UPSKILLING MICRO BUSINESSES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce CEO Eve Hayden teamed up with Brendon Welsh, Training and Programme Manager, to develop an innovative training programme aimed at upskilling the many micro-business owners in the Cook Islands. They applied to Business Link Pacific for assistance through the subsidy programme to ensure business owners could attend the programme. 

CEO Eve Hayden

Following COVID-19 many applications for government assistance were received, and many were rejected as ineligible. The apparent lack of knowledge of basic business principles among many of their constituents was a key motivation for the development of the Business Foundations course. First run, mid-2020, the programme covered developing a business plan and business strategies; the importance of keeping accurate financial records; compliance requirements and how to achieve them; marketing and communicating with customers; and the use of technology.

Every business in the Cook Islands has been affected by the downturn in tourism in 2020. Eve claims “many of the micro-businesses now benefitting from the training programme hadn’t realised they would be affected by the reduction in cash flowing into the wider economy from tourism and found their businesses suffering from the flow-on effect.” Falling into a no man’s land with no technology, no email address, and frequently no bank account, these businesses operating in the informal sector – under the government radar – were unable to apply for financial assistance, and if they could apply, they were frequently ineligible due to an inability to demonstrate a downturn in business because no financial records had been kept. 

Cook Island Market holder

Following the obvious success of the programme to date, Eve Hayden and the Chamber of Commerce are working with the Cook Islands Government to make the record-keeping aspect of this course mandatory, by passing the need for past financial records to allow these micro-businesses to apply for grants and government assistance. 

Many of the participants in the training programme have never operated in the formal sector and lack the knowledge and skills to do so. A maximum of 10 participants ensures meaningful interaction between participants – many of whom lack confidence or are uncomfortable speaking in a larger group. Creating a safe place allows participants to learn through shared experience. The planned rollout will mainly be held in local meeting houses – Punas – and will be run in both English and Cook Islands Maori to encourage wider attendance.

At the conclusion of their one-day course, these small business owners will have developed the framework for a solid business plan. They will also have the foundation of a marketing plan and have learned about the ways in which technology could enhance their business. Representatives from relevant government departments – the National Superfund and Tax Department – attend to meet participants, with the objective of demystifying compliance issues during an informal Q&A session.

With the assistance provided by Business Link Pacific, Eve claims the impact on the economy of the Cook Islands will be significant. Equally important is the impact on the people running these businesses. “The possibilities of the digital world and marketing opportunities beyond the traditional print and television has opened the eyes of many.” Online marketing through social media, even developing websites, enables these micro-businesses to reach the thousands of ex-patriate Cook Islanders who hanker for home and the products of the Cook Islands.

If there is a silver lining from COVID-19 in the Cook Islands, it is that small, subsistence enterprises are in the spotlight to receive assistance from Business Link Pacific and the Chamber of Commerce, enabling them to sharpen their business skills and improve their financial outcomes long into the future.

ENDS