The St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry (COCI) on Thursday, December 12 held its last “Grow Your Business with COCI Workshop Series” for 2019 and presented the facilitators of the five-month sessions that took place with an award.
The fifth workshop was given by Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Rolando Brison which was about Online Marketing. The first one was organized in August.
COCI Executive Director Anastacio Baker, brainchild and initiator of the “Grow Your Business with COCI Workshop Series,” said the December 12 attracted a full house which received an impressive presentation from MP Brison.
COCI President of the Board Benjamin Ortega, opened the session with words of welcome to the entrepreneurs, and encouraged them to continue to educate themselves in order to continue to grow their business. COCI will continue to offer initiatives that assist business growth and development.
“This workshop series has been very much welcomed and well received by entrepreneurs. All workshop facilitators did an excellent job in delivering their message to entrepreneurs. Each instructor received an award for their contribution to the business community.
“The first five facilitators were: Edsel Gumbs (Loan Accession Technique), Jason Rogers (Legal System for Businesses), Quincy Lont (Tax System for Businesses), Adelena Chandler-Schaap (Human Resources), and MP Rolando Brison (Online Marketing & Business Branding). Not all instructors could be present for the award-giving ceremony, due to being off island or due to other commitments.
“The closing the 2019 series does not mean the end of the program. There are three more workshops planned for 2020. The workshop series has brought a personal touch to the branding and conducting business on the island,” COCI Executive Director Anastacio Baker said on Monday.
The concept ‘grow by learning’ training workshops, according to Baker, are crucial for personal and professional business development of entrepreneurs and is an opportunity for individuals to acquire new skills, improve their existing knowledge and abilities which allows them to continue to grow their business.
Each workshop deals with one specific topic. The other workshops planned for the first quarter of 2020 are: January 30, 2020 Customer Service, Glen Yeung; February 20 Protecting your Brand by the Bureau of Intellectual Property (BIP), Vincentia Rosen Sandiford; and March 26 Financial Planning, Ahmed Bell.
The workshop product series is being organized in connection with COCI’s 40th anniversary marking the Chambers establishment this year 40-years ago.