Lauralee Bidaisee creates her own tribe
BAVINA SOOKDEO
“Follow your passion…you never know where it can take you. You can start small, but the most important thing is to start. Even if you’re scared, start because fear is the difference between where we are and where we could be.”
That is Lauralee Bidaisee’s advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs.
At 21, Bidaisee is the head of Tribe U – a branch of Tribe that caters for the young adult market and hosts various high-quality events geared to this market. The aim of Tribe U is to bring in youth to the Tribe Group as well as keep the entertainment industry vibrant for years to come.
Bidaisee is doing a bachelor’s degree in management studies at UWI, St Augustine, – a trajectory that wasn’t initially mapped out for her life.
“From form four to upper six, I pursued all business subjects, not knowing that business would become a major part of my life. Business subjects always came naturally to me and I learned many valuable skill sets from those studies. However, since I could remember, I always thought that I would pursue a career in law and eventually become a lawyer.”
In 2021 she applied to UWI, Cave Hill, to do law (for which she was accepted), as well as the UWI, St Augustine, to do a BSc in management studies, which was supposed to be her back-up plan.
“A few weeks before I was supposed to accept my offer for law at Cave Hill, I had a change of heart, which came as a surprise to many family members,” she laughed. “I just felt as though I was meant to do something I was more connected to, so I decided to continue my pursuit of business studies at UWI, St Augustine, that year. I had no idea where this was going to take me, but I followed my heart.
"I am currently in the final year of my BSc programme.”
From a young age, Bidaisee’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident. At 14, she organised her inaugural event sparked by a casual conversation with her brother, Jordan. Lights Out was an event hosted for young adults during 2017-2018. This event allowed the youth to party in a safe and secure environment and was the only one of its nature that catered to this demographic.
The triumph of this event uncovered her natural aptitude for event management and marketing.
“After we launched Lights Out, I had to figure out the fundamentals of event management and marketing very quickly, as the event was less than a month away...
"Somehow, I remember just knowing what to do from the start, from how to communicate with my committee, which also consisted of other young people, accounting for expenses, security, booking staff and DJs as well as marketing. I instinctively had a knack for organising and knowing what people wanted and tried to create a memorable experience.
"These are skills that are not taught in school and I had to lean heavily on my parents for their guidance. This is when I knew I had it innately in me.”
A year after Lights Out, Bidaisee was certain she wanted to be in the entertainment industry but she didn't know what was her next move.
“Based on my past success with my young demographic, I reached out to Harts Carnival. I was fortunate to be given an opportunity to share my ideas with the senior managers and discuss the possibility of doing events with their support.
“Over the course of a year, I hosted a few events for young adults with Harts. The experience with Harts signified my growth and steady climb in the industry. It was my first experience working with respected adults within the industry from whom I was able to learn many skills. I was and still am inspired by Solange Govia, an outstanding designer and now the chief operations manager at Tribe. She is a phenomenal woman who has made it far in the industry and never fails to share her guidance when needed.”
The onset of the pandemic prompted Bidaisee to pause her bustling event-planning routine, offering a time for reflection. The hiatus made her question her place in the fast-paced industry, yet the longing for creating memorable experiences drew her back.
“From when I started hosting events, I always had a passion for creating an experience for the youth of Trinidad and Tobago and providing events of high quality and standard.
"As a young event-goer myself I always noticed there were very few event brands which focused solely on the youth and providing them with this experience.
"When it was announced that the covid19 lockdown was to end and events were to resume, I knew I needed to address this void in the market.
A few years earlier, Tribe had started the Tribe U committee, in an attempt to attract a younger market. She secured a meeting with Tribe and in 2022, Tribe U started to host events catering to this demographic.
“I am privileged to be part of the planning, marketing and execution.
“As a matter of fact, it was always a dream of mine to be part of this dynamic and successful entity. So you can say I am living part of my dream!”
As one of the heads of Tribe U she has taken on many roles and is grateful to work alongside the Tribe management team. Her roles include conceptualising the events for Tribe U, presenting the marketing plans and overseeing the media rollout and of course being part of the execution team.
“There have been learning curves for me, and all of this challenged me to become more knowledgeable as far as staging events is concerned.”
Her creative prowess extended beyond events as she ventured into designing her Monday wear line, LLBEACH, for Carnival 2024. This endeavour, challenging her comfort zone, gave her a newfound appreciation for design. LLBEACH is Bidaisee’s personal Monday Wear Line available for purchase.
“This was a passion project for me, as I always considered myself an entrepreneur who loves a challenge and exploring new possibilities.
“However, this was a different type of creativity which I didn't know I had in me.
"After being around the Carnival industry I always had a love for the design process and was always amazed at the attention to detail that went behind every costume. In my head I always pictured different styles and designs for costumes I thought would’ve been cool to see so I decided to start my own Monday wear and challenged myself in a different creative outlet.
"I had to learn about fabrics, design and sewing, which was a first for me. The design process wasn’t as easy as I pictured. It started out with many crumpled-up pieces of paper and fabric swatches.
"I took inspiration from many different sources, from high-fashion catalogues to Carnival costumes, until I created a line of which I was proud.
"Learning something new is always a challenge, but it gave me a newfound respect for designers, as it truly is a labour of love. After this year I would like to keep on learning the art of design and launch another line for 2025 Carnival.”
Managing diverse roles as a Tribe U leader, designer, and administrative assistant for Baked by Becky presented Bidaisee with organisational challenges. Yet, these roles brought transferable skills, emphasising the importance of time management, client interaction, and social media proficiency.
Being a young woman in the industry also came with its share of doubts and challenges. Bidaisee faced scepticism but always focused on her ambition, striving to be recognised for her capabilities rather than her age or gender.
Looking ahead, she envisions growing Tribe U into the premier event brand for young people. On a personal level, she aims to make her mark in the entertainment industry through her events and expand her Monday Wear line into resort wear.
Reflecting on Bidaisee and her work, CEO of Tribe Dean Ackin said, “Bidaisee is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the entertainment industry. Her ideas and input are valuable and welcome. She has been an asset to our Tribe team and heads the Tribe U arm of the organisation. We are happy to have her on board.”
As for how he feels seeing the youth involved in Carnival and Tribe U, he said, “It is great to see many young people, some in university and others who recently graduated, getting involved in Carnival. We are happy to have many of these energetic and creative young individuals in our organisation, as they bring new ideas and a fresh new perspective.”
For Bidaisee, Carnival is more than an event.
“It’s a cultural celebration embedded in my heart, and my involvement with Tribe heightened my appreciation and emphasises the joy and creativity Carnival brings to young people."
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"Lauralee Bidaisee creates her own tribe"