|
Mengi: confidence essential tool for business success
2008-09-12 10:34:29
By Felister Peter
Businesspersons have been urged to build self confidence as an essential tool for success in their businesses.
IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi made the call in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday when launching the second Tanzania`s National Business Plan Competition 2008 dubbed ``Believe Begin Become (BBB).``
Mengi said most businesspersons lacked confidence in the things they do, causing many to fail even before they start.
``If you really want to succeed in anything, you must have self confidence and believe that everything is possible,`` he said.
Mengi also urged traders to treat the problems facing them as challenges that need to be solved, cautioning that seeing them as problems might cause unnecessary stress.
He also said that a good business starts with a good business plan, adding that approximately 90 per cent of businesses which were started without good plans had failed.
Mengi pledged to reward the first ten women winners of this year's competition with USD10,000 each.
Meanwhile, the Director of Small and Medium Enterprises Department in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing, Desystant Massawe said SMEs were vital in the growth of the economy.
Massawe said the SMEs contributed significantly to the country\'s gross domestic product (GDP).
He said that there were many business opportunities in the country, but they remained untapped due to limited entrepreneurial skills.
He said the 2008 BBB, Tanzania's National Business Plan Competition would help entrepreneurs to improve their businesses.
Massawe affirmed the government's commitment to improve the business environment for the development of the SMEs.
Mary Karega, Mapanki Fish Project chief executive officer, who was the third winner in the last year competition said the initiative had helped her business to grow.
She said when she launched the project in 2006, it had only three employees, but now she has more than 50.
The 2008 BBB, is organised by Technoserve in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam`s Entrepreneurship Centre and Business in Development Foundation Network.
This year`s competition will provide more than USD530,000, equivalent to 620m/- in awards.
There will also be awards from local partners like Gatsby Trust, Azania Bank Limited, Tanzania Investment Centre, Tanga Cement and Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.
|
