Caribbean Power Lunch

Every year, I see top talent leaving the country to go live and work somewhere else. And every year it stings - the loss of opportunity. If you are in a developing country, you've most likely felt this as well, and if you are in a developed country you've probably benefitted from this - the Brain Drain. Here are my thoughts on how to fix this. Click here to join the conversation on LinkedIn.

Kimberly Ofori is a digital entrepreneur and growth step strategist who transformed lessons learnt from her eye-opening entrepreneurial journey into a personal leadership brand.  She serves as the Managing Director at Ofori & Co. - A Strategy Innovation Agency where she helps scale-ups and corporations to innovate their business models and overall strategic positioning in their respective markets. Thanks to her rather unconventional corporate and entrepreneurial career; from climbing the career ladder starting at a very young age to working and living in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe where she founded and sold two companies - she has amassed a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience on what it takes to choose to be in the lead of your own life, in your career and on leading others. This is why she has been coaching leaders and leadership teams on personal leadership using The Lead method, a personal leadership methodology developed by Kimberly herself. Kimberly deep dives into critical busines

Have you ever taken the time to develop a business plan, and pitch your idea to investors? Raise a virtual hand. Awesome, were you able to win the investment? Have you ever developed a business idea that needed funding to get off the ground, but never got around to meeting with potential investors? Maybe you were unsure of how to present it, maybe you were afraid, or maybe you just didn’t know where to find investors to fund your idea. Ok, let’s cast a bigger net – have you ever wanted to become an entrepreneur but hit a mental wall when you think “How on earth am I going to get the money to do this?” If none of this applies to you, I appreciate you for clicking through anyway

Milène Paul is a business strategy coach and author of “Now It’s Time to Live My Best Life”,  Her mantra “If they don’t get it, you won’t get it”, pointedly reminds business owners that if you aren’t clear on your value, prospective customers won’t buy into your service. It’s about making sure that your audience gets the message so you can get the business.   We discuss three types of value; absolute, relative and added; and Milène offers 5 steps you should use to effectively pitch your value with more confidence. Rooted in her 10+ years of experience in project management, grants compliance and international development strategy for SMEs in the Caribbean, she has met hundreds of business owners and entrepreneurs. It is where she learned a valuable truth in business: “If they don’t get it, you won’t get it”. Valuable projects have failed to receive financial support because of a lack of clarity and confidence. Convinced that she could do something about it, Milène decided to turn her experience into profitabl

I am proud to announce the rebranding of the Caribbean Power Lunch podcast to The Value and what to expect in future episodes!   This episode covers: The origin of the Caribbean Power Lunch podcast My decision to dive fully into entrepreneurship Become Investible, the brand What Value means to me The legacy I want to build An introduction of my framework for a valued business

Michael K. Jackson is a global keynote speaker, resilience expert and author. Having overcome significant challenges in his own personal and professional life, Michael walks us through what it takes to Build Back Stronger. This episode is a much-needed lesson on resilience, adversity, and hope as well as uncovering Michael’s P-L-A-N framework: a method for dealing with problems, difficulties, and conflicts on the journey to success.

In his time, Platinum Album selling and Grammy Award-Winning musician, Peter Tosh was well-known for his advocacy for equal rights and the legalization of cannabis. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1987 but his legacy lives on.  “You can talk about things till you're blue in the face, but sometimes you just got to go through it,” says Niambe McIntosh, the youngest daughter of the legend on this episode of Caribbean Power Lunch.  In our discussion, Niambe shares the tumultuous learning curve, challenges, victories, and growth she experienced as the administrator of her father’s brand and legacy.   As a formidable businesswoman and visionary, Niambe serves as - The head of the Peter Tosh Legacy and Brand; - Managing Member of Tosh Holdings LLC (IP); - Board Chairperson for the Peter Tosh Foundation Ltd.; and - The President of PT Capital LLC (Cannabis).   Listen in as she shares the thought-provoking realities of:  - Crafting the direction of a legacy brand,- Understanding the importance of dedicating time and

When it comes to raising capital for your venture, the first thing you need to know is that it is NOT all about your pitch.  Preparing to speak to investors is about a lot more than a polished pitch deck. Business owners should also understand how to outline what makes their companies Investible, including how to identify who your customers are, what they need, and how are you are solving their problems. In this episode, Zahra Alleyne walks through the process of developing an Investible business model and what to consider when preparing to present to potential investors.

Founding team Brian and Ingrid Jahra discuss the evolution of CinemaONE, the Caribbean’s first IMAX experience, the pioneering step of becoming the first SME IPO in T&T, and the challenges of building a sustainable, wealth-generating business, while also focusing on future growth and possibilities. In this conversation, we unpacked: Importance of IPOs for SMEs How to get to the IPO? What Is the Process? What the Business Valuation process entails Marketing the IPO Evolution of CinemaOne Growth of the Brand/Success Story How to Develop the Customer Experience For further insights, check out https://kevinvalue.com/are-you-ready-to-take-your-company-public

At one point or another, we’ve all experienced the great inconvenience of car troubles. From car accidents to a blown tire or stalled battery - each one of these scenarios can seriously change the course of your day...right? So how do you turn this everyday occurrence into a multimillion-dollar business? In this “Become Investible” feature, we take a closer look at Total Convenience Management Ltd… from a startup leasing and rental company to the group of companies it manages to date. Every business has the potential to “become investible” - TCM grew its company by understanding the demand for its services and continuing to push the envelope in satisfying its customers. TCM is only one of many stories found right here in the Caribbean.

