She Is... Gabrielle Burgess (International Women's Day 2025 Feature)

In honour of International Women’s Day, Noble Media Network has partnered with With A Purpose International’s "She Is" Initiative to highlight 8 women who inspire us to have bold faith. The "She Is" Initiative celebrates women who lead with authenticity and confidence as they walk in their purpose.

When it comes to celebrating brand Jamaica, empowering entrepreneurs, and inspiring wellness, Gabrielle Burgess is leading the way. As the founder of Suga Lifestyle, a radiologic technologist, certified nutritionist, personal trainer, and artist, she is a true multi-hyphenate who has dedicated her life to curating experiences, supporting local businesses, and promoting health and fitness.

From launching highly anticipated trade shows to guiding individuals toward their wellness goals, Gabrielle has built a brand that seamlessly blends culture, entrepreneurship, and healthy living.

Her impact has earned her recognition, including the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year Award and a nomination for Best in Chamber (Micro Enterprise).

Suga Lifestyle – A Platform for Brand Jamaica

In November 2013, Gabrielle founded Suga Lifestyle, a brand that highlights Jamaica’s best—from food and fitness to events and local entrepreneurs. Over the years, she has expanded the brand into multiple initiatives while staying true to her core mission: celebrating and elevating all things Jamaican.

One of the standout events under Suga Lifestyle is the Suga Lifestyle Christmas Connection Trade Show, launched in 2018. This annual event provides a platform for small and medium-sized Jamaican businesses to showcase their products in a curated, high-energy shopping experience featuring wine, food, and an overall grand time.

Beyond Christmas, Suga Lifestyle also curates events in honour of Valentine's Day, Mother’s Day and Emancipation Day with pop-ups highlighting Jamaican heritage through commerce. She also organizes the Art & Lifestyle Expo, formerly the GW Art Exhibition. These events showcase Jamaica’s entrepreneurial spirit, support local talent, and create unforgettable experiences for both vendors and patrons.

A True Artist

While Gabrielle is widely known for her entrepreneurial efforts, she is also a gifted artist. In 2014, she took a leap of faith and launched GW Art, a brand dedicated to creating artwork that transforms spaces and brings peace of mind.

Though she initially pursued a career in science, Gabrielle’s love for art never faded. She won top art awards from first to ninth grade but later shifted her focus to the sciences, becoming a radiologic technologist as a practical way to make a living. However, art remained an integral part of her life.

While studying at university, she sold one of her paintings to help pay for textbooks. Later, when decorating her home in 2010, she relied on her artistic skills to create a space that reflected her style. By 2014, she began selling her paintings more widely, officially launching GW Art as a business.

Today, GW Art is known for its signature use of color, texture, and black-and-white vintage designs, making it a top choice for décor, gifts, and souvenirs. Committed to sustainability, the brand also prioritizes eco-friendly packaging. Gabrielle sees her art as more than decoration—it is an opportunity to inspire and uplift.

A Role Model in Fitness

As a certified nutritionist, personal trainer, yoga instructor, and spinning coach, Gabrielle works with clients across all ages to develop personalized wellness plans. Through her platform, Fit Happens with Gabby, she shares tailored meal plans, nutritional guidance, personal training programs for all fitness levels and yoga and spinning workouts to encourage movement and mindfulness.

Her approach isn’t just about physical health—it’s about building sustainable habits, boosting confidence, and helping people feel their best.

Gabrielle’s journey is a testament to the power of being passionate about your purpose. Whether she’s empowering entrepreneurs, curating lifestyle events, or helping individuals transform their health, she continues to stand out as a one-of-a-kind in her field.

A Closer Look w/ Gabrielle Burgess

Suga Lifestyle has grown into a major platform. What inspired you to start the brand, and did you expect it to evolve this way?

GABRIELLE: I definitely did not expect it to evolve this way. My late dad was Captain of the Jamaica Cricket team and played for the West Indies. I was first inspired to write about how the West Indies finally won a World title in 2012, the 2012 T20 World Cup after a long drought.

This inspired me to write other articles I was passionate about, mainly culinary experiences in Jamaica via Restaurant Reviews and Ratings. Then came sugalifestyle.com and Brand Jamaica! I enjoyed shopping local, especially for my Christmas gifts, observing that offerings were becoming more high quality with greater variety.

