C’bean businesses boosted by free expert advice

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – Entrepreneurs in the Caribbean

received invaluable leadership, branding, and marketing advice at the recently held Leadership in a Digital Age virtual summit.

The free event took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week on 17-18 November and was the first joint initiative between regional companies Yello Media Group (YMG) and the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean.

Leadership in a Digital Age attracted over 3,000 small business owners from within the Caribbean region and around the world. They were given an all-access pass to a mix of on-demand webinars and livestreamed panel discussions to help them deal with the myriad of problems facing small enterprises including COVID-19.

Attendees were given the opportunity to learn actionable strategies from global experts and digital entrepreneurs on everything business related, such as, how to grow a brand online, strategic leadership, and navigating the new normal brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking about the partnership between YMG and the Branson Centre, YMG’s chief revenue officer, Christopher Armistead, said: “We share a common and ambitious vision which is to provide entrepreneurs with access to the tools needed to reach their business goals and this summit provided just that.

“This partnership aims to support the ongoing growth of Caribbean based businesses through different initiatives, including workshops and webinars.”

YMG’s general manager, Jessica Campbell, added: “Those in attendance were able to learn best practices and walk away with actionable marketing strategies to grow their business. The summit has proven that when different organisations have a common goal, and pool resources together, they can achieve amazing results.”

Dubbed a “crash course for SMEs”, the event featured sessions with entrepreneurs who have developed million-dollar businesses online, including Adam G. Force, founder of the multimedia digital brand Change Creator; Barrington McIntosh, founder of BaLance eCom which trains multi-million dollar sellers on Amazon’s marketplace; and Jamaican-born podcaster, Nicaila Matthews Okome, at Side Hustle Pro.

Leadership and marketing experts from the Caribbean, US, and Canada also shared their vast experience and knowledge. Speakers included Heneka Watkis-Porter from ‘The Entrepreneurial You’; personal branding and online marketing strategist Nadine Liverpool; and Robby Polk from Yello Media Group, among others.

“It is extremely gratifying to witness the global impact of this event,” said Joanna Banks, PanJam Investment Limited’s Senior Vice President of New Business Development and Strategy. “PanJam has been a longstanding partner of the Branson Centre because of our shared commitment to innovation and entrepreneurial development, Leadership in a Digital Age perfectly represents those ideals,” she added.

Leadership in a Digital Age is Branson Centre’s first virtual summit. “The numbers don’t lie. It’s clear that taking our signature event online was a step in the right direction and that SMEs are craving this kind of content,” said Branson Centre’s Development and Communications Manager, Gizelle Riley. “Entrepreneurs have to be agile and multifaceted leaders in this fast-paced digital age, and Leadership in a Digital Age reflects that in an educational and inspiring way”.   

Founder of Change Creator, Adam G. Force, said: “I was extremely humbled to take part in a great keynote discussion for the summit. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are two of the most important solutions to rising global challenges, and that’s why meaningful businesses, that solve these challenges, are more important than ever before”.

Chief executive officer at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship-Caribbean, Lauri-Ann Ainsworth, stated: “We gathered the best of the best for Leadership in a Digital Age. This was a free event, but the value of the content is priceless. It was our intention to inspire SMEs as well as provide practical training that attendees could implement with ease.

“Even though we shifted our focus from business acceleration to recovery management, we wanted to show SMEs that opportunities are still out there to help them get on the path for growth”. Ms Ainsworth added that another objective of the event was to give more Caribbean faces the opportunity to showcase their expertise on a global stage.

Leadership in a Digital Age received rave reviews from registrants. One attendee, Christine Gyles, described the event as “awesome”. She added: “As a budding entrepreneur, I learned valuable gems from your expert presenters. I was grateful that I was able to view some of the sessions I missed. It was time well spent. I look forward to another summit in the future.

“Thanks to you and your partners for making it possible for me. I did not know of your company before, and now I will not forget you, because you have added value to my life”.

YMG is extremely proud to have been a part of this exciting, interactive, and educational initiative developed by the Branson Centre and their talented team.