Chasing dreams - God-fearing entrepreneur crafts success one slipper at a time

Just three days before stepping on to the stage at the Miss Threadways competition, 19-year-old Mishauntah Al-Asad came frighteningly close to never making it there at all.

On her way home with friends, their car was involved in a crash in the Ewarton area of St Catherine that had occupants of the vehicle shaken up. Al-Asad, though in pain, refused to let the near tragedy derail her dream.

"I remember everything and it really traumatised me," she told THE STAR. "I am so thankful I made it out alive."

Motor vehicle crashes have been a major contributor to deaths on the island. According to the Island Traffic Authority's data, 241 lives have been lost in road crashes across Jamaica between the start of the year and last Friday. Hundreds of persons have also been injured as a result of crashes.

Al-Asad was among those who escaped serious injuries. Having walked away from the site of the crash, she had to make the decision about whether to walk away from her hometown pageant. Instead of bowing out, she dug deep.

"Knowing that I had the competition, I decided I wasn't going to just stay home and be in pain," she decided.

"I didn't want any sense of pity out of it. I used it to motivate me," she told THE STAR.

Shaken but unbroken, the teen stepped on to the stage on Independence Day, in heels, with an aching back and a throbbing foot. No one in the audience knew her struggle. When the results were announced, she walked away with the crown.

"God gave me a second chance. Why am I going to be afraid? I just went up there and did everything I studied," she said.

That victory became more than a title - it was proof of her resilience.

"I loved how fearless I was. It changed so much perspectives for me now to the point where I'm fearless in everything else," she said.

But it was not the first time that Al-Asad was putting her determination on show. A young entrepreneur, she has been focused on growing her crochet fashion business, Sunaan.

The idea for the business came after she saw a picture and video on TikTok and decided that she could transform inexpensive slippers into dazzling works of art. Without any knowledge on how to make it work, Al-Asad told herself said to herself, "'I'm going to try this."

"I used the last of my savings to buy materials, made my first pair, and when I posted it online - it went viral," she said.

From there, her creativity took flight. She began adding charms, gems, and even invented her own crochet designs, often crafting pieces on impulse without sketches.

"So many times I don't even charge them for certain things like charms. If I feel like I want to give an extra, I'll just decorate it and they'll say, 'How did you know I wanted that?' and I tell them - I just felt it. It's my thank you for shopping with me."

Although she only picked up crocheting last summer, Sunaan is already blossoming into a lucrative brand. Al-Asad envisions becoming a chef and opening a store with a mini cafe, where shoppers can design their slippers while sipping coffee or enjoying desserts.

And you can bet on it becoming a reality.

"Anything I have a dream of doing, I will continue doing it. It doesn't matter what, I'm going to push towards it. Believe me," she said.

Her advice to other young women is: "Don't let what people think of you define you. Nobody knows you like you know yourself. Chase your dreams, even if you only have a small amount of money to start - and stay God centred."