Your Business Matters

Guests: Opal Levy, Director at Sisters Ink Management Consultant Heneka Watkis-Porter, CEO of the Entrepreneurial You Podcast & TV Show Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business. "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" is a question that often appears on travel documents, government forms, and job applications. Police records are stuck with you for life and are known to do more damage than anything else. Rap sheets are arguably a show of character. In 2019, a civil servant who was arrested for not being able to repay her debt on time told the Jamaica Gleaner that the job hunt since then has been extremely difficult for her. The woman reportedly received certification in counseling at the prison where she resided and was also a tutor of several CXC subjects for other inmates. Since her release due to good behavior, the past inmate stated that job searches were futile even by the government ran organizations and expressed that this move by the Jamaican government facilities sends mixed signals. Millions of dollars are invested in the rehabilitation of prisoners, the question however remains whether we have systems in place to effectively reintegrate felons back into our society. Today, we examine the topic, "Should Businesses Hire Felons?" Some of what we discussed include: If the justice system has not forgiven felons, why should employers? Re-integrating ex-convicts back into society. Is prison a form of punishment or a means of rehabilitation? We also touched base with a member of our audience Ronald Stephenson who posed this question to our guests “ Do we have rules governing the hiring of these types of employees?” Connect with our guests: Connect with Opal- Sister’s Ink at sisterink1971@gmail.com or contact their office at 876-431-8823 Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast. Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals. To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources. As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from an unknown author 'You can't spell challenge without change''.

Guests:

1. Cheryl Campbell,  Founder/HR Consultant HR Outsourcing Solutions
2. Melicia James, HR Manager: iPrint Digital & National Outdoor Advertising.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business.

Employee Overtime can be tricky. We know of the many benefits that it brings the employee in the form of more work hours and more money. But have you ever paused to think about whether or not companies actually benefit when employees work overtime? Effective use of OT requires an in-depth knowledge of the benefits and impacts the extra hours may have on the company's human resources. Overtime is believed to be expensive and unsafe but according to experts when done right, it could be a powerful tool for meeting workload demands. Today on Your Business Matters we examine the pros and cons of OT to the employers.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Reasons why employees should not engage in prolonged overtime.
2. Is OT  strategy used by employers to avoid employing more staff?
3. Who was overtime intended to benefit? The employer or the employee?

We also touched base with a member of our audience Fred Hibbert who posed this question to our guests “ Is there a particular method of calculating overtime?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Cheryl at info@JAMAICAHRSOLUTIONS.COM  or contact her 876-821-8695. Contact Melicia  at JAMES.MELICIA@GMAIL.COM.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Mokokoma Mokhonoana, “The wise rest at least as hard as they work.” Take care…

Guests:

1. Bianca Welds, Manager, Digital Innovation: VM Group
2. Duane Lue-Fung, Founder & Chairman: TGL Group

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business.

Businesses have been forced to pivot over the past 2 years since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic. What once seemed impossible for many business owners has become the new norm as corporate companies identify innovative ways to conduct business. We have seen the creativity of the technical industry coming forth and the giftings of the content-creating community coming alive but on the flip side of this joy are companies who have yet to adapt to the fast-paced changes of business operations. Many have had to close their doors due to the decrease in supply and demand of their products and services. While many have discovered life in this pandemic, others have suffered the loss of their livelihood with all hope gone with the wind. In today’s we take a look at the pandemic as a gift to businesses.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Dealing with disruptions in business
2. Implications on the business of family togetherness during the pandemic
3. Advice to employers on how to pivot during the pandemic

We also touched base with a member of our audience Renee Rose who posed this question to our guests “ Apart from remote working how can businesses meet its employees half-way so that employees are able to balance work and family life?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Duane at 978-1246 and at  Duane Lue-fung on all social.  Connect with Bianca @BiancaWells on Twitter or visit her website at biancawells.com

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Chris Grosser "Opportunities just don't happen, you create them." Take care.

