Share Your Haitian Culture With Others: “Le’w Ayisyen Wa Konprann”

We have many Haitian entrepreneurs and businesses in the states. As they are all offering distinct products and services, they all want to see Haiti thrive and change how the country has been described online. Le’w Ayisyen is a retail online business selling a variety of clothing items with the hope to share the beauty of Haiti with others. Find out more on this interview with Co-founder Clermont Dossous.

Please introduce yourself and your business.

I’m Clermont Dossous, most people know me by Junior. I was born in Haiti and lived there until I was 18 when I moved to the states for University. I am now 29 years old, and I am very thankful and happy to be featured on 4-better. I started Le’w Ayisyen on April 2016 in my apartment from a simple idea. I wanted to create an online retail destination for Haitians. It was a way for me to stay connected with my culture and serve others. My mission is to create a business that will allow me to give back to my country by exposing purposely only the best parts of the country and to work with people on the ground to make an impact. I always wanted to have designs that are relevant and current, but also fashionable.

“Le’w Ayisyen wa konprann!” Are there some particular things Haitian do? Tell us.

The name “Le’w Ayisyen” Simply put is what makes us who we are and what we, as Haitians, can relate to. It comes from a variety of things Haitians have in common: such as our sense of humor, our love for our country, our passion to make Haiti a better place, our music and our sense of fashion.

“We believe that we can make a great impact in our culture is also in making this beautiful country a better place.” Could you elaborate on how we can make Haiti a better place in 2018?

We believe in promoting and depicting Haiti in a positive way, on the internet, and also supporting other Haitian businesses will make an impact. If you do a simple Google search about Haiti, 90% of the pictures and articles you will see are negative, and just really bad. Nothing that comes up would make me want to visit Haiti if I did not know anything else about the country. Haiti is a poor country with a lot of problems, we all know that. However, there are also many parts of the country that are yet to be known or explored to their full potential by visitors.

That’s why our goal is to focus on branding our country by focusing on and sharing more about the beautiful places that get lost in the mix. By supporting Haitian businesses, we support our communities financially and encourage other entrepreneurs to take a chance. The more leaders we have the better it will be for their families, our communities and the future of Haiti.

Many fellow Haitians no longer believe in the works of the non-profit sector in Haiti, what do you think?

I don’t blame them. Because no one really knows where the money goes and no progress to be seen. We decided to work with a small organization “Haiti Awake” that we have a personal relationship with and they give us updates on what they are doing regularly. As we grow as a business, we will be able to do more, work with groups, businesses and individuals who share our values.

We understand the short term needs of the country, but we think focusing on the long term aspect of it is where we will be able to really make lasting and impactful changes. The kids are the future and being in position to help shape the future of the youth in a positive way will have an important impact in this country’s future. Haiti has a lot of unused resources and potential, but with the proper mindset and knowledge, I don’t see how things cannot change.

How does 2018 look thus far for Le’w Ayisyen?

2018 so far has been pretty interesting. We just launched a new category: Swimming Suits, and we also did a major collaboration with Haitian Businesses. We are very excited about that. For the rest of the year we want to focus on improving our designs and connecting more with the Haitian communities in the states as well as in Canada.

What is your marketing strategy for Le’w Ayisyen?

SOCIAL MEDIA! Social media is the key to getting exposure, brand recognition and creating relationships all over the world. We do promotions often such as giveaways, free shipping on your first order for accessories products and 15% off on your first order.

Are there any other businesses in your industry? What makes Le’w Ayisyen different?

There are plenty of other businesses in our industry. There are 3 major things that makes us different. First, our mission is to really promote Haiti and to help better its perception. Second, our designs are not just the Haitian flag on everything we sell. And lastly, we are located in the states, and we are currently really focusing on Haitians outside of Haiti. We want to create a way for those Haitians outside of Haiti to show they are Haitians and feel connected to Haiti with more apparel options than just a Haitian Flag design. We want those Haitians abroad to share their Haitian culture with those who know nothing of Haiti and help change the perception one person at a time. We believe that fun, stylish and eye catchy designs can be a great way to start those conversations.

What are some challenges encountered in your industry?

The challenges are always to create more awareness, get new customers, and launch new products. Because we are an online business, you really have to come up with great products in order for people to spend money because they are buying solely from a photo and they are not able to actually see, touch or try things on. So, the goal is to always have great photo to do the job for us.

Any big plans for the next few years?

Our big plans are to have our products in brick and mortar stores places with high concentrations of Haitians like Florida and New York. We really want to make more tangible differences within Haiti such as starting a school. So we would like to raise $200,000 to start a school in the next few years.

What would be your message to Haitian millennials in Haiti and abroad?

As much as you love your culture and your Haitian friends, go out there and meet other people as well. Get out of your comfort zone so your can learn from others. Do not be afraid to be unique and take calculated risks. The opinion of other people do not have to be your reality. Lastly, profits are better than wages, work to build and grow, not just for a paycheck. And if you truly want to make a difference, take action.

Anything else in particular you would like to share with our readers?

Yes, I would like to tell them to never stop learning. The moment you stop learning, you start dying. Life will kick you. However, with passion and purpose in front of you, it will be worth it at the end. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to visit our website and use coupon code: HAITI on your first order for 15% off. We also would love some feedback and ideas on how can make the site better. Thank You!