Chris Williams, diFFERENT Group Chairman

The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica (YEA) has announced the appointment of respected business leader Christopher Williams as its Honorary Chair, marking an important step in the organisation’s continued growth and development.

With more than 30 years of experience building successful businesses across the Caribbean, Williams brings a wealth of expertise in entrepreneurship, leadership, governance and investment. His distinguished career includes serving as CEO of NCB Capital Markets, co-founding the PROVEN Group, and currently leading diFFERENT Group as Chairman. He was also handpicked by Sir Richard Branson to chair the Branson Centre of the Caribbean, and played a pivotal role in establishing the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market as a charter committee member and later Deputy Chairman.

YEA President Cordell Williams described the appointment as a strategic move that will strengthen the Association’s ability to support entrepreneurs and expand its impact across Jamaica. As Honorary Chair, Williams will provide strategic guidance and mentorship to the leadership while helping foster stronger partnerships and new opportunities for members.

Speaking at the May staging of the YEA’s monthly capacity-building session, the Young Entrepreneurs Success Series (YESS), where the appointment was announced, Williams encouraged entrepreneurs to focus on building businesses grounded in discipline, structure and sound governance.

His appointment reinforces YEA’s commitment to equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks and support needed to build sustainable businesses and contribute to Jamaica’s economic growth. Williams succeeds outgoing chair David Mullings, Chairman and CEO of Blue Mahoe Capital.

Cordell Williams, President of the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica, has been honoured with a Global Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership by the Pan African Leadership Institute (PALI) in recognition of her contribution to entrepreneurship development and her efforts to strengthen economic collaboration between the Caribbean and Africa.

Cordell Williams – YEA President

Williams, who also serves as Caribbean Ambassador for PALI, has played a key role in connecting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and entrepreneurial leaders across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean to leadership scholarships, business training programmes and entrepreneurial development opportunities offered through the Institute and across Africa.

During a recent visit to Accra, Ghana, Williams engaged with investors, business associations and entrepreneurial networks to explore opportunities to expand investment, financing and trade partnerships for MSMEs throughout Jamaica and the Caribbean — part of a broader effort to deepen economic cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean through private-sector collaboration.

PALI President Dr. Kofi Osei-Kusi presents the Global Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership to Cordell Williams

Business Representatives from Ghana

The engagements are expected to pave the way for several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) focused on improving access to finance, encouraging cross-border investment and creating new trade opportunities for entrepreneurs across the African diaspora. Williams noted that the initiative reflects a growing movement to position entrepreneurship as a powerful driver of economic partnership and sustainable development between both regions.

Since 2021, the partnership between the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica and the Pan African Leadership Institute has facilitated valuable knowledge exchange among entrepreneurial leaders in Africa and the Caribbean, creating opportunities for collaboration, mentorship and shared experiences in business growth.

Creative workspace options in Kingston continue to expand as demand rises among content creators, entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking affordable, professional environments to build their brands. The latest addition to the city’s creative landscape is The Multispace, officially launched by YEA’s 2nd Vice President, Shanoy Coombs, through Infinity Integrated Marketing Communications.

Located at 7 Shortwood Road, the 1,300-square-foot facility was designed as a dynamic, multi-purpose environment catering to content creators, small businesses and event hosts — offering flexible solutions for content production, meetings, workshops, networking sessions and intimate events.

Speaking on the vision behind the initiative, Coombs emphasised the importance of creating accessible professional spaces where creatives and entrepreneurs can collaborate, innovate and bring their ideas to life.

Shanoy Harris Coombs is a Development Communications Specialist and CEO of Infinity Integrated Marketing Communications and Events Limited, with nearly two decades of experience leading communication strategies for international organisations such as the United Nations, European Union and Global Affairs Canada.

C.E.O. and Founder of PeoplePlus, Makeda Lalor, shares insights into her entrepreneurial journey — reflecting on the experiences, challenges and lessons that have shaped her path as a business leader, the inspiration behind building PeoplePlus, and her vision for the company’s next chapter of growth and impact.

Makeda Lalor – Chief People Officer, PeoplePlus Management

I have always had a passion for structure, organization and helping businesses operate more effectively. Entrepreneurship allowed me to not only build something of my own, but also help other business owners create systems, structure and operational stability within their companies. I enjoy seeing businesses become more organized, efficient and positioned for long-term growth.

One of the most rewarding experiences has been watching businesses grow from the early stages into more established and structured companies. Seeing teams expand, systems improve and business owners experience the results of proper operations is very fulfilling. I also enjoy recruitment — connecting the right people with the right opportunities, knowing those placements can positively impact both the business and the individual’s career.

One of the most challenging aspects has been staffing and funding. Building the right team and finding people who align with the company’s vision can be difficult, especially while managing growth — and, like many entrepreneurs, balancing financial demands while continuing to scale.

PeoplePlus provides full business operations management solutions for growing businesses. While many know us for HR support, our services extend into payroll management, compliance, administrative support, operational systems, bookkeeping support and business structuring.

Sales and marketing may help bring customers into a business, but without strong internal systems and operational controls, growth becomes difficult to sustain. Operational structure helps businesses maintain consistency, improve efficiency and track performance.

My long-term vision is for PeoplePlus to become a leading business operations and support company for medium-sized businesses in Jamaica and eventually across the region. I want PeoplePlus to help businesses build stronger operational foundations and improve how they manage their people and processes.

The YEA has launched the ‘Entrepreneur In’ Movement, a national initiative designed to embed entrepreneurship into every facet of Jamaican society and position enterprise development as a catalyst for economic growth, innovation, wealth creation and social transformation.

