LEFT: Judges of the ‘Homemade’ Microbusiness Competition assess finalists’ products at a mini market set up at Lily headquarters, Moore Printing, in November 2023
hustle’ entrepreneurs to confident professional business founders was evident for all to see, from having shirts printed with official logos to producing business cards, creating product packaging with barcodes, having pop- up banners made, and beginning processes such as business registration and food safety certification. Two of the finalists have even taken the next step of opening their own shops! The graduating finalists each took to the podium to pitch their business plans to key banking, microfinance and investor representatives, many referring to the social causes at the heart of their businesses – from helping farmers by creating a byproduct from their crops, to funding an orphanage and creating jobs. One finalist, Vinzealhar Nen, creator of coconut byproducts such as yoghurt, butter and jam under her business Haus Bilong Moss, said, “My mum will tell you I’ve never completed anything in my life! I’ve started things but never pushed through with it, but since this one was so close to my heart I just had to do it.” Keith Kipma, who has created the first PNG-made perfumes under his brand Kipi-
6 Fragrance (and who opened his first shop at Garden City SME Centre in POM in March, just weeks after the business launch) described being “really pushed to up my game” by the competition. “I never imagined I would make it this far, but with the new perspectives gained from the training, now I’m motivated to keep growing and evolving.” Marilyn Menz, creator of single- serve honey sachets under her Madang- based business LNM Services, said, “This has broadened horizons for all of us… feeling the feels of a businesswoman now.” Asaria Sokove, creator of cassava, banana and other vegetable and fruit flours under her business Hauslain Harvest, said retailer CPL was now interested in stocking her organic gluten-free flour in its Stop n Shop supermarkets, while Chef Julz Henao, a competition judge and an SME himself with his own catering and meal delivery business The Healthy Food Co, also wants to buy the flour for his clients. “For some of us it was just a dream to actually sell our products,” she said. “(This competition) has showed us we can turn what we are passionate about into something big, and have our lives changed entirely.”
K24,000 prize from Media Partners, while K4000 worth of business setup expenses including from Business Link Pacific. The flights for the finalists and winners to attend the business and trademark registration have come judging in Port Moresby were covered by PNG Air, and The Stanley Hotel provided rooms for the visitors. The prizes don’t stop there. The 15 finalists – five from each category
and chosen last year from about 300 entries – each received K2000 worth of business development funded by the Australian Government, including a 30-day training package with Pacifund that culminated in a graduation and official business launch ceremony at Port Moresby’s Gateway Hotel on February 14. In just a few short months, the transformation from home-based ‘side-
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