Chaguanas, 16 April 2024 (TDI): Recognizing the importance of women in business, JMMB Bank lauded participants of a recently concluded entrepreneurship program and encouraged them to continue working towards their goals.
At the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the powerful Women in Business program at the DSM Plaza, Chaguanas, on Friday evening, JMMB stalwart and president of MuchMore Development Diana Morgan-Burgess said while the journey to success was challenging, it was not impossible.
Morgan-Burgess urged graduates to use the skills taught over the six-month-long program to sharpen their business acumen while also staying true to their passion.
Referring to JMMB’s founder Joan Duncan and her work in establishing the company’s position as a respected, financial institution, Morgan-Burgess said while preparation was a key element of success, graduates should not be discouraged if they did not have all the answers.
“I want to say that you are here and came through this program, but don’t stop thinking you have to have all the skills and all the knowledge.
“When we started JMMB in 1992, we didn’t have any 20-page business plan, and look at us today,” she said.
“I’m not saying planning is not important but I’m saying we are here and we don’t have a 20-page business plan. We had a dream, a passion and we took action, and we brought it together.”
The initiative from JMMB Bank offered coaching sessions, personalized business advice, and workshops to participants to nurture Small and Micro Enterprise (SMEs).
After the ceremony, JMMB CEO Tricia Kissoon said the program was in keeping with the company’s culture to empower women while adding value to communities.
“For us at JMMB, women play a big role in how we do business and what business we do, because of our founder and we understand the power of women,” she said.
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“For us, it’s very important that we make that contribution in society and we see this as an opportunity to equip women to grow their business, develop their business, and contribute to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Kissoon said the program received an overwhelmingly positive response with more than 100 applications from interested women entrepreneurs last October when the first cohort was accepted.
She said over time a criteria were applied and participants were assessed before they could be accepted. Graduate and owner of Kidavo Creations, Misty Hamid, thanked JMMB and the coordinators at the SME resource center for their support throughout the program.
Hamid, who, in addition to her certification of completion, was also awarded a certificate of excellence, said the program not only provided quality professional advice but also trained participants on the need for balance in their lives.
“During their sessions, presenters and participants felt comfortable sharing because it was viewed as a safe space to pour out our innermost thoughts and feelings without fear or judgment.
“I have learned so much from these lovely ladies and the importance of work-life balance and following your dreams,” she said.
*The Article was originally published in the Guardian e-paper.
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