Public forum presentation for women entrepreneurs in Jamaica.

1. PublicForum-WomenEntrepreneurshipSupportProject.
Dianna Davis-Smith PhD.
Learning & Development Specialist

2. DiannaDavis-Smith
Highschoolattended:ClarendonCollege
Favoritesports:cricket….whenWIwinning!
Favoritefruit:Milliemango
Big class …1 teacher…. Everyone muss pass PEP! (15 minutes)

3. Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the individual’s ability to translate ideas into action.
It encompasses creativity, innovativeness and risk-taking, as well as an ability to
plan and direct action towards the achievement of goals.These qualities support
everyday

5. Women
Entrepreneurship
Support
1-Day Public
Forum
Aimed at understanding and
garnering the insights relating
to :
 challenges and issues being
confronted by Jamaican
women entrepreneurs
 identifying policy reforms and
actionable solutions for
addressing the concerns.

6. Anadvancingsocietyisfoundedonentrepreneurial
activity. Psychological,physicalandsocialwelfare
isunderpinnedbyindividuals’ownactivity,your
responsibilityforyourownactionandcareforyour
fellow-man
(10minutesofsharingyourbusinesssector)

7. Creating an
enabling
environment
for women in
business, key
consideration
s
Access to Finance: limited access to mainstream finance, including
bank loans at affordable rates
Small business: propensity to stay small
Education andTraining: viewed as risky businesses with severe skills
shortages
Operate informally
Access to Markets: limited access to market opportunities of high
value
High energy costs.
Compliance requirements.

8. Challenges of women
entrepreneurs

9. Group activity
 Discuss the identified challenges and share
(20 minutes)

10. Access to
finance
Structural Challenge: Women entrepreneurs often
face difficulties accessing finance due to factors
such as limited collateral and discriminatory lending
practices.
Policy Change: Implement financial programs
tailored to women-owned businesses, such as
microfinance schemes and venture capital funds.

11. Education and
Training
Structural Challenge: Limited access to quality
education and business training programs can
hinder women's entrepreneurial skills
development.
Policy Change: Invest in vocational training
programs and entrepreneurship education
targeted at women. Provide mentorship and
networking opportunities.

12. Small
business:
propensity to
stay small
Promote the adoption of technology and
innovation through incentives, subsidies, and
grants.
Facilitate access to research and development
support to help MSMEs improve processes and
develop new products.
Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing
among MSMEs through industry clusters and
networks.

13. High energy costs
Provide
Provide incentives for MSMEs to
invest in energy-saving
technologies and renewable
energy sources.
Offer
Offer technical assistance and
financing options for energy
audits and efficiency
improvement projects.
Raise
Raise awareness about the
benefits of energy conservation
and sustainability practices
among MSMEs through outreach
programs and training.

14. Operate
informally
Offer training programs and workshops focused on
business management, financial literacy, and
technical skills enhancement.
Facilitate partnerships between MSMEs and
educational institutions to address skills shortages
and promote entrepreneurship education.

15. Compliance
requirements
Simplify regulatory procedures
and reduce bureaucratic
barriers to formalization.
Data protection….
Offer incentives such as tax
breaks and access to
government contracts for
MSMEs that comply with legal
requirements.
Enhance support for MSMEs to
register and formalize their
businesses, including
assistance with licensing,
permits, and tax registration.

16. Compliance
challenges
 The high cost of compliance to regulations may discourage
potential entrepreneurs from formally setting up their businesses,
while driving some existing enterprises out of business and those
working for them into unemployment.

17. Rename!
Women hurdling entrepreneurship challenges!
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

18. Adoptions that
Women can
make!
With a good business idea and
growth-orientation, businesses
can take off towards significant
global growth.
• technology sector.
• service sector
• Taking over an existing
business often gives the new
entrepreneur a “flying start”
with fewer risks

19. Adoptions by
government
1. creation of an enabling
business environment
2. expansion of financial and
non-financial services
3. putting in place diverse
supportive institutional
infrastructure.(work-
spaces/processing plants)

20. Hurdles to maximizing the value of women
entrepreneurs
A persistent culture that has
not recognized the value of
entrepreneurial initiative in
improving the lives of the
people.
Other factors include complex,
bureaucratic and costly legal,
regulatory and administrative
environment where SMEs are
at a greater disadvantage than
their counterparts that are
larger in size.