Officially launched at the Immaculate Conception High School Entrepreneurship Day, the movement aims to establish Entrepreneurship Chapters across schools, universities, churches, communities, youth organizations and workplaces — providing aspiring entrepreneurs with access to mentorship, training, networking, business support services, funding and market access opportunities.

The launch showcased the entrepreneurial potential of Jamaica’s youth, with 96 student entrepreneurs presenting innovative business ideas across manufacturing, food and beverage, beauty, fashion, technology, professional services and the creative industries. Five outstanding students were also awarded complimentary one-year YEA memberships in recognition of their potential.

YEA President Cordell Williams said the movement reflects the need to prepare Jamaicans not only to seek employment but also to create opportunities, solve problems, build businesses and generate wealth — noting that entrepreneurship must become a way of thinking and a core life skill cultivated throughout society.

Principal Stacey Wilson Reynolds welcomed the partnership with YEA, noting that the school’s annual Young Entrepreneurship Day was conceived through the vision of the Immaculate Conception High School Home School Association (HSA), under the chairmanship of Sherida Bailey. She reaffirmed the school’s commitment to entrepreneurship education and her enthusiasm for partnering with YEA to expand the movement nationally.

The Association will now collaborate with other schools, churches, universities, community groups, private-sector organizations and development partners to join the Entrepreneur In Movement by establishing YEA chapters that cultivate a national culture of entrepreneurship supporting sustainable economic and social development.

Stacey Wilson Reynolds, Principal of the Immaculate Conception High School

Language Hearts — winner of the Most Creative Business award and now a business member of the YEA School Chapter

Kimala Bennett – Founder & CEO, The LAB

Every successful entrepreneur starts somewhere, and for Kimala Bennett, Founder and CEO of The LAB (The Limners and Bards Limited), part of that journey began with the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica. During her early years in entrepreneurship, Kimala was an active member of the Association, where she connected with fellow entrepreneurs, built lasting relationships and developed the entrepreneurial mindset that would help shape one of Jamaica’s most successful creative businesses.

Today, Kimala is one of Jamaica’s most respected creative business leaders. Under her leadership, The LAB has grown into one of the Caribbean’s leading integrated creative agencies, delivering world-class marketing, advertising, branding and production solutions for many of the region’s most recognizable brands. In 2019 the company completed its Initial Public Offering (IPO), becoming the first advertising agency and film production company to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange — demonstrating that Jamaican creative enterprises can successfully access the capital markets to fuel growth, innovation and long-term value creation.

While her business success is remarkable, Kimala’s commitment to developing others is equally inspiring. Through The LAB she has provided grant funding to YEA entrepreneurs, served as a major sponsor of Association initiatives and shared her expertise as a judge in one of YEA’s national business pitching competitions.

Kimala’s story is a reminder that entrepreneurship is not simply about building a successful business — it is about creating opportunities for others, strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem and leaving a legacy that inspires those coming behind you. She is living proof that today’s startup can become tomorrow’s publicly listed company, and a powerful reminder that the YEA is more than a network: it is where relationships are built, leaders are developed and big businesses begin.

As entrepreneurs, we spend much of our time tracking revenue, profits, customers and growth. But Jahmone Salmon, Chief Executive Designer of Hubmark®, was recently reminded that some of the most meaningful numbers are measured in lives impacted. While volunteering with Feed My Starving Children during a humanitarian initiative supporting communities in Uganda, Jahmone helped pack nutritious meals destined for vulnerable families. He described the experience as both humbling and rewarding, noting that it gave him a much deeper appreciation for the planning, logistics and teamwork required behind the scenes to deliver meals to people across the globe.

Jahmone praised Feed My Starving Children and Komatsu for their partnership and commitment to creating lasting social impact, describing both organizations as true agents of change. His experience is a powerful reminder that while entrepreneurs rightly celebrate business growth, we should also measure success by the number of lives we touch, the communities we strengthen and the opportunities we create for others. Sometimes the most important numbers are not found on a balance sheet — they are found in our impact.

Hubmark® is an international brand development company that helps businesses build stronger brands through strategic marketing, branding and information technology solutions.

Young Entrepreneurs Success Series × JIPO — ‘Protect Your Business Before You Pitch’, June 30, 2026 @ 6:30pm, The Hub Coworking

Brunch for Women in Business — ‘Dress for Success & Maximize Your Wardrobe’, Sunday, July 26, 2026, 11:30am–2:00pm

The next Young Entrepreneurs Success Series is tentatively scheduled for July 30, 2026, at 6:30pm. Follow us on social media and stay tuned for more information.

Every month we spotlight programmes, initiatives and opportunities that can help entrepreneurs start, grow and scale their businesses. Here are three to explore this month.

Access to Finance Just Got Better! The newly launched Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) Micro Market provides a new pathway for ambitious MSMEs to raise equity financing rather than relying solely on traditional loans — helping growing businesses attract investors, strengthen governance and accelerate expansion. Learn more at www.jamstockex.com.

Level Up With a Government Contract The Government of Jamaica, through the Public Procurement Commission (PPC), is rolling out its MSME Procurement Integration Project to help more micro, small and medium-sized businesses access government contracts — simplifying supplier registration and supporting MSMEs in competing for a share of the 20% of eligible government contracts reserved for them. Learn more at www.ppc.gov.jm and www.gojep.gov.jm.

Take Your Business Online! The Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) is supporting MSMEs through its Digital Jamaica Project, helping businesses adopt digital technologies, improve productivity, strengthen their online presence and compete more effectively in the digital economy. Learn more at www.jbdc.net or digitaljamaica.jbdc.net.

Have an opportunity you’d like us to feature? Each month the YESSS Newsletter highlights funding programmes, training, grants, competitions, procurement opportunities, trade missions and business events. Contact us at yeaadmin@yeajamaica.com or 876-825-4028.