Lifespan CEO Neana Williams ranked among Jamaica's top businesswomen after 21 years

Neana Williams, founder and chief executive officer of Lifespan Company Limited, has been named among Jamaica's most powerful and influential businesswomen, ranking at number 70. The recognition comes as the entrepreneur marks more than two decades building the bottled-water brand, which celebrated 21 years in January.

Williams said she felt honoured to be listed alongside other accomplished Jamaican women. Looking back, she reflected that she had built Lifespan over the years, that the company had touched many Jamaicans, and that the honour affirmed her hard work.

She did not claim to have foreseen every milestone, but said she always carried a clear vision for the brand — first regional, then international — and stayed focused on that path. Water has long been her preferred drink, she explained, and when she returned to Jamaica more than 21 years ago seeking a career, she saw Portland's abundant water as an opportunity. After research, she chose the business, expecting it would also support her community and strengthen her family financially.

A visit to Lifespan's Portland beginnings years ago left television host Debbie struck by how pure the production process appeared, reinforcing confidence in the brand. Williams pushed back on any notion that water is an easy trade, describing instead a path of trials and setbacks as well as wins and hard lessons — and saying she is grateful to still be standing.

Lifespan now employs about 170 people. Williams said she leads through an executive and management team, a far cry from the early days when she worked alone. Learning to stop micromanaging and to trust that team, she added, remains an ongoing process.

Her message to people just starting out: chase what you are passionate about, keep believing and focusing, and in time it can become reality.