Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to learn important elements of business development at a seminar initiated and sponsored by First Global Bank (FGB) titled "Essentials for Writing Winning Business Plans". The seminar is scheduled for Kingston on June 28 and Montego Bay on June 30 and is being organised by the Jamaica Institute of Bankers on behalf of FGB.

Conducted by Aubyn Hill, Managing Partner of Corporate Strategies Limited, the seminars are designed not only to give participants information on the fundamentals of a business plan, but will also offer guidance on how to operationalize business ideas into a results-oriented structure. Participants will explore the components of a business plan and will review several case studies. They will also gain hands-on experience by working on group presentations of business plans.

"More than anything else we want to familiarize entrepreneurs with the skills to make their ideas deliverable. Many people have great ideas for business, but in this competitive environment, what separates the idea-generators from the profit-generators is the ability to use tools like the business plan to move those ideas along, "said Wayne Wray, President of First Global Bank.

Mr. Wray explained that business operators must be able to present a logical document with their ideas and plans couched in language which financial institutions and other investors readily understand. "At the end of each seminar we would like to assist participants to gain the confidence that they can create successful business plans that can be translated into successful businesses" he added.

FGB's sponsorship of the seminar makes it free to participants, and invitations have been extended to small and medium sized entrepreneurs.

June 27, 2005