Youth entrepreneurs get business development tips

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment continues to promote and develop small and micro business through its Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme (YES).

On Saturday during an orientation ceremony held at the ministry’s Haggatt Hall headquarters, 60 participants of the latest online cohort were given tips by Minister Charles Griffith and other speakers on how to best grow their enterprises.

Griffith told the group that it was important to treat a new business in the same manner that you would treat a new born child, noting that it needed the right nourishment and care.

He said that whenever a young person makes a positive step in their life it not only benefits them but their community and country, and that’s why Government is committed to putting the necessary resources in place to ensure young people have the tools to make sure their businesses succeed.

“You should treat your business the way you treat a new born because it is at that stage right now. If you do the necessary things in parenting. If you do the necessary things in terms of how you treat to your business then you will have a child, a business at the end of the day that you are very proud of,” he said.

Griffith said some of the key qualities of a successful business are passion, good communication and good customer service.

He added that it is also important to look for opportunities beyond Barbados and to take advantage of the diaspora.

The Minister said he also wants to implement a tracking feature in the YES programme so the ministry can keep tabs on the progress of the various businesses.

Past participant and owner of Island Star Media Stephan Marshall said the programme helped him create more structure in operating his business and the classes broaden his perspective on different tenets of operating his business.

E-learner support adviser for the National Training Initiative Taahir Bulbulia told the participants that they should always think of ways to take their businesses to the next level and maintain a competitive edge in the market as sometimes there were other people with the same business idea.

Co-ordinator of the entrepreneurial development training programme Claire Inniss said that some of the modules and workshops the participants would cover in the six-week programme are business management, personal development and practical business labs. (SZB)