Batiweti: Strategy is key
ENTREPRENEURS running micro, small and medium sized businesses today are more fortunate than their peers operating in the 1980s who had no form of support from the government or from the financial system.
This was the observation shared by former Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation chief executive officer Kameli Batiweti at the inaugural MSME Conference held in Suva this week.
“The difference between then and now is that then there was no assistance from government then, there were no partners like BLP (Business Link Pacific), Business Assistance Fiji and other partners to assist the MSMEs,”
“Today, you guys have a plethora of assistance. There is no chance in the world that you are going to fail.
“Because if we survived in the ’80s, surely with all the assistance you’re receiving now, you can.”
Mr Batiweti stressed the importance of strategising while running a business.
“Someone once said culture can eat strategy for breakfast, I say bulls**t because strategy is key. Without strategy, you are going to fly blindly. You guys are all about innovation and job creation. You’ve got the support. Government has given you the support. BLP, BAF has given you the support and with that kind of support, in training, in grants, in loans, very minimal repayment terms, etc., you need to have strategy.”
He said the agility and adaptability of MSMEs were best witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when most people lost their jobs and pivoted to MSME activities with the support of organisations like BLP and BAF and the Government, which went a long way in keeping the economy going and putting food on the table at a time of great uncertainty.