Guests: Donovan Cunningham: HR Manager - National People’s Co-Operative Francisca Anderson, Group HR Manager at Polypet Co Ltd & Unibev and Founder of Strategic HR Concept Limited Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business Fringe benefits are compensations given beyond an employee's normal wages. An employer might choose to offer Fringe benefits versus monetary compensation as it decreases the taxes that it would ordinarily attract. An article by the boongroup.com stated that by  offering fringe benefits and reducing cash expenses, Fringe benefits help businesses to remain competitive. But the question is, does it offer the employee the same value returns as it does the business owner? Wages paid to the employee are subject to income tax.  The employer is required to offer certain benefits to its employees such as health insurance, one of the most prominent forms of fringe benefits to exist (along with life insurance). But in spite of this, several business owners still choose to pay benefits in cash  as a preference and many find it as a simple solution to a complicated issue.  So cash or kind, how do you compensate your workforce? Some of what we discussed include: Use of cash benefits vs Fringe benefits Are fringe benefits used to compensate for wage insufficiency? Are fringe benefits geared towards saving the company revenue or the employee’s well-being? We also touched base with a member of our audience Andre Robb who posed this question to our guests “Types of fringe benefits that will make my business stand out?” Connect with our guests: Connect with Donovan at 962-5360 National People’s Cooperative Bank Of Jamaica. Connect with Andre Robb CEO of Will and Tomorrow at  Willandtomorrow.com @willandtomorrow on all socials. You may contact Francisca at strategichrja1@gmail.com or call  876-379-6504. Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast. Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals. To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources. As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Robert Kyosaki, “I explain the law of compensation like this: Returns are minimal in spite of massive effort at the start, yet returns can be massive with minimal effort over time."  Take care.

Guests:

1. Dennis Chung: CEO Supreme Ventures Ltd.
2. Ian Neita:  Group Executive Director of Yello Media Group

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Before 2020, only 6% of the American  labor force had the opportunity to work from home with statistics showing that approximately 29% of work done in the office could have been accomplished from home without any loss of productivity.   Amidst the many changes that work has seen, work from home orders is among the top two things businesses across the world have implemented for the safety of their human resources. With employees making less use of amenities and resources such as the physical workspace that companies rent or lease, utility bills, and monthly maintenance fees, the question of pay cuts can no longer be ignored. Companies, as we know, are in business to make a profit, and inflation dictates that businesses identify ways to reduce costs and overheads which could potentially include the salary of their employees. Today we discuss pay cuts amidst the work from home reality with guests Ian Neita, Group Executive Director: Yello Media Group along with Dennis Chung, CEO: Supreme Ventures Services Ltd.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Implications of salary cuts to the business
2. Methods of compensation to the employee amidst the work from home reality
3. Legal implications of cutting an employee’s salary

We also touched base with a member of our audience Shelly-Rae James who posed this question to our guests “What are some of the best ways for employees to negotiate a flexible pay structure?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Ian at Yello Media Group and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce  on LinkedIn and all other platforms.  You may contact Dennis at Supreme Ventures Ltd.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Sherrod Brown "Anyone who has tried to pay a heating bill, fill a prescription or simply buy groceries knows all too well that the current minimum wage does not cut the mustard."  Take care.

Guests:

1. Odeth Reynolds: Chief Human Resources Officer, Jamaica Energy Partners
2. Jason Dear:  Managing Director, Link2Lenders Ltd.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Health insurance is one of the many benefits companies offer to their employees as a part of their compensation packages. "Healthcare is free and is a right to all Jamaicans regardless of financial status" stated Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness. But do all Jamaicans really have access to proper healthcare in a timely manner? Contract employees have a lot to consider when applying for and accepting posts; health insurance coverage is definitely one of those considerations. Employers are bound by law to offer incentives to part-time employees. Some of which include sick leave, short-term disability, and health insurance premiums. But not every employee qualifies for the same. Many contract employees opt to be added as a beneficiary to their partner's health insurance plan as this route grants some amount of coverage. Through premiums paid by the partners of contract employees, it is usually much less than the cost the contractor would have to cover out of pocket. This evening on Your Business matters, we consider the question, "Should Businesses be Forced to Provide Healthcare Benefits to Part-Time Contracted Employees?"

