The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) Kiambu chapter collaborated with Strathmore University and K-Unity Sacco organized a one-day workshop in Kiambu County, aimed at equipping local business owners with essential skills and knowledge for growing and developing their businesses.
Elizabeth Mulae, head of corporate communications at MSEA, encouraged business owners to take advantage of the government services provided by the authority and emphasized the importance of utilizing digital tools for marketing and promoting their products to improve market access.
“Currently, MSEA is working on various government initiatives to incorporate the involvement of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in alignment with Vision 2030 and the Big Four agenda. Our goal is to boost job creation by encouraging industrial growth in all counties,” she said.
“We understand the significance of incorporating mental health and personal care services into business growth plans, along with educating entrepreneurs on loan regulations, collateral requirements, and financial assistance opportunities to empower them further,” she explained.
The training included essential topics necessary for fostering business growth, with a focus on utilizing manuals for growth and creating thorough marketing and sales plans that prioritize customer acquisition and retention.
The MSEA team also emphasized the importance of maintaining proper documentation and record-keeping, a crucial skill that is often lacking in many businesses.
“Many small business owners underestimate the significance of profit planning and forecasting future growth and profits. They often believe these are strategies exclusive to larger companies and corporations, but we aim to dispel this myth. The business models used successfully by large companies can also be applied to micro and small enterprises,” she said.
Ms. Mulae stated that the workshop would help business owners comprehend the potential of their businesses by assisting them in creating vision boards that would serve as a constant reminder of their short- and long-term business goals throughout the year.
The team emphasized the importance of MSEA in assisting businesses with formalization and registration of groups, infrastructure development, market linkages through trade fairs and expos, collaboration with various agencies for product standardization and quality assurance, assisting with KRA tax returns filing, and facilitating financial linkages such as Sacco and bank loans.
The Micro and Small Enterprises Authority is a government entity operating under the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development in Kenya, mandated to enhance the growth, regulation, and support of micro and small businesses in the country.
By Hellen Lunalo
