The sky can be the limit, First Lady tells budding entrepreneurs

Nov 07, 2016 News

First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, on Saturday said that “the sky can be the limit” for young entrepreneurs, in her address at the Rotaract Club of Georgetown Central’s ‘The CEO in You: Young entrepreneurs in a changing global economy 2016’ workshop, held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
The Club planned and executed the workshop as part of its professional development programme and invited the First Lady to deliver the charge based on the work that she has done over the past year to empower women and young people across the country.
“The beauty of being young, I think, is that you are not as cautious as older folk like me. The sky can be the limit for you. And you will have the opportunity, today, to listen to wise women and men share their ideas and their expertise with you as they point the way towards success in your chosen areas of business,” the First Lady said.
She noted that the title of the workshop identifies three areas of focus – the chief executive officer, the entrepreneur and the environment in which the entrepreneur will operate and advised participants about the importance of researching their markets, knowing the rules and regulations applicable to the diverse business environment, knowing their competition and learning how to protect themselves.
“You will be operating in a changing global economy… Apart from your organisational and managerial skills, you need the acumen to understand how rapidly the world of business is evolving. You need to be au fait with the developments in information and communication technology [ICT] because much of today’s business is conducted through ICT… You can plan to grow and expand your business and keep your records through your computer software,” Mrs. Granger said.
President of the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central, Ms. Kneka Franklin, who chaired the event, told the group that the First Lady articulated for them the crucial first steps that they must take in order to become successful entrepreneurs. “One of the things I want to second is the …use of [ICT]. I think that is one of the areas that we should really focus on and develop in Guyana, especially since we’re hoping to go ‘green’, we can do away with a lot of paper,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Andrew Boyle, Director of Eureka Laboratory and the Past President of the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central echoed the First Lady’s remarks about the importance of preparation. “Dreaming and positive thoughts are, of course, not enough to reach one’s goal. It takes preparation [and] innovative practices,” he said.
Mr. Boyle also told the group to use obstacles to motivate them to reach their goals and to celebrate and be grateful for small accomplishments along the way. “My advice to you is that you should never think that you have reached your set of starts, but rather celebrate your accomplishments and keep reaching for those stars and in the process lend a helping hand to those in need,” he said.
The six-hour-long workshop aims to provide small businesses with the insight into the regulatory and legal environment, opportunities and support mechanisms that exist for doing business in Guyana. Its agenda includes sessions on writing business plans and other topics related to business creation, business ventures, decision-making, support options, and relatable testimonials of successful entrepreneurs.
The First Lady continues to support organisations that focus on empowerment, education and support for vulnerable populations and has supported the work of the Rotaract Club of Georgetown Central. Just last August, she made a financial contribution to the group’s Operation BOOST, which targets 150 nursery and primary age students in Lima Sands, Essequibo Coast, Pomeroon-Supenaam (Region Two).
(A GINA Feature)

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