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Shahzad Akhtar enlightens SMEDA session participants

Pakistan News & Features Services

Renowned management consultant, Shahzad Akhtar, enlightened the participants of the NBDP-SMEDA Online One on One Consultancy Session held through WhatsApp Video Call on April 14.

More than 45 participants from all over the country, representing different small and medium sized enterprises, availed the opportunity of seeking guidance from the vastly experienced consultant who suggested the ways and means to manage a business during the prevailing COVID-19 in Pakistan and rest of the world. 

The online session, which commenced at around 10 am, continued until 5 pm with the entrepreneurs, concerned by the general lack of business activities due to the pandemic, continued getting advice on operating their entities in such testing times and beyond. It turned out to be a great learning session, moderated by Bilal Ayyub of NBDP-SMEDA.

Shahzad Akhtar, having nearly three decades of experience in the corporate sector at top level positions, advised the entrepreneurs to bring austerity in their personal and professional life in order to meet the challenge of today. 

Being a management & SME’s consultant for a long time, he didn’t mince words in informing the participants that the business climate may remain far from ideal in the foreseeable future which meant it essential to bring out the operating costs for longer sustenance. 

He also threw light on the post corona pandemic scenario, stating that things may not improve overnight and it will take more time than just a few months before the situation gets normalized. 

Besides offering solutions to the various challenges being faced by the participants, he stressed the need to stay positive and motivated to be able to mobilize the available resources in a more prudent manner.

Shahzad Akhtar encouraged the various businesses to think more terms in terms of digitalization and E-commerce as the world will be more towards it in the post corona era. 

The National Business Development Programme for SMEs (NBDP) is a project of SMEDA, funded through Public Sector Development Programme of the Government of Pakistan. 

It envisages provision of handholding support and business development services to SMEs to promote business startup, improvement of efficiencies in existing SME value chains to make them globally competitive.

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