Twenty-one small business owners have been awarded the Small Business Operations Certificate on September 18 after completing a comprehensive training programme delivered by the Small Business Bureau (SBB).

The programme equipped participants with practical skills in business management, marketing, financial management and record-keeping, and business proposal writing. They were also informed on how to conduct an assessment and develop a business plan.

Operating in general procurement and event management since 2023, entrepreneur Devon Douglas explained that the training allowed him to strengthen specific areas of his business.

“When you go to the training, and you have experts who have been doing this for years, then you realise that there are gaps within your thinking…Training like this definitely benefits any individual who’s a part of it,” he said.

With a background in information technology, Douglas said the programme helped him refine his company profile, improve his marketing approach and strengthen his understanding of financial management.

“Every entrepreneur who wants to do business in Guyana should go through the training,” Douglas said.

For baker and entrepreneur Kasme Seemangal, the certification represents another step in the development of a business that began with baking for birthdays, receptions, and small events before expanding into supplying products to supermarkets.

She said the SBB training was her first formal business course and helped her better understand how to manage and grow her enterprise.

“It opened up a whole new world to me. These teachings that they gave me, it really helped me to manage myself, manage my finances, improve my marketing and how to put things in place,” she noted.

She said the knowledge gained will now be applied to expanding her business, reaching new customers and accessing new markets.

Seemangal is also among the entrepreneurs seeking to build on additional training opportunities, including packaging and labelling, as she works to further develop her products.

At the certificate presentation, SBB Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Shazim Ibrahim, congratulated the 21 recipients and encouraged them to apply the knowledge and skills acquired through the programme to strengthen their businesses and pursue new opportunities.

The certification forms part of the government’s continued investment in practical support for small and emerging businesses, providing entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools needed to improve their operations and position themselves for growth.