Director’s Message
Sandipan RayFounder- SMBConnect
December is a time of reflection. Looking back at 2018, the year has definitely been a year of growth and transition for SMBConnect. Over the past 12 months, we have looked internally, meticulously discerning what we do best, what we are passionate about and more importantly, what India needs the most.
Our priority is and continues to be about creating value for our members and contributing substantially to the Indian SME ecosystem. In addition to expanding our reach within all facets of the SME industry, in 2018 the recognition that women in India have broken the barriers of social compliance by venturing beyond their domestic walls and have progressively put their footsteps on par with men in the business arena led to the genesis of ‘Advaita- celebrating entrepreneurial spirit of women’. Advaita is an umbrella initiative of SMBConnect focussing solely on Indian women entrepreneurs.
We organised the maiden Advaita- women entrepreneur awards ceremony on 25th October, 2018 in Jaipur which received tremendous appreciation from people of all walks of life. The admiration ignited a new spark in us to pursue our cause with renewed enthusiasm, following which we have already laid down the roadmap for organising Advaita awards in Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana in the forthcoming year.
In 2019, we will also launch Excellerate SMEs Awards aimed at recognising successful SMEs across industrial sectors and encouraging the next generation of young entrepreneurs. We are planning to organise the first chapter of these awards in the state of Jharkhand.
2019 will also begin with the re-launching of the SMBConnect website. The overhauled website will make navigation easier enriching the experience of our visitors but most importantly, it will provide SMEs with the access to a wealth of information and knowledge critical for their sustainable growth at one platform.
With a little effort from a lot of people, we have the ability to transform SMEs and to help those who are willing to start up but need a little support getting started. In 2019, we will continue to enhance our support system, share best practices, and recognise and appreciate those entrepreneurs who leave indelible marks on the business landscape with their incredible skills and energy.
Best Regards,
Sandipan Ray