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Should employers pay employees less if they are working virtually ?
2. Mandating employers to provide health care.
3. Marketing tips on the customer journey and sales tips for business owners.

We also touched base with a member of our audience Rohan Gordon  who posed this question to our guests “Why don’t companies increase their focus on healthcare so that they can keep healthcare premiums down?

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Odeth Odeth.reynolds@gmail.com or oreynolds@jamenergy.com LinkedIn at or  visit the website at JAMPRO.com. You may contact Jason at  jason.dear@link2lendersja.com  on most social platforms.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Dr Martin Luther King Jr, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhumane.” Take care.

Guests:

1. Orlando Dawkins: Marketing Director, Blue Mountain Bicycle Tours
2. Carlene Chin, Senior Manager - BDO Accounting Firm

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Choosing between full-time vs contractual employment can be a very tricky process especially for small to medium-sized businesses. A great team is the strongest foundation on which successful businesses are built. For this reason,  choosing the right workers to be a part of a said team can be twice as stressful and small businesses have the hardest time staffing their establishment with meager budgets. We know quality human resources don't come cheap;  oftentimes business owners are left in a frenzy when it comes to this decision. Hiring temporary employees that add great value to your company is one option but this will also yield a high employee turnover. Conversely hiring full-time employees with little funds is next to impossible. So what does it ultimately come down to? Find out this evening on Your Business Matters.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Challenges with contractual and full-time employment.
2. Benefits associated with contractual and full-time employment.
3. Do employers pay attention to job satisfaction and fulfillment with contract employees?

We also touched base with a member of our audience Jermaine McDonald  who posed this question to our guests “In a setting with both types of employees, how do you manage that culture?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with BDO Accounting Firm at 876-926-166-7 LinkedIn at our visit the website at JAMPRO.com. You may contact Orlando at 876-974-7075 or visit BMTOURS.com   on most social platforms. Connect with Learn, Grow, Invest on all social media platforms.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from  Jim Rohn "I'm working full time on my job and part-time on my fortune''. Take care.

Guests:

1. Nyanna Williams: Founder and CEO, Lifespan Water
2. Bronhil Thompson: CEO - HRM Options Group of Companies

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Bonuses are additional payments made to the compensation package of employees. They are great at improving employee morale but can swiftly become an idol of entitlement if not calculated and distributed strategically. Different bonuses serve purposes as targeted by the company. For example, a retention bonus is geared towards fostering loyalty in an employee especially if they are a top performer while a signing bonus is usually offered to top talents during the recruiting process and is mostly found in the sporting ring where sharp athletes are concerned. But how are bonuses allocated and does it really matter? One might argue that there  is no issue where bonus payouts are concerned as long as the employees get paid and the employer is satisfied but on the flip side, are employers biting off more than they can chew with bonus incentives? If the company falls below the targeted profit margin, what then? And does it make sense to grant such an incentive to below-average employees? Find out on this episode of Your Business Matters.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Are all employees hired to achieve the company’s bottom line?
2. The measurement of employees.
3. Does paying bonuses based on profit even when there are top performers in the company, breed disloyalty?
4. Retroactive bonuses.
5. Is it fair to pay bonuses to employees who perform below average?

We also touched base with a member of our audience Jessica Jackson who posed this question to our guests “Should companies compensate those persons who go close enough to the target?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Life Span on their  website at LIFESPANSPRINGWATER.com. You may also contact HRM group at HRMOPTIONSGROUP.com.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Ashley Bartley "If I win, it’s a bonus. If I lose, the sun still comes up the next day, and it’s all good ” Take care.

Guests:

1. Michelle Chong: CEO of Honey Bun and Founder of the Honey Bun Foundation.
2. Rosetta Bryson: Founder and CEO of Simple Trader Pro and Bishop.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Competition acts as the driving force for individuals or groups to perform. The same principle applies in business. When operating in a dominant industry businesses often leverage their competitive edge in order to stand out and build brand loyalty. Competition is in our nature. From competing in sports to rival companies competing for consumers’ wallet share to individuals bidding for the highest paying jobs, everybody desires to be the best and to earn the best.  Some experts argue that competition is a waste of energy and resources that could be combined for higher-yielding results against external forces. Collaboration on the other side of the spectrum intrinsically encourages work with each other rather than against each other. It enables the use of best practices to increase efficiency and eventually revenue but is it enough to push businesses forward? So how do we decide whether to compete or collab? Does middle ground exist for both to co-exist?  In today's episode of Your Business Matters, we explore the topic "Competition Vs. Collaboration: Which is better for the business."

