Small businesses are the engineer for economic development - Entrepreneur

Small businesses are the engineer for economic development – Entrepreneur

Feb 13, 2018 News

Entrepreneur Allison Butters-Grant

The growth and development of small businesses is instrumental to any economy.
This is the conviction of Allison Butters-Grant, a local entrepreneur within the fish industry who has a passion for innovation. In fact, Butters-Grant is convinced that once small businesses embrace innovative tactics, it could be especially advantageous for the economy.
“This is very important, the big conglomerates are already big, but the private sector, which is inclusive of small businesses, is the engineer for the economic development of the country…I really do believe that.”
As such, Butters-Grant, the Chief Executive Officer behind Global Seafood Distributors, is of the firm belief that the Government’s job is to create policies and to enable a platform for the growth of small businesses.
“I say to small businesses, you can grow. Just be innovative, don’t try to be a copycat, come up with your own products; there are lots of products and solutions…look at your target market, there is a target market right now that wants things to be done right away.”
The businesswoman alluded to the evolution of products, whereby consumers have less to do in order to gain their maximum benefits.
“We don’t want to have too much more to do to get the end product…people want to wash [clothes] and wear them; they don’t want to iron,” said Butters-Grant, as she even considered the increasing use of technology in business. “With the new millennial, more technology is coming on board…you have apps, there are lots of apps in the fishing industry. I look forward to the growth in my business using technology in creating and innovating new products.”
Butters-Grant’s vision is especially trained on the innovative side of things, even as moves are being made to expand her business to Victoria on the East Coast of Demerara. Already land has been identified for this venture which is expected to take shape in the not too distant future.
She disclosed that while the West Ruimveldt location of her business has a space constraint, at the sprawling Victoria location “we will really be able to embark on new products…in that facility there will be a lot of capacity building, since we will be using lots of innovative technology in the new processing facilities.”
“I am a big fanatic about what I can make with the by-products of the fish,” said Butters-Grant as she added, “I want to see the same things happen in my country that I have been exposed to during my travels.” In fact, she let slip some of her ambitious innovative plans, including making full use of the by-products of the fish.
Global Seafood Distributors is a medium-size business that processes and supplies fish in many forms, including: fresh, frozen, seasoned and smoked which are sold locally and exported to the Caribbean Diaspora and the United States.
“Like any other business we are always looking for more business,” said Butters-Grant, even as she expressed satisfaction in being a part of Guyana’s growing private sector.