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Leanna Archer, 15, holds her original product, a hair
cream, which she decided to produce at the age of 9. On
Friday, June 24, 2011, she shows it off at Women in
Production, a show that showcases handicrafts and
fashion made by Haitian women, at the Miami Beach
Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive
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Haitian-American Leanna Archer was nine years old when she was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug.
Now at 15, she is chief executive of Leanna’s Inc., a hair products company that is expected to gross around $600,000 this year and offers 14 products. Her wares are among the handcrafted products on display at “Women in Production,” an artisanal fair featuring Haitian and Haitian-American women at Miami Beach Convention Center. The two-day event is open to the public Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Haitian First Lady Sophia Martelly presented awards Saturday and snipped a ribbon to open the event. A number of the women entrepreneurs are getting back on their feet after last year’s devastating earthquake and the event was an opportunity to recapitalize their businesses and to meet distributors and long-term buyers.
Martelly said the women “represent one of the very many treasures that Haiti has to offer.’’
