Over 100 entrepreneurs running Micro and Small Enterprise have gained critical skills to run their business from the second series of Grow with Safaricom Business, a forum designed to equip startup owners with ideas on how to scale their entities.

The forum which took place under the theme “Building a strong brand in the digital era” sought to empower entrepreneurs by giving best in class customer experience, being efficient in operations, staying ahead of the curve through innovation and strategies for business growth.

“SMEs play a critical role in our economy. With the advent of the internet and digital technologies, the playing field has been levelled, allowing businesses of all sizes to compete in the global market. By providing MSEs with the information necessary to embrace this opportunity, we hope to empower them through the Grow with Safaricom Business series to take their businesses to the next level,” said Cynthia Karuri- Kropac, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Safaricom.

Read also: Safaricom hits billion-dollar milestone

During the forum, the business owners exchanged ideas, built relationships, and gained valuable insights on how to stay competitive in an advancing digital world.

The first series took place in March this year with 50 participating MSE’s.  Safaricom plans to conduct 12 such forums throughout the financial year to address challenges that entrepreneurs face such as lack of access to markets, regulatory barriers, competition, a lack of online marketing skills, and challenges in creating a strong brand presence among others.

According to the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis estimates that there are over 7.4 million SMEs, employing approximately 14.9 million Kenyans in various sectors of the economy.