Tell Your Story

Do you have an interesting story about how your business got started and the lessons you've learned? We want to share it at YES Caribbean.
Send us a video no longer than three (3) minutes and we will use it during one of our sessions at this four-day conference.
Drop us an email with a YouTube link or just post the link on my Truly Caribbean Woman Facebook.com fan page.Make your video exciting by inserting images of you at work, you with clients or the products you sell. Be sure to include your contact information and website address.

Looking forward to hearing your entrepreneur's story.

Actress/Entrepreneur Dionne Audain returning home for YES Caribbean

BRADES, Montserrat – It’s been 20 years since actress Dionne Audain has visited her homeland of Montserrat and she is returning as a presenter and instructor at YES Caribbean, a conference for entrepreneurs May 25-28, 2011 at the Montserrat Cultural Centre.

Dionne left Montserrat at the age of seven prior, having grown up around Plymouth and later St. Johns in the North.

“This opportunity is quite necessary at this point in my career. So much has happened since I've been there socially, politically, economically and of course geographically. Now coming back as an actor/ entrepreneur it's going to be great to share my experience, my expertise as well as catch up and tour the island and see my family and best childhood friends,” Dionne said of her upcoming visit.

The actress has been racking up her acting credentials over the past decade. She will be on island to be a feature presenter at YES Caribbean 2011 and also lead the Movie in a Week project, which will teach production skills which can be used to make full length feature films or to add visual elements to small business promotions.

“I am very pleased that Dionne accepted our invitation and has jumped enthusiastically into the project to help build our visual expertise. As a region we need to show the many different facets of our islands. This includes improving how we promote our businesses.We need to showcase Montserrat more and in many different ways. The more persons with the skills and the capacity to show the island and the Caribbean through their eyes, the more exposure we can bring to our business and our economies,” said Nerissa Golden, organizer of the conference.

Dionne Audain is known for her powerful performances delivered with genuine authenticity with major credits in television, feature films and national and regional commercials. Audain has tackled roles from a preacher’s wife to secret service agent, proving that she has both breadth and depth as an actress. This incredibly talented actress began her career as consultant in corporate America before beginning her journey into acting.

Moviegoers were introduced to Audain in her independent film debut A Shepherd of Pure Heart (DVD, 2003). Audain gave a standout performance as Elizabeth Upton, a supportive, loving and demanding wife. In early 2005, Audain was seen in indie short Tuffy Low-low, as Mrs. Ward, a tough administrator in charge of a private nursing home. Other indie film supporting roles include The Evils, Like Water, Finding My Precious Basquiat, The Euphoria Project, Poof and Manuel Chavez.

Audain made her feature film debut as an actor portraying Abe Lincoln in the comedy/drama Rocket Science (2006) for director Jeff Blitz, a story about a teenage boy with a horrific stuttering problem who joins his high-school debate team in an ill-fated effort to win the girl of his dreams. In early 2009 Dionne was handpicked for a role by Joel Schumacher himself, for his latest feature film Twelve. The film’s cast includes such notables as Keifer Sutherland, Chance Crawford, Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson slated for release in 2010. She filmed Salt which stars Angelina Jolie and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Her other films of note include: Sex And The City 2 where she’s featured as a teacher at Brady’s school in a scene with Cynthia Nixon; The Happening where she got the opportunity to work with director M. Night Shyamalan and alongside Zoë Deschanel despite her scene being cut; Rocket Science directed by Jeff Blitz with actors Nicholas D’Agosto, Margo Martindale, Vincent Piazza, Reece Thompson and Aaron Yoo.
Dionne’s television work includes a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a re-occurring role on the hit HBO series The Wire alongside Dominic West, the short-lived FX series Starved with Del Pentecost, All My Children and America’s Most Wanted.

The NY Times hailed that in her stage work Dionne “has a nice, natural air…” She has toured nationally with The John F. Kennedy Center, appeared off-Broadway at venues such as Urban Stages, The Queens Company, Roundtable Ensemble, Target Margin Theater and has worked regionally at Arena Stage, African Continuum Theatre Company, Folger Theatre, Theatre of The First Amendment, Shakespeare & Company and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Dionne also has numerous local, regional and national commercials and print campaigns for companies such as BlackberryGov.com, Subway, Walmart, Maryland Lottery, Bath Fitter and Health Care for America Now.

To learn more about Audain and the Movie in a Week project visit www.yes.trulycaribbean.net or email info@trulycaribbean.net.

Three ways to Attend YES Caribbean on a budget

Are you still wavering about whether you can be at YES Caribbean or not? Waver no more.

YES Caribbean, a conference for entrepreneurs and persons looking to make a change in their career is just one month away. We have scholarships available for persons who wish to attend but cannot afford the EC$ 500 conference fee. There are five full scholarships which will allow you to participate in activities on all four days May 25-28, 2011 and ten part scholarships for persons who pay for one day session at EC$200. You will be able to attend another day of your choice at no extra cost. Another way you can take in the conference and get the same experience is to volunteer to be part of our support team.

We want to get the information to you from the dynamic speakers/entrepreneurs who will be here for the week. We want to give you every opportunity to dream it, believe it and live it. Don't miss out.

Please email me at info@trulycaribbean.net and be sure to download your registration form at the link in the sidebar.

Nerissa Golden, Organizer

Business Beyond Borders the focus of Day One at YES Caribbean

[caption id="attachment_445" align="alignleft" width="299" caption="Montserrat is for adventure and nature lovers and has vast potential for entrepreneurs to make their mark if they are ready to take on the challenge, says Nerissa Golden, organizer of YES Caribbean from May 25 to 28, 2011. In photo, View of Rendezvous Beach, Montserrat’s only white sand beach from Silver Hills. (Photo by Billy Darroux)"][/caption]

BRADES, Montserrat – Montserrat needs the Caribbean and the Caribbean needs Montserrat, if we are all to make our mark on the world stage in business and as trendsetters. This is the belief of entrepreneur and organizer of YES Caribbean 2011, Nerissa Golden.

YES Caribbean 2011 will take place on Montserrat May 25-28, 2011 at the Montserrat Cultural Centre and brings together entrepreneurs and industry leaders from the region to build partnerships, share ideas, and learn techniques of how to improve their business.

“The share size of Montserrat with only a population of 5000 requires that we network and look to the regional marketplace to sell our goods and services and also to buy products and develop new ways of conducting business,” Golden said. “No matter the size of your company or if you are a one-man show, having regional connections expands the options for meeting a client’s needs and gives you a broader base to sell your merchandise.”

“Day One of the conference will look at doing business beyond our borders. How can we use social media to market our business, building our brands? How do we protect our creative works in a virtual environment and how can we benefit from the OECS Economic Union and other regional formations.”

The four-day conference is a combination of seminars and practical workshops in brand development, filmmaking, dance, and fashion. It also provides a daily opportunity for delegates to sell their services and make new business connections.

“We want to see entrepreneurs from the region attend and bring their products to promote and market themselves,” invites the entrepreneur. “Montserrat also has great potential for new business ventures so this is a chance for people to come and be introduced to the island.”

Speakers for the event include the Caribbean’s leading Social Media expert Ingrid Riley of Connectimass Jamaica, Business thought coach and career expert Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe, cyber security expert Greg Richardson, life coach and dance instructor Susan Barnes, and fashion designer Kaishah Peters of Knitty Kitty St. Maarten.

To see the full schedule for YES Caribbean, the list of speakers and to register, visit www.yes.trulycaribbean.net.

Movie in a Week at YES Caribbean

We are taking the chance of a lifetime and the challenge of creating a movie in just one week.

Will it be a feature length film or a short documentary? Who knows? But we want you to come along for the ride.

Regional entrepreneur’s conference coming to Montserrat May 2011

BRADES, Montserrat – A regional entrepreneur’s conference YES Caribbean is coming to the island of Montserrat May 25-28, 2011.

According to conference organizer and host Nerissa Golden, YES Caribbean 2011 is for entrepreneurs who are ready to launch their first enterprise or more established business owners who want to expand beyond their present borders.

“Montserrat has been given a unique opportunity to rebrand, redevelop and reinvent itself in the 21^st Century. The private sector is one area that has great potential for development and we believe that hosting this conference here will assist in bringing new ventures to life,” says Golden.

YES brings together more experienced Caribbean entrepreneurs to teach seminars and workshops to aspiring business people and other entrepreneurs from around the region. “It is an awesome time for networking and building new partnerships, as well as identifying entrepreneurs that can benefit from more one on one support to advance their venture,” added Golden who held the first event in 2006 on St. Maarten.

Present Economic Challenges is an Opportunity for Caribbeanpreneurs to Shine

Fight Economic Fears with Knowledge and Love, says Author and Entrepreneur, Nerissa Golden 

MONTSERRAT, W.I. – “Although the reports of a dire tourism season is cause to tighten our belts, it is also a time to free our thinking and move outside the box,” says entrepreneur and author Nerissa Golden. 

Golden is the founder of the Young Entrepreneurs Symposium and Truly Caribbean Network, a non-profit foundation established to create opportunities for Caribbean people globally. 

The Caribbean is bracing for a tough tourist season as many of the largest world economies are struggling to regain their financial footing. Governments and tourism organizations are scrambling for solutions and many are fearful of whether they will have a job in the coming months.

“This is not a time to allow fear to control and limit your thinking. It is time for Caribbeanpreneurs to find new strategies to get ahead. This crisis is also creating new opportunities and we need to open our eyes to see them,” added Golden.

