When Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025 launched under the banner “Together We Build”, the message could not be timelier, especially for Jamaica. In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, our collective focus has turned to resilience and recovery. But rebuilding goes beyond infrastructure. It starts with people – restoring their livelihoods and dreams.
GEW, which is being celebrated November 17 – 23, 2025, reminds us that entrepreneurship flourishes in community. Every successful business is backed by a network of people who strengthen and guide the entrepreneur’s journey. As we rebuild the nation’s entrepreneurial landscape, here are five key individuals who must be part of every entrepreneur’s circle.
1. The Investor to Fuel Growth
Access to funding remains one of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs in the Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) sector, particularly during times of recovery. An investor provides more than just capital, they bring confidence, credibility, and often, valuable business connections. Whether it’s an angel investor, venture capitalist, or a microfinancing partner, aligning with someone who believes in your vision can turn a rebuilding effort into a thriving enterprise.
At the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), entrepreneurs are guided through the process of becoming investment-ready, because a great idea deserves great backing.
2. The Advisor for Compliance and Strategy
Every entrepreneur needs solid, professional advice. Advisors help businesses make sound decisions and stay compliant in a multi-faceted marketplace. In a post-Melissa economy, where MSMEs are restructuring and seeking funding support, having the right advisors can mean the difference between recovery and regression.
When a client comes into the JBDC, the Business Advisory Services Unit (BAS) acts as a resource centre for entrepreneurs by answering queries, providing information such as details about the business environment and other institutions within the ecosystem that business owners need to know about.
JBDC’s team of business coaches provides expert support to entrepreneurs at every stage, ensuring that decisions are strategic, sustainable, and aligned with market realities.
3. The Mentor because Experience Is Expensive
A mentor is a guiding light for any entrepreneur. They’ve been where you’re heading, and their insights can help you navigate both opportunities and challenges. For many business owners restarting or pivoting after loss, mentorship offers clarity, encouragement, and real-world wisdom.
4. Entrepreneurs for Peer Support
Entrepreneurship can be lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. The most successful business ecosystems are built on peer networks where entrepreneurs share lessons, collaborate, and lift each other up. This spirit of community aligns perfectly with GEW’s “Together We Build” theme.
JBDC fosters this environment year-round through events, workshops, and programmes that connect entrepreneurs across sectors. Collaboration breeds creativity, and in Jamaica, that creativity is limitless.
5. Customers are the Ultimate Stakeholders
No business thrives without its customers. They are the true measure of a product’s value and the strongest advocates for growth. Building trust with customers, especially after disruption, requires consistency and innovation. Entrepreneurs who listen and adapt to customer needs not only rebuild their businesses but also strengthen brand loyalty.
Using information gained from market research, we will guide you on how to make the necessary adjustments to your product/service to fulfil market relevance. Some of these adjustments may be related to the packaging trends, customer preferences, depending on the nature of the product.
Rebuilding Together
During Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) Jamaica 2025, the JBDC will join the global movement in celebrating and empowering entrepreneurs who are building Jamaica’s future, one business at time. Visit www.jbdc.net and click ‘Become a Client’ to officially join the growing network of Jamaican entrepreneurs.
Together, We Build… ‘From Concept to Market’.