As an artisan myself, I participated in pop-ups and expos, showcasing and selling my GW Art. At most of the events, I felt like my art was lost amongst too many exhibitors, so I started exhibiting on my own. With success, I saw where pop-ups and expos could be more of an experience rather than a shopping event, incorporating my love for food via tasty bites and beverages, adding variety, more high-quality items, improved logistics and smooth execution for both the vendors and patrons.

Suga Lifestyle's Christmas Connection was born in December 2018 with each vendor unique to their own craft for maximum profit.

Your brand focuses on curating events that showcase brand Jamaica. What makes these events so unique, and why is supporting local businesses so important to you?

GABRIELLE: We won't spill all the beans as to what makes our events so unique, but once you go you know! A big part of it is using my experience and network gained from being a past Table Talk Observer Food Awards Judge and Restaurant Week Ambassador to have patrons expecting to be absolutely wowed, especially by something new, followed by a euphoric feeling and environment.

We have so much local talent in Jamaica; importing lessens our GDP significantly. We should believe as a nation, for us to grow, that it begins here. We should help and empower each other or those who feel trapped in a 9-5, unable to fully release their creative energy and talent of monetary value. Most of what we need is accessible here before we look anywhere else.

The Suga Lifestyle Christmas Connection Trade Show has become a major annual event. How has it impacted small businesses since its launch?

GABRIELLE: With a collective growth in sales from hundreds of thousands of dollars, to a million and last year, over 2 million dollars, small businesses usually acquire the income they need to take them through the holiday season and through the slow season of January, allowing them to provide or contribute to providing for their households.

The visibility gained is bar none, leading to increased networking, growth and distribution opportunities.

You balance so much—entrepreneurship, fitness, healthcare, and art. How do you stay grounded while managing multiple passions?

GABRIELLE: Firstly, faith in the above who strengthens me. Then fitness, which goes a long way, bringing good vibes and energy to manage multiple passions. Working out and clean eating (for the most part), is key to my regime. I also, thankfully, have the support of my husband, Randy Burgess, my small family and circle of lifelong friends, not to mention my little fur baby, Annie, who brings joy to me daily.

Suga Lifestyle has also built a strong community of fellow entrepreneurs and supporters who hardly miss an event. Their positive support, engagement, compliments on what I have achieved and encouragement to keep going help me to stay grounded and motivated to do more.

As a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, what is the biggest misconception people have about wellness?

GABRIELLE: Most people think that if they work out enough, they can reward themselves or eat and drink anything they would like, especially on weekends.

Your fitness programs cater to people at all stages of life. What’s one key piece of advice you give to anyone starting their health journey?

GABRIELLE: It starts with what you eat. After all, we are what we eat. Healthy living is 80% nutrition, 10% heredity/genes and 10% exercise.

You took a leap of faith in launching GW Art. What gave you the confidence to pursue your passion for art again?

GABRIELLE: My 'aha' moment was when I decorated my first apartment with my own art. I thought, "Why buy paintings or decor when I can create it myself?" Then I figured, there should be others like me, especially within my own network looking to add art to the walls of their homes and offices.

The Art & Lifestyle Expo is an exciting expansion of your GW Art exhibition. What inspired you to rebrand and elevate this event?

GABRIELLE: The opportunity to still shine, but embrace and showcase fellow artists in my community at a local event with the potential to be an international event. I also believe there is a great void with events and opportunities to introduce, reintroduce and show persons that they can enjoy the visual and cultural arts as an outing with friends and family or even themselves.

So, I created a comfortable, enjoyable event, not only celebrating our visual arts but highlighting the cultural industry of poets, guitarists, saxophonists, singers, dancers and more, and of course, showcasing a bit of our talented creative industry. All under one roof, indoors, where fine art belongs.

What’s next for you and Suga Lifestyle?

GABRIELLE: Time will tell, but there has always been a vision for not only expansion islandwide, but globally, taking Brand Jamaica to di World!

Connect with Gabrielle Burgess on her social platforms:

Website: https://sugalifestyle.com/

Instagram: @sugalifestyle

@fithappenswithgabby

@gwartbygabby

LinkedIn: Gabrielle Burgess