To strengthen financial literacy and preparations for the development of business plans and business growth, Honduran beneficiaries of the Empresarias Progresando Program, EMPRO Honduras, will receive private mentoring sessions from national banking executives from five financial institutions: Banco Atlántida, BAC, FICOHSA, LAFISE and PROMERICA.
The main objective of these mentorships is to adequately prepare their recipients in the process of obtaining financing, which is often essential to implement their respective growth and diversification plans.
These mentorships take place during the final phase of the program, after having received training during the past seven months on topics such as growth and internationalization strategies, product marketing, brand management, productivity enhancement, financial management, competitiveness, preparation for financing, corporate governance, among others.
According to Ronald Arce, Director of CLACDS, "The entire program has been designed to strengthen the participants' ability to implement a viable business model. The training of the participants, almost all thematic sessions with the participation of experts in various subjects, has contributed to the understanding of the entrepreneurs about the expectations of world-class clients on issues such as legality, transparency, documentation, ethical behavior, codes of conduct, and critical requirements to comply with health and product safety standards".
For Valeria Ríos, Vice President of Marketing and Communication of BAC Honduras, the signing of the first agreement of its kind in the country with INCAE confirms the institution's interest in continuing to contribute to the training of businesswomen who lead SMEs, and is an activity that is already being carried out in the country, in support of the training of this market segment. Within the framework of this agreement, both entities will closely coordinate their efforts to meet the objectives set.
Executives from BAC, as well as from the other financial institutions participating in the mentoring program, will also participate in the business roundtables to be held in mid-June, where the entrepreneurs will present the projects they have worked on before a panel composed of executives representing different sectors of the country.
EMPRO started in October 2022, is managed by INCAE and financed with funds from the PriceSmart Foundation and Cargill.
The signing ceremony was attended by Gracia María Barahona, Manager of the EMPRO Honduras Program, and Valeria Ríos of BAC.
For further information please contact Mauren Esquivel at mauren.esquivel@incae.edu
