Everyday People: Loretta Bele

Loretta Bele is the Director of Lean Consulting Ltd and is a Health Extension Officer who won in a local start-up challenge, and as a first time start-up, this has been a wonderful experience for herself and fellow startups.

I started my company in September this year and being part of the startup challenge and winning it, I have learnt a lot. I look forward to taking things further with my business.

I am now able to continue to work and connect with other individuals that participated in the challenge.

I just started my business, so I am very new, a few months into it. The support that I will be getting from being the winner of the challenge will help to diversify my portfolio and build on that going forward

With the experience gained, my members and I will continue the work we are doing as everyone has a significant role to play in their respective spaces.

Having worked in the NGO and government sector for about seven years, complements my role in the challenge wearing a belt loaded with development and health expertise and background.

I would like to see that build and develop since we have many health challenges faced in the country.

Having given the winning pitch at the challenge, I was asked of the kind of support I would receive from winning the challenge but this depended on my pitch.

I pitched about developing an App that will allow Papua New Guinea professionals to register through my consulting firm and from there, when I secure contracts or projects, I can then have a pool of local networks that can be engaged in this.

In getting this support, hopefully they will let us know how much it will really be, so I can implement the idea that I have about developing an App.

In receiving the support given by the sponsors and partners of the Start-Up Challenge, during this COVID era is timely.

Small businesses are struggling and to have any support at all is good, not just in finance, but of mentorship support, advice and guidance. I appreciate that coming out of the challenge, I have learnt from people who are experienced and have been doing this before. Moreover, that will help me to have a clear path or guidance as to where the business can go and what we can do in addressing some of the challenges.

Winning the challenge has pushed me to do more than what I am capable of doing. Having started out as a freelance consultant to now owning a business is surreal.

Papua New Guineans who want to get into the consulting space but lack the systems and governance processes to support them could get assistance from businesses like mine.

As locals, we can also provide consultancy work and technical advice assistance to our own people.

Author: 
Carol Kidu