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Pro bono work gives Director of Prime Consulting Pacific purpose
Noellie Garand, the Director of Prime Consulting Pacific, is championing entrepreneurship in Fiji – one business at a time – as a way to give back to her adopted home.
Noellie established management consultancy company Soleya Pte Ltd in Fiji in 2021 and launched its pro bono arm The Soleya Way soon after.
The Soleya Way is built on Noellie’s passion for social entrepreneurship and ensuring her company adheres to the ‘triple bottom line’ model, meaning it places social and environmental interests on par with the prosperity of the company.
“The triple bottom line of Soleya is essential: that is, you make money but along the way you always make sure you make a difference in people’s lives.”
In practice, this means helping emerging business owners get established, through business training sessions and one-on-one mentoring on subjects ranging from how to get a sole tradership registered in Fiji to business management and financial literacy concepts like book keeping and strategic marketing.
Nemani Radrole, a former consultant for Prime (Fiji Dairy Industry Development Initiative; 2016-2020), who has developed his land for ginger exports with Soleya’s assistance, says Noellie has helped him “in ways I couldn’t have never imagined”.
Nemani is working on his farm while also leading the Vunidawa office of the Ministry of Agriculture in Naitasiri Province, a job he started after the completion of his consultancy work for Prime.
Noellie says his achievements fill her with pride.
She also has a strong interest in micro-entrepreneurships run by women, due to the fact that some women, especially rural women, still face difficulties accessing education in Fiji.
“I just try to fill this gap whenever possible.”
With a diploma in innovation management, two master’s degrees: one in policy studies and one in development management and 30 years’ project management experience operating throughout Europe, North Asia, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, she is well-placed to do so.
In 2023, Noellie ran multiple business training sessions for a group of “amazing” market vendors in the Western Division of Viti Levu.
“I moved to Fiji in July 2013 to join my husband and my youngest son, who were already living in Suva. It has been 10 years now and I became a Fijian Citizen in 2020. The pro bono work of Soleya – The Soleya Way – is a way to say thank you to Fiji and give back to the community.”
Above: Noellie (centre) with The Soleya Way business training students in Nadi, Fiji, September 2023.
Noellie says Soleya’s paid work has so far been enough to subsidise its pro bono work; however, she is now getting more requests for help than she can manage.
She is hoping she can secure some additional funding in 2024, through grants or similar, to enable her to help more micro-entrepreneurs.
Noellie says on a personal front, her pro bono work fills her with happiness.
“I just can’t imagine my life without it. It defines who I am. I will be 60 years old next year; sharing and making a difference is more important to me than ever.”
Find out more about The Soleya Way here.
