Tatiana Brenda Lee-Lo returned to Samoa to fulfil her goal to build her business and look after her parents.

She resided in the United States with her partner and daughter however she made the bold move to Samoa. 

Her business, Xandra Moyra's Mini Shop and Duet Stylez is located in Vailima. It was officially opened in September. According to Lee-Lo, her parents had a shop and she saw how successful it was. Unfortunately, there was no one to actually focus on their business, it was forced to close down.

"My parents had a shop here 26 years ago behind here. When I was young, I always noticed that this location was quite the catch with the people of our village," she said. 

"But then their shop failed, because my dad used to work at a bar, and I believed the reason why it went down it's them. They didn't focus on it so I had that goal instilled in me that one day, I will rebuild my parent's shop here.

"In 2018, I left for the US. I worked there but my heart was still set on my goal here. To build a business to look after my parents and family. At the moment, it's just me and my little brother here, but all our family reside overseas. 

"I struggled in America with their lifestyle, I started as a housekeeper and doing laundry until I got promoted a few years later to Assistant General Manager to one of the hotels in Alaska."

She saved up for her dream and she made it happen. Her goal was really close to her heart so it motivated her to keep going, work hard, and endure everything in Alaska. She acknowledged the support from her siblings and her partner who is in America for believing in her and pushing her to her limits.

"I have built this clothing business, I have also approached TAV for a partnership so I can sell it here. I also do lashes, not lash extensions but clusters which lasts two to three weeks. I have a few regular customers now, and I believe my side hustle (lashes) has boosted my business," she said.

"I am here to stay and I am thinking of expanding the place as it's not that much space in here. But on that side, I am also planning on selling BBQ. But with my business now, it is booming. With this clothing business, I believe our TAV is one of my best selling products but the lashes is doing it for me."

Her business is named after her daughter, grandmother, and sister. She was really emotional as she reminisced on the hustle and hard work she had to go through overseas just to make her dream a reality.

"There is no use having a lot of money if we're not here for our parents while they are still around. I am back here for good, and my partner is staying in the US but he will come over from time to time to visit us and spend time with us. 

"This is the time when I have to look after my parents as my dad is sick. But it's good that they are around at this time to see our success and to see our small wins. We want to make our parents proud while they have the strength to see it."

The Xandra Moyra's Mini Shop and Duet Stylez's near Vailima Primary School.