For the fifth consecutive year, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) marked Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) with a week of activities geared towards the continued development and empowerment of existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.
The following is a recap of the week of activities held during the period November 13-17, 2017 under the theme Building Empires.
B.O.S.S. MAN CONFERENCE
Despite the heavy rains, a total of seventy specially invited male entrepreneurs and influencers showed up at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Monday, November 13 for the first staging of the JBDC’s B.O.S.S. Man conference. The acronym B.O.S.S. which means Building Opportunities for Strong Success follows on the successful staging of the B.O.S.S. Lady conference which was also held for the first time last year during GEW and staged again earlier this year. The men were treated to cocktails and conversations with a distinguished panel of men including businessmen – Tyrone Wilson, Randy McLaren and Marlon Fletcher; Social Entrepreneur – Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams, Actor and Comedian – Ian ‘Ity’ Ellis, Youth Advocate – Jerome Cowans and Pastor – Bishop Leslie Pinnock from the New Testament Church of God.
Among the topics discussed were; ‘Strengthening the link between God and man’, ‘Becoming a role model for your children’, ‘Steering Generation Z into Entrepreneurship’, ‘Effecting Social change in the next generation of inner-city BOSS men’, ‘turning a Passion into a Pay check’ and ‘Education: the Great Equalizer.’
The session was moderated by JBDC’s Deputy CEO, Harold Davis.
MOBILE BUSINESS CLINIC , KINGSTON
Just over 100 entrepreneurs benefited from the Kingston leg of the Mobile Business Clinic which was hosted from November 14-15 at the Altamont Court Hotel. For the first time since its inception, the clinic hosted two individual workshops on Blue Ocean Strategy and The Art of closing the Deal. Both workshops were well received by the participants, one of who remarked that “… the exercises made us apply it to a real life situation. I came out feeling like I went to a college to study the art of Entrepreneurship”.
Participants were also provided with additional information on Online and Digital Marketing, Radio Advertising and Important tips to access financing for MSMEs.
RAISING CAPITAL
The JBDC’s premier Financial Forum Raising Capital was held on Thursday, November 16 under the theme ‘Measuring what matters: Why startups aren’t scaling?’ and featured presentations from Dr. William Lawrence, Director of the Professional Services Unit at the Mona School of Business, Althea West-Myers, JBDC’s Business Advisory Services Manager and Renowned Financial expert, John Jackson.
The panel explored some of the financial metrics that startups should be tracking in order to ensure business growth. These include; Market Potential, Startup Costs, Funding Options and the cost of these options, Product, Price and Breakeven points, the Business Value, Operating Margins and Revenue Growth. Mrs. West-Myers also spoke to the need to have an entrepreneurial mindset prior to getting into business and the acceptance that businesses can and will fail.
UNVEILING THE JBDC BOSS
The first cohort of the JBDC’s Accelerator Programme which commenced in May 2017, ‘graduated’ in a full day activity which featured a presentation of awards ceremony, product display and pitch session, collectively titled ‘Unveiling the JBDC BOSS’.
Sixteen entrepreneurs spanning industries such as Information Technology, Alternative Energy, Agro-Processing and Food Establishments, were presented to market after participating in an intensive six-month capacity building programme. Participants were exposed to activities which are expected to significantly increase their ability to compete effectively in the local and global market place as well as access new financial opportunities and build on the operational strategies they were exposed to.
For more information, contact:
The Corporate Communications Unit
Jamaica Business Development Corporation
14 Camp Road, Kingston 4
Tel: 930-8531
Fax: 938-2438
Email:
Website: www.jbdc.net
