Female entrepreneurs have been able to get a better understanding of business management while gaining confidence and support through an empowerment project designed to help small business owners.
The multinational retailing group, Unicomer, locally known under the trade names of Courts and Lucky Dollar, partnered with Cerulean Inc to host the Woman Empowerment Project under the theme ‘Broadening Horizons’. The initiative, which commenced in March, concluded last Thursday with a graduation ceremony that was held at the National Library in Georgetown.
Cerulean, Inc. is a corporate training and consulting company registered in Guyana. It offers training and consulting services in Service Quality, Event Management, Small Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Strategic Planning and Effective Communication.
Lyndell Danzie-Black, the manager of Cerulean Inc, explained during the ceremony that the aim of the project was to train women to understand target marketing and to use tools to better their business and its development, all while keeping in mind the necessity of good customer experience and customer service.
Twenty women participated and they all had great things to say about how the project helped them to not only understand their business, but make decisions which would benefit their business.
Athalyah Yisreal, the CEO of Outliers Zone, a financial growth workshop for people needing advice on financial saving plans, told this newspaper that as a result of being a part of the project, she has learned how to promote her business in such a way that potential clients would easily grasp the concept and the ways it could be of assistance to them. Yisreal also mentioned during the ceremony that since joining the project not only had she learned more about business but she was able to take part in competitions which have given her opportunities she wouldn’t have experienced had it not been for the support and confidence she gained from the project.
Melana Hudson, the founder of MH Designs, said “it was rich” and gave her many insights into money management and record keeping. She said she has used all the knowledge gained to better her business.
Anika Abel, the owner of Nick’s Phonics Centre, told this newspaper that she got a better perspective on how to communicate with customers, especially in her line of work, which is dealing with the parents of the children at the Centre. She said that usually most businesses fail because of the way the customers are treated. She also informed that she was a bit hesitant to be a part of the project at first but now she is very happy that she was, while stating that she has learned from other businesses too. She said, “In a group of women everybody is trying to get ahead” but noted that the women in the project strategised and worked together to help each other’s businesses.
Belinda Beckles, who is a teacher and founder of the Fresh Start Academic Centre, which is a school for what she likes to call “unique children,” spoke of how greatly the project stuck to its aim. She said, “It empowered women! I am feeling empowered. Not just as a businesswoman.” She explained that the project changed her way of thinking and her character has peaked. She said after being a part of the project, persons can boldly stand and say who they are, take chances and be ambitious. She concluded by saying, “Anything that makes somebody want to take a chance and do something is well done.”
Sharon Sulaman, the administrator of Foundation Seven, also spoke of how she has applied everything she learned to her business.
