A SME owner has thanked the BSP Financial Group Limited for collaborating, recognising and acknowledging SMEs efforts, especially women in business who continue to break barriers and create opportunities for other local businesses.
CEO of EmStret Holdings Limited – Vani Nades made these remarks when presented the 2022 SME Awards First Runner-up Award in Port Moresby this week (Tuesday 18th October 2022) during the BSP Leadership and SME Immersion presentation by Australian Rugby League Club – The Brisbane Broncos.
The award comprises a K20, 000 cheque with BSP Merchandise and an evening with BSP Staff, fellow SMEs and Brisbane Broncos Club Chief Executive Officer, Dave Donaghy , Management Team and the former Queensland and Club Legend Scott Prince and three current Broncos Players Keenan Palasia, Delouise Hoeter and Ethan Quai –Ward.
The event saw 20 BSP SMEs celebrate the journey of Vani Nades and her team from Emstret – one that began as Nades’s solo consultancy business five years ago, and has since grown to have almost 20 staff.
“Being an entrepreneur and having to receive this award is not easy. When you have a business, you have to go all out. Many people played a part in my journey, not just me alone. The challenges at the end of the day is we have to keep pushing ourselves and be one step ahead,” Nades said.
“Thank you very much BSP for involving us SMEs. There is potential out there, women doing amazing things. The award here represents women who are hustling out there so that our SMEs can have a space to come and collaborate, connect and create opportunities. This came in timely, this is going to help me to build my working space and build it for all other entrepreneurs in PNG. There is so many great people out there, let’s bring them forward and build the nation together,” she added.
BSP Group Retail General Manager Daniel Faunt said the Community Partnership between BSP and the Broncos go back to 2020, that focus on Financial Literacy – creating a savings culture among children, Leadership development among staff and SME.
“We are particularly pleased that 20 of our SMEs are present tonight. SMEs are a core part of our bank. We do bank an entire core population of our bank. We also have 34 of staff under the BSP Leadership Management Development Program talents – the likes of our Group GM HR Hari Rabura and Digital GM Nuni Kulu, two successful participants of the BSP leadership development program. We also have other upcoming leaders present tonight,” Mr Faunt added.
The Brisbane Broncos representatives and management arrived in Port Moresby on Monday and have been going around BSP branches in NCD, schools for Financial Literacy sessions and sporting facilities to continue the partnership BSP has with surrounding community.