As the year round-up, I had the honour of being the main keynote speaker at the 2019 Small Business & Entrepreneurship Forum at the International Handicraft Center Yaoundé in the presence of Canadian High Commissioner H.E Richard Bale, Assistant Director General of APME and Foretia Foundation officials.
My keynote speech was tagged “Entrepreneurship in Cameroon – Challenges & Hopes”. Among other things, I emphasized on how corruption & bureaucracy in tax & business registration offices is killing entrepreneurs & SMEs. “Corruption does not invest in the future, it kills the future” says ADB President.
I also did emphasized strongly that entrepreneurs need to build capacity. It takes more than a good idea & money (investors) to build a sustainable business in Cameroon. From my 7 years+ experience in training & consulting with businesses in Cameroon I therefore recommended 11 skills that entrepreneurs need to thrive in Cameroon
11 vital skills for every entrepreneur or business person in Cameroon
– Resilience. Handling rejections & stress
– Presentation & Communication
– Networking & Collaboration
– Finance Management
– Branding
– Marketing & sales
– Setting Effective Internal Operations
– Spotting New Trends. Business moves fast, customers’ needs change faster so entrepreneurs must have the ability to see changes coming in their industries.
– Setting up the right team: Find and lead the right team members
– Professional digital presence
– Negotiation
Note: At The Center for Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Business Management Development (CELBMD) Africa we provide top certified programs in the above mentioned skills. Visit www.celbmdafrica.com
In conclusion, for the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Cameroon to thrive, we need strong effective government institutions that serve us effectively, manned by civil servants full of integrity and entrepreneurs must consistently grow in relevant skills.
Thank you
Javnyuy Joybert
Speaker, Trainer, Consultant & Entrepreneur