5 Questions with Tajay Francis

Tajay Francis is a young investor, emerging global youth leader and the CEO of a private holding company. Despite his young age, he has amassed great experience and expertise in the field of investing, as he has been an active participant since the age of 15. As a result of his dedication, not only to finance and economics but to youth empowerment and nation building, he has been appointed to many leadership positions with include: the first Jamaican to be elected as chairperson of a committee at the World Federation of United Nations Association International Model United Nations; a member of the National Council of Education (NCE); and a nominee for the 2020 Prime Minister Youth Awards. With his tips and tricks on how to navigate the investing scene, he hopes to inspire persons to invest their time and resources wisely.

Tell us a little about your educational journey.

My educational journey is an interesting one. For 5 years I attended Spanish Town High School. My time there prepared me for what was to come in the real world. I was a top business student throughout my high school years and went on to do well in my CSEC exams, attaining a distinction in Principles of Business and a grade one is Principles of Accounting. I attended Old Harbour High School for sixth form, which was also a great period of my life. I always thought that I would become a lawyer, so I did Law in CAPE and came to the realization that I function better in business. I then made the decision to enroll as a student at the University of Technology, Jamaica with a major in finance and a minor in international business. I took time away from university to focus a bit on what it is that I really wanted, and, currently finishing my studies as a full time student, my only goal is to ensure that I focus and achieve my goal of graduating.

You have held multiple youth leadership roles and were shortlisted as a 2020 Prime Minister Youth Awards nominee. How have these experiences shaped your character?

Leadership, for me, is not about being elected or appointed to serve on national school boards or any other boards, for that matter. It's about realizing that you have the opportunity to change at least one life by being there; not as a youth leader but as a friend and a support system for someone in need. For me, I would say that these experiences have opened my eyes to the realization that a lot of youth leaders believe that it's about holding fancy titles when, in fact, it's about walking into a meeting and asking the big questions, such as: Whose voices are not being heard? What minority group in our Jamaican society needs equal protection under law? Whose human rights are being violated, and how do we fix that? We have so many minority groups in Jamaica who get little to no representation, so, for me, these leadership roles have allowed me to address this issue. It's not about the majority who are privileged. It's about being a voice for people who would have never had the opportunity to speak on issues affecting them.

What motivated you to become an investor?

I started investing in high school, around the age of 15. My Principles of Business teacher at the time was Miss Keisha Powell. She believed in me and selected me to participate in the Jamaica Stock Exchange High School Competition, and the rest is history. I have found that freedom and independence are what I want, and I want to be able to change lives. I also believe that the only way to create wealth is to invest. You have to pick a few companies that you are really passionate about and learn as much as you can about them. It is also important to have a long term mindset to investing, because it doesn’t result in overnight success. The motivation behind me being a young investor is my drive to stand tall on my own, to be truly independent and to be an example for young men just like me.

Tell us about Fenzeku Holdings Limited and your role as the CEO.

Fenzeku Holdings Limited is a holding company. This means that the primary business of the company is to hold controlling interests in securities of other companies. For Fenzeku Holdings Limited (FHL) in particular, the focus is real estate securities. My role as CEO is to maintain all the legalities and paperwork that are needed to keep the company running. My vision is to one day leverage other people's money (OPM) to gain enough startup capital to take FHL to the next level. It's a process that would take time, but I am very patient, because this race is not a sprint; it's a marathon.

As a young investor, what advice would you give to your peers who want to invest but might not be sure how to get started?

If you are a young person who wants to get started in investing, you can visit the Jamaica Stock Exchange website that provides a lot of information. You can also contact a brokerage firm such as Victoria Mutual Wealth Management Limited. I recommend them as they have great customer service. I would encourage young people in Jamaica to do what is right and learn how to invest with the long term in mind. This is how wealth is created. Additionally, I would also suggest attending the youth forum the Jamaica Stock Exchange created for young people. In many recently released dancehall songs, young people are being encouraged to scam people. Please be reminded that scamming is a criminal activity, and you will end up in one place - and that is behind bars. Take a different point of view and find mentors who can help you. My mentors are Oprah Winfrey and CEO of Kingston properties limited, Kevin G. Richards. I watch him and am emulating him.