01 Jul Transition Passion into Entrepreneurial Action – Stephanie Khan
The Creative and Passionate Side
“I believe entrepreneurship can spark at any age” was the beginning of my conversation with YBTT’s Mentor – Stephanie Khan. Stephanie is extremely passionate about growing and nurturing young entrepreneurs; she believes that every individual on the face of this earth has the power to leave a legacy and add value to their community. “I have been running my own business since in my early 20s whilst in the corporate world” she proudly states.
Operating as a Business Consultant for the past six (6) years particularly in the area of Marketing and Communications, Stephanie’s psyche is imbued with an undying love for creativity and new knowledge. “My creative side was very prominent in Carnival which included the design of carnival costumes. I was also fortunate to have met great artistes such as Kanye West and Buju Banton.”
Stephanie’s curiosity for creativity saw “a fusion of the corporate with the creative; my corporate background allows me to negotiate better when assisting my clients.” Stephanie’s clients comprise a wide cross-section of entrepreneurs including but not limited to service providers, chefs, event promoters and the overall entertainment industry. But how does she build her clientele? “I believe in word-of-mouth advertising.” Stephanie also facilitates a podcast through which she helps mentees and young entrepreneurs to properly register their businesses.
Showcasing Mentorship
Stephanie’s love and passion for helping others was the biggest influence in becoming part of the YBTT family as a Mentor! “Both my mentees and I benefit from these relationships” was her opening statement in this side of the conversation. “I get a lot of encouragement when I see a number of mentees adding value to their communities” said Stephanie.
Stephanie’s Mentorship Moment with YBTT started in November 2020 with the JumpSTART Incubator Programme. “I started a WhatsApp group with some of the entrepreneurs – a move they warmly welcomed, as it provided an opportunity for them to share things they were going through with their respective businesses. I also shared important business essentials they needed to obtain more information on.” For Stephanie, mentorship has created a unique connection between her and the next generation.
Stephanie prides herself in providing mentorship support to a number of graduates emanating from YBTT’s JumpSTART Incubator Programme since 2020, including Walter Francis – a relationship that has been evolving into growth and development. “Through my mentoring guidance Walter now delegates work, trusts people more and is also able to use emotional intelligence wisely.” Stephanie has an eccentric ability to connect with young people in a way that they feel accepted, heard and seen.
Stephanie’s fundamental aim is to “level the playing field, and help mentees to connect with individuals within her network; her biggest reward is being able to positively impact young entrepreneurs at the broadest level.” She is urging the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago to change the narrative that the country is not a real place and instead add value to enact positive change by becoming a mentor.