As we have entered the 2nd year in the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still experiencing the direct and indirect effects that this disease has had on various business sectors. Despite many businesses having to close their doors or cut back on the number of employees, many were able to address their need of attaining an income by choosing to venture into their own business. This was made aware by the evident rise in the number of businesses, whether online or service-based. This lead to the primary basis of a digital communication campaign lead by Abigail Simpson, Rebecca Lawrence, Mersuda Neils and Rebecca McIntosh. This campaign aims to identify and encourage entrepreneurial ventures that can withstand any form of economic crisis. We are not in the business of aiding businesses to be 100% recession-proof, as it is close to impossible to accomplish this, but we hope to also guide small business owners into ensuring that despite whatever change in the economy may occur, their business will still be left standing.
The members of the team that will be leading this campaign are:
Rebecca McIntosh wears many hats as she is a work from home mom, confidence coach and owns her own business.
Abigail Simpson is currently a student at the University of the West Indies, pursuing a Bachelor in Software Engineering.
Kasheem Lawrence is currently working in the BPO sector while freelancing as a social media manager.
Mersuda Neils is a student at the University of Trinidad and Tobago pursuing a Bachelors in Music Technology
As many businesses were left with no option but to cease operations during the pandemic and are just being able to return to a sense of normalcy, the question arises as to how can one ensure that their business would be able to strive should any form of crisis arise that would cause a shift in the economy and endanger operations.
How can I know that at the end of the day, I will have a secured income despite the falls and changes in the economy?
This campaign aims to address these questions as it seeks to reach out to small business owners and those thinking of starting their businesses.
By way of this media release, public service announcements, and targeted media engagements on selected social media platforms, the campaign will provide credible advice for small business owners and prospective business owners on how to maximize business operations and optimize to their fullest potential despite the occurrences in the economy.
In quoting Mr. Julien Henry who is a Programme Manager in the Entrepreneurship Unit of the Department of Management Studies and Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus, business owners need to place utmost importance in both financial planning and forecasting revenue. Learning to budget accurately and forecast impending changes in revenue and fees are important to make the necessary adjustments in your business to survive those “hard times”. This demonstrates some of the main points that we hope to unfold to small business owners primarily in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and any other small business owner within our reach.
