Turning hardship into hope

Some stories show how strength, humility, and joy can exist in the same person. The journey of Alisha Distant, Red Stripe’s 2024 Employee of the Year, does exactly that. Her life is not only a record of professional growth. It is a reflection of what happens when someone rises above a difficult start, turns setbacks into motivation, and chooses to live with joy no matter what comes.

Her story begins in Lawrence Tavern in rural St Andrew, a place where opportunities were limited and dreams often felt far away. She grew up watching her mother work hard to give her children a chance. When her mother passed away when Alisha was 16, her entire world shifted. The loss could have stopped her progress. Instead, it became the foundation of her purpose, her compassion for others, and her determination to keep moving.

She was raised by her older sisters, the women she calls her “built-in mothers”, and learned that surviving was not enough. Growth required belief. Progress requires courage. Even when life suggested that she should settle, she held on to the idea that she could reach further.

“Everything I do is for them,” she often says. “They don’t even know they’re my biggest motivation.”

That drive is clear in her career. When she joined Red Stripe in 2014 as a data entry clerk at 214 Exchange, she never imagined eventually leading the Source-to-Pay stream for one of the Heineken network’s major digital transformation projects. Every step shaped her into the leader she is now, from cashier to warehouse support, accounts payable, procurement buyer, contract manager, and finally senior contract manager.

What makes her journey meaningful is not the list of roles she mastered. It is the emotion behind each step forward. She sometimes doubted herself. She feared failing. She wondered if she was truly ready for the next opportunity. Even so, she kept saying yes. She showed up for long shifts that started at 2 a.m. to align with Amsterdam hours, and she guided major transitions at home. Through it all, she kept proving to herself that she was capable of more than she once believed.

One of her proudest moments came outside the office: she bought her first home.

“Growing up, I never imagined owning a car much less a house,” she says. “That’s when I realised how far I’d come.”

Not all work

Her life is not all work. She is lively, outspoken, and known for bringing energy wherever she goes. She enjoys good food, especially when shared with friends. Music is her escape, and she will never hesitate to say that Masicka is her number-one artiste. Her laugh is impossible to miss, and she is happiest when spending time with the people she considers family.

Her personality adds even more power to her story. Her resilience is not quiet or hidden. It is bright, joyful, and full of movement. Her achievements go beyond career milestones. They honour her mother’s memory, support her community, and show that where you start does not have to dictate where you finish.

Somewhere in Jamaica, a young girl in a small community may be wondering if her dreams are too big or if her circumstances will hold her back. Alisha Distant once had those same questions. Her life now shows that hope can shape your future, growth is always possible, and success feels even better when shared with laughter, love, and a little Masicka in the background.

She is more than Red Stripe’s 2024 Employee of the Year. She is living proof that greatness is built step by step by people who choose positivity, possibility, and courage through every challenge.