INDUCTION SPEECH BY THE GLOBAL CONVENER/PRESIDENT, EPI, MERCY BELLO ABU

It is such a pleasure to share in this awesome experience of officially inducting our new members today.

A lot has built up in EPI's few years of existence that makes it so imperative to appreciate our God almighty.  He alone deserves all the Glory.

To our inductees, I say a big congratulations and welcome to EPI family.

ENTREPRENEUR PLATFORM INITIATIVE

EPI is a non-profit female based Business Membership Organization (BMO) established in 2016 to promote and nurture entrepreneurship among women and youths, it is about impacting and influencing lives.

EPI is a platform that shares inspirational-challenge- turned-success stories, as well as a forum where start-up, struggling, and established female entreprenuers can leverage on to create, thrive and win through mentorship and coaching from seasoned entrepreneurs.

EPI is currently in 10 states of Nigeria with a membership of over a thousand.
Unlike many NGOs, we do not go cap in hand begging to get assistance for our members' businesses. Rather, we partner with various organizations like BOI, BOA, and many more to assist members to start up or grow their businesses through various forms of financing such as loans and grants.

EPI VISION

To be the most preferred platform for sharing inspirational challenge-turned-success stories.

EPI MISSION

To create a platform for entrepreneurs that will provide an outlet for startup and business owners across the globe to share their creativity, inspire and support other female entrepreneurs in their pursuits, thereby building a lasting legacy.


EPI CORE VALUES

Respect: Everyone on our platform is treated with respect no matter how successful.
Integrity: As EPI members, we conduct ourselves with honesty and professional ethics.
Responsibility: We operate in an environment of teamwork and accountability. Yes we do.
Learning: We believe it is essential to continuously acquire new skills and knowledge, so we unlearn, learn, relearn and keep learning.
Relationship: We are committed to strong, enduring and trusting relationships.
Celebration: we celebrate our successes, our milestone, our unique talents and personalities in an environment that is positive and productive.

EPI SEMINARS

In our own way of empowerment and mentoring, we have never stopped bringing on board successful women in various fields to talk to us in seminars on their challenge to success stories.

We set out this year to create SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBAL IMPACT FOR OUR MEMBERS.


2019 EPI Blueprint

2019 is our YEAR OF SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBAL IMPACT

The 5 EPI sustainability and Global Goals (SGIG)

1. EPI ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MENTORSHIP ACADEMY - To start and effectively run EPI Entrepreneurship and mentorship Academy!

2. NETWORKING AND CORPORATE RELATIONSHIP - Networking with other NGOs, Organizations and Associations for Global impact. To seek for strategic partnership and collaborations

3. MEMBERSHIP
- Update the membership directory
- To Create and add Value to Members Businesses by Helping to Create Global Visibility
- To increase the membership base of EPI.
- To have an online real time data base for members, have a template with reminders for on time announcements of members special days (Birthdays, Anniversaries et al).

4. WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS
- Quaterly workshops and seminars will be organised,they may be free or paid, depending on Agreements and Content
- Adverts, fliers to go out in good time to enable proper planning, same goes for seeking sponsorship on time.

5. CREATE AN ACTIVE SOCIAL LIFE and MEDIA RELATIONSHIP
- To make sure that members participate in social activities of EPI as a way of relaxing & fostering cordial relationships
- To have a good relationship with the press & media promotion of EPI activities through publicity and media.
- Also promote members business as much as possible.

As you are being inducted today and appointed into various communities, I want to implore you to get involved and be committed to your various communities.

To quote our EPI Calabar Coordinator, Mrs Ima Bassey, she said that she can never forget what I said when I came to Calabar for an EPI event.
"NEVER ALLOW ANYTHING COMMITTED TO YOUR HAND TO DIE".

You are part of a movement to help celebrate, motivate and inspire women globally,  Own the Vision and run with it.

To bring this speech to an end, permit me to appreciate everyone of us that has made this dream a reality... As women, we have a voice, we just need the right platform to use it.
EPI is providing that platform, OWN YOUR STORY AND LET THE WORLD CELEBRATE YOU.

It's all about impact and influence.

Thanks and God bless you all richly.

Mercy Bello Abu
Global Convener/ President EPI.



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