Mentoring young entrepreneurs
JAMAICA HAS, since Independence in 1962, produced a number of distinguished business leaders who have helped to build a vibrant private sector. These leaders have cleared a path for those seeking to blaze a trail of innovation and success, a pattern of the qualities, attributes and wisdom to be successful and remain successful.
In an effort to empower our young entrepreneurs to make their mark and write their own stories of success, the PSOJ started an initiative to mentor emerging entrepreneurial leaders through the bimonthly staging of an event dubbed ‘PSOJ Mentorship of Emerging Entrepreneurial Leaders Dinner. Through this event, we seek to combine the experience of tested and proven leaders to impart wisdom and knowledge to those aspiring for success in their respective entrepreneurial endeavours. The Mentorship series began in August of 2011 and continues to be a very successful medium in mentoring our upcoming entrepreneurs.
The format of the Mentorship Dinner is simple but focused. Sponsored by the Spanish Court Hotel, we host a group of no more than 12 entrepreneurs for about two and half hours in a relaxed and informal atmosphere while they learn from what is shared by the guest mentor. The conversation is focused around the mentor and his/her business experience, what made him/her successful, what nuggets he/she could pass on to young entrepreneurs, what are the mistakes he/she learnt from, pitfalls to avoid in doing business, and his/her mantra.
Since its inception we’ve had a significant number of young entrepreneurs attend the dinners, some of whom have gone on to become active members of the PSOJ.
Below is the names of all the guest mentors we have had, since the programme began. 1. William McConnell, OJ 2011 2. Dr Marshall Hall - 2011 3. Maurice Facey, OJ - 2011 4. Richard Byles - 2011 5. Oliver Clarke, OJ - 2011 6. Douglas Orane - 2012 7. Dennis Lalor, OJ - 2012 8. Danny Williams, OJ - 2012 9. Hugh Croskery - 2012 10. Aubyn Hill on behalf of Robert Levy - 2012 11. Charles Johnston - 2012 12. Brian Jardim - 2012 13. Rita Humphries Lewin 2012 14. Michael Lee Chin - 2012 15. Donna Duncan Scott - 2013 16. Lascelles Chin, OJ - 2013 17. William Mahfood - 2013 18. Christopher Issa -2013 19. Everton Bryan - 2014 20. Dr Marcia Forbes - 2014 21. Glen Christian, OJ, JP - 2014 22. Beverley Lopez, OJ - 2014 23. Omar Azan - 2014 24. Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson 2015 25. Joseph Matalon - 2015 26. Marcus Steele - 2015 27. Christopher Berry - 2015 28. Jacqueline Sharp- 2015 29. Edward ‘Teddy’ Alexander 2016