GCCI to support 50 small businesses for NSBW 2025

Ahead of National Small Business Week (NSBW) 2025, set to run from August 4 to 9, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will be supporting some 50 small businesses across the country through consultations, advisory services, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening operations and boosting growth potential.
The event will be held under the theme “Building a Sustainable Future for MSMEs.”
The week-long event will feature seminars, workshops, and an exposition. NSBW is an annual initiative focused on building the capacity of Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), helping them enhance operations and optimise performance.
Persons can expect a range of benefits, including expert consultations, business advisory sessions, and other forms of strategic support throughout NSBW 2025.
Workshops will be held in Georgetown and Berbice. In Georgetown, sessions will run from August 6 to 8 and will include topics such as quality management, financial management and record keeping, and marketing fundamentals.
This year’s NSBW is sponsored by Brava Business Solutions, Century Tamara Logistic Services Inc., Assuria Inc., and the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), among others.
Speaking at a press briefing to announce the support, GCCI President Kathy Smith emphasised that the event is intended to support the growth and sustainability of small businesses across the country.
“This year we have decided on the theme: ‘Building a Sustainable Future for MSMEs.’ And it was quite easy for us to come up with that theme, because we have observed over the years that the advocacy work of the Chamber has really landed on the ears of people who want to support small businesses. So we have seen different programmes that are coming out to support small businesses, to make business easier for them. And hence, what we want to do, as they’re accessing all those opportunities, is show them a way to sustain their businesses.”
She pointed out that through this programme, specific areas such as cybercrime, among others, are being targeted for training and education.
“So some of the topics that will be discussed are cybersecurity, smart financing, growing your business, and building sustainable businesses. And at that seminar, we have quite a few individuals who have been supporting the work of small businesses for over 30 years – some for 20 or 25 years. And we’re happy that they would take the time out to be there to support us.”
For GCCI members, they will benefit from a preferential workshop fee of $15,000, while non-members will pay $35,000. However, if persons decide to join the GCCI during National Small Business Week, they can enjoy a discounted rate of $25,000 for participation.
Smith emphasised that the financial investment involved reflects a collective commitment to helping small businesses sustain themselves.
She noted that while many entrepreneurs have strong ideas and solid business initiatives, what they often lack is proper guidance. She explained that the initiative is meant to provide that support – helping small business owners refine their strategies and build more sustainable operations.
Meanwhile, IDB Consultant Jared Kissoon said small business owners should view the payment fee as an investment, noting that it will open doors to properly capitalise on available opportunities.
He added that the basis of the consultations will not be structured around simply supplying services but rather on providing the guidance that businesses need in order to excel.
“And again, we’re targeting businesses that are not operating in the oil and gas sector. But again, it’s about expanding the private sector at the MSME level, because at the end of it, all of us benefit, right? If we’ve got better businesses to work with and people are more equipped to run better businesses, everybody at the end of the day benefits.”