Fiji Sun

BSP Fulfills Prashneel’s Business Dreams

- LAISEANA NASIGA SUVA laiseana.nasiga@fijisun.com.

Prashneel Chandra has taken a lead role in achieving his personal goals by setting up his retail and liquor shop, Prashneel’s Convenient Store.

Today, Mr Chandra is benefittin­g from an MSME developmen­t programme co-designed by the BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) and the Australian Business Volunteers (ABV), known as Fiji THRIVE. Under this programme, local businesses get trained and receive coaching and mentoring guidance from ABV’s Skilled Business Profession­als. “BSP and ABV have given me the opportunit­y to be part of Fiji THRIVE and it has enabled me to gain new ideas to develop my business,” said Mr Chandra.

“I am motivated to take my business to the next level and it’s all very exciting”.

The business idea to setup shop in Makoi came to Mr Chandra when he was working as an employee and with the financing support from BSP, he realised his dream.

Since its establishm­ent, Prashneel’s Convenient Store has grown from strength to strength and continues to serve the community well. “I was inspired by my work and life experience so I thought instead of working as an employee, why don’t I open my own business,” he said.

His business has been dealt a few blows over the years but resilience has paid dividends for Mr Chandra. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of home-based canteens had opened up and created competitio­n. This however did not deter him from continuing his business and planning ahead.

“After three years of operations and with the support of Fiji THRIVE, Mr Chandra is confident to expand his business and deliver online services.

“As the owner of this business and also running its day to day operations, I realise there is still room to grow.

“Looking at the current trends where almost every consumer owns a mobile, taking my business online looks lucrative,” said Mr Chandra.

“Thanks to BSP’s support we already have EFTPoS in our store to accept card transactio­ns and we are looking forward to the new opportunit­ies that lie ahead,” he concluded.

Prashneel’s Convenient Store is located at Lot 97 Pritam Singh Road, Tuirara.

BSP and ABV have given me the opportunit­y to be part of Fiji THRIVE and it has enabled me to gain new ideas to develop my business Prashneel Chandra

Feedback:

 ?? For a coaching and mentoring session. ?? ABV’s Skilled Business Profession­al Kaylene Benson visits Prashneel at his convenienc­e store
For a coaching and mentoring session. ABV’s Skilled Business Profession­al Kaylene Benson visits Prashneel at his convenienc­e store

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