SHE TRADES BUSINESS SEMINAR

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The Ministry of Trade and Industry, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre, hosted the SheTrades Business Seminar and Trade Show on Saturday. Launched in 2015, the SheTrades initiative is a global movement designed to integrate women-owned micro, small, and medium-sized businesses into international trade, empowering women entrepreneurs around the world.

Transcript

00:00Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopi-Skoon highlighted the vital role women play in fostering

00:06innovation and driving diversification across various sectors.

00:11She commended the SheTrades initiative, which supports women in overcoming the challenges

00:17they face while striving for success in business.

00:21The initiative aims to integrate women-owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

00:28into local, regional and international trade by enhancing their competitiveness, linking

00:35them to buyers and advocating for policies that foster gender-inclusive trade environments.

00:40I would add here that Trinidad and Tobago was the first Caribbean country to actually

00:46get into the SheTrades arrangement and we've done extremely well with more than 700 members.

00:54The Minister also emphasised how the SheTrades platform complements various government initiatives

01:00aimed at supporting women in business.

01:03She discussed several programmes available to assist entrepreneurs in their journey.

01:08The SheTrades platform ties in very closely as well with other initiatives offered by

01:15the government that support small and medium-sized enterprises, including businesses that are

01:20owned and led by women.

01:22And these initiatives include Scale Up Trinidad and Tobago Business Accelerator Programme,

01:28focused on promoting empowerment, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

01:33The Ministry of Trade and Industry's grant fund facility, which to date has benefited

01:3813 women-led businesses, and also the Export Boost initiative, with more than 35 women-led

01:45businesses approved and funded.

01:48At the event, Featured Speaker Mrs. Camille Chateau encouraged women to persevere through

01:54challenges.

01:55As the General Manager of Caribbean Bottlers, I learned this lesson early on in my career.

02:02Business issues are complex and require you to roll up your sleeves and learn new things,

02:08whether finance and budgeting, invention tools, marketing or negotiated complicated deals

02:16or just having that sensitive ear to listen to issues.

02:22Do not run away from the challenges because they make the achievement worth it.

02:29It is the challenges that make the victories so sweet.

02:34So let us embrace them and let us inspire each other to do the same.

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