Above: C&W Communications CEO, Inge Smidts. Photo courtesy C&W.
The month of October has been designated ‘Small Business Month’ across the operations of C&W Communications in the Caribbean.
The company which operates the business-focused brands, Flow Business, BTC Business and C&W Business in select markets, will roll out a series of virtual In-Know-vation livestreams beginning on Friday, October 8th aimed at empowering its small and medium business customers and helping them to grow their businesses in the digital age.
The livestreams will be hosted every Friday, and are being tagged “Small Business Fridays,” with engaging speakers, hands-on workshops, and a chance for participating small businesses to present their business and ideas to win an opportunity to pitch to an expert panel, with cash and prizes totaling US$15,000 to be invested in the successful pitches.
Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) represent a large segment of businesses across the Caribbean and the implementation of Small Business Month is designed to signal to the SMB Community that the company is putting significant resources behind its commitment to the sector.
As the global COVID-19 crisis continues to severely impact businesses, particularly small businesses, C&W’s business brands are actively targeting small businesses to help them cope with their new reality. Going beyond business connectivity, they offer the digital tools and “Smart Solutions” that SMBs need to stay productive as they adapt and transform their businesses.
Whether it is managing through mandated business closures due to ever-changing COVID protocols, Flow Business offers digital solutions to help SMBs stay connected and keep their businesses up and running from wherever they are. Small businesses have also faced challenges in terms of accessing the resources to move their services online and Flow Business has stepped in to help small business owners to stay connected to their teams and clients remotely no matter where there are located.
As part of Flow Business’ new suite of Smart Solutions, SMBs can launch a new website in less than seven days, with the company covering the design and build, as well as providing 24/7 support after launching the SMB’s website.
C&W Communications CEO, Inge Smidts, issued a mandate earlier in the year to her business teams asking them to expand the company’s current focus on Small Businesses in the Region. Using a model first piloted in its Bahamas business, the company has expanded the program to a full month of activities and to cover the wider Caribbean region.
“Our small businesses are relying on us more than ever as we face these unprecedented challenges,” said Smidts “We all must find ways to navigate the pandemic together and we are committed to ensuring that small business owners have the tools they need to keep their businesses up and running and to still grow and expand during this period.”
The weekly virtual InKnowvation: Small Business Fridays livestreams feature an impressive line-up of keynote speakers scheduled for each of the Friday virtual events and include, legendary Barbadian singer, recording artist and entrepreneur Alison Hinds; Tricia Coosal, President of the Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA); Jamaican entertainer, recording artist, actor and entrepreneur, Grace “Spice” Hamilton and US-based attorney, storyteller and motivational speaker, Natasha Mayne.
Flow Business’ Small Business Month will also feature workshops to provide small business owners with the technical expertise they need for their business to thrive in the digital age. The workshops include engaging presentations on ‘Increase your sales with digital payments” by WiPay General Manager, Christabelle Brown, “Selling to UK, US and Canada through an online marketplace” by Kadion Preston, CEO – CaribShopper, “Boost your brand with an impactful website and social content”, by Hannah Swift, Country Manager – Virgin Atlantic and “Marketing on a dime: Creating cost-effective marketing campaigns” by digital marketing guru and Flow Business ambassador, Keron Rose.
For more information on C&W’s Small Business month, to sign up for any of the weekly events and to submit business pitch ideas please visit www.flowbusiness.co/events.
