MONEY MATTERS BVI Shines the Spotlight on Side Hustles for International Women’s Day

MONEY MATTERS BVI Shines the Spotlight on Side Hustles for International Women’s Day 

Tortola, British Virgin Islands – MONEY MATTERS BVI (MMBVI), the financial literacy education programme of the BVI Financial Services Commission (the Commission), hosted an empowering and enlightening Breakfast Forum in observance of International Women’s Day today, 8 March 2024. The event, titled ‘Art of the Side Hustle’, featured motivational stories from female entrepreneurs who successfully leveraged side hustles to gain financial flexibility.

Over 50 women attended the Forum in person, whilst at the time of publication, 2,100 persons had already viewed it on Facebook, with several more having tuned in for the live via ZBVI Radio from 8:00 am.

The Forum was part of MMBVI’s ongoing commitment to increasing financial education and awareness within the Territory. Five remarkable women – Rochelle Lawrence, Jehree Clarke, Bianca Dougan, Stacy Hodge and Janelle Jagdeo participated in the panel discussion led by moderator Sandra Ward. They shared the unique journeys associated with their respective side hustle businesses and offered practical insights into the world of side hustling.

From running coffee shops, clothing stores, restaurants, funeral homes, party planning businesses and making candies to engaging in human resources and etiquette consulting, the panellists discussed how they navigated the challenges and opportunities of balancing multiple side businesses alongside their primary occupations.

The women further discussed the impact of passion, discipline, and research on their entrepreneurial ventures. True to the Forum objective, their stories highlighted the value of side hustles in helping people achieve financial flexibility objectives and contributing toward generational wealth building.

“This was awesome inspiration for persons who may want to start and for us who are in the midst of this journey!” said one Facebook commenter.  

Another stated, “It was a blessing and an eye-opener to hear your stories. They really gave me perspective. Thank you, ladies and MMBVI”.

Managing Director and CEO of the BVI Financial Services Commission, Mr Kenneth Baker, applauded MMBVI for bringing discussions on the topic to the fore. He also hailed the event for its impact and wide reception. “The stories shared by the panellists today serve as a powerful reminder of the resilience, creativity, and determination that drive entrepreneurs (both women and men) not only to succeed but also to arm themselves with knowledge regarding the intricacies of available financial services products, and how they can be employed to achieve self and community upliftment,” stated Mr Baker.

Mr Baker continued, “The Commission’s mandate to inform the public on financial services matters is outlined in the Financial Services Act, 2001;  MONEY MATTERS BVI is the unique tool that we employ to assist with the accomplishment of this financial education function.”

Any questions concerning this Press Release may be directed to:

EXTERNAL RELATIONS UNIT
BVI Financial Services Commission
18 Pasea Estate Road, Tortola VG1110
British Virgin Islands
Tel: (284) 494-4190
Fax: (284) 494-5016 
Email: externalrelations@bvifsc.vg