Business workshops to feature in ‘Everything Vincy’ Expo

With preparations for the upcoming ‘Everything Vincy’ Expo 2017 underway, Invest SVG is encouraging persons to sign up for the workshops on offer – even if they do not want to exhibit at the event.

The Expo, which is a component of the ‘Everything Vincy’ Independence Festival, will run from October 27 – 29 at the ET Joshua Airport site, and has a training element attached to it. Workshops will be held over two days (October 24 & 25), covering a range of topics geared toward business development and preparation for penetrating export markets.

Acting executive director at Invest SVG Allan Alexander explained that he is aware that members of the local business community may be unable to participate as exhibitors, but would still be interested in the workshops.

“At Invest SVG, our aim – along with attracting investment – is to facilitate small business development in whatever way we can. For whatever reason, a local entrepreneur may not want to register as an exhibitor or may not be ready to exhibit his/her products and services. However, we still want as many persons as possible to benefit from the workshops that we will be running,” outlined Alexander.

“We are invested in our people because the growth of our small business community is an integral element of the overall economic growth of St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

The workshops are free for individuals/businesses who register as exhibitors at the Expo. For non-exhibitors, there is an administrative fee of EC$50 per day, and registrants can attend any number of the workshops.

The workshops on offer are as follows: Customer Service, Customs Procedures for Export, Introduction to Social Media for Businesses, Marketing and Branding, Bureau of Standards Specifications: Product and Packaging, Grant Proposal Writing, Maximizing Social Media Management for Marketing, Intellectual Property Guidelines and Regulations, Private Labelling Services, Caribbean and EPA Trade Agreements, and How To Prepare for Participation in Trade Shows and Expos.

Those interested in workshop participation can come into the Invest SVG office (2nd Floor, Administrative Building) to sign up and pay. Further inquiries (including workshop time schedule) can be made by emailing info@investsvg.com or calling (784) 457-2159.

Spearheaded by Invest SVG, the ‘Everything Vincy’ Expo 2017 is an initiative focused on increasing the visibility of local products and services, as part of an overarching ‘Buy Local’ campaign. Registration (as an exhibitor) ends on Friday, September 29 – with an early bird special of a $60 discount on booth space if exhibitors register and pay by Friday, September 15.

Additionally, the Expo is a component of the ‘Everything Vincy’ Independence Festival, which is a collaborative effort between Invest SVG and the Vincy Motorsports Club, in association with the SVG Association of Music Professionals, National Properties Ltd, the Department of Culture and the SVG Motorcycle Club.