DTI kicks off second leg of KMM in Bohol

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry has further expanded its entrepreneurship mentoring in Bohol as it launched the second batch of Kapatid Mentor Me program in the province this year.

At least 31 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Bohol involved in food business, food processing, trading and services have undergone mentoring.

They have gone through a 10-session mentoring starting last month on various business aspects.

Entrepreneur-mentors include Cebuano businessman Rey Calooy, Arnold Labunog of Jojie's Bakeshop, Ed Escalona of Breads Edge Corp and John Howell Duke Miñoza of Buenaventurada Farms.

DTI has partnered with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship, Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Talibon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The fifth KMM batch of Cebu entrepreneurs has also already started their mentoring sessions.

Virgilio Espeleta, the program's lead mentor in Cebu, earlier said that mentoring has played a key role in molding the mindsets of these entrepreneurs.

He reiterated the program's main objective to mold entrepreneurial mindset and push existing small businessmen to grow further.

KMM is a 12-module mentoring session for small entrepreneurs to help scale up their business through weekly coaching and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on the different areas of entrepreneurship.

The entrepreneurial mentoring program is led by DTI, Go Negosyo and the CCCI.

The mentoring program also aims to make the idea of entrepreneurship less intimidating to people and provide them with the confidence to surmount the obstacles. The idea is to pass on business knowledge to starting entrepreneurs and provide them with concrete guidance on specific entrepreneurial and business ventures. (FREEMAN)