CABLE and Wireless (C&W) Business Jamaica and the Flow Foundation celebrated Micro-Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (MSME) Day by equipping downtown-based entrepreneurs with the skills to take their businesses to the next level.

The team at C&W Business Jamaica and the Flow Foundation hosted a community business-planning workshop for entrepreneurs across central Kingston, including Parade Gardens, Rose Gardens, Matthews Lane and Riverton Meadows.

Attendees were taught the basics of business and entrepreneurship, before receiving guidance on how to complete a business plan.

Patton Duncan of A+ Math expressed his gratitude for C&W’s initiative as he previously attempted to develop a business plan but now believes he is equipped with the knowledge to successfully complete one.

“The business plan has so many elements and while I previously put some things down on paper, this session showed that I need to include sections on competition, industry trends, strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT), analysis, and consider the ways in which I can leverage technology in my business,” he said.

Belmark Hunter of Hunter’s Furnishings said he learnt many new concepts that when implemented will take his business to the next level.

“As a business that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses, we understand the difficulties that they face to find the requisite information to take their business to the next level— that idea was the starting point for the hosting of this workshop,” said Dwayne Walters, director of SME & Partner Channels at C&W Business Jamaica.

“Small business is big business—it’s the heart of our economy, facilitating meaningful employment for many Jamaicans. Therefore, providing the right support to ensure that entrepreneurs are able to take their business to the next level is what we are all about.”

June 27 was designated MSME Day by the United Nations to celebrate the work of MSMEs in local and global economies. MSMEs are internationally viewed as the backbone of most economies, and play a key role in developing countries.

— Abbion Robinson