BELTRAIDE Tackles Challenges Facing New Entrepreneurs

Twenty-nine small business owners each received grants of seven thousand dollars today. BELTRAIDE continues its push to strengthen Belize’s small business sector through the Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project, better known as BEEP. We were there as officials highlighted how this program is opening doors and creating real opportunities for growth, strengthening Belize’s small business sector and giving emerging entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed. Here’s News Five’s Shane Williams.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

Starting a business in Belize isn’t easy, from securing start-up capital to finding the right networks and building a solid plan, new entrepreneurs face steep hurdles. Today, BELTRAIDE celebrated cohort three of the Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project, a program designed to tackle those very challenges. With financial support from the CARICOM Development Fund, BELTRAIDE launched BEEP in 2024 with an aim to assist ninety-five micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide.

 

Nardia Garcia, CEO, Ministry of Investment

“The goal was to support ninety-five MSEs over two years. The first cohort alone provided a total of four hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars in grants to forty-four MSEs nationwide, comprising fourteen startups, fifteen export focused businesses and fifteen maturing businesses. This program notably empowered a significant number of women-led businesses and focused on beneficiaries in rural areas, and those in the orange. Green and blue economies. However, it was never just about the money. It was about building capacity. Awardees did not simply receive a check. They earned it through rigorous training in financial management, digital marketing, and investment planning.”

 

The funding can be used for working capital, machinery or equipment, product development, marketing or packaging.  Lucien Dawson is a grant recipient. He is the owner of Effortless Memories, a full-fledged event planning company that helps those who are not detail oriented with the organization of memorable events. He knows exactly what he will do with the seed funding.

 

Lucien Dawson, Owner, Effortless Memories

“The program actually helped me to put my business on paper. I’ve always had my, an idea of what my business is, how it’s supposed to operate, but actually developing a business model canvas enabled me to see what my business is and how I could expand upon it. So with Beep, I am able now to expand now into other markets. So for example, we’re in the process of launching a website so we could dive into the destination wedding market.”

 

Of the twenty-nine grant recipients today, twenty-one are women entrepreneurs and thirteen come from rural communities, proof that BEEP is serious about inclusive growth for all Belizeans. We caught up with two businesswomen from Hopkins to hear how they plan to put their funding to work.

 

Kenima Williams, Owner, Kenima’s Garifuna Cooking Class

“Kenima’s Garifuna Cooking Class offers authentic cultural and culinary experiences where guests get to experience live drumming, entertainment, drumming lessons, and get into a local Garifuna kitchen and cook some Garifuna food.”

 

Selina Avila, Owner, Seemore Adventures

“We are a local dive shop in Hopkins. We do boat diving and snorkeling. My father opened it in 2015 and then I took over in 2023. We are planning to expand our office space and with our equipment. That’s mainly what we wanna do because I feel like our office space is a little too small for the groups that we get.”

 

BEEP requires participants to complete a five-week course before receiving grant funding. BELTRAIDE’S Executive Director Ishmael Quiroz says recipients will receive continued support through the Small Business Development Center.

 

Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE

“There’s a lot of support follow up support as well as, future calls that we can perhaps, gear them towards. So we’re always on the lookout for partners who are willing to fund either, for grants or for technical assistance. We partner with other agencies such as the Caribbean Export Development Agency where technical assistance and training is often provided. And so this is where businesses that are part of the program can continue to receive the benefit.”

At the conclusion of the project in 2026, it is expected that a total of ninety-five MSMEs will have received funding, bringing the overall program support fund to approximately eight hundred thousand dollars. Shane Williams for News Five.