By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A NEW limousine bus service is now a reality for two young Grand Bahama entrepreneurs who overcame challenges, trials and mistakes in starting a new business in Freeport.

Custom Made Tours (CMT) opened its doors on March 4, with the potential to provide direct and indirect employment opportunities for over 15 Grand Bahamians during its first phase.

Co-owners of CMT, Nevar Smith and Justan Campbell, invested thousands of dollars acquiring the bus and refurbishing it. They plan to expand over the coming months and years.

“Custom Made Tours will become the most fun and exciting company on the island of Grand Bahama. We have provided the coolest, most tricked out limo bus that this island has ever seen and it can be used for birthday parties, weddings, proms, funerals, church groups just to name a few,” said Mr Smith.

He got the idea for the limo bus service five years ago after going on a limo bus for the first time in New Providence.

“I decided to bring a similar service to Grand Bahama. At the time there were no such buses on the island as far as I was aware and I figured that such a product could do very well here once managed properly,” he said.

Mr Smith got to work on developing a business plan and attracting the resources needed to make it happen. He thought the best approach was getting a few partners together to get the ball rolling, and reached out to his good friend, Mr Campbell about partnering with him.

Mr Smith, 28, said it was one of the best decisions he has made.

“He saw the potential in the idea and said ‘yes’ without much hesitation. I was very happy he agreed to take the plunge with me,” he recalled.

That was in 2012, and Mr Smith said that from then to now their journey has been very trying and rewarding all at the same time.

“Being new entrepreneurs we definitely made our fair share of mistakes and had to learn many hard lessons. At one point we were almost scammed out of $10,000, then we had to endure the pain of being broke; we had to also endure the pain of watching our competitors bring in similar buses like the one we were dreaming of, and see them ride up and down past us every day. We thought that it was very interesting that limo buses and party buses started popping up all around the island shortly after we starting work on trying to get our limo bus on the road from since 2012,” he said.

The young men were not deterred and continued to press on, despite their challenges.

He said that he has been criticised by many in his family and the wider community during the initial stages.

“They wondered ‘why isn’t Nevar working and holding down a job. His parents would have sacrificed much to educate him and it seems like he is just wasting his life and being lazy’,” he said.

Mr Smith said that while it would have appeared that way to outsiders, he was actually working “my butt off over the years to build my dream and do it my way.”

He thanked God and his parents, Lionel and Clarice Smith, for their continued support during the tough process.

“Even though the hard work must now continue in order to stay in business, I have to say that defeating the odds is really a sweet feeling,” he said.

Mr Smith commended the young team of talented Grand Bahamians that have joined him in this venture.