Strategic alliance between Banco Atlántida and CCIT has driven more than 6,000 growing entrepreneurs
The valuable agreement between two strategic entities that highly contribute to the national economy offers guidance to entrepreneurs ensuring sustainability and higher growth levels for SMEs.
Banco Atlántida and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa (CCIT) have continued to strengthen the fruitful agreement established seven years ago, which has benefited more than 6,000 micro, small and medium enterprises in Francisco Morazán. These businesses have managed to strengthen their management and administration capacities in various areas.
Undoubtedly, the alliance represents a major transformation in the way SMEs business is operated, as they receive guidance in legal, marketing, financial and administrative matters, which has allowed the Central District businessmen to strengthen their processes and improve their results.
Approximately 10,500 employees, linked to the 6,000 SMEs, have been guided and mentored with great responsibility and the necessary support to continue to maintain the profitability of their business model through time and perform operations in the best possible way.
The beneficiaries feel grateful with Banco Atlántida and CCIT for standing for the support of small companies. As a matter of fact, the owner of Union Latin Cargo Customs Agency, María Lourdes Lagos, who is one of Banco Atlántida's benefited clients, said that "the alliance between Banco Atlántida and the CCIT is of much profit due to current issues that each of the conferences and trainings address, especially matters related to the new billing system and tax regulations, which are issues of great concern for Honduran entrepreneurs."
Likewise, the Manager of Engineering and Total Design Co., Rodolfo Pineda, assures that, due to this agreement, he has been able to develop administrative skills and fulfill his dream as an entrepreneur. Pineda explained that his wastewater treatment company has ten years in the industry already and that thanks to the support he has received, his company has managed to improve its capacities. "As a result of these trainings, export opportunities and its benefits have open to us. I wish more banks would carry out these initiatives. Undoubtedly, postgraduate and master's degrees specialize us in our areas of study, but Banco Atlántida and the Chamber of Commerce support us in the management of our companies to develop ourselves administratively," he added.
Additionally, Banco Atlántida’s National SME Manager, Sarahí Fúnez, explained: "The alliance is an important tool for SME Banking since on certain occasions we have had clients who haven’t been oriented before on determining issues to receive a loan. These same issues are required by legal regulation, not merely by the bank; therefore, it is not on our hands to be waivered. However, what it is in our hands is to provide them with training. Hence, this is how our agreement with CCIT was born and has been extremely productive, as it can be testified by our customers through tangible cases on which they have succeeded with us.''
Since the collaboration between these two institutions was established in 2013, guidance is offered through congresses, conferences, and TED talks on various topics related to corporate finance, marketing, tax code, strategic planning, technology, labor laws, production, costs, billing, among others, which strengthen both existing entrepreneurs and those who are still in training.
In total, 84 conferences have been offered, 12 each year, by meticulously selecting the exhibitors and identifying topics to be addressed according to the needs of the participating companies. Likewise, business congresses, fairs and other events have been held for entrepreneurs.
A CLEAR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The CCIT CEO, Rafael Medina, stressed that, through the alliance with Banco Atlántida, any Honduran company can participate in business development programs to ensure their survival in the framework of a versatile market.
"We believe that arising businesses must be dynamic and compete within an innovative environment in order to think outside the box and transform into non-traditional, different businesses, betting on change. With the support of the Chamber of Commerce, they can design a business plan ready to be subject to credit that can be supported in Banco Atlántida; thus, minimizing the bank’s risk as well as the entrepreneur’s so as not to fail in their business," he affirmed.
The alliance has been such a ground-breaking one that small and medium businessmen from other cities have become interested and are seeking information. In fact, future plans center on replicating the project in other cities by creating alliances with chambers of commerce in other regions of the country.
