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Meet a Naybaz Partner
Feisty and full of energy, Marleni Itza is a proud Naybaz Partner. Her store, located at No. 43 New Road in Belize City, boasts a constant stream of customers shouting their orders – “Four Stouts,” “One Apple Juce,” “Eight beers!” During our interview, we are interrupted several times, but Ms. Marleni takes it all in stride.
Since taking over the location from the previous Naybaz Partner in March 2021, she has made it her own. She clearly enjoys the interactions with the people from the neighbourhood who also gravitate toward her. In her straightforward manner, she recounts how she approached the property owner when she realized that the Naybaz Store was sporting a “vacancy” sign only a couple of months after initially opening for business. She met with Naybaz Store Manager – Central, Troy Gabb, who explained the partnership, and despite feeling overloaded with information, she decided to take on the challenge.
While her first month at the Naybaz location was slow, Ms. Marleni quickly learned and requested products that her customers demanded. As the Naybaz product portfolio has expanded, so has the variety in her store. With the support of the Naybaz Team, she is planning to expand further and grow her business, or even take on a second Store.
Ms. Marleni explains that she has always worked hard to support her family as a single mother of four children. Her childhood spent with her father in their store on Orange Street certainly prepared her for the retail business. In addition, various other jobs over the years gained her experience dealing with customers who can sometimes be difficult.
As customers come and go, it is easy to see they have a great rapport with Ms. Marleni. She jokes with them, comments on upcoming birthdays, and knows their preferences regarding their purchases. As Ms. Marleni puts it, the store is a “blessing” for her. She had not been working since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the store and the constant “busyness” have allowed her to earn a good living, be independent, and occupy her days doing something she loves. Her business acumen becomes evident as she explains her creative ways to get customers to try new products and even considers how she dresses to be more relatable to the people in her neighbourhood.
She still faces some challenges, such as keeping her store stocked with faster selling items due to the logistical issues caused by COVID-19. Also, finding space to store her goods as the business continues to grow and the ever-present gang activity in the area are causes for concern. Still, nothing has dampened her enthusiasm at having something to call her own and the satisfaction of knowing that she is a vital part of her neighbourhood.