The Spice Impresario
Age: 32
Hometown: Bridgetown, Barbados
Everyone needs a little zing in their lives, whether indulging in a decadent spicy dish or a luxe designer outfit. Whatever your heart desires, Bridgetown native Teneille Cho has got you covered at both ends, as a talented Savannah College of Art & Design-trained fashion designer and Director Operations for the family-own spice purveyor, the Miami-based Spices USA Inc.
Started in 1993 by her father Edwin Cho and mother Pamela ChoFooklun, Spices USA has grown into a major distributor of spices from around the world, from Sri Lanka to El Salvador. But, true to its Caribbean roots, the company happily specializes in Caribbean flavors, including your favorite spice mixes for curry powder and oxtail seasoning.
Developing her family’s work as the company expands has been both “enriching and enlightening,” says Cho. “I’ve grown so much as a person and a business woman. People go to college for knowledge in business, but nothing can compare to what is learned by actually being in this environment. At Spices USA, each situation teaches me how to think outside the box.”
The experience, believes Cho, will prove invaluable as she plans to “own and operate my own designer swimwear line in the future,” combining her creative interests with sound business principles.
“Fashion has been a passion of mine since high school,” says Cho. “Working with Spices USA Inc. has taught me and continues to teach me the work and dedication needed to start and run a successful company.”
And though her father may not deal with haute couture, Cho says by far “he’s my first and most direct influence. He has shown me that there is no limit to what you can achieve. He is a very innovative and forward-thinking individual who teaches me to be strong-minded and direct. To go for whatever your goals may be and strive to always be the best at everything I do.”
Whether with spices or with fabric, the Caribbean style will be all the more delicious through Cho’s well-trained eyes.
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