Small Business Training for a Guatemalan Coffee Association

By -

By Allison Greene, F2F Volunteer in April 2023

About the Assignment: Allison Greene supported the Asociacion de Productores de Olopa (APOLO) as a Business Development Expert. Ms. Greene trained APOLO staff on how to forecast sales, maintain inventory, conduct basic accounting, and aspects of operating a small business. Ms. Greene has professional experience in private sector consulting, business development, implementation of food product innovations, and project management.

I traveled as a Small Business Operations expert to support APOLO, a coffee association and café, in Olopa, Chiquimula, Guatemala. My assignment was to provide training on basic accounting practices, inventory control, sales forecasting, and reviewing various profit scenarios for the newly opened café. Over the course of my two weeks with the APOLO team, I had the opportunity to witness them in action in the office and the café, which better informed my training materials and helped me create unique systems just for them. 

The APOLO team is incredible and so wonderful to work with. During the trainings they were engaged, asking thoughtful questions, and really participating in the activities set up for them. As not everyone could attend all training sessions with me, they volunteered to train each other, which allowed me the opportunity to see just how much they had learned and to see how excited they were to use these tools. I feel confident they now have the skills and tools to support the growth and sustainability of their business and I’m so proud to have contributed to that. 

One of the best parts of the Farmer-to-Farmer program is it keeps you on your toes! This was my second assignment in Guatemala so I assumed I would be more prepared but – of course – plans changed. I had prepared workshop materials for inventory management, sales tracking and forecasting, and basic accounting practices before I arrived. In my first meeting with APOLO, I was asked to lead an additional, full day community training on general business development practices at some point during the second week. No small task, but a challenge is what I came for! And this final training turned out to be my favorite day of the assignment. 

I came back for a second assignment in Guatemala because this program gets you out of your day-to-day routine and reminds you just how beautiful life can be. The Guatemalan people are so kind, welcoming, and full of energy, they are great to work with and I will gladly sign up for another assignment if the opportunity arises. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Better Marketing and Communications to Showcase the Work of our Hosts in Colombia

By -
Image
Salva Terra Foundation has focused on supporting vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. They work with impoverished populations and victims of violence in Medellin and aim to promote farming and develop local skills to work in the agricultural industry in an ecological manner. This process of bringing together concepts such as social impact, sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security requires excellent outreach and promotion. Therefore, they requested a F2F volunteer to help them develop a communication and marketing plan. The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Sindy Chapa. She has a B.A. in Mass Media Communications, with a Minor in Television and Art Design, an MBA, and Ph.D. in International Business/Marketing. She is the Director and Associate Professor at the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University and has won several communications awards. Dr. Chapa decided to use Salva Terra as one of the case
Read more

My First Goat: A Professor, Students, and some Goats Tackle Food Insecurity in Rural Guatemala

By -
Image
Two Worlds Come Together to Build New Solutions against Malnutrition What does a USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) expert volunteer group from the island of Puerto Rico have to do with combatting food insecurity in Guatemala? Everything.  F2F volunteer Gabriela Colón Rios trains Mam Indigenous women to better care for their goats which will improve food security and reduce high malnourishment rates. Chiantla, Guatemala. Photo Credit: Monica Gonzalez In March 2023, a group of five eager F2F volunteers arrived in Huehuetenango (Huehue), Guatemala, with hearts and minds set on combatting food insecurity in a part of the world unknown to them.  Over the next 10 days, this team of experts would consider Huehue, in Guatemala’s Western Highland region, their new home and office. Accompanying them on their mission would be faithful companions and mighty conduits of change: goats.  Communities in this region live at altitudes reaching 10,000 feet above sea level nestled by captivating mountai
Read more

Digital Marketing in Colombia

By -
Image
Digital Marketing is one way that entrepreneurs and producers across the globe can reach new markets and increase sales. But what is digital marketing and how can a small Colombian business use it to maximize the number of people who come across its brand? These are the questions that Zen Naturals was asking itself. Zen Naturals is a natural cosmetic manufacturing company based in Cali, Colombia. Zen Naturals develops natural cosmetics made from exotic ingredients from Colombia’s outstanding biodiversity. Through ethical manufacturing and fair trade practices, they are also taking a leadership role in re-investing in the communities that grow the ingredients used in their products. Currently, Zen Naturals supports more than 95 Colombian quinoa farming communities through Fair-Trade Practices and technical assistance on their production. Zen Naturals is preparing to launch their quinoa facial care products in Whole Foods Markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in 2017.
Read more