The second cohort of the Accelerate-Her programme

The Centre for Local Business Development (CLDB) hosted an event at the Pegasus Hotel on Saturday, commemorating the completion of the second cohort of its entrepreneurship program – Accelerate-Her.

Accelerate-Her is a professional development initiative for women entrepreneurs. It aims to foster business success and personal growth through a series of weekly courses on marketing and pitch development, specialised business course and coaching, and one-on-one mentorship.

Accelerate-Her 2.0 targeted local women owners, operators, and managers to build the leadership and business skills of women entrepreneurs to grow their companies across a wide variety of industries and sectors. The Call for Applications published on March 14 saw over 130 applications. From this list, 35 women were shortlisted for Phase 1 and a further 19 were shortlisted for Phase 2.

Phase 1 featured a three-day bootcamp for 35 participants with peer and mentor connections, brainstorming for growth, pitch development and building business model canvases. In Phase 2, 19 selected participants from the bootcamp took part in a 12-week mentorship and entrepreneurship experience culminating in Demo Day.

In Phase 2, the participants benefited from courses covering pitch development and delivery, market research and sizing, digital marketing, impact measurement assessment, financial management, operations and exporting, and more. The Centre said the entrepreneurs were also paired one-on-one with a volunteer mentor from the business community. The programme attracted mentors from ExxonMobil Guyana, Baker Hughes, GTT, Matpal Marine Institute and more.

“Demo Day celebrates all of the skills the entrepreneurs have worked to refine during these past 13 weeks,” The Centre said.

The entrepreneurs presented their refined business pitches and showcased their products and/or services to members of the business community, potential buyers, investors and mentors.

Director of the Centre, Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters said, “As we bring Accelerate-Her 2.0 to a close, I must commend the 19 entrepreneurs sitting in front of me today. These ladies have elevated their businesses through training and mentorship focused on the key gaps they were able to identify in their businesses. They have been through a very fast paced 13-week programme which helped them to better define their business today and plan for growth tomorrow.”

She said Guyana’s economic growth will require more business from all sectors, and that these women entrepreneurs have benefitted from that growth. The business owners’ sectors include waste management, tourism, education, and Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE).

The businesses who have completed the programme are from across several regions in Guyana. These include B Socially Intact, BrinsJen Systems Development Specialists, Business Logistics (Guyana) Inc., Children R US Daycare and Play Group, Clarke’s Productions Inc., Crystal Lam Designs, Durant Property Management, Fix It Electrical, GiGi’s Gourmet Gifts, Guywaste Disposal Service and, Hunte’s Portable Enterprise, J & I Transportation & General Services, Procare Diagnostic & Therapeutic Services, Ride Along GY, RNS Insurance Brokers and Consultants, Sears’ Consultancy Services, Signature Move Marketing Agency, Sunbeam Career Development, Superior Products and Touring Guyana.

The Centre and the Accelerate-Her programme are funded through the Greater Guyana Initiative, a project launched by Stabroek Block co-venturers – ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC.