Cyniqua Anderson picked a tough time to launch her business, Just Dreams Events.

Almost as soon as she launched a venue space at Southside, St David’s, in February 2021 a stay-at-home order followed.

When she finally launched in June of that year, business was slow.

“It was not at all easy,” Ms Anderson said. “I did not have a huge financial backing. It was just me. I was doing everything out of pocket.”

Now, Ms Anderson is facing her busiest summer ever. Reservations for weddings, parties and summer camps keep coming. People are ready to party.

However, Ms Anderson said small businesses like her own are still feeling the pandemic fallout.

“In some ways it is more difficult now than it was at the height of Covid-19,” Ms Anderson said.

“When I started in February 2021, lenders and utility providers gave you some leniency on certain things,” she said. “Now, they do not, but many small businesses are still financially in disrepair as a result of Covid-19. Financially, we are still not in a good place. We are still working at a deficit.”

But she is soldiering on.

Opening when she did taught her to be more resourceful and think differently.

“I have been making greater strides to manage my finances better,” she said.

There were definitely times when she had her doubts about keeping the business going.

“I had periods where I asked myself was this business the best decision I could have made,” she said. “But, I had faith and I knew where I wanted to be. I am very much an ‘I’ll figure it out’ person.”

Her event space at Southside is located in an old racket ball court building behind the Bermuda Gymnastics Association.

After taking it over, she installed hardwood floors, painted, added French doors, and upgraded the outdoor landscape.

When she first went into operation there was no bathroom and she had to hire a portable toilet to put outside.

The Bermuda Land Development Corporation has now added a bathroom.

“I have plans to put a fence outside by the end of the summer,” she said. “I also want to upgrade the kitchen facility.”

Because people are a little more frugal these days she is offering different packages to rent the space.

She can do the decorating for the client, or they can bring in their own decorator, or do it themselves.

“We also have linen table runners and backdrops we offer as packages included with the space,” she said.

The space can be rented out for everything from summer camps and workshops to weddings, vendor markets and birthday parties.

“For the most part weekends are our busiest days,” she said. “It is $150 per hour on weekends, and is half price to rent the space Monday to Thursday. There are tables. It is air-conditioned and we have a 52 inch television and a projector available for use.”

There is also a bar that can be moved in or out of the space. “The space is very versatile,” she said.