Empowering New and Aspiring Entrepreneurs to Thrive in Trinidad and Tobago
Dear EHub Community,
We are thrilled to announce the successful launch of our Small Business Workshop Series, a new initiative designed to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners in our community, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy Port of Spain. The first session was a resounding success, and it was a morning filled with inspiration, learning, and networking. We’re excited to share the highlights of this event with you and invite your thoughts and experiences!
Small Business Workshop Series: A Brief Overview
The Small Business Workshop Series, hosted by the EHub, is a comprehensive program tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities that aspiring and new small business owners face today.
Session 1: “Fundamentals of Starting and Running a Business”
Our inaugural session, titled “Fundamentals of Starting and Running a Business,” took place on Thursday 19th October 2023 at the Siparia Regional Corporation. The event wielded resources provided to the Young Leaders America’s Initiative(YLAI) featuring top U.S. experts in their industries and featured a local perspective by expert speaker Leela Ramsingh, CEO of LSA Healthcare Services Ltd and entrepreneur of over 29 years. Naturally the event fostered networking opportunities with fellow entrepreneurs and Members of 3 Regional Corporations. Here are some of the key takeaways from the day:
- Developing a Business Model – Participants learned that developing a business model that includes a description of the target customer, an outline of an identified problem and an explanation of how a product or service will solve that problem is a key in the initial stages of starting a business.
- Creating a Business Plan – Composing a business plan is the first and most important step in launching a business. The lesson highlighted the key elements of a business plan that will attract the right investors and help recruit the right team.
- Identifying Your Markets – To develop a successful product, entrepreneurs need to examine the market in which they want to operate. They also must be able to identify their potential customers and their personal strengths and weaknesses, then structure their business accordingly.
- Pitching Your Business Ideas for Investment – Most entrepreneurs will require funders who are willing to put financial resources toward an idea. This lesson introduced some of the best practices for developing your pitch to potential investors.
We were so pleased to have 58 participants sharing in this workshop, 25 in person and 33 online via zoom. Our attendees ranged in ages from 26 to 55 and consisted of 33 females, 14 in person and 19 online, as well as 25 males, 11 in person and 14 online. These attendees included representatives from the Fyzabad, Siparia, and Couva Tabaquite Talparo Regional Corporations, developing business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs who are seeking to begin their ventures, as well as members of the autistic and migrant communities.
Feedback and Future Directions
At EHub, we’re committed to continuously improving and tailoring our offerings to meet your needs. We want to hear from you!
- Did you find the networking opportunities valuable, and would you like to see more of them in upcoming events?
- Any suggestions or feedback to enhance the Small Business Workshop Series experience?
For those who’ve attended, either in person or online, submit your feedback to us here.
And for those who’ve missed the first session, you can view the recording here and photos from the session here.
We encourage all participants and community members to share their thoughts and insights, which will help us shape the upcoming sessions of the Small Business Workshop Series. Together, we can build a thriving ecosystem of small businesses ready to face the challenges and seize the opportunities here in Trinidad and Tobago.
Thank you for making the first session of the Small Business Workshop Series a success! Stay tuned for updates on future sessions on each third Thursday of the month, and other events at EHub.
Sincerely,
The EHub Team
