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1/A few people have been super helpful to me on this entrepreneurship journey, but there have been some key defining moments. I’d like to share one today, this one involves the Stewart Family.
2/On the heels of an amazing launch in 2012, we made the mistake of launching the platform with just Math and English CSEC content. Via all the publicity we received, we got a decent number of people to sign up.
3/We didn’t have much content, and we didn’t have any money to create same, so, we needed a solid partnership or partnerships. I spoke to many organizations, including the Jamaica Observer, they declined.
4/One morning I got a call from @StyleONMW; I didn’t know her at the time. She wanted to do an interview with me. Of course I accepted.
5/Through that interview, I met Butch’s Grandson, Max Jardim. Max and I became close and he ended up serving on our board (he still does), he also eventually became an investor in EduFocal and has given us a lifeline more times than I can count!
6/In that same interview, I mentioned some of our challenges, including wanting to partner with the Observer for content and how we were told no. Novia loved the idea of EduFocal, thought it had promise, and introduced me to the incoming MD at the time, Danville Walker.
7/I pitched to Danville, he loved it & Danville and Novia got Adam to sign off. Adam was vice chair. Novia opened that door and I’ll always be grateful, especially bcs I was discouraged by many, including friends. Many also said they’d support, but they never followed through.
8/It was also around that time that I decided to drop out of UTech, so, of course, my anxiety was through the rough.
9/I pitched to the Observer for content from their learning center for GSAT. In addition to that, we received money, the content and years of marketing that we could never pay for.
10/The Observer/EduFocal partnership launch happened in January 2013 and that win was a big boost for me, especially after being turned down by so many.
11/Through that same network, I met Butch for the first time at the Megamart Mandeville launch. I don’t even know how I ended up there, but I was at the event. I got introduced to Butch and I still remember the day because I was extremely nervous...
12/Of course, prior to that I read about him and in my eyes the man was a legend. I think it was actually Adam who introduced me to him on the day and I said something dumb, probably along the lines of “We share the same first name.” 
13/I think I met him maybe once or twice after that. Those opportunities facilitated through Novia, Adam and others allowed me to grow, build my confidence and a strong network and I’ll always be forever grateful.
14/Without the Observer partnership, we would have probably died. Years later, it turns out that what we were building is actually valuable and makes sense. I’m happy that I met Butch, even briefly, and I’m grateful to have benefited from his work.
15/While my interactions with him were few, I have benefited greatly from a part of his legacy. I want to believe that Adam is a product of his father’s mentorship and guidance, which has, in turn, helped me.
16/Oftentimes Jamaicans would tell me that I have two last names. It was annoying, but long before I met Butch, if I was inclined, I would respond to that comment and share that there is a famous Jamaican whose first name is Gordon, and so it was not two last names.
17/It’s really sad that he’s gone. RIP Butch; my condolences to Adam, Brian, Max and the rest of the Stewart/Jardim family and friends.
