Stevie doing what he loves best: working on a vehicle!

Stevie doing what he loves best: working on a vehicle!

The Bang Good food van was this week's young professional first go at highlighting his potential.

Another one of Stevie's masterpiece.

One of the many vehicles that passed through Enigma Paint and Body Shop

At age 31, Stevie M. Herbert is the owner and manager of Enigma Paint and Body Shop, located in Johnson’s Ghut, which has been his pride and joy for the past eight years. He loves this business and operates it with professionalism, pride, excellence and amazing artistic flare.

“From an early age I loved tinkering with vehicles and drawing,” he recalled with a smile. “Intrigued with the art of airbrushing, I launched my first business venture by transforming ordinary white T’s into incredible designer shirts, which I sold to friends, classmates and other students of the BVI High school. Later, while living in the States I became fascinated with the mini truck scene and how those guys took pride in their vehicles with modification and art work.”

The daily operations of Enigma include, but are not limited to, the restoration or customization of vehicles’ exterior and interior, bodywork and paint jobs.

There is where Stevie along with his skilled team of employees, produce some of the uniquely customized cars that are seen cruising the streets of the Virgin Islands. Enigma often customize boats, remote control boats, scooters, tint on vehicles, commercial or residential buildings and boats, as well as fabricate commercial and other custom signs.

Reflecting on how it all began, Stevie said that he left the BVI High School (now Elmore Stoutt High) in 1996 and moved to Florida to escape some of the pitfalls of hanging out on the block. There he attended the Boyd Anderson High school until he graduated in 1998. He went on to ITT Technical Institute majoring in Electrical Engineering but “to be honest my heart was into cars and drag racing.”

“I got a few jobs here and there, and to offset my living expenses I worked a few jobs including working at a gym, detailing cars, and I actually did some land engineering,” he said.

At that stage in his life, the 31 year-old admitted that he could not find his true identity, and for a short period was lured to the “wild adventures in the streets”.

However, he got a reality check after one of his friends went to prison and another returned to his homeland in the Middle East.

Shortly after, a friend of Stevie’s brother was visiting and mentioned he was looking for someone to build and paint a van. Knowing his capability, the young Virgin Islander jumped at the opportunity to use that van as a canvas to display his creative abilities.

“I remember he was sceptical and looked shocked when I told him I could do it,” Stevie recalled. And after he was given the green light, the young professional sourced the materials he needed and within a month, he completed his first project – the Bang Good Food Van – which is a popular food establishment located near the BVI Taxi Stand in Road Town, Tortola.

“Yeap that’s my handiwork!” Stevie declared with pride.

Impressed with the job, his relatives and friends encouraged him to return home to offer his talents and expertise to the people of the Virgin Islands, however, at only 23, Stevie was a bit reluctant at first believing that there would be little interest and opportunities to develop and exhibit his passion here.

“Eventually, I said I have nothing to lose, so I’m gonna do it! I had no commitments holding me back in Florida, no emotional ties. So, I had planned to stay at least two months and if nothing panned out I would just return to the US.”

Two weeks after he arrived home in December 2001, the Virgin Islander decided to stay.

“Man I realised the wide scope of opportunities available here. The BVI was practically an untapped market for what I had to offer and they were hungry for it; so the business kicked off. I would have found it more difficult to achieve that in the US,” he conceded.

Against this backdrop, the business savvy young man officially opened the auto body shop in July 2004.

“I had a little money saved, and although some of my cousins were a bit pessimistic, telling me that Tola people funny, that just fuelled me to make the business work. I am a risk taker and a trend setter and because of that Enigma Paint and Body Shop was born.”

Describing himself as God fearing, humble, easy-going and hardworking, it was evident that Stevie is not afraid to share his faith. He credits his success to the Almighty God. According to him, he was blessed with a life changing experience and a “renewed” mind.

“It’s my firm belief that when God gives His blessings He paves the way and causes you to prosper,” the father of three stated.

His booming business experiences continual growth although Stevie has utilized little formal advertisement mechanisms. So far, quality work and excellent service has been his primary marketing tools. His satisfied clients are quite competent in spreading the word. “The guys here embrace what I do, like crazy, and I don’t even have a sign outside the business!”

“I know that consistently good work and service is vital to the success of any business and I am thankful to my faithful customers who are also instrumental to my success.”

Besides his love for God and passion for art, Stevie has an undying love for his family especially his wife of seven years, Kaliah, and their three beautiful daughters: five year-old Khandle, three year-old Starrique and Axaiah, who will soon celebrate her first birthday.

“They are the bedrock of my existence,” he said with conviction.

Stevie is not one to boast but he is of the view that young men can take a page out of his life. His advice to them is to look for a mentor. “Find a positive role model that would lead you in the right direction. I know some might say they can’t find anyone but maybe they are looking in the wrong places.”

So who is Stevie’s role model? Well according to this Young Professional, “I have too many to mention and I won’t want to start calling names now before I miss one.”