Friday, March 21, 2014

Meet The CAMpreneur Connecting Entrepreneurs, ETONDE MARTIN of SIPEC.

Hello people..CAMpreNeurs are trending....

SIPEC (Sherai's Initiative for promoting entrepreneurs in Cameroon) was launched in January. Check out the  post of the launch event here

Meet the beauty and brains behind SIPEC, Etonde Martin. The CAMpreneur connecting entrepreneurs. 


Tell us a bit about yourself
 I am an enthusiastic hard working Cameroonian female. I have 3 siblings: One older sister and two younger brothers. Was born to beautiful and caring parents. I love my family with every bone in my body. Etonde is an events planner by nature. I love planning events. The satisfaction and joy I see on a client’s face when I host a successful event is what keeps me motivated and doing what I do. 



What is SIPEC all about?  
We connect entrepreneurs to the various stakeholders they require to succeed. We do this through the organization of fun leaning events. If you offer a good service or product, you would not make high profits unless you meet your target market. SIPEC helps bring your clients to you. You need to learn the skills and values necessary to thrive in your sector, SIPEC brings this to you. You need more capital to expand, SIPEC connects you to the source of this capital. Basically SIPEC is here to see entrepreneurs succeed. 



 A big congratulations on launching the first event. Tell us what you thought of it all. Was your expectation met? 
Thank you very much.I thought the SIPEC 1 edition was a huge success. It’s set the bar high for the next few moves for the SIPEC team. The guests got the concept and the entrepreneurs for the most part were satisfied.My expectations were surpassed. Guests played the networking games with delight. The keynote address was on point and got the reaction I wanted. I had about 150 guests at my premier event. That is success. 



Why the business side of networking? (your decision to get involved vs why people need it).
I have always wanted to make a difference. SIPEC is a noble idea. People need SIPEC. I pray for the gift of focus and divine ideas to enable me push SIPEC forward. It is such a huge initiative and if managed properly can bring such change in this great nation. I got involved because when I think of an idea, the next thing I want to do almost immediately is to implement it. People need this. Entrepreneurs need to anticipate the kinds of difficulties they will face in starting a business and sustaining it. They also need to share their struggles and pains with more experienced entrepreneurs so best business practices can be shared. 


What have you been busy with lately? (Overview of recent and future projects you want people to know).
Planning SIPEC 2 edition scheduled to hold on April 24. Sheraiz Delightz, the events management wing of my company has been planning and hosting events. Just recently we hosted a seminar for ACCA members in Cameroon. Hosting the VIRI movie launch at Hotel La Falaise in Akwa this Saturday the 22 March 2014. 



What are some of challenges you have faced so far and how have you overcome them? SIPEC runs on the generosity of sponsors. If sponsors don’t put money into SIPEC’s account, it is hard to move forward with the projects. This issue has not been totally resolved but at the moment we are letting the sponsors know how much exposure they get from supporting an initiative like ours. It is working to some extent, everyone wants and needs to market themselves.Too much work There is a lot to be done in such little time. It will be great to have a huge team but it cannot be afforded at this point. Well I have overcome this by getting a few volunteers to help out. My family too is very supportive. When you share an idea like SIPEC with people, everyone has ideas on how to make it better. It gets hard to incorporate all these without drowning the vision. God has always been the sieve, He helps me sieve what to use and what to discard. His grace is sufficient. My friends, mentors and family give me very good advice. 

 
To conclude, give us a few words about the business sector in Cameroon. How do businesses move forward in your opinion?
The business sector is booming and vibrant in Cameroon. If you focus on what you are good at, you will not only be very successful but extremely joyful. Businesses will move forward in Cameroon if they understand the complexities of doing business in Cameroon before they venture into it. My keynote speaker at the SIPEC 2 edition, Mr. Kingsley Pungong will expound on starting and running a successful business in Africa and Cameroon in particular. He will let us in on the businesses that are booming, how to overcome the various hurdles and finally how to be sustainable. Those wishing to attend can buy tickets at XAF10,000 to find out more.



Contact 
Website www.sipec.co.uk
Facebook Page
Follow SIPEC on Twitter: @sipeccameroon
Email: sipecinfo@gmail.com
Phone: +237 71 37 86 86 

Thumbs up to Etonde. . Networking & collaboration are key in business. Keep doing what you do... The sky is NOT the limit!!

OK people, spread the word on SIPEC2. It's Friday. Have a nice weekend.

Y.M.
IRepCamer

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