Continued from Part 1’s: LEAP 2017 – The SME Conference:
This year our theme is the Sales & Money Experience. To increase Sales, we must learn what the customers want to buy. Many new business owners begin with two primary goals: make a profit and grow a business. However, in reality as business owners, we are scrambling daily to get a handle on what customers want, in order to steer our way back to higher volume and greater profitability. We will also focus on mindset and money because it really doesn’t matter how many strategies you learn, if you don’t get your mindset right, you’re doomed to fail. During this Conference our speakers will discuss different approaches and strategies to learn how to track the money in your business and to increase your sales and revenues!”
Derrick Sutherland of Antigua was the first speaker. Derrick is an award winning sales professional and motivational speaker with a wealth of leadership expertise gained within the retail sales industry. With a career spanning over 25 years, his experience covers roles in sales, operations, coaching and merchandising. Derrick earned the title of retail motivator because of the way he inspires others to overcome personal barriers and set challenges to achieve their goals. He shows how it’s always possible to think and act positively.
Derrick’s presentation, or should we say ‘performance’ on “Master Your Motivation Via Sales” was high-energy, interactive and informative! We learned some effective sales techniques, including one called “the nibble”. You should have been there!
After our morning break, the next speaker was Tanya Smith of Canada. Tanya is a certified NLP Master Coach and Trainer and the CEO of Tanya Smith International, a professional development company that provides business coaching and guidance to leaders and entrepreneurs. She has over 20 years of experience working in the Financial Services Industries; with 9 years working in the Latin American and Caribbean markets in varies leadership positions such as Sales, Performance Consulting, Technology and Operations. With many years of experience in facilitating mastermind programs for The Urban Financial Coalition in Toronto and participating in lead facilitator roles like the PANAM Leadership Impact Program for the Toronto 2015 Games, Tanya has a great understanding of what it takes to motivate and drive performance in companies.
Tanya presentation was titled “Unlocking Your Blueprint to Increase Your Success in Sales” and she shared some key principles for how people process information to communicate and make decisions to empower you to increase your success in sales. Another very interactive presentative, Tanya taught us how our thoughts and beliefs drive and affect our success with money and sales and how to breakthrough in sales through communicating with prospects on an unconscious level.
Our following speaker was Sandra Baptist of Antigua, who is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience in the accounting and audits and a Chartered Director. Sandra is an International Business Growth Expert, Accredited World Bank/InfoDev Facilitator and Coach to entrepreneurs and CEO’s. She is a Certified Business Coach, Certified CTA Coach, a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Advisor, and a Certified Live Plan Expert Advisor. Sandra is a #1 International Best-Selling Author with her 1st solo book, “Unlock The Code”, and is one of the co-authors of “Ready. Aim. Influence!” with Carlos Slim, the World’s richest man, Marshall Goldsmith and others. Sandra has also been a mentor for the past three (3) years for the Richard Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship and has won the ACQ5 Global Awards for Caribbean Niche Business Advisor of the Year in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Sandra’s presentation entitled “4 Key Strategies to High-Performance Cash Management” turned the basic accounting formula “Sales – Expenses = Profit” on its head to enable business owners and entrepreneurs to manage their cash more effectively and build profits fast in their business. Eye-opening and provocative, Sandra challenged the business owners in attendance to use this proven method, used by 28 million businesses and companies in the USA that will drive profitability in their businesses.
Just before lunch, the Inland Revenue panel gave an overview of the main taxes in the country and took questions from the audience and clarified tax situations that some business owners had.
During the lunch break as previously during the morning break, the sponsor booths were open and attendees were encouraged to visit LEAP! 2017 partners, which included PACCS Inc., Scotiabank, CIBC First Caribbean, the Inland Revenue Department and of course ABASBO.
Our final speaker for the General conference was Mrs. Monique Caradine‑Kitchens, also known as the OverFlow Coach. Monique helps women fix their relationship with money so they can stop worrying about it, stressing over it, and chasing after it and instead, start manifesting more than enough of it. Since 2012, Monique has mentored hundreds of women entrepreneurs on how to make money doing what they love. She holds two coaching certifications, both with a focus on money and mindset. Her mission is to cultivate a new generation of high‑earning women. Before becoming a coach, Monique worked as a radio and television personality. She has won many awards and has interviewed high‑profile celebrities, politicians, and business leaders.
Monique blew minds at LEAP! 2017 as well as at Day 2: Women LEAP! which was held in the afternoon the following day. She invited us to live and Overflow Life and define that in our own way and on our own terms (Overflow meaning that the amount of money coming in from our businesses keeps coming in such great amounts that we have more than enough to live on so that we live comfortably on simply what is left over after we invest, tithe and save.) She talked to us about 4 different types of people that have money and encouraged us to think BIG when it comes to our business and companies.
During the final 30 minutes and prior to wrapping up, the Business Panel comprising of all the speakers answered questions from the audience. Questions ranged from how to select a business if you haven’t yet started to what you should invest your money in. The Panel, all of whom are entrepreneurs themselves, drew from their personal experiences and their clients’ stories.
Day 1 of the General Conference wrapped up with giveaways and impromptu networking. All in all, everyone gained useful insights, techniques and strategies that they can put to use immediately in their businesses. Some came back for Women LEAP! the following day, including one brave, highly-motivated gentleman who wanted more!
The Association’s team worked really hard within a very short time span to pull off LEAP! 2017 and we look forward to welcoming all of you to LEAP! 2018!
Written by: Sandra Baptist, Founder: Antigua Barbuda Association of Small Business Owners (ABASBO). www.ABASBO.com