The owner of Georgie’s Pizza, Vanilla, swears by it.
Having joined the Pacific Business Mentoring Programme (P.B.M.P) at the start of 2012, Vanilla says the programme has been a tremendous help to their business.
“I think the most useful thing I’ve gotten out of it is that it gave me a lot of confidence in myself,” she says.
“They give really good advice that really builds my self-esteem. I was always negative about the things that I did, but it was through them that I managed to become positive about things.”
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As part of the programme, a mentor visits the business every six months to work with them.
And looking to the future, Georgie’s Pizza is planning to continue to take advantage of the programme, for years to come.
There are many other local companies like Georgie’s Pizza.
For the past four years, the programme has helped over 150 small and medium size Samoan businesses grow and become successful.
This week, P.B.M.P Country manager, John Helsdon, is in Apia to encourage more small businesses to join.
As part of this, he is giving a presentation at 12pm at the Small Business Enterprise Centre tomorrow.
Business owners who are interested in joining the programme are welcomed.
New Zealand Aid funds the event and the programme so it is free.
The Programme was set up four years ago when Pacific Island Private Sector Organisation (P.I.P.S.O) asked Business Mentor New Zealand (B.M.N.Z) for help with mentoring businesses in the Pacific.
The long-term aim is to have an impact on sustainable economic growth in the Pacific region through increased participation of businesses in local and international markets.
It now operates in nine Pacific countries.
Each business that joins the programme has a mentor, who is an experienced businessperson from New Zealand.
The mentors visit Samoa every six months to mentor them one-on-one and create action plans.
“These business mentors help with whatever the business needs because they’ve got a lot of experience,” Mr. Helsdon says.
“Usually its planning, usually its marketing, usually its organizational skills, how to apply for funds, how to recruit better staff.”
The programme is all about helping the economy, especially in the tourism and agricultural sectors.
“We try to help substitute imports.
If we can produce something here instead of bringing it in, it helps the economy.”
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