Sixty young entrepreneurs have commenced a 32-hour Sales and Marketing training programme with the Youth Economy Agency (YEA), aimed at equipping them with practical skills and proven strategies to strengthen their sales performance and increase business visibility in competitive markets.

The training programme, which is being sponsored by the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM), will be delivered by the Youth Economy Agency (YEA) in collaboration with the National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF). The training programme, which targets entrepreneurs between 15 and 35 years old, will run over an eight-week period, and delivered virtually from Monday, April 28, 2025.

The training programme is in line with the YEA’s acknowledgement that many young entrepreneurs and small business owners struggle with effectively initiating sales and driving customer engagement. Through interactions and support services, the YEA has observed that several clients lack the confidence and skills to proactively market their products and services, resulting in missed business opportunities.

Experienced consultants with practical expertise will lead the training sessions tailored for clients of the YEA in both the north and south of Saint Lucia. Classes will be conducted three days a week to ensure participants have sufficient time to fully comprehend key concepts and sufficient flexibility to effectively accommodate their business commitments.

Trainees who successfully complete the programme and submit a project/brand or promotional plan for their small enterprises will be eligible for an Accelerated Growth Angel Fund (AGAF) from YEA of EC$1,000.00 cash injection for their business, financed by the Taiwan Technical Mission for either establishing a new venture, or operational funding for an existing business.

Participants will learn practical sales techniques, customer engagement strategies, and low-cost marketing approaches to enhance their business visibility and profitability. The programme will examine concepts of Sales and Marketing.

It will cover:

• Different types of markets and the marketing environment
• Sales techniques and the Marketing Mix
• Understanding the customer and closing sales
• Marketing a successful sale
• Marketing strategies and projecting a professional image
• Understanding marketing decisions
• The role of price in marketing
• Sales confidence and communication

This interactive training programme will include workshops, real-world case studies, role-playing exercises, etc. By the end of the programme, participants will have the skills and confidence to actively market their businesses, increase sales, and sustain long-term growth.

A registration and orientation ceremony held at the Finance Administrative Centre at Pointe Seraphine on the afternoon of Friday, April 25, 2025, for the sixty participants who were shortlisted from over two hundred applicants.

During her remarks, H.E. Nicole Su, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, emphasized the enduring friendship shared between Saint Lucia and Taiwan, which is based on mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to inclusive development. Through bilateral projects, she said the goal is not only to support economic growth, but also invest in people, especially the youth.

“This project is a clear demonstration of our joint vision: to empower young entrepreneurs with the tools you need to thrive in a competitive global economy,” Ambassador Su said. “I once read an American marketing expert, Mr. Seth Godin, saying that ‘marketing is not about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.’”

Having toured several local communities in recent weeks to visit sites of Constituency Development Programme (CDF) projects, Ambassador Su noted there was a story and creativity in every instance. She commended the participants on the diversity of their extraordinary products and services, telling them they have many stories to tell and offer to the world.

“I’m extremely glad to see that you are here today to participate in this programme. We are all here thinking the same. That is, entrepreneurship is not just about having good products and fine services, but is also about sales and marketing. In order to further develop your business, you need to tell a good story of your products and services; the stories which you in Saint Lucia obviously have,” Ambassador Su told the participants.

Ambassador Su commended the Youth Economy Agency’s leadership and team for identifying the needs of young entrepreneurs and organizing programmes that support growth and development, and thanked the National Research and Development Foundation for collaborating on the programme. Through the Technical Mission and the Taiwan Embassy, she said Taiwan will remain a committed and proud development partner in empowering Saint Lucian entrepreneurs.

“My dear participants, I’d like to let you all know that Taiwan believes in you and we are happy to join hands with your government to invest in you,” Ambassador Su stated. “Therefore, I encourage each and every one of you to make the most of this programme. Ask questions, share experiences, exchange ideas, and don’t be afraid to dream big.”

Mr. Thomas Leonce, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Youth Economy Agency, who has over 35 years of experience in Sales and Marketing, shared basic tips that lead to success in sales and marketing. He also encouraged the participants to capture as much knowledge they can during the training programme so that can improve their business operations.

“Far too many start-ups stall before they ever leave the ground,” Mr. Leonce said. “This is because they treat sales and marketing like two separate engines, or worse, like opposing forces. But I’m here to tell you that sales and marketing are not rivals. They’re not even siblings, but soul mates, and your success depends on uniting them.”

Ms. Antiebe Phillip, Support Officer –Training & Development at the Youth Economy Agency, said the training was designed to address the challenges faced by many entrepreneurs, including promoting their products, building strong customer relationships, and confidently closing sales.

She thanked the Taiwan Technical Mission for its continued generous support for young entrepreneurs: “The Republic of China (Taiwan) has been a consistent and valued partner in our mission to develop youth entrepreneurship and build a more resilient business ecosystem. We are sincerely thankful for their unwavering commitment and belief in our vision.”

Mr. Bryan Vidal, Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Economy Agency, urged participants to continue training and upskilling themselves and to take advantage of training opportunities the YEA offers.

“The research shows that when you invest in training and develop yourselves, the probability of your business succeeding increases significantly,” said Mr. Vidal.

Meanwhile, Ms. Diandra Jn. Louis, Facilitator at the National Research and Development Foundation, said the training programme is part of a broader commitment to youth empowerment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.

“Together, we believe that the young people are not just leaders of tomorrow, you are the drivers of change today,” she said. “Through this training, we aim to equip you with skills, tools and confidence needed to thrive in competitive markets, to develop scalable business ideas, and to position yourselves as key contributors to the national economy.”