden.