W E B I N A RB O O K L E T

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Webinar One

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Webinar Two

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Acknowledgements

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Webinar Three

IAN KHAN“Start thinking differently, start thinking LOUD, start thinking BIG.

The time to do that, is NOW. Right now.”

BIOGRAPHYForbes contributor and Featured Technology Futurist on CNN, Ian Khan is a highly sought-after emerging technology expert. A three times TEDx Speaker & Author, Ian has impacted over 5000 organizations in his career of 20 years to help organizations understand emerging technology and the steps they can take to create limitless value. An advocate of emerging technologies, Ian helps organizations gain a competitive advantage in today’s era of disruption and rapid change. His core speaking topics include technology trends, industry future outlook and the role of IoT, AI & Blockchain in shaping our future.

Ian is also the author of over 8 books. Some of these include Cloud Wars, The Internet of Things (IoT) A Concise Introduction, The Internet of Things & the Future of Innovation, Make Me Like You, 21 Steps & Get Ahead and Meaningful Conversations. A highly sought-after expert, Ian has dedicated the last 20 years evangelizing technologies such as Cloud Computing, Internet of Things, and emerging tech. Though his career Ian has worked with Information Technology startups, SAP EBS Partner Companies and key Microsoft partner ecosystem providers. Through his two decades of working in the industry he also gained a complete understanding of where organizations face maximum challenge as his roles included Sales, Business Development, Management, to managing global marketing teams. Ian is also an active speaker and spends more than 200 days per year on the road speaking at industry conferences. He is also a frequent contributor to industry publications and his work has appeared in McGraw Hill Education, Huffington Post, & Techvibes.

He is also a founding member of IOTAC (Internet of Things Association of Canada), Canada's Only Internet of Things Advocacy group and Nonprofit dedicated at providing a platform & advocacy support for IoT initiatives in Canada. Passionate about helping newer generations develop key technology understanding, Ian also works with educational institutions & nonprofit organizations. His recent work includes Chang School (Ryerson University), Schulich School of Business (York University) and others. Ian is also the host of the Innovation Times podcast that interviews Thought leaders, helping shape the future of the world through meaningful conversations. Ian is also member of the Association of Global Futurists, a member of the National Speaking Association and the World Future Society.

He lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife and son and has local presence in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, London, and Dubai.For more information please visit www.IanKhan.com

SUMMARY• How do you get people to think about the future? • Coming out of COVID-19, what will things look like, but it will not end there, as there will other change makers that

shape the business environment that you will need to respond to• The entire world is trying to figure out what to do, but we still have to take action locally• Survey: Go to: the URL https://bit.ly/FRSNow for a survey to determine your readiness for the future. Less than a

score of 100 means you have work to do.• Engagement: with your customers and market, your website, your services, marketing strategy, sales; what do

customers want right now? Revise your plans as conditions change, what should I do in the next 3 or 6 months?• Learning: reading, webinars, (free) courses, search engine optimization, skills, etc.• People: be people centered including employees, they will take care of your customers• Partnerships: think of new partners, suppliers, deliveries, sales on Amazon, etc. • Be Accountable: everyday tick the boxes of your planned activities• Culture: create one where people feel they belong and are cared for• Execution: is everything, turn your plan into action• Technology: it can help you be more efficient and have a greater reach, most marketing can be done online, use its

automatic features to reach more customers

GREGORY MCGUIRE

“Focus on digital transformation, including online sales, online banking etc.

Explore new markets or innovative ways to reach existing markets- local and export markets where possible

Value Creation - improve product/ service while managing costs to remain competitive.

SAVE for a rainy day.”

BIOGRAPHYGregory is the Principal Consultant VSL Consultants Limited. A graduate of the University of the West Indies, Mr McGuire holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Economics. He has also had extensive post-graduate management training at the Harvard Business School and MW Kellogg School of Management and the London School of Economics.

Mr. McGuire has had a distinguished career in Business spanning thirty years. He spent twenty four years at the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited ( NGC) where he had managerial responsibility mainly for the Strategic Planning and Marketing process. He was deeply involved in all major contract negotiations for gas purchases and sales during the period 1991 to 1996, and was part of the joint marketing team that negotiated the LNG sales contract for Atlantic LNG Train 1. He pioneered strategic initiatives to boost the Company’s sales to the light industrial and commercial market and also pioneer the idea of local economic development as the base from Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.

Mr. Mc Guire was a lecturer in Energy Economics and Economic Planning at the UWI Department of Economics from 2002 to 2014. He is also an experienced researcher having written and published papers on strategic planning, the energy industry, technology transfer, trade and public finance. He has conducted/ economics research work on economics, energy policy and market studies for a wide range of institutions and companies, local and international, including OLADE, ECLAC, IDB EITI, CDB and Caricom. He has contributed to and co-edited the book “From Oil to Gas and Beyond – A review of the Trinidad and Tobago Model and analysis of future challenges"

Mr. Mc Guire is the owner and Principal Consultant with VSL Consultants Limited. In this capacity Mr. Mc Guire has facilitated strategic plans for numerous organizations n the public and private sectors. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, a director of the Eco Industrial Estate and Business Park ( COVE ) in Tobago and is a member of the recently appointed Caricom Economic Commission.

For more information please visit http://www.vslcaribbean.com/

• On the impact of COVID-19: health crisis and economy disruption. The world will recover, but some of the trends prompted by pandemic will not go away such as digitization of business and e-learning

• We have long-standing structural problems, like not diversifying, oil and tourism dependency, product demand from small islands is driven by tourists rather than residents, so demand will go down in the foreseeable future. Our capacity to earn foreign exchange is reduced; the T&T government is carrying significant debt

• The opportunities show the need for e-government; supply chain disruption issues will place emphasis on food security, and SME’s will need to play a greater role

• What does this mean for you? Supply chains will be restructured, FX will be tight, so we need to focus on local things for the local market (food, fashion, etc.). Join the digital revolution: online marketing and sales. Home delivery of more products will be expanded. Home fitness services from online instructors will be in greater demand. Web presence for businesses is essential. “If you are not on the web, you are not in business.”

• Customer loyalty cards are for data collection and we also need to collect data on our customers from other sources to know their patterns and needs

• The animation of online content will grow

SUMMARY

TRACY HACKSHAWThe future is NOW, OWN the Future.

BIOGRAPHYTracy Hackshaw is an ICT and Digital Economy Strategist possessing close to twenty-five (25) years' experience spanning work in the public and private sectors both locally and internationally, including representing Trinidad & Tobago in various international forums. Included in his portfolio are engagements on the Executive Management Committee of the Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative, a two-year term as Vice Chair of ICANN’s Governmental Advisory Committee, Small Island Developing States Dynamic Coalition co-ordination at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum, Academic Teaching and Research work at the DiploFoundation/University of Malta and at The University of the West Indies, as well as professional leadership roles in the Ministries of Science & Technology, Public Administration and Planning & Development, iGovTT, ttconnect, and Star.tt among several other entities and organisations.

He has served as a Director of the Trinidad & Tobago Multistakeholder Advisory Group, which convened the inaugural Trinidad & Tobago IGF in January 2017. Hackshaw is the founding Vice Chair of the Internet Society Trinidad & Tobago Chapter and was elected its Chair for the 2017-19 term.

For more information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyhackshaw/

• With this happening, can you really go back to your old ways of doing business

• The watchwords: Pivot > Reboot > Reset.• Make sure your new conception of your business has those

characteristics and plays to those values.• The global economy is now paying attention to these criteria

—get on board.• Look at the last one to see what partnerships you can

conceive of. • Who do you think should assist you in this new order: the

government, chambers of commerces, banks, or other institutions?

• The friction between business and government is especially a big historical problem. It needs to incentivize innovation and the digital transformation of businesses.

• This is where the action is. Including virtual fashion (trying clothes on online) and augmented reality and virtual reality. Also includes working from home and telemedicine.

SUMMARY

INGRID RILEY“Always act on your instincts. As an entrepreneur, that is your best tool, skill ever. Trust your inner guidance.”

BIOGRAPHYIngrid is a seasoned Digital Strategist, Digital Media Entrepreneur, and Events Producer who has done Strategy and Execution work for over 50 Caribbean Brands in the Finance, Travel, Tech, Food, and Beverage Industries - including the Jamaica Tourist Board, ICD Group, Digicel and JMMB. She is an award-winning technology blogger, who has been DowJones Syndicated and has blogs about Caribbean Tech at SiliconCaribe.com for 15 years.

Ingrid is also a Caribbean Tech Maven and tech startup ecosystem pioneer who founded SiliconCaribe the 15-year-old Caribbean Digital Media and Events brand that kickstarted the Jamaican Tech Startup Scene in 2007 and directly impacted over 10,000 Caribbean tech entrepreneurs.

Silicon Caribe is a digital media and events brand that is an award-winning tech blog and produced over 150 Caribbean Tech Events in the Caribbean, Diaspora USA and Commonwealth for entrepreneurs and Women in Tech- such as the pioneering Kingston Beta, Caribbean Beta, Startup Weekend Jamaica, Agrihack and Caribbean Bloggers Week. Entrepreneur Pitch Competitions and Trend Forums around Blockchain and Women in Tech were also produced in addition to producing Caribbean Content programming for SXSW and Black Tech Week.

Ingrid advises Government Ministers, Universities and Development agencies on digital trends, tech startups, innovation programmes and startup ecosystems. She also served as Board Chairman of StartupJamaica; she still advises the current Jamaican Minister of Science, Energy, and Technology via the National ICT Advisory Council and has been an SXSW Startup Accelerator Event Board Member.For her startup ecosystem work, she received the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) 50Under50 Business Leader Gamer Changer + TechLink Game Changer Social Entrepreneurship Awards.Ingrid recently founded Caribbean Women in Tech - a community of professionals and entrepreneurs who are in tech and the digital economy - and are committed to raising visibility and changing the face of technology and business in the Caribbean and Diaspora.

She is also now a member of the Development Bank of Jamaica's Mentorship Council for their Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programme.For more information please visit SiliconCaribe.com

• The future is digital but has been for a while; L-shape recovery and Black Lives Matter movement will have significant impact on businesses.

• Does your business have what it takes to succeed?• Three things to do immediately:

1.assess and take stock of your situation, 2.why are you in your business? 3.do your pre-COVID assumptions still exist, if not, what has changed?

• We all need to experiment, as if we were beginning again (there is no rule book for this new world)• Listen to ourselves and trust the (gut) answers, but still learn by observing customer behavior, collecting data, read your

industry blogs and follow tweets to pick up trends, go to the fringes and unusual sources for information (do not rely solely on the old ones)

• Go to: https://www.covidinnovations.com/ which showcase many innovations as success stories in the pandemic period; also follow on Twitter: #covidtrends and #digitaltrends

SUMMARY

• Get outside of your comfort zone (that place does not exist anymore)• Take action – my premise: innovation should take place from the inside out (not copy-catting global trends); it must identify

at least one advantage/strength you have in the Caribbean or your business and leverage it • Pair it with technology that can serve the world; examples: cannabis production, and track & field superiority• We have taken our cues from outside instead of inside out for too long• Five industries to watch:

1.health and wellness (local plants, meditation, exercise),2.online learning, 3.online webinars, 4.e-commerce to purchase local products, 5.digital media – unique to Caribbean content like the blogs and podcasts niche, think about where customers will get

their information from • Two pivot success stories – delivery of everything to homes and offices, and errand delivery (outsourcing small tasks); a

party promoter used his extensive client network to market his new cleaning/sanitizing business • Ms Riley will have pivot success stories e-book out soon

SUMMARY (CONT’D)

WEBINAR#1 IMPORTANT QUESTION RESPONSES

• We cannot depend on governments to assists us• We need to first think of how to use digital means to

reach our customers• Think of the special needs of people who are staying-

at-home for opportunities• Check your assumptions for being in business and

see if they are still true• Educate yourself with Google, online courses, and

coaching

• Join an online community that is dealing with issues similar to yours

• Review what skills your staff will need and get training for them

• What can be achieved with a small pivot?• COSTAATT and Roytec will lead digital training and

Export TT will provide coaching

ROLANDHAGGINS“Choose the right path, then focus and persevere but be flexible to change.”

BIOGRAPHYRoland Haggins is Executive in Residence at the UWI SagicorCave Hill School of Business and Management. A leading finance and technology specialist, Roland has over fifteen years of global industry expertise and has been invited to consult and speak by various governments including the governments of India and Uganda, and global organizations including the International Monetary Fund, Regional Central Banks, the Commonwealth Telecommunication Union, the United Nations International Telecommunications Union.A leading digital economy specialist, Roland also has expertise in finance, investment, technology, strategic planning, business development, operations and the global regulatory environment. He has also used his knowledge of the financial system to develop, coordinate and lecture banking and finance courses for the University of the West Indies Open Campus including Ethics in Banking and Finance.

Roland earned a Bachelor’s Degree with First Class Honours in Economics with Banking from the University of Greenwich before obtaining his Master’s of Science Degree (with Distinction) in Finance and Investment from Queen Mary, University of London

DR. MICHAELFLEARY“Innovation is something that we all can do. And it starts by thinking critically.

Thinking critically – starts with a unwavering belief in progress despite internal and external limitations.

It demands insight and imagination which are the basic ingredients for innovation and adaptability.”

BIOGRAPHYDr. Kevin Michael Fleary holds a Ph.D. Management Science and Engineering. He is a member of faculty at Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, Programme Director and Lecturer responsible for leading the areas of Operations Management, Business Analytics, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. His research and consultancy interest focuses on the application data analytics for Business Transformation and Supply Chain Management as well as Behavioral Operations Management.

Dr. Kevin Michael Fleary via R&D is focused on the creation of management tools and approaches that empower critical thinking for decision making and innovation. He continues to work with SME’s to empower companies to achieve their developmental goals using a systematic management framework.

For more information please visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-fleary-5bb122a1/

SUMMARY

• Use SWOT analysis of your internal and external environments to see where to focus your attention.

• Examine your business model and adapt.• Shift from product to a service to create new ideas

through the stages in the slide. Use product knowledge in the service or for educational purposes.

• Three-prong approach.• Sustain the base business first.• Use previous slide to innovate, and improve your

processes and technology• Adapt by using critical thinking about complex problems• We are bounded by our access to information, time, and

our mental models.• Don’t use a rule of thumb or pure intuition, as they are

inadequate. Evidenced based decision making is the key. • How to overcome constraints. Use this game as training.

Follow the questions in the slide.

HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE?DEVELOP A VALUE BRAIN!With Dr. Kevin Michael Fleary

WHAT IS A BUSINESS?

Any Combination of the two

Systems Systems

Systems Consist: People Process

Technology

WHERE DO BUSINESS CHALLENGES EXIST?

EXTERNAL

Systems Systems

INTERNAL

SEEK TO UNDERSTAND MARKET CHANGES TO ADAPT

SEEK TO IDENTIFY AND REMOVE

INEFFICIENCIES

HOW DO WE SURVIVE AND THRIVE ?• By utilizing a Product Service System methodology that consistently

allows the examination of internal and external constraints of a company and critically seek ways to over these challenges.

• Understand how to leverage your strengths and overcome weaknesses to Sustain then Innovate

Pure Product Product Oriented/physical add-ons

Use Oriented/Do it Yourself

Result Oriented/Outcome

Pure Service

Tropical Hives Honey

Tropical Hives Honey with

Garlic

Tea Shop Come in and create your

blends for tea

Find out what clients use honey for and offer that.

Ice Cream with Honey Comb

Bee Keeping Society to educate

person on Honey

Production

ServitizationProductization

STEPS TO PROBLEM SOLVE WITH PRODUCT SERVICE SYSTEMS

Value Brain is a simulated game that allows

random selection and creation of real life

business models with challenges.

Think critically to:

• Sustain the business – identify inefficiencies

and use existing strengths to overcome

them

• Innovate – Transform Product, Service or

System in line with business goals and

market demand

• Adapt – Learn how to become flexible

when unforeseen events occur

Result Oriented Solution

SAMPLE OF VALUE BRAINCRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ASK:

• Given budgetary constraints hinted by lack of

equity to develop the size of the store, is the

business willing to invest in new equipment to

roast a coffee bean that is inaccessible?

• Why is this bean inaccessible?

• Are there alternatives sources not yet

previously explored?

• Is this product offering of significance to the

business brand or can we change our value

proposition?

END & THANK YOU • Dr. Kevin Michael Fleary, Ph.D.

• MANAGEMENT SCIENTIST

• Programme Director International Master Business Development & Innovation

• Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business

• Max Richards Drive, Uriah Butler Highway, Northwest, Mount Hope

• Email: k.fleary@lokjackgsb.edu.tt

MARCPERSAUD“Never lose the desire to learn and therefore grow but be humble enough to realize that learning can come from anywhere and everyone.”

• There is a range of needs. • Categories of stay at home persons:

• Celebrity - at home activities and entertainment, no work activities• Front Liner – engaging with customer on daily basis• Parent Professional – juggle family and work at home

• A “New Normal” happens after every major crisis. A sustained stimulus is needed for significant change. See what changes applies to you or not. We do not know if COVID changes are permanent (but has accelerated some pre-COVID trends).

• Work practices have been challenged, like work from home. • Global recession period will be getting worse• Employment will lag the crisis

SUMMARY

• Be introspective on the impact on your business; pivot and adapt to current conditions; manage your cash flow ruthlessly; plan for the short-term future

• Engage your suppliers and get options and alternatives, manage your JIT inventory• Order fulfilment and payments - make is easy for the customer, provide hire purchase on big ticket items; look for new

ways to deliver• Leverage your debt and barter when needed • Learn about available emergency loans• Check your chamber for help• Review your business model• Discard what is not working at the moment• Engage your network, build your brand and use social media• See where you can pivot• Look for mergers and acquisitions opportunities

SUMMARY (CONT’D)

BIOGRAPHYMarc considers himself an amateur “business whisperer”. He is deeply passionate about business and has a natural affinity for its founding theory, core tenants and evolving architecture.Marc developed this love of business at McGill University where he pursued a Bachelor of Commerce, a degree completely dedicated to the machinations of modern business.

He has worked and gained experience and knowledge in a wide assortment of business types, ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups and other SME structures to such global behemoths of industry as eBay, BP, IBM and EY.

Synonymous with this mobility is a continuously steep and challenging learning curve. Marc has led teams through the challenges of starting or rebuilding a company and equally, he has performed economic risk evaluations for globally scaled major projects and helped analyze the strategy for large multi-nationals. He has now turned his focus to the realm of international finance and strategy where he applies his unique background and ability to understand a company and the inherent business and investment value.Being an unsuccessful serial-entrepreneur himself, Marc remains wholeheartedly dedicated to the SME sector nd volunteers through the T&;T Chamber of Industry and Commerce where he sits on the Board of Directors as well as on the NOVA Committee.

Marc is also currently co-Vice Chair of the Trade and Investment Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce.Marc is also an immensely proud husband and father of a 2-year old son, around whose schedule he attempts to pursue his CFA.

For more information please visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcgpersaud

NIKITALEGALL“An idea does not create a person; you have to be willing to take advice from other entrepreneurs who have already walked that path..”

BIOGRAPHYNikita is the Managing Director of Tropical Hives. Her specialties are: Beekeeper, Project Management, Social Media Management, Product Development, Research Assistance, Engineering and Marketing and Sales. Tropical Hives is a commercial manufacturer and distributor of honey, hive products and apiary services in Trinidad and Tobago.

For more information please visit https://tropicalhives.com/

F R O M H I V E T O H O M E

T R O P I C A L H I V E S L T D

Tropical hives limited is an online service that provides locally produced honey and hive products throughout most of the country. At

the core of the business are customer service and environmental sustainability. Nikita is an avid learner, passionate about

sustainable agriculture systems and is always looking for new ways we can improve the way we live to bring joy and balance to

everyday life.

N I K I TA L E G A L LMANAGING DIRECTOR

E N V I R O N M E N T 51

About the business

• Retail • Emphasis on social media to reach our customers • Collaborative approach • Environmental sustainability

COVID-19

E N V I R O N M E N T 53

Communication is key

CUSTOMERS

RELEVANT MINISTRIES CREDITORS

E N V I R O N M E N T 54

Customer Guidelines:Guidelines for Tropical Hives delivery:

1. Wash your hands or use a hand sanitizing before collection your packages.

We will be sanitizing our hand before and after each delivery also.

2. If you don't need a bag please don't take one.

3. All bottles will be sanitized before going out for delivery but you can also

wipe the outside of the bottle with a disinfecting wipe.

4. For your convenience we have added alternative payment options to cash

these include:

a. Online bank transfers (these must be complete before delivery is dispatched)

b. Credit card payments (additional fees will apply)

E N V I R O N M E N T 55

Collaboration • A company that provides online work outs included a 50% of

gift certificate for a clothing store if they achieve their fitness goals

• Asking an essential business to carry your products during lock down

• Hairdressers hosting online classes so that parents can learn to comb their children's hair at home.

• Pay now and redeem when we are allowed to reopen for all in person services

Creativity

A R E Y O U F I L L I N G A N E E D O R P R O V I D I N G A N E S C A P E ?

Next Steps

E N V I R O N M E N T 58

N O U N N E C E S S A R Y S P E N D I N G

B U I L D A R E L AT I O N S H I P W I T H

YO U R BA N K E R

R E - E VA LUAT E YO U R C U S TO M E R S N E E D S

H AV E A D E D I C AT E D S AV I N G S P L A N F O R YO U R B U S I N E S S

J O I N A N O R G A N I Z AT I O N S P E C I F I C TO YO U R F I E L D

U N D E R S TA N D T H E T R U E CO S T O F YO U R P R O D U C T / S E R V I C E

E N V I R O N M E N T 59

Thank YouEmail: tropicalohives@gmail.com @tropicalhives

• Tropical Hives Ltd: Honey production and bee removals. • Sustainability of the environment is an important part of our business. Keep reading, learning, and developing.• Social media presence is important and a personal touch is needed. Network with other entrepreneurs.• Communicate with the ministries who are making decisions on your behalf; agriculture could not sell their goods

because the school feeding program stopped and restaurants were closed; it was not defined by government as an essential service; no subsidies were provided to farmers for food security.

• Speak up!• Creditors – payments will be delayed talk with them to see what problems they are encountering• Customers - how can I best communicate with customers so they know I am attentive to their needs?• Who can you partner with like making joint packages between your businesses? Hairdressers can give an online class.

In-person services who pay now will get a preferential rate at the transaction time. • Two main source of business ideas. Escape as in entertainment (at home or locally). Reduce spending and credit• Your relationship with your bankers is critical• Join an industry group to share ideas and get support• What is important to your customer now?• Save a % of every sale as a safety buffer; know your true costs of your product

SUMMARY

WEBINAR#2 IMPORTANT QUESTION RESPONSES

• You need to differentiate yourself from the competitors

• Think about exporting to grow• Accept more options and timing for how your

customers pay & increase the ease of doing business• We must deliver a product that meets quality, cost,

and time standards consistently• Collect and use data to uncover areas you can

improve in• Leverage your current strengths

• Develop a checklist of things that must be considered when you are making important decisions

• Look at your value chain to spot areas for improvement

• Monitor your cash flow as it will shut you down the quickest

• Establish relationships will all your financial vendors• Don’t increase your prices unless the value of your

product increases• Consider sustainability and scalability in all your

decisions

DR. WAYNEFREDERICK“The age of coronavirus presents an important opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their ability to pivot and ensure customers and staff alike that their health and safety is the company’s utmost priority.”

BIOGRAPHYWayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., is the President of Howard University, having held this position since July 2014. Dr. Frederick previously served as Howard’s Provost and Chief Academic Officer. A distinguished researcher and surgeon, Dr. Frederick continues to work as a surgeon, and lectures to medical students and residents of Howard’s College of Medicine. Dr. Frederick is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and belongs to numerous surgical organizations, including the American Surgical Association. His medical research seeks to narrow the disparity in all cancer-care outcomes, with a focus on gastrointestinal cancers. He is the author of many peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts and editorials. Dr. Frederick is a member of the boards of Humana, Mutual of America, and the United States Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as a member of the NCAA Division I Presidential Forum and chairs the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) as well as the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As the 17th President, Dr. Frederick’s goal is to enhance the Howard University legacy, ensure that the University maximizes its impact and that its students receive a well-rounded educational experience. Through his experience as a scholar and an administrator, Dr. Frederick strives to develop innovative approaches to focus on the institutional priorities of his beloved alma mater and support the success of its students. As an undergraduate, Dr. Frederick was admitted to Howard University’s B.S./M.D. dual degree program. He completed the requirements for both degrees in six years, allowing him to earn his Bachelor of Science and his medical degree by the age of 22. Following his post-doctoral research and surgical oncology fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Frederick began his academic career as Associate Director of the Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut. Upon his return to Howard University, his academic positions included Associate Dean in the College of Medicine, Division Chief in the Department of Surgery, Director of the Cancer Center and Deputy Provost for Health Sciences. He also earned his MBA from Howard University’s School of Business in 2011. Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick is a true son of Howard University—a proud and loyal exemplar of its motto: Truth and Service.For more information please visit https://www2.howard.edu/about/president

• Interaction is the essence of the human condition, but pandemic has put serious constraints on that. Here at Howard, many students want to socialize and we have to think of ways to do that safely.

• How will you take care of your workers is a very important question? • Safety helps consumer confidence. • Brand ambassadors are not used often, have them speak about your products. Study your market needs. • Parents want an online hybrid for students and some want to come to campus to socialize, traditionally this has been

20% in classroom 80% in extracurricular activities. We are providing a national symposium on civil unrest issues. • Word of mouth doubles vendors. Use surprise freebies (CV safety products for instance).• Our Telehealth project for CV testing is an example.• Businesses are about people and we should never lose the idea of the humanity of what we are doing. They are living

in very difficult time. Are we striving for a communal good?• The codependency of all businesses has been demonstrated by the pandemic.

SUMMARY

H O WA R D F O R WA R D 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 4

What  are  the  Business  Opportunities  for  Micro,  Small  and  Medium-­‐sized  Enterprises  in  the  Age  of  COVID-­‐19  

By  Wayne  A.  I.  Frederick,  M.D.,  MBA  Howard  University  President  

H O WA R D F O R WA R D 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 4

Re-Engaging Your Customers• Marketing to consumers who

have lived through a pandemic calls for a nuanced grasp of their changed — and changing — wants, needs and newly formed habits.

• According to the US Chamber of Commerce – here are 5 Tips to Re-Engage Your Customers.

H O WA R D F O R WA R D 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 4

5 Tips for Re-Engaging Your Customers• Adapt and Innovate• Create an employee wellness plan

• Spread authentic, safety-first reopening messages to cautious consumers via multiple touchpoints• Develop a plan for social distancing

• Leverage brand ambassadors

• SOURCE: https://www.uschamber.com/co/events/co-blueprint-re-engaging-your-customers

H O WA R D F O R WA R D 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 4

5 Tips for Re-Engaging Your Customers• Study your market to understand customer wants and

needs• Review the research on what consumers are doing differently

• Tap low-to-no-cost marketing tools• Word of Mouth• Surprise Freebies• Use college interns for your social media plan

• SOURCE: https://www.uschamber.com/co/events/co-blueprint-re-engaging-your-customers

H O WA R D F O R WA R D 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 4

May  5,  2020  Howard  University  Faculty  Practice  Plan  began  offering  free  Coronavirus  testing  at  its  Benning  Road  Clinic  thanks  to  a  generous  $1M  grant  provided  by  Bank  of  America  to  provide  the  critical  resource  in  an  area  that  needs  testing  the  most.  The  grant  will  improve  access  to  COVID-­‐19  testing  in  the  diverse  Washington,  D.C.  communities  located  east  of  the  river.  Howard's  team  of  physicians  will  see  patients  who  are  showing  symptoms  or  who  believe  they  are  asymptomatic.  

Corporate  Responsibility:  Howard  University  Launches  COVID-­‐19  Testing  Facility

H O WA R D F O R WA R D 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 2 4

May  15,  2020  

Howard  University  administrators  and  D.C.  Mayor  Muriel  Bowser  gathered  at  the  new  Benning  Road  Clinic  COVID-­‐19  testing  site  to  announce  the  clinic’s  expansion  to  four  days  a  week.  As  a  show  of  community  support,  journalist  Armstrong  Williams,  founder  and  sole  owner  of  Howard  Stirk  Holdings  Broadcast,  and  Capital  Medical  Supply,  Inc.,  donated  30,000  masks  to  be  used  at  the  clinic  for  staff  and  patient  safety.  

Howard  University  Expands  Testing  to  Four  Day  A  Week

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June  25,  2020  

The  University’s  Fall  2020  Re-­‐opening  Plan  is  the  product  of  broad  discussions  and  recommendations  from  the  President’s  Re-­‐opening  Taskforce,  as  well  as  the  members  of  the  13  Fall  2020  preparation  sub-­‐committees,  with  representation  from  over  150  students,  faculty,  staff,  local  community  leaders,  and  in  accordance  with  guidance  from  the  Centers  for  Disease  Control  and  Prevention  (CDC),  local  and  federal  government.

Howard  University  Fall  Re-­‐Opening  Plan

THANK YOU !!

GABRIELFARIA

The T&T Chamber recognizes the critical role the MSME sector plays in the development of the Economy and over the years our key point of contact with this sector has been through the NOVA committee, they have done significant work in providing support to the sector and this webinar series is just one other effort.

The T&T Chamber has also created an associate membership tier to facilities access to Chamber benefits specifically to the Micro enterprises.

We also developed our Business Insights Series to provide training for business by business and most of these sessions are provided free of charge to members.

We also launched our T&T Chamber Scale Up programme in March this year to harness the work done by numerous companies targeting this sector. Our goal is to facilitate the development of the eco system from incubation to commercialization. Our goal is to create an environment where we can provide access to mentorship and Angel Investing.

BIOGRAPHYGabriel Faria became the Chief Executive Officer of the T&T Chamber, with effect from October 1, 2016. With over 35 years’ leadership and management experience gained both locally and abroad, Mr. Faria brings broad multi-industry expertise to the T&T Chamber. He worked in the services, durables, FMCG, CSD, spirits, brewing and media industries in the Caribbean, Central and North America and Europe. Mr. Faria has held senior executive positions at Carib Brewery Limited, Guardian Media Limited, Angostura Holdings Limited, S.M. Jaleel & Co. Limited, Neal and Massy Trinidad Limited and T. Geddes Grant Limited. As a senior executive, Mr. Faria is passionate about building cohesive teams with the singular purpose of taking companies to higher levels of performance and profitability. His cross-functional competence has led to successes in new product development, brand equity management, business process improvement while driving operational excellence. He focuses on understanding the future of the industry, and satisfying consumer insights, while creating new trails rather than following old ones. Mr. Gabriel Faria holds a Master’s in Business Administration in International Business from Barry University, and is a member of Delta Mu Delta International Honour Society for Business Administration.

His passion is building cohesive teams with a single-minded focus; to take companies to higher levels of performance through superior brand equity management, improving business processes, driving operational excellence, understanding the future of the industry and creating new trails rather than following old ones.

His goal is to make a positive impact on the genuine people he meets and to leave the world a better place through his contributions.

For more information please visit https://chamber.org.tt/about-the-chamber/board-of-directors#17

VASHTIEDOOKIESINGHIn these unprecedented times we are challenged to navigate unknown territory to recalibrate and reposition for resilience and growth.

We feel the pain and perhaps our confidence has been badly shaken, but as a people and as a business community we have the creativity, drive and dynamism to embrace change and leverage the tools available to chart a new future

– what will yours look like?

BIOGRAPHYVashtie Dookiesingh is a private finance operations senior specialist at IDB Lab, the innovation Lab of the IDB Group where she has facilitated the development and management of multilateral loan and grant operations for IDB Lab in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, Suriname and Guyana. Her career experience spans over 28 years in professional service delivery, including 13 within the private sector and 15 within the dominant multilateral financing institution and development partner in Latin America and Caribbean. Over the course of her career Vashtie has worked on a broad range of topics including the Future of Work, Business Climate Improvement, ICT adoption by SMEs, Climate Smart Agriculture, Climate Resilience, Financial Inclusion, Cultural Industries and Innovation.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vashtiedookiesingh/

• IDB lab is about development, which is very complex, so we need courage and to be able to adapt…it always comes down to people when we are trying to change.

• Three Principles: 1.what is our value proposition in the new environment? What are needs or wants and problems of customers we

can solve? Talent of our staff may not being used; 2.look at digital transformation which is not an end but a means, digital skills for our staff are required3.our earth has had time to breath again…so sustainability is important: environmental, societal, and economic

sustainability, so maybe we run smaller operations and end the era of waste IDB Labs offers: three programmes:

1.CARIRI Ideas Advisory Services Programme to help entrepreneurs to take new ideas to a prototype and it is a free program, it also attract partners, has joint venturing, or licensing. The financing gap has to be addressed, such as equity or grant financing; the European Union has made available €$9.7M. We have a $10M project to be launched soon to provide innovation financing, coaching, vetted by an independent evaluation panel, up to US$500,000, for those who are ready to commercialise.

SUMMARY

• 2. Shaping the Future of Innovation, will invest in tertiary education, many graduates cannot leverage their skills, we will link these skills with the start up’s people needs, specifically at the masters and PhD level, with a period of 6 months to start. It will strengthen the ecosystem, there is too much isolation in resources and they need to be pooled, get the actors to work collaboratively to strengthen the ecosystem

• 3. With TechBeach to partner with a ICT acceleration firm with a university in Toronto. Hook up technology business with coaches and financing in an accelerator programme and integrate into the more traditional sectors in the Caribbean

• Contact those sponsors for more details • Think of the lotus flower it grows in dirty water but makes something beautiful; we have the talent, resources and

thought leaders and the community to emerge stronger.

SUMMARY (CONT’D)

MICHAELAKINDELEFind Your Tribe, play your role, tell your story, help others, take advice, build your village, & Embrace Digital Transformation to thrive in a Digital World.

BIOGRAPHYMichael is a Lead on Digital Transformation at Resilience Capital Ventures, a boutique capital advisory practice, which provides strategic advisory services and mobilizes capital, working in partnership with a network of investment firms and brokers. He is also the Managing Partner of Uncharted Ventures, a company that incubates and advises new ventures, with a focus on new product strategy.

Michael has over 12 years’ experience in the US, Africa, and other emerging markets. His skill set and expertise include digital transformation, innovation, agile strategy, and design-thinking. Most recently, he led a team to launch the international frozen yogurt brand, Sweetkiwi, in the Washington, D.C. area, through the Union Kitchen Accelerator. He is currently rolling out the brand’s presence in Whole Foods, using both online and in-store channels, and has secured distribution through Amazon.

Michael received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from the Volgenau School of Engineering at George Mason University with a focus on Computer Science and Information Technology. He also received a minor in Business Administration from George Mason’s School of Management.

For more information please visit https://www.resiliencecapitalventures.com/

• My theme is about finding out what your story is. • A tribe is group connected to an idea of shared interest and way to communicate with each other plus leadership to

give it direction. • Here is my tribe. We want to feel we belong. • Identify who can help you achieve your goals in your tribe. • You learn from your network who will help you when you have developed relationships with them. As per slide. A

tribe is a group that I can learn something significant from.• You can’t do it alone.• What we don’t know is a major gap. • Use the gap to solve problems. Break down your business into known and unknown. Use digital technology to solve

many of these problems. During COVID I started using and appreciating apps.

SUMMARY

• What incremental benefit and value can you add for your customers? Ideas become more refined with research. I read blogs, news, attend conferences, and always scanning the environment for new information.

• Refine Refine Refine. Measure it to refine it. The Blue Ocean strategy is how find a market space where there are no competitors.

• How can I use technology to leverage what I do? • Balanced life style is important, digital frees you up to do other things.• How do you fit into the big picture? Blacks are marginalized in funding. • Run on a low cost basis and have some successes that you can use to get more funds later. Investors are looking

for coachable firms. Understand how your ecosystem works. There is a wide variety of funding options—find them. • Improve yourself, help others and build your village.

