Making A Point

Jerome says his biggest role model in life is basketball superstar, Michael Jordan. “He is always ready for challenges, and has a very positive attitude. It’s a mentality that can be applied not only to the game of basketball, but also to life.” Jerome makes sure he never misses a game of basketball when he gets the chance on his off days; it’s either that, or he hits the gym to work off the calories he gets from his adventurous appetite. At work, Jerome says his favourite part of the job is when he gets to interact with customers, even though it wasn’t always easy for him. “I used to feel shy talking to people that I don’t really know but I’ve had to overcome that, because in retail you have to interact to sell,” he says. “I like the feeling when I close deals and sales.” While he does get the occasional nasty customer, he says it’s important to keep his cool, stay calm, and be nice. Retail wasn’t always the obvious career choice for Jerome. “I studied nursing and worked as a nurse for a year in the Philippines, so I would probably be working in a hospital now trying to save people’s lives if I didn’t go into fashion/retail,” he says. “But I’ve always wanted to go into business — I dream of having control over money and making money work for me.” Looking presentable is all part of Jerome’s job, and while he knows that there are some unspoken no-no’s when it comes to fashion, he accepts that style can be subjective. “I just think that something that isn’t nice to me might be nice to someone else, or vice versa, or it could be the cool thing in fashion in the future. Fashion will continue to evolve and people will keep on playing with style.”