To achieve business success, one must persevere: Karre

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
TO achieve success in business, one has to pain to gain – according to Rita Karre, the owner and managing director of the Goroka Steak House.
Karre (pictured) began her journey into the business world by selling scones, ice blocks, rice and stew on the street of Goroka town.
She shared her story with the 111 women entrepreneurs during the WeCreate Challenge Extreme Build a Business workshop in Port Moresby last weekend. “Through sheer determination, perseverance and support of my never-say-die husband, Peter Karre, we ventured into our business dreams with four main principles,” she said.
“A vision to aspire for success, an aim to achieve in expanding the business, a focus to concentrate on seeing our business grow; and our character discipline in guiding the success of our business.”
Karre said with those four principles, they expanded their little street vending business into securing a K4000 office space to provide catering services to their clients.
She included a restaurant and a hotel.
Karre also bought the property she was renting by obtaining a loan of more than K1 million from the National Development Bank.
“Our restaurant has just been completed,” she said.
“We have a conference room that can cater for more than 200 and a 29-room hotel (Hotel Phoenix) in operation for four months now.”
Karre urged women to have self-confidence, motivation and the willingness to embrace challenges.