In our latest company interview, we sat down with Venesha Huntley, Administrative Assistant, to learn more about who she is, where she is from, and what she does for Minerva.
Where are you originally from?
Venesha: I was born in Kingston, Jamaica, where I lived with my mother and three siblings — my brother and two sisters. The rest of my family lived in other parishes; I remember looking forward to holiday breaks from school, especially over the summer when my siblings and I would get the opportunity to visit our other family members. Christmas remains my favourite holiday season. In our household, we would decorate our tree even if there were no gifts to go under the tree. My family and I moved to Portmore, St Catherine, in my second year of high school where we lived until I moved on my own to the Cayman Islands in October 2015.
What do you do at Minerva Cayman?
Venesha: I started at Minerva Cayman as a part-time receptionist right when the business was in its initial stage. As the business gradually evolved over the last year and a half, I’ve worked my way up to my current position of Administrative Assistant in the Client Services team. In essence, that means that I am responsible for providing both internal and external customer service to our clients through the delivery of clerical and administrative tasks.
What does an average day at the Minerva office look like?
Venesha: Truth be told, the tasks I manage are different every day. These tasks range from managing the day-to-day office operations, making travel and guest arrangements, or even interacting with customers to providing customer service. I can say working for Minerva has made me an all-rounder; there is nothing that we don’t handle.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
Venesha: What I enjoy most, and I know this is quite a cliché, is that no two days are the same. Each day is a new experience and with that comes an opportunity for growth. I also enjoy the work environment; having worked previously as a caregiver and at a call centre back in Jamaica, moving into an office space, although not a new experience, was still exciting because of the type of work that Minerva does. I believe this goes without saying I work with an amazing group of people as colleagues who offer so much support in all of our challenging tasks.
Where is your favourite place to be?
Venesha: The beach — I love the feeling of the sand between my toes and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. The rhythm of the ocean seems like a mystery — it calms me and continuously improves my mood. I feel the most at peace when I am at the beach. Some of my fondest memories are spent at the beach with family and friends or just by myself.
What is your personal philosophy?
Venesha: ‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall’, Nelson Mandela. I saw this quote a few years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. It helps me so much when life throws its curve balls, remembering that life is never easy and, in every decision, there is a story created.
