Joseph Issa Urges Greater Sensitisation To Entrepreneurship To Help Graduates

As the country gears for higher economic growth and employment, celebrated valedictorian Joe Issa, who made his first investment in 1995 at the age of 30 with just US$3,000 and now heads a group of over 50 companies, has said that higher sensitisation of students to entrepreneurship could help them better monetise their education.

Roderick Gordon 

“As it is now, the country needs more entrepreneurs and the younger, the better, but I don’t see it coming without sensitising graduates to entrepreneurship, and the earlier they begin to entertain the thought of becoming an employer instead of an employee, the better they will be able to assess the technical and financial viability of their chosen business.

 

“The importance of being able to do so is that a bank proposal must be convincing and command an immediate positive response. It cannot be based on sentiments but stable observable favourable trends.

“Once pitched the project must leave no room for questions and no questions means a probable immediate yes, an outcome that is more likely the earlier students are sensitised to entrepreneurship.

“The importance of getting immediate yes is because the longer a bank takes to approve a loan the more reasons they will find not to give it,” said Issa, who has served on the board of directors of First Global bank, among other establishments.

Joseph “Joey” Issa

Issa’s statements come amid concerns expressed at a recent Gleaner Editors’ Forum that “one of the things that are killing Jamaica is the inability of individuals who study, train and can’t get a job, and the complete disconnect on how to monetise their training”, according to the newspaper.

It cited Attorney-at-law Roderick Gordon, who chairs one of the companies that have the backing of First AngelsJa, making the statement in support of Chairman of First Angels Ja, Joseph M. Matalon, who had earlier said there was no shortage of investors in Jamaica for the right deals, but argued there be an “immaturity in the environmental ecosystem”.

“We do not get enough qualified deals. We do not get enough qualified people coming forward who have the attitude, experience, educational background, or the expertise to drive the growth of a new business,” Matalon told the Gleaner Editors’ Forum.

Gordon, who is said to get excited when the group offers support and the investment comes to fruition, reportedly said he likes “seeing the innovation come through, seeing people who are a lot more exposed.

“I have seen entrepreneurs who pitch more than once and the second pitch is vastly improved to the first. So they are learning the discipline. They are learning how to focus. They are learning what sounds good from what can make a profit. That makes me excited.”