Grace Hamilton encourages five ‘Spicy’ senses in business
GRACE ”Spice” Hamilton encouraged entrepreneurs to excel using their five senses at Flow Business’ Inknowvation Conference on October 22. The conference connected small business owners in the region with successful entrepreneurs and influencers who shared groundbreaking gems on operating a successful business in the digital age.
Grace, as she preferred to be called in this setting, made it clear to entrepreneurs that she was presenting to them not as Spice the entertainer, but as Grace Hamilton, the successful businesswoman and entrepreneur. She took a trip down memory lane where she shared the struggles of her upbringing and later losing her father, which made her more resilient to be successful in all areas of life.
In her keynote address, she highlighted the need for business operators to be best friends with their five senses and she creatively used the senses as an analogy to help entrepreneurs understand business best practices.
“Your five senses are your best friends. I want you to use your eyes and envision it. Use your mouth and speak it into existence, and your ears to listen to the consumers. And, of course, use the touch of your hands to market and promote your business. I want you to use your nose and smell the victory. The five senses are our best friends in business and I want you to think about it in that way,” she urged.
In an ever-changing economy with inflation, job shortages and unforeseen occurrences like the pandemic, she encouraged the need for “multiple streams of income”.
“Not because I’m an artiste [means I’m going to rely on that alone]. I believe in having multiple streams of income. I try to dabble in different things because that is where we are headed right now,” she said.
She went above and beyond in her presentation by detailing the steps of starting a business, such as registering a company, to the importance of digital marketing and social channels to create brand awareness.
She went on to give the audience what she calls the 10M’s :
1. Master plan – You must have a plan
2. Manufacturing – You must be able to meet your demand
3. Manifest – You must believe in your plan
4. Money – You must have capital to set up the business
5. Motivated – You must stick to the plan, stay motivated
6. Marketing – Promotion of your business idea
7. Margin – Setting objectives or goals
8. Multiply – Return on your investment or expansion
9. Management – Properly manage your business, ensure everything is in order
10. Maintaining – Being consistent in selling the brand and business plan.
Flow Business designated October as Small Business Month in the region with a special presentation each Friday in the month. It kicked off on October 8 with Barbadian singer, recording artist and entrepreneur Alison Hinds. It has also had Tricia Coosal, president of the T&T Manufacturing Association; and attorney and motivational speaker Natasha Mayne.