Can your business survive without you? Did you know that 85% of failed business transitions occur because of poor communication, mistrust, and lack of planning?   Rochelle Clarke is a business advisor who specializes in keeping businesses in business with business continuity planning and transition preparation. Through her company, she ensures that retiring leaders, their incoming successors, and the businesses that support them are ready to move successfully to the next stage of their business’ lifecycle whether by succession or sale.   If the words: "Planning for the Unplanned'' ring clearly when she speaks, then "Be ready" echoes her sentiment.   Transitions may need to occur on any occasion and businesses must be adequately prepared for the change.    The Founder of Succession Strength, and the platform Continuity Strength, International keynote speaker, lecturer, and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, Rochelle is also the author of "The 5 Critical Succession Conversa

Conferences, Cannabis, and Mushrooms.These seem disconnected, right?Well, actually, there’s one common factor… “Five or six years down the line, if I do nothing… have I really been a good Caribbean citizen?” – Douglas K. Gordon. Douglas is the founder of CanEx Jamaica Business Conference and Expo, an annual business event that connects top cannabis industry experts, and CEO of Silo Wellness, an alternative, and holistic health company focused on functional mushroom and psychedelic opportunities.In this episode, Kevin Valley speaks with Douglas K. Gordon about the business of natural medicine business while addressing misconceptions and misinformation about cannabis and functional mushrooms.   Controversial? Perhaps. Informative? Yes! This conversation uncovers: Strategies used to create, manoeuvre challenges and expand a premier Caribbean event. The story behind the legacy collaboration with the Marley brand. The mind, body, and soul… Rest, resetting, and restoration through nature.

"Pain will find you, but you determine the length of its visit" - Jay Blessed. Jay Blessed is an award-winning content creator and host of the In My Head Podcast which focuses on mental health. In this timely episode, Kevin Valley and Jay Blessed have an open and frank discussion around: Silent suffering, especially among men, Dealing with pain, and The 12-step healing process.

When everyone you know is having the same problem, the solution might be a successful business.  Kadion Preston, Co-Founder, and CEO of CaribShopper saw an opportunity to solve a common problem among Caribbean merchants and consumers by providing an easier way to buy goods from the United States. When the original business model ran into challenges, the founders pivoted to solve another problem for their customers, now giving Caribbean merchants the opportunity to sell to overseas consumers. This shift, and the drive to find the investment capital to support it, came just before 2020, forcing even further innovation and evolution. Kadion's journey is an example of the importance of embracing the opportunities presented, overcoming tragedy, and understanding that failure is a big part of the formula for success.

Unless a valuation can withstand intense scrutiny - it is just a number.Defensibility is everything.‍Whether you are seeking to raise capital, negotiate investment terms, or sell your business - a defensible valuation is your starting point.   In this episode, I discuss how a valuation engagement is conducted and what determines the value of your business.   Learn more at https://kevinvalue.com

For many entrepreneurs hoping to grow or scale their businesses, successfully sourcing investment capital is a major pain point. What investors are looking for can be a mystery. This episode features a panel discussion with expert investors and finance professionals who give insight into why businesses succeed or fail to attract investment and outline what business owners can do to become more Investible. Panellists include: Chris Williams of PROVEN Investments, Beresford Grey of SYGNUS Capital, Karrian Hepburn-Malcolm of The Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation (UTC), Kriss Marcus of Aspire Fund Management Company Limited, and Vashtie Dookiesingh of The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

In this episode, we discuss how to increase the investibility of your business, create your own wealth engine, and how to protect, extract, diversify, and smoothly transfer that wealth to the next generation. This episode features Zahra Alleyne from Become Investible and Tennille Whiskey from the Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation. Topics covered include: Building an Investible Business Risk Management Wealth Extraction Diversification of Income Streams Wealth Transfer

Can we become investible? I recently sat down with Dike Rostant at TTT News station to discuss the professional services I offer; from business valuations to working with businesses to attract investment. I also offered my perspectives on what is needed to foster a favourable environment for business, how to fortify our private sector, and what drives me to do all that I do.   Resources: TTT News Special - Becoming Investible with Kevin Valley

It is not always about doing things better, but sometimes we simply need to do better things.   This belief is near and dear to the heart of Sian Cuffy-Young, a social entrepreneur who is driven by the need for environmental change and waste management education.   In this episode, we discuss: Sian's journey and reason for becoming an environmental entrepreneur, Reframing her mindset from student and employee to business owner, Social Entrepreneurship: Environment and Business Case, How to get started without funding, An introduction to landfilling, and What's next for Siel Environmental.   Sian recently launched her book "Ky's Magical Adventures" to teach children about waste management and awaken the Eco-Hero within them.

Let's talk about Serial Entrepreneurship. From music to catering to tech to events, Osei Wright-Alexis has brought his business start-up formula to bear on numerous ventures over the last 15 years. Hear him explain how he knows which idea is going to be next, and when it's time to move on.  Once the challenge is gone, serial entrepreneurs are always looking for the next business spark to develop. Bringing an idea to fruition is exciting, but making sure a business is ready before you move takes focus, patience, a thorough understanding of the market, and then sometimes tedious formulation of the systems and processes that underlie successful operation.  Osei walks us through his successes, failures, and lessons, and drops some serious wisdom for those of you who have too many ideas and don't know where to start.