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Why is collaboration necessary?
2. Collaboration among competitors.
3. Is there a place for healthy competition over collaboration?
4. Competition in the workplace.

We also touched base with a member of our audience Glenice Leechman who posed this question “In the work environment, what drives motivation? Collaboration, competition or both?’”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Honey Bun at Honeybunja.com and the Honey Bun Foundation at thehoneybunfoundation.com. You may contact  Simple Trader Pro at Simpletraderpro.com. Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Steve Jobs "Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people.” Take care.

Guests:

1. Gina Thompson-Williams: Director, Business Transformation, Organisational Development and Change at JPS
2. Uton Vassell: Group HR Business Partner at Digicel/ Employment Law & Industrial Relations Expert

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Many people, due to their eagerness to gain employment often overlook or fail to recognize invasive questions posed by their potential employer.   One could argue that information such as marital status and age are  general information but in the wrong hands these can end up being weapons of mass discrimination. On the other hand,  employers  have a right to know who they are adding to their team. So how thin is the line between an employee profile and a privacy breach? According to the Fundamental Rights and Freedom of Jamaica, individuals have the right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of being male or female, race, place of origin and social class, color, religion, or political opinions. (Constitutional Amendment No. 4 2011). As we take a deep dive into the topic, ponder for a second, Invasion Of Privacy or Knowing Your Employee: Recruiters should Be Allowed to Ask Personal Questions?

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Is it knowing your employee or invasion of privacy when potential employers ask about religion etc?
2. What kind of bearing does marital status have on employee performance?
3. where is the line drawn in asking questions during job interviews?

We also touched base with a member of our audience Kemel Walford  who posed this question to our guests “ Does it come down to competence or culture, which is more important?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Uton on LinkedIn at Uton Vassell or via email at Uton.vassell@digicelgroup.com. You may also contact Gina at Gitomlinson@jpsco.com and on LinkedIn at Gina Tomlinson-Williams.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Bob Nelson "An employee's motivation is a direct result of the sum of interactions with his/her manager." Take care.

Guests:

1. Caroline Mahfood:  CEO Grace Kennedy Foundation & Chair of the Jamaica Network of Corporate Foundation.
2. Dr. Dawkins Brown: Executive chairman Dawgen Global.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Corporate social responsibility is a company's commitment to managing the social and environmental effects that its operations have on the community. More now than ever, the need for businesses to be present in community welfare is increasing. With persons losing employment and facing adversities of every kind, customers are looking to the faces of their trusted brands to see just how much they mean to them. The debate continues as stakeholders aim to decide whether a business should alleviate societal pressures or work to increase the wealth of shareholders. Supporters of this theory maintain that by continuing to meet the needs of shareholders, the business guarantees continued success. The legitimacy theory of corporate social responsibility maintains that because businesses have the resources, especially large firms, they are obligated to promote society's interests with much of the responsibility resting on the shoulders of larger for-profit companies. On the other side of the coin, businesses are formed to make a profit, much of which is reinvested into the company to foster growth and reach within the respective industry. So how do you decide the best way to 'pay it forward?

Some of what we discussed include:

1. With corporate social responsibility, where exactly is the debate?
2. What is corporate social responsibility?
3. Tips on how Jamaican companies can factor in corporate social responsibility in their businesses.

We also touched base with a member of our audience Andre Gooden  who posed this statement to our guests “ The entities that are responsible for the financial health of the organization, as well as the social health of communities, tend to be the long-standing pillars of the community and those companies have more respect from the community and their  growth pattern is tied to the level of social support around them”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Grace Kennedy Foundation  at gkfoundation@gkco.com You may also contact Dawgen Global  at  ‘ info@dawgen.global.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Bill Ford  "Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals- they are both essential ingredients for long term success. “Take care.

