The Centre for Local Business Development (The Centre) has successfully completed the second cohort of its entrepreneurship programme: Accelerate-Her 2.0. The programme provides Guyanese women with an opportunity to receive professional development aimed to foster business success and personal growth through a series weekly courses on marketing and pitch development, specialised business course and coaching, and one-on-one mentorship.
Accelerate-Her 2.0 targeted local women owners, operators, and managers to build the leadership and business skills of women entrepreneurs to grow their companies across a wide variety of industries and sectors. The Call for Applications published on March 14 saw over 130 applications. From this list 35 women were shortlisted for Phase One and a further 19 were shortlisted for Phase 2.
Phase One featured a three-day bootcamp for 35 participants with peer and mentor connections, brainstorming for growth, pitch development and building business model canvases. In Phase Two, 19 selected participants from the bootcamp took part in a 12-week mentorship and entrepreneurship experience culminating in Demo Day.
In Phase Two, the participants benefit from courses covering pitch development and delivery, market research and sizing, digital marketing, impact measurement assessment, financial management, operations and exporting, and more. The entrepreneurs were also paired one-on-one with a volunteer mentor from the business community. The programme attracted mentors from ExxonMobil Guyana, Baker Hughes, GTT, Matpal Marine Institute and more.
Demo Day celebrates all of the skills the entrepreneurs have worked to refine during these past 13 weeks. Today, the entrepreneurs will present their refined business pitches and hold a business showcase to members of the business community, potential buyers, investors and mentors.
“As we bring Accelerate-Her 2.0 to a close, I must commend the 19 entrepreneurs sitting in front of me today. These ladies have elevated their businesses through training and mentorship focused on the key gaps they were able to identify in their businesses. They have been through a very fast paced 13-week programme which helped them to better define their business today and plan for growth tomorrow,” said Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters, Director of the Centre for Local Business Development. She goes on to highlight, “In this room, we have female-owned businesses in waste management, tourism, education, HSSE, real estate and much more. As Guyana’s economy continues to grow, we will see the increased need for more businesses in all economic sectors. These ladies have taken the first step towards benefitting from that growth.”
The businesses who have completed the programme are from across several regions in Guyana. These include B Socially Intact, BrinsJen Systems Development Specialists, Business Logistics (Guyana) Inc., Children R US Daycare and Play Group, Clarke’s Productions Inc., Crystal Lam Designs, Durant Property Management, Fix It Electrical, GiGi’s Gourmet Gifts, Guywaste Disposal Service and, Hunte’s Portable Enterprise, J & I Transportation & General Services, Procare Diagnostic & Therapeutic Services, Ride Along GY, RNS Insurance Brokers and Consultants, Sears’ Consultancy Services, Signature Move Marketing Agency, Sunbeam Career Development, Superior Products and Touring Guyana.
The Centre and the Accelerate-Her programme receives financial support from the Greater Guyana Initiative, funded by the Stabroek Block co-venturers ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC.
For more information and to apply please visit: https://centreguyana.com/ah/