MSME Roadshow Lands in Belize City, Three More Stops To Go

BELTRAIDE’s National MSME Roadshow has reached Belize City, seven of ten planned stops into its 2026 run before it wraps in Belmopan.

Today’s event is bootcamp-style training day, with hour-long sessions covering e-commerce, financial literacy, digital marketing and export basics. “These are very very strategic topics demanded by the participants,” said Jorge Gentle, Manager a technical unit of BELTRAIDE called Small Business Development Centre Belize (SBDC). 

Gentle said the topics were chosen based on years of participant feedback and current business trends. The Ministry of Rural Transformation and the Belize Tax Service also briefed attendees on licensing and tax requirements.

Day two brings a formalisation clinic at the Civic Centre, with around 25 to 30 agencies on hand, including BELTRAIDE, the Chamber of Commerce, and financial institutions such as Atlantic Bank and Belize Bank.

Executive Director Ishmael Quiroz said this year’s roadshow has leaned harder into public-private partnerships than previous editions and pointed to strong turnout in Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio and Punta Gorda. According to him, nearly 600 businesses have registered this year alone. 

“It’s acknowledged that micro, small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our economy,” Quiroz said. “They create opportunities; they create livelihoods. They also enable the opportunity to transform something that you may have as a hobby into a livelihood, something that’s a craft, but you can make it sustainable and you can have it feed yourself and your family.” 

For Lindbergh Smith, owner of Smithy’s Natural Blend, the roadshow has been a repeat stop since his business launched in 2022. He credited earlier sessions with helping him formalise operations and expand distribution nationally and said he keeps returning for the networking value alone.

Smith said, “When I first participated in these roadshows, it helped tremendously because through the expo, they have exposed Smithy’s to a lot of customers, and that’s how I’ve grown to now distribute nationally.” 

Belize City’s roadshow activities coincide with the City Council’s Super Sale on Saturday.