Guests:

1. Sandra Glasgow:  Founder of Biztactics Limited & Co-Founder of First Angels & Banker
2. Kevin Foreman: Country SME Relationship Specialist at JMMB.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

Many businesses have had to pivot to protect their profits and stay afloat.  In order to be effective, businesses need cash flow to fund operations and as the economy tightens, an entrepreneur's  cry is often about the options available for financing. There are two basic types of funding available to small businesses. These are debt financing and equity financing. Just like purchasing a car via a loan or using a credit card, debt financing is dependent on the entrepreneur's ability to repay monies borrowed with interest. Equity financing on the other hand requires zero loan repayments   but will require the entrepreneur to sell shares  of her company to her investors. Figuring out how to finance your business is a very important decision that may come with  daunting consequences, so how do you decide between the two?  Very few have mastered the skill of debt leveraging in business so careful risk assessment is always advised before one steps into the bank or attempts to pitch  their business to potential investors.  Today on Your Business Matters, we venture into the business funding tour with Sandra Glasgow, Founder of Biztactics Limited & Co-Founder of First Angels & Banker, and Kevin Foreman, Country SME Relationship Specialist at JMMB  as our guide.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Loss of company control and equity financing.
2. Cost of debt and equity financing to small businesses.

We also touched base with a member of our audience Ariff and Davine Butler  who posed this question to our guests “ If a client applies for a loan and you realize that you are not the best fit for the client’s needs do you advise them to apply elsewhere?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Sandra on firstangelsjamaica@gmail.com/ sandrag@revup.com 876-819-3311. You may also contact Kevin at kevin_foreman@jmmb.com or call 876-410-9465.  ‘

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Peter Drucker "People who do NOT take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes per year."Take care.

Guests:

1. Janice Sutherland: Executive Coach/Author/Speaker and former CEO of Digicel Antigua, Bermuda & Montserrat.
2. Dr. Gail Hudson: Senior Director of Strategic Human Resources Management and Administration of the Ministry of Health.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business

If you have never heard about casual Fridays, chances are you have not been around that long at all. The idea came about in the early 1960s  from the concept of 'Aloha' Fridays in Hawaii and has since then been adopted by the rest of the world. Bill Foster, president of the Hawaiian Fashion Guild at the time needed to make sales on his Hawaiian fashion shirts and he needed the sales fast. As a result, he concocted a plan to bring comfort to the workplace and used the government to help him do it. Each member of state in the Hawaiin House of Representatives was then given two of the Aloha shirts under the theme 'Operation Liberation". Tech giant, Hewlett Packard in an effort to spark more creative ideas and initiatives in its employees also made use of the casual Friday custom and well, we see how that has been turning out over the years. Corporate fashion has been revamped and revolutionized a lot over the years but many employers still cling to the idea that formal wear, that is, a three-piece suit and tie in a tropical climate still make for good business. The discussion continued for years and today, it is right here on Your Business Matters, so what say you listeners, do you believe that casual dress codes are beneficial to corporate companies or should we stick to the status quo of formal wear on the 9-5? Joining me for the showdown are Janice Sutherland, Executive Coach/Author/Speaker and former CEO of Digicel, Antigua & Barbuda & Montserrat, and Dr. Gail Hudson, Senior Director of Strategic Human Resources Management and Administration at the Ministry of Health.

Some of what we discussed include:

1. Benefits of having a formal dress code.
2. Does personality affect performance and dress code?

We also touched base with a member of our audience Yunique Francis  who posed this question to our guests “How do we navigate the dress code discussion with the work from home reality?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Janice on LinkedIn at ‘I am Janice Sutherland’, podcast ‘This Woman Can’ our visit her website at janicesutherland.com. You may contact Gail Hudson at 876-855-1135 and email gailyhud42@gmail.com .

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Andrew Davis Edith Head "You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it." ” Take care.

Guests:

1. Kemal Brown, Founder & CEO, Digita Global
   
2. Javette Nixon, Founder & CEO, Point Global Marketing
   

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business.

