I was asked by Trifinity Solutions to present on the topic; “Leading young people towards developing skills that are relevant to the future of work” for one of their online projects. I am sure some of you would have viewed the live video on their Facebook page but for those who have not, I will share some of the information that was shared by myself at the presentation. In case you’re wondering: yes, I am also an entrepreneur because, why not? I have turned a passion of mine- art and makeup – and made it into a business. The name of that business is MArt. I use my social work skills in my business the same way I’ve been using it with my writing—to inspire change. As such, MArt is more than just a business, it serves as an inspiration for young Guyanese in the field of art. As a young business owner with little to no experience in the business field, I developed and learned skills on my own to upkeep my business. I will share with you how I’ve done that.

I compiled a few skills that I think young entrepreneurs should acquire. 1.Networking: It is important to network with others. Be social and be sure to have friends/acquaintances in business. The more friends you have, the better. This is important if you ever want to embark on collaborative efforts or just for simple chats on your businesses (advice, resource base, etc.).

2. Learning how to use social media to the advantage of your business: Social media is changing the way businesses operate from a day to day business now. It is important that your business is noticeable on social media and google. The name of your business page should be the same the actual name of your business. You should utilise ads, promotions, Facebook/Instagram shop and tools, etc. You can also use social media statistics to analyse your audience.

3. Financial management of the business:
You will need to learn how to keep check of your stock/inventory; use apps like Sortly or Square App to do so. You will need to document all business transactions (receipts and bills on carbon are a great way to keep these records), or mobile billing apps. Get a business bank account and keep your business money and personal profits separately.

4. Time management and being organised:
Managing your time is crucial, especially if you have other commitments to take care of apart from your business. Sometimes it is important to ensure that you manage your time effectively so as to not spend too much or too little time on a specific task. I manage my time by setting a schedule for the next day right before I retire to bed. I ensure to add everything to my schedule and the time I am supposed to do specific tasks.

5. Communication: This skill comes in handy for customer service representation. You will need to learn how to efficiently and effectively communicate with others (your customers). You need to always keep a professional tone and also use “professional” means to communicate. Your social media pages, a business Whatsapp account, a business number, etc. can all be utilised to keep the communication between yourself and customers professional. Use professional words and phrases and avoid mixing personal conversations with business ones. You can also turn on automatic messaging for Instagram and Facebook.

6. Learning to adapt to new environments and times: A common mistake most business owners make is that they tend to get too comfortable. Take for instance the COVID-19 virus. Most businesses were not equipped for this virus or any other drastic change, whatsoever. Those businesses that were already acquainted with social media had an advantage over those who had to either make a new social media account to keep in contact with their customers or those who had to become more active online.

As a business owner, I had to develop certain skills to adapt to the changing times. It is cruel that we acquire certain skills to help us in our journey in entrepreneurship. It is important to note that with every business, skills may vary and one skill may be needed more over the other but at the end of the day learning a new skill is never a waste of time. There is no such thing as too much knowledge. I can specifically give you information on what worked for my business, hoping it works for yours too but you will have to examine your business and find out what skills you ought to learn to ensure the success for you and yours.