[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce deemed this week, from 12-19 November Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Since 2011 the Chamber of Commerce has been hosting GEW as a catalyst for Saint Lucian start-ups and entrepreneurs. This year saw the likes of Joshua Esnard, creator of Cut Buddy and recent feature on Shark Tank, and the launch of the Saint Lucia Startup Huddle, which is “a space to pitch and present up-and-coming start-ups to a network of peers”.
While the focus on entrepreneurship and the thrust by the Chamber of Commerce and other entities is refreshing, entrepreneurship is nothing new to Saint Lucian society. Think of the vendors in the market, the “food trucks” at Rodney Bay or even the handcrafts and skincare you can find at the Vendors’ Arcade or the Boulevard. Entrepreneurship has long been a part of our economic fabric but, while we are a society of entrepreneurs, only a few have grown to scale and even fewer have created new solutions that address problems affecting the island.
Unfortunately, Saint Lucian entrepreneurship has seen replications of the same business models, fierce competition among small-scale businesses and a general lack of innovation, particularly one that employs information and communication technologies. We have seen a rise in new eateries and local skincare products but we lag behind in the sphere of invention. The creation of the seaweed fertilizer, Algas Organics, and the solar-powered desalinator, are inventions that are currently on the fringe, but not the norm. I believe that the spirit of entrepreneurship already exists in our people; the problem lies in the fact that most entrepreneurs focus on industries that are already crowded and use many of the same business models as their predecessors. To me, the question is not how we empower persons to become entrepreneurs; it is how we empower a society of entrepreneurs to become innovators.
Helen’s Daughters is a Saint Lucian non-profit with a special focus on rural women’s economic development through improved market access, adaptive agricultural techniques, and capacity-building. It was formed in 2016 in a winning proposal for UN Women’s Empower Women Champions for Change Program. To learn more about the initiative, visit: Facebook: Helen’s Daughters Instagram: @helensdaughters.slu
Website: helensdaughters.org