Hiring new employees can be daunting. As a result, employers usually make it easy on themselves by eliminating candidates with resumes who don't demonstrate a certain level of experience. Personality and interpersonal skills usually come into play at the time of the interview, if at all. When it comes to hiring employees, Business Daily states that much of it comes down to personality, but is that more heavily weighted than the employee’s skills? Many employers state that an employee who possesses both skills and personality is a rare find, one is usually more prominent than the other.

Virgin's Richard Branson in a post on LinkedIn stated "personality always wins over book smarts. Company knowledge and job-specific skills can be learned but you can't train a personality. Time and time again I've seen people with a background of broad-ranging employment and skills hired for a job where they don't necessarily tick the specialist criteria boxes, but become incredibly successful by offering a new level of understanding to the role. With this in mind, we focus on hiring people with transferable skills--team players who can pitch in and help others in all sorts of situations. It's important never to underestimate the power of versatility."

This week, we are joined by Javette Nixon, founder, and CEO of Point Global Marketing, and Kamal Brown CEO and Founder of Digital Global to dissect the topic ‘Hiring: Experience & Technical Qualification Vs. Personality and Potential’’

Some of what we discussed includes:

1. What is your thought process during the eliminating stage to select your top 5 persons for an interview?
   
2. Why is personality important for you versus qualifications and skills?
   
3. Is academic qualifications an indication of personality?
   
4. How do you mitigate against the downside of personality testing?
   

We also touched base with a member of our audience Ruth Taylor who posed the question “When you have two candidates with similar personality and experience what is your deciding factor?”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with Digita Global at @itsdigita on Instagram or email engage@digitaglobal.com  for products and services available to you  on all social media platforms and visit @pointgm on Instagram or email info@pointglobalmarketing.com

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought-provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer to your goals.

To stay in touch, you can connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table, or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Michelle Obama “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.’’ Take care.

Guests:

Dr. Ike Johnson, co-founder and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Sygnus Group

David Mullings, Chairman and CEO of Blue Mahoe Capital Partners.

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business.

Mergers and acquisitions are key development and diversification strategies utilized by companies mainly for expansion purposes. It is not unusual to learn of two economically significant competitors merging ( for example, Gleaner and RJR) or the friendly but most often hostile takeover of a targeted company by another company or investor group.

The combination of two or more companies to form one new company is facilitated by a vertical or horizontal merger. A conglomerate merger brings together companies in unrelated business to reduce risk through diversification.

So, are mergers and acquisitions important to a company’s overall growth? Who benefits? Who loses?

This week, we are joined by Dr. Ike Johnson, co-founder and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at the Sygnus Group and David Mullings, Chairman and CEO of Blue Mahoe Capital Partners to dissect the topic ‘Mergers & Acquisition: Which is more Profitable?’

Some of what we discussed includes:

1. Why would a company consider Mergers & Acquisition?
   
2. What are some of the benefits of Mergers and Acquisitions?
   
3. What are the key factors to be considered?
   

We also touched base with a member of our audience Jason Francis who posed the question “In the case of the developing economies such as the caribbean where capital resources are more limited and we are forced to manage resources effectively, to what extent will mergers and acquisitions be a catalyst to the region? ”

Connect with our guests:

Connect with sygnus group.com or email info@sygnusgroup.com for products and services available to you  on all social media platforms and visit bluemahoecapital.com or email info@bluemahoe.com

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer towards your goals.

To stay in touch, you can  connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Winston Churchill “Failure is not final, success is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” Take care.