The entrepreneur suggests that people who may be fearful of losing their jobs in the coming season first of all, see the time ahead as a great moment of transition which can be to their benefit.  Many of the most successful billionaires made their money during the toughest economic times, she explained, enterprising Caribbean people can do the same.

“First this is not just a problem for Caribbean governments to solve for its people. Each of us can take steps to improve our personal economic situations. The small kitchen business can probably be a greater source of income with a better strategic plan and some promotion. Rather than pressure clients who are also experiencing the same financial crisis to pay you all at once, find alternative payment structures to alleviate their burden and yours, barter where possible and be patient,” explained the author of The Making of a Caribbeanpreneur: Strategies for Overcoming Fear and Building Wealth.

Golden, who is also a single mother said that every effort must be made to alleviate stress as the tendency under pressure is to lash out at those closest to us. “Be very watchful of increased areas of stress and find positive outlets to combat the pressure you may be feeling. Children and spouses are not verbal or physical punching bags. It is actually a time to reach out in love and give to others. The greatest power to overcome fear is love and this economic challenge is a good time to practice this.” 

The Making of a Caribbeanpreneur: Strategies for Overcoming Fear and Building Wealth and a Truly Caribbean Woman’s Guide to Good Love will both be available shortly in bookstores.

More ideas on combating fears and finding solutions to financial and emotional struggles are available online at www.trulycaribbean.net. The author and speaker can be contacted at info@trulycaribbean.net for advice and training. 

 

Women Entrepreneurs Wanted for World Survey

NEW YORK (July 31, 2008) – A worldwide study on women entrepreneurs is presently being conducted by Dr. Andrea Smith-Hunter, an Associate Professor at Siena College in New York.

Dr. Smith-Hunter is studying the impact that female entrepreneurs have in seven regions of the world; Africa, South America, North America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Europe and Asia.

The regions left to be completed are the Caribbean, Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia.

“I truly believe that women hold the key to the economic power of our future and so this project is to gather more data to establish that view. It has been an interesting process to discover the impact that women with small micro-enterprises are having on their community and even their nation,” said Smith-Hunter.

The questionnaire will take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Women can either choose to download the form and return it by mail or fax or fill in the form electronically and email it back to the researcher.

Dr. Smith-Hunter who is originally from Jamaica, holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Studies from the University at Albany – State University of New York. Her research interests include entrepreneurship across racial, ethnic, gender and economic lines. She has been published in the Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, the Journal of International Business and Entrepreneurship, Women in Management Review and the Journal of Business and Economic Research, among others. Her first book, Diversity and Entrepreneurship: Analyzing Successful Women Entrepreneurs, was published in 2003 by University Press of America. Her second book, Women Entrepreneurship Across Racial Lines: Issues of Human Capital, Financial Capital and Network Structures, was published in 2006 by Edward Elgar Publishing.

Coordinating the project for Dr. Smith-Hunter is Nerissa Golden, the founder of YES, the Young Entrepreneurs Symposiums in the Caribbean. “This research will be a vital tool than can enable governments to understand the value of their female population and the impact they are already having and act accordingly to support them. It should also inspire not just women but men as well to consider starting their own businesses and follow the path that many have chosen and continue to navigate successfully,” Golden said. The entrepreneur is presently completing work on her second book “The Making of a Caribbeanpreneur: Overcoming Fears and Building Wealth.”

More information about the research can be obtained by contacting Nerissa Golden at info@trulycaribbean.net to participate in the survey.

Will There Be a YES 2008?

At this time, all plans are on hold to host the third Young Entrepreneurs Symposium (YES 2008). The goal right now is to build up the resources available online so that you can be equipped to start and run your own business effectively.

Please visit www.trulycaribbean.net to access all our small business ideas and tips for succeeding in a Caribbean environment.

Look out for events that Nerissa Golden will be speaking at throughout the coming months.

Special Women at YES 2007 - by Loic Bryan

Man, I would not have gotten through this conference without my big sister, Dianne. Big props to her for keeping her cool and just keeping me organized. She also won the Never A Dull Moment Female Award but slipped through without a public award at the reception.
Lady Zelma Prentice, from Nevis was a joy to get to know. Her new babysitting service is taking off and she came to YES 2007 to learn how she could maintain and grow her venture. You can check out her story on www.trulycaribbean.net.
Tessa Clark-Chaderton is an extraordinary cook and we found out just how good she is during our closing reception. Her mango bread was to die for and we can't wait to hear how her new catering business develops.
Stephanie James is journalist, professional translator and also the host of Women West Indies. While on St. Kitts she and her husband took the time to interview many local women who are shaking things up in the federation. You can also check me out on an upcoming episode.