JBDC Stages 8th Annual Small Business Expo on May 21

Operators of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) will benefit from business support services, at the Jamaica Business Development Corporation’s (JBDC) eighth annual Small Business Exposition and Conference on May 21.

Under the theme: ‘Practical Business Linkages: Connecting Jamaica to the World’, the one-day event, slated for the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, will highlight key strategies to assist entrepreneurs to connect to a global market.

Through discussions on the conference floor, entrepreneurs will be provided with tools to effectively enter and operate successfully in the international marketplace.

Areas of focus are: innovative packaging and marketing solutions; networking strategies; export readiness; forming global partnerships; and how to use technology to connect with clients around the world.

An innovation this year will be the introduction of a ‘matchmaker session’, which will match sellers of authentic Jamaican products with local and international buyers.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton, in his remarks at the launch held at the Jamaica Pegasus on April 30, lauded the JBDC for its commitment to small business development.

He also hailed the focus of this year’s export on strengthening linkages between local supplies and intentional buyers, noting that this is in keeping with the Government’s export-led strategy to drive economic growth and development.

“Business linkages between international companies and local suppliers contribute to improved competitiveness and increased trade and investment. It is also a key channel to developing closer integration, openness to trade, stimulating foreign direct investment and helping (local) firms to become part of international production and supply networks,” he said.

Chief Executive Officer of the JBDC, Valerie Veira, said the exposition will “bring together all of the agencies and organisations and the presenters to bring the information in one space.”

“We want to create a bigger buzz in (the business) process so that more people will understand how they fit into it and how they can come on board,” she said.

There will be over 30 exhibitors from sectors including manufacturing, craft, banking, accounting, transport, business and technology, and attendees will have the opportunity to meet with these entities and access business support services.

Representatives from the Companies Office of Jamaica, Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO), and Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) will also be on hand to provide information about their services and the role they play in sustainable business development.

The one-day expo and conference will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission is $1,000 presold and $1,500 at the door.

The main sponsors include the National Commercial Bank (NCB) and the Jamaica Yellow Pages.

The annual business expo seeks to offer tangible support to micro and small businesses through: providing training and development opportunities and information on trending topics in the business sector; and assisting entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and processes that will help them to regularise their existing business functions.