Guests: Gavin Goffe, Partner at Myers, Fletcher & Gordon with responsibility for Employment, Litigation, Tax and Deformation. Helene Davis-Whyte, President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business. In 2020, the prevalence of the outbreak of the Coronavirus over almost every region of the world, led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the disease a global pandemic. Every country, regardless of size or economic and military might, has been impacted by COVID 19. The death of millions, the disruption of families due to illness and the loss of livelihoods, broken health and social security systems have all served to undermine economies and derail development across the globe. Vaccine hesitancy poses a dilemma for employers who need a healthy workforce and to reduce absences due to illness to improve productivity, employee morale and the bottomline. Can employers make COVID 19 vaccination mandatory for their employees? This week, we are joined by Gavin Goffe,  Partner at Myer, Fletcher & Gordon with responsibility for Employment, Litigation, Tax and Deformation and Helene Davis White President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions to dissect the topic ‘Mandatory Vaccination: Implementing Vaccine Policies’. Some of what we discussed include: With COVID-19 reality, why is there such great hesitancy for the Jamaican population to take the vaccine? What would be the legal and human rights implications of mandatory vaccination? How to deal with vaccine hesitancy requiring exemptions on religious and medical grounds. Are employers responsible for educating workers about COVID-19 and official vaccination programmes? Are persons at risk of losing your jobs should they opt not to take the vaccine? Connect with our guests: Gavin Goffe via myersfletcher.com  on all social media platforms and follow up with Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions at jctu@cwjamaica.com for further information on business loans and grant access available to you. Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast. Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer towards your goals. To stay in touch, you can  connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources. As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Richard Branson “Business opportunities are like buses, there is always another one coming.” Take care.

Guests:

Lisa Bell, managing director of EXIM Bank Jamaica

Larren Peart, CEO of Bluedot Insights

Welcome to Your Business Matters, a podcast of EXIM Bank Jamaica where we bring thought leaders together on thought provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business.

All leaders regardless of sex and age have certain traits in common, for example, ambition and native intelligence. However, differences in the socialization of males and females and different ways of applying personal traits, result in different leadership styles and models of behavior.

How do we determine and measure who is the more effective leader- male or female- in any social setting?

This week, we are joined by Larren Peart, CEO of Bluedot Insights and Lisa Bell who is the Managing Director of EXIM Bank Jamaica to dissect the topic ‘Battle of the Sexes: Who is the More Effective Leader?’.

Some of what we discussed included:

1. What makes an effective leader? Does gender really matter?
   
2. Who is the more instinctive/ intuitive decision maker?
   
3. Have men marginalized themselves or has society marginalized men?
   
4. Should the topic of gender equality still be discussed?
   

We also touched base with a member of our audience Kiddist Cowans who posed the question “In the age where we are focusing on gender equality, do you think it's important to have a discussion on males versus females being better leaders?”

Connect with our guests:

Larren Peart via @BluedotInsights on all social media platforms and follow up with EXIM Bank Jamaica at eximbankja.com for further information on business loans and grant access available to you.

Thank you for joining us on Your Business Matters hosted by Heneka Watkis-Porter of the Entrepreneurial You podcast.

Remember to join us next week for another exciting episode with our thought-provoking leaders as they debate thought provoking ideas and methods to help grow your business and move closer towards your goals.

To stay in touch, you can  connect with us on your favorite podcast platforms at ‘Your Business Matters’ where we bring the matters to the table or visit eximbankja.com for further information and business resources.

As you continue to mind your business, I leave with you this quote from Jack Welch “Before you are a leader, success is about growing yourself, when you become a leader success is about growing others.” Take care.

Welcome to EXIM Bank’s ‘Your Business Matters’. I am your host, Heneka-Watkis-Porter. We are excited to introduce you to our new podcast, where we are “Bringing Thought-Leaders together with thought-provoking ideas and methods on business matters to help grow your business.”

In each episode, guest experts in relevant business matters will join me in a debate and answer your questions as we break down pertinent topics relating to Mergers and acquisitions? Does gender have any bearings on who is better at the task? Should employers pay minimum wage versus based on qualification? Your Business Matters breaks it all down for you every Wednesday at 7 PM on your favourite podcast app. You have questions, and we are giving you answers.

I cannot wait for you to join in on the conversation during Your Business Matters, brought to you by EXIM Bank Jamaica in partnership with Heneka Watkis-Porter of The Entrepreneurial You podcast. Please help us spread the word about this new and exciting show. Subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app. Tell a friend to tell a friend and share the link once we go live! In the meantime visit us at eximbankja.com. See you soon.