JAMAICAN entrepreneurs can now get answers to their frequently asked questions (FAQs) directly from local and international business leaders using Infokat.

Infokat is “a digital information portal that provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs to access expert advice and information that aid efficiency and build capacity for growth”.

In essence, “Its is like Google for Jamaican businesses,” said Winsome Minott, team leader of Infokat’s developer, Katalxt.

The online ‘question bank’ currently has over 700 responses from local and international business leaders, which were generated from general and specific questions asked by local entrepreneurs.

Many local entrepreneurs face a myriad of issues in their daily operations, which lead them to questions, to which they often do not know the answers, nor are they able to liaise with an expert to get feedback.

Infokat seeks to fill this void by connecting local entrepenuers with expert advice and guidance from business and academic leaders, free of cost, Minott told the Observer.

The responses to the questions are provided by 50 local and international contributors, with each responding to queries within their respective field of expertise, and in a localised context where applicable.

Douglas Orane, former chairman of the Grace Kennedy Group, Bruce Scott, partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and Mariame McIntosh, partner of Portland Private Equity, were some of the respondents listed among the 15 local business leaders on the Katalxt team.

As greater awareness is generated around the service, the question bank will be further populated, eventually doubling the number of expert responses available to users over the course of next year, Minott said.

Infokat also allows users to post direct questions, which are not yet a part of the database to any of the listed industry leaders. The questions and the responses will then be incorporated into the database for general access.

Business owners can also visit the website at www.infokat.net to view expert testimonies, academic viewpoints and to share and view innovative business ideas.

The long-term goal of Infokat is to develop the Jamaican business community by the identification and training of existing and prospective entrepreneurs to increase their chances of success, said Minott, who is also the CEO of Mint Management and Finance Services.

Katalxt is a business development initiative that is led by a team of local and international business leaders who have adopted the mandate of sharing business expertise and best practices with small and medium-sized enterprises in Jamaica.

Katalyxt’s programme has been in existence for approximately four years and has offered business development training for over 500 entrepreneurs and 20 small and medium-sized businesses, through their incubator programme.