Jeddah — Young entrepreneurs from across the Kingdom will participate in a four-day exhibition here next week.
The ninth Jeddah Young Businessmen Exhibition, which is being organized under the theme “We will achieve our vision through our youth.” will begin on Jan. 4, 2018 featuring 250 exhibitors.
Hassan Dahlan the secretary general of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) said this year they will prepare three studies to evaluate the needs and obstacles facing small and medium businesses.
As part of the exhibition different types of informative workshops are being organized for youth in cooperation with government departments as well as the private sector.
Dahlan noted that businesses are now much easer to start after government departments eased some unnecessary restrictions. “Now one might get the license and start a business just in the same day, what youth need now is just the courage to start.”
Faris Al-Turki, the head of young businessmen committee at the JCCI, called on youth who are planning to start their businesses to do what they are passionate about. “Try a business only after working in a similar business for sometime which will make you better prepared in facing problems and challenges ahead”. He added that it is time to think outside the typical stereotypes, like looking for secure governmental jobs with short working hours and two days off.
This year the exhibition is focusing on Saudi youth and no exhibitors are coming from other countries like last year. Al-Turki explained that many youth are not well informed about the Saudi Vision 2030 and so they have focused on increasing awareness about it in this year exhibition. These forums, he said, aim at providing a platform for young businesses to grow and compete locally and internationally. He added that among their initiatives is the business clinics which is a free of charge consultation service. The clinic gives consultations to businesses that face legal, marketing or accounting challenges.
The exhibition he added is an open knowledge space where startups can learn from losing businesses even more than learning from success stories.
