The Women in Business Expo gave over three dozen women entrepreneurs the opportunity to not only market their businesses but also a chance to network with others during the one-day event held at the Pegasus Hotel yesterday.
The expo which was spearheaded by the Women’s Association for Sustainable Development and the Sonia Noel Foundation for the Creative Arts was done to celebrate International Women’s Day, which is being observed on Tuesday. The focus of the initiative was to provide a platform for women to exhibit their products and services and network with other business women.
Addressing those who had gathered at the opening ceremony yesterday, a visibly elated Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence opted to “big up the women in Guyana” for taking the initiative to participate in the expo.
Lawrence reflected on past travels where she would have questioned Guyana’s ability to produce products she would have seen in other countries.
“There is not a single country that I have been to and look at a product and say why can’t we do this in Guyana. But today, through Sonia Noel and her team and all of you here today, that question that I normally ask myself is now a reality,” she said.
The minister also alluded to the United Nations making calls to have governments around the world accelerate gender parity with specific focus on the economic achievements of women. She posited that Guyana is already doing this.
“As long as I remain the Minister of Social Protection for the next 5 years that you have given me, we are not only going to break that ceiling we are going to put it aside, women, we have to take our roles!” she exclaimed.
Extending well wishes on behalf of Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Rajdai Jagarnauth applauded the expo as being one that allows the diverse contributions, skills and talents of women in Guyana to be recognized. She further highlighted it as an initiative that provides an avenue allowing women to network with each other as well as an opportunity for women to expand and secure livelihoods for their families and themselves.
An invitation was extended to those who participated in yesterday’s activity as well as other entrepreneurs to participate in the upcoming GuyExpo which is slated for early May.
Offering additional words of encouragement were Noel and well-known businesswoman Beverly Harper.
Both women emphasized the difficulties women in business have and continue to experience, while offering tips on how to be better in their respective areas of business.
“We know that it isn’t easy to be a woman in business; you all know this and so I applaud you for taking your courage, your passion and putting it into that which you love,” Harper said before stating that although women make up 50% of most work forces, only 4% of those are CEOs even less are on boards of directors.
With that, Harper, who is Managing Director at Ansa McAl Trading Guyana Ltd, challenged the women to utilize their creative and innovative skills to enhance not only their businesses but also their capacity as women.
Also, she called on the women to surround themselves with persons who can positively contribute to their success while asking that they avoid “treading on your sisters” on their way to the top.
This was reiterated by Noel. “We have to be very careful as women what we say and do to each other, a lot of times it is easier for us to bring down rather than raise. But we need to stop the pettiness and change the psyche,” she asserted.
She went on to describe the expo as well as the preparations leading up to yesterday as being an opportunity for the women to venture out of their comfort zones, a must since it is “serious business” and not a “a walk in the park”.
Additionally, she called on the Ministry of Business to recognise the need to have more initiatives developed to engage women in business. She stated that although they received over 100 applications from women to be a part of the expo, they were only able to accept 40.
But she noted that the expo is just as snippet of what women can do. “This is what we need in this country; we need the cohesion. This is just the beginning of something great to come in Guyana,” she said.
Meanwhile, many participants of yesterday’s event were thankful to be able to be a part of the exhibition as many saw it as an opportunity to gain exposure and network with other women in the business sector.
The expo allowed women skilled in various areas to come out and showcase what they have to offer. And while most would have come from in and around Georgetown, others came from as far the Pomeroon River.
One such exhibitor was Iris Calistro of Kabakaburi Village, Upper Pomeroon River, who showcased a variety of hand-made products that were manufactured using local raw materials such as clay, tibisiri, nibi twine, macro palm and coconut fibre among others. Her line ‘Real Thing’ was established in 2011 and provides employment for several talented and creative indigenous youths.
According to Calistro, she expects good things to come from participating in the expo as she has a chance to gain more exposure for her business.
Similar sentiments were shared by Bernadette James of LPepper’s Products and Locations and Irene Bacchus-Holder of Amazon Authentics. For Bacchus-Holder, the event afforded her the opportunity to launch the newest addition to her already thriving crafted wood products; a jewellery line made from wood enhanced by Guyana’s semi-precious stones.
James, whose business focuses on packaging peeled, ready-to-use seasonings described the expo as a “really good collaboration” that helps to promote small businesses like hers while allowing them interact with others women.
“There are lots of women who have the potential but need to be exposed and the Women in Business Expo allows us to grow and establish ourselves,” she shared.
For new and emerging businesses like Provotique and Khaleesi’s, the expo served as an opportunity to not only gain the necessary exposure but also to network with other more established businesswomen.
Candasy Layne of Provotique, a walking tour guide service in Georgetown, told Stabroek News that the expo allows both popular and unpopular businesses a chance to be gain exposure and enhance marketing skills. The partnership between Layne and former beauty queen Ruqayyah Boyer is equipped to provide visitors to Georgetown with an informative tours around the city.
“It is an excellent initiative; it is not just us women distributing our products but its more so the opportunity that we are given to better ourselves…. It is empowering as it is beneficial for marketing purposes,” Layne said.
Similar thoughts were shared by the expo’s youngest participant, Shonta Noel, who along with her older sister, is working to further develop a handmade cards and invitation business. Shonta, who is also the daughter of Sonia Noel, related that such an event is a great opportunity for people who may not get the exposure as much since not everyone can afford to undertake expansive marketing techniques.
Partners of the Women in Business Expo included Scotia Bank, Pegasus Hotel, Impressions, GTT, Star Party Rentals, Icon Media, NCN, the Guyana Business Coalition as well as the Ministry of Social Protection and the Ministry of Social Cohesion.
