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Small business camp aims to elevate 35 V.I. entrepreneurs

Local small business owners graduate from 16-week training program on St. Croix

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – February 21, 2015 - This past week 35 local small business owners graduated from the Small Business Camp 16 Week Challenge training program that was held in partnership with the V.I. Economic Development Authority's (VIEDA) Disaster Small-Midsized Enterprises Incubation Program. The graduation ceremony was held on February 18, 2015 at Gertrude's Restaurant on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Small Business Camp’s 16-week training program which was led by Andrew Morrison, the training program's instructor and president of Small Business Camp (SBC), aimed to elevate local entrepreneurs in their business skills and progress for growth, profitability, and job creation.

“It was truly a privilege to be in the presence of these entrepreneurs who have dedicated themselves to participating in this program. These 35 individuals have truly invested their time in seeking to obtain the necessary skills that can help them grow successful businesses in our community. It has been a pleasure to witness, and be inspired by, their achievement,” said Percival E. Clouden, VIEDA’s chief executive officer.

During the SBC’s 16 Week Challenge, small business owners were provided with lessons on how to write a book in a weekend, generate sales online, package their ideas for profit, build a team and attract investors. The program included sessions held at the V.I. Small Business Development Center, weekly conference calls, periodic informal sessions, and the creation of the book titled, “The 16 Week Challenge Launch Pad: Small Business Owners Pursuing Excellence”, which was launched in December 2014. This book featured graduates of the SBC's 16 Week Challenge training program who spoke about their experiences during the intensive Small Business Boot Camp Weekend, their business ventures, and the goals they desired to achieve during the SBC's 16 Week Challenge training program.

“These small business owners truly reflect what this program is about and what the VIEDA always desires to see in its participants. Commitment and dedication. This is truly an achievement for these individuals, and it is one of the first steps into their entrepreneurial future,” said Cusa Holloway, incubation program manager of the VIEDA’s Disaster Small-Midsized Enterprises Incubation Program on St. Croix.

The SBC's 16 Week Challenge training program began in October 2014 following the Small Business Boot Camp Weekend that was also led by Morrison who is a business consultant at the VIEDA's Disaster Small-Midsized Enterprises Incubation Program.

The graduates who received certificates for their participation in the program included small business owners in the fields of child care, natural beauty and healthy foods, financial planning, fiber optics, fashion and many more.

For more information, contact Cusa Holloway at 340.719.2037.

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