Our Story Through an Unprecedented Time - How a Global Health Crisis Shaped Very Exciting Things Ltd.

The past few years during and after the Pandemic have been difficult for many, and it’s understandable that most people prefer not to revisit that period.

For Very Exciting Things Ltd. (VET), however, that time remains one of the most defining chapters in our journey, one that reshaped how we operate, how we care for our people, and how we think about the future.

Based in Trinidad & Tobago, VET is a Caribbean-focused promotional products and advertising specialties company with a team of approximately 95 employees. We serve banks, insurance companies, government agencies, manufacturers, multinational organisations, and NGOs across the region.

Before the Pandemic: A Year of Record Growth

At the start of 2020, VET had just completed its strongest year of sales to date.The company was financially stable, well-capitalised, and preparing major overseas supplier orders to support continued local and regional growth. Customer demand was strong, systems were in place, and the outlook was exceptionally positive.

An Abrupt Change in the Business Landscape

When the global health crisis emerged, the business environment changed almost overnight.Within weeks, sales slowed to a near standstill.

As a company closely connected to events, promotions, and corporate activity, our core market paused—without clarity on when normal operations might resume. Like many organisations worldwide, we faced difficult and deeply human questions:

• How do we protect jobs when revenue suddenly disappears?

• How do we operate responsibly amid extreme uncertainty?

• How do we remain fair to employees, suppliers, and customers during a crisis?

Putting People First

Because we had not yet committed funds to overseas orders, VET was able to rely on existing reserves to:

• Continue paying salaries during the early months

• Retain over 90% of our team in full-time employment

• Maintain open, honest, and frequent communication with staff

Our belief has always been that all stakeholders should benefit from what we do. This period tested that philosophy—and reinforced its importance.

Adapting to Support Urgent Needs

As market priorities shifted, we adapted quickly to support what organisations urgently required at the time, including:

• Face masks and sanitising products

• Acrylic shields and temperature-screening equipment

• Workplace health and safety solutions

By leveraging our sourcing expertise and operational agility, we stabilised the business, restored full pay across the team, and avoided ongoing losses.

Strengthening the Foundation

That period also allowed us to strengthen the fundamentals of the business:

• Collected outstanding receivables

• Reduced slow-moving inventory to near zero

• Operated primarily from existing stock, minimising cash outflows

• Closed the year at break-even despite extraordinary conditions

  
  

The experience demanded discipline, efficiency, and sharper decision-making—lessons that continue to serve us today.

A Lasting Shift: Flexible Work

One of the most enduring changes was our adoption of a hybrid work model:

• Roles requiring physical presence remained on-site

• Many team members now work remotely two to three days per week

• An estimated 2,000+ commuting and preparation hours are saved weekly and redirected into productivity and quality of life

  
  

This shift has meaningfully improved employee wellbeing, efficiency, and retention.

Building for the Future

In the years since, Very Exciting Things has continued to invest in long-term growth:

• Launched an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), with share values doubling since inception

• Implemented Oracle NetSuite to modernise finance and operations

• Purchased land to support a future warehouse and office facility

• Invested heavily in new and upgraded decorating equipment

• Expanded our stocked product range while reducing cost of goods

What Defines Us Today

We continue to be guided by:

• Fairness and transparency

• Professionalism and accountability

• Long-term thinking over short-term gain

  
  

This approach has resulted in near-zero employee turnover—one of our proudest achievements.

Looking Back, and Moving Forward

That period was unsettling, uncertain, and deeply challenging for many.For Very Exciting Things Ltd., it also strengthened our resilience, sharpened our operations, and reaffirmed our commitment to people. Those lessons continue to shape how we serve our customers, support our team, and build responsibly for the future.