SUMMARY (CONT’D)

FRANCIS LEWIS

Plan: create strategies and tactics; Set priorities and map a way forward.

Support Implementation: upgrade processes and systems, and manage programmes and projects.

Leverage the Team: train and transfer capabilities, to change and transform the staff.

Energize Performance: re-engineer, re-structure… and re-staff, when required.

BIOGRAPHYPrincipal Consultant, Res Consulting Limited. Founded this business consultancy in 1993 and grew it from a solo-practitioner to multi-professional firm. ResCo brings a strong “top line” and market focus, working with clients to address market challenges and opportunities, and to grow their business. Typical engagements entail: Operations Diagnostics; Marketing Audits & Effectiveness Reviews; Business Strategy & Planning; and Implementation Support. ResCo works with clients to improve their competitiveness and performance, and develop and apply practical solutions to produce RESults.

Core competencies include performance audits, research, planning, brand development, communications, marketing and sales systems re-engineering, distributor and sales team development, price and profit management, and training.

Significant senior-level, regional business experience. Demonstrated versatility and competence in leading cross-functional teams on complex assignments, and managing large, multi-faceted programme and budgets.

For more information please visit https://www.resconsultingtt.com/

• If we are talking about opportunities it is easy to get too distant or general about them, so I want to provide some examples to distill some principles to talk about the complexity of our time, what are you trying to do? Getting your priority right (singular) not priorities (plural) or you water them down and getting confused.

• Quotation: “It is not in the nature of [South African] SMEs to crawl into a corner and give up when times are hard, but knowing the metal of our business owners, they but they will emerge stronger and better than before.” Our grandparents did not have the tools we have they had to deal with hurricanes on short notice but they understood how to flex, zig-zag, and bob-n-weave; that is where our resilience has come from.

• You have to anchor what you are going to do. Sales is vanity, profit is sanity, but cash flow is reality. • You have to know your numbers, how many working people are in T&T for your market; with the pandemic you still

have 80% employed and spending money, we have 400,000 households and about 35,000 registered businesses.

SUMMARY

• The “New normal” is really a Next Normal or finding the market; how are you driving your revenue? Three examples:

1.In a regional bank marketing audit, we asked what are your assets and they only saw those on the balance sheet) not the intangibles which are also invisible. We also asked, how many take out loans (knowing your customer behaviour)? Some customers are but many are taking loans from other banks, so how can we engage them? Let your customers know that you are there for them in these times (don’t assume they know); opportunities don’t fall into your lap

2.A manufacturing firm of 50 staff needed to get to get more money, so we focused on receivables and how to collect them, you don’t want to jack them up, but ask why they are not paying. So when he went for a loan he got it because banks want to know how you are going to pay back (and he had a clear plan);

3.A business had to lay off sales staff and an employee offered to take an old truck of his employer instead of a cash payment of $35,000 to sell the employer’s products (creative thinking)

4.A firm that creates baking product mixes wanted to expand its reach and we asked how many supermarkets in the country and their locations and they did not know. By mapping this information we were able to see what communities are underserved and hence a an untapped market.

You have to search for opportunities.

SUMMARY (CONT’D)

WEBINAR#3 IMPORTANT QUESTION RESPONSES

• The world is flat, so communicate globally for resources-location doesn’t matter

• See how businesses in other countries are solving their problems

• You don’t necessarily need a university degree but a combination of certificates where you specialize

• The investors say they can’t find deals and the entrepreneurs say they can’t find money—reach out

• Refine you pitch to your investors so they can’t say “no”

• If you borrow money the bank wants to know how you will pay it back

• Make sure you can trust the people you are working with

• Leadership is all the more important in uncertain times

• Many are too risk adverse and you will lose if you play it too safe

• Keep your humanity in all your decisions instead of just profit

• Sometimes we don’t know what we can’t do—so we just do it!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

NOVATEAM

Ernest WilliamsWebinar Concept & Execution

Marc PersaudWebinar Panelist & Sponsor

Makesi AlexanderWebinar Execution

T H A N K Y O U

Dr. John A. GedeonWebinar Summaries

Allison DemasChairman - NOVA CommitteeWebinar Execution

Vashti GuyadeenWebinar Execution

Allison DemasFounder and Chief Executive Officer,Media InSite, Ltd

Ernest WilliamsBusiness Systems Consultant, StratIS Consulting

Danielle WilliamsProgramer

Amrit SiewGraphic Designer & Business Analyst

SPONSORS

T H A N K Y O U

Danielle WilliamsDigital Marketing Specialist & Media Buyer,Ideate & Test

Marc PersaudGroup Manager, SugaPay

T H A N K Y O U

VISION STATEMENT: “We are the voice of Business”.

MISSION STATEMENT: To be the champion of business towards the development of a strong and sustainable national economy.

A B O U T

PURPOSE STATEMENT: To support new and growing MSME’s by leveraging the Chamber’s network and resources.

MANDATE:• To promote, support and advocate for the interests of new

and growing MSMEs.

• Facilitating the transfer of knowledge and skills from

experienced entrepreneurs/business leaders to emerging entrepreneurs and small business owners and those

poised for growth via business mentoring and training (primarily from Chamber members).

• To provide networking opportunities for entrepreneurs, as a means of expanding their business opportunities.

NOVACOMMITTEE