Text and image Euritha Tjan A Way
PARAMARIBO — “If you get a large order today, you can handle it. Can your company go to the next level?” That was the question posed by Vishnu Doerga, author of the book Bankable, during the last day of the International Business Conference on Thursday. He asked that question mainly against the background of the IBC business to business encourages contacts.
During this fourth edition of the IBC, several speakers discussed the problems and opportunities that arise from mutual cooperation between Suriname and Guyana. During his speech delivered first on day three, Doerga addressed some of these challenges.
“You cannot only start looking for that one important loan once you have finally received that large order”
Weaknesses
“Make sure you analyze your organization carefully. The things you are being called for as a business while you are here are the weak points in your company,” he said. Doerga, who has helped many companies get off the ground in large parts of the world, said that he is far too often confronted with delays in companies because the top boss has to sign everything. “If you can’t leave anything to your people, if you don’t trust anyone, you will never be able to go on holiday. You will always have to be at work. You will then run into burnout.”
Companies must also be financially ready for the next step. “You cannot only start looking for that one important loan when you have finally received that large order. Stay in touch with your bank, present your business plan. Keep your annual reports in order. If you have that, the bank can give you a loan much, much faster and you can close a deal quickly,” was Doerga’s compelling advice.
Merge or complement
He also had a tip for forming partnerships. “Don’t enter into partnerships with companies with which you have a lot in common. You would rather merge. Find partners to whom you can be complementary, then you will become stronger.”
Many local companies in Suriname are looking for international partners to jointly win contracts to meet the needs of the oil and gas sector. For those companies, Doerga recommends reading his new book Bankable. “It has all kinds of practical information to get started with,” says Doerga, who is also publisher of the magazine ‘Who’s who’ in which companies are listed to increase their visibility.
