In Conversation with Nisreen Dissanayake, Founder, The Island Market

Q: What has been your happiest moment with Island Market so far?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Island Market started in my backyard, so seeing how far it has come today is a very happy moment for me. Watching businesses connect and grow through the market has been incredibly rewarding.

Q: One moment that almost made you panic, but you got through it?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Honestly, every market comes with moments of panic because there’s so much happening behind the scenes that people don’t realize. The weather plays a huge role, especially since we host outdoor markets. Even now, with heavy rain and the market happening next week, we’re definitely in panic mode. But somehow, we always manage to get through it.

Q: If Island Market had a personality, how would you describe it in three words?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Vibrant, uplifting, and inclusive.

Q: What’s one thing people don’t see behind the scenes?

Nisreen Dissanayake: The amount of coordination, planning, and preparation that goes into hosting a market. There’s so much work that happens before the event. On the day itself, everyone sees smiling faces and a fun atmosphere, but a lot of effort goes into making it all happen smoothly.

Q: Craziest or most unexpected thing that has happened at a market?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Definitely the weather. It has been one of the biggest challenges for us. Any outdoor market or event faces that uncertainty, and it can be very difficult to navigate. But somehow, everything falls into place and the show goes on.

Q: One vendor or moment that made you stop and think, “This is why we do this”?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Seeing a startup or vendor make their first sale and grow through the market is incredibly fulfilling. It reminds us that all the hard work we put in truly makes a difference.

Q: What’s the biggest lesson Island Market has taught you?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Consistency and showing up every day are more important than trying to be perfect. Hard work pays off, and being consistent really matters.

Q: If you had to describe the vibe of your markets in one sentence, what would it be?

Nisreen Dissanayake: It’s a place where people connect, grow, and have fun together. We intentionally chose outdoor spaces because we want people to enjoy the atmosphere and spend their day in a wholesome way.

Q: What’s one small detail that makes a big difference at your markets?

Nisreen Dissanayake: Making sure every vendor feels supported, seen, heard, and empowered. Those little details are something we always focus on.

Q: Finish this: “Island Market is more than just a market because…”

Nisreen Dissanayake: Island Market is more than just a market because it creates a sense of community, togetherness, and growth. That, in a nutshell, is what Island Market is all about.

In Conversation with Ashika Gunasena, CEO, Chrysalis

By: Yashmitha Sritheran

Q: What inspired the vision behind Chrysalis?

Ashika Gunasena: For us, the importance of really engaging women and young people in this country in shaping its growth and future is very important. Women and young people are often excluded from decision-making and economic processes. As an organization, we want to ensure that their voices, dreams, and hopes are included in the way we decide what’s good for our country. That’s the real inspiration behind Chrysalis.

Q: If Chrysalis had to be described in three words, what would they be?

Ashika Gunasena: Impact, inspired, and future-focused.

Q: What’s one moment that made you feel, “This is why we do this”?

Ashika Gunasena: Especially when I visit communities and see women taking important decisions about their families, their income, and how they contribute to the community. It’s personally very rewarding, and it also helps us understand that what we are doing is exactly what needs to happen.

Q: What kind of impact do you hope Chrysalis creates long-term?

Ashika Gunasena: Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the growth we speak about in this country is inclusive. When Sri Lanka defines its future economic growth and governance structures, we want women and young people to be at the center of it. Without their voices, we only come up with half the solutions. Ensuring they are involved and engaged is our long-term focus.

Q: What made you want to collaborate with The Island Market?

Ashika Gunasena: The Island Market is very focused on enabling women entrepreneurs to expand their markets. Since we work in 18 districts across Sri Lanka with thousands of entrepreneurs, we wanted to collaborate to ensure the women we work with also have access to expanded marketplaces. We also wanted customers to see the stories behind the products because often people only see the product itself. Collaborating with The Island Market helps bring those stories to life.

Q: What’s one thing that instantly makes an event feel successful to you?

Ashika Gunasena: If people walk away feeling they got what they needed from the event, but also feel they contributed to something bigger. With The Island Market, I want people to feel satisfied with the products and the experience but also feel that their contribution reaches places like Matale, Monaragala, and Kilinochchi. That feeling of contributing to where Sri Lanka is headed is what makes an event successful to me.

Q: What’s been the most rewarding part of building Chrysalis so far?

Ashika Gunasena: There have been many rewarding moments. Seeing women from places like Kilinochchi bring their products to Colombo and even export them overseas is incredibly fulfilling. We also have women in Monaragala beginning to export their products. Another rewarding aspect is being recognized as an organization that meaningfully engages women and young people. Recently, we were recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship as an entity they want to work with to transform the SME sector in Sri Lanka. That was a proud moment for us.

Q: Finish this sentence: “Chrysalis is more than just a brand because…”

Ashika Gunasena: Chrysalis is more than just a brand because we are in it for the long haul. It’s not just about the brand itself, but about the work we do. Even if the brand didn’t exist tomorrow, the impact of the work we’ve done would last for a very long time. We want what we do to be meaningful and authentic.