On Saturday, 22 August 2026, The Women Entrepreneur Awards (WEA) hosted an impactful corporate workshop “Lead with Confidence: Finance, Leadership, Advocacy and Communication.” at the Turbine business incubator in Moka. The hands-on masterclass offered participants more than a traditional training session. It helped in creating a space for women entrepreneurs to strengthen the capabilities needed to navigate a business environment that is itself an undergoing profound transformation, from financial management and leadership to advocacy, communication and digital readiness.
Designed to respond to the real-world operational challenges faced by female entrepreneurs across the region, the session gave participants useful tools and insights to build their digital capabilities, manage their teams effectively, strengthen financial processes, and communicate with confidence and authority.
Reflecting on the purpose behind the initiative, Kirti Sheonarain, Founder of the Women Entrepreneur Awards, highlighted the lasting impact of targeted mentorship in equipping women entrepreneurs with the tools and confidence needed to grow.
“Our mission at WEA has always gone beyond simply celebrating excellence; it is about actively strengthening the skills and capabilities of our female founders. Bringing our community together at the Turbine for this workshop reaffirms our belief that when women are equipped with the right financial tools, strategic vision, and a supportive ecosystem, they do not merely adapt to the market, they help shape its future. The energy, ambition, and commitment demonstrated by every participant this weekend are a clear reflection of the determination of women entrepreneurs to continue learning, growing and investing in themselves”, Kirti said.
Demystifying financial principles for business, building executive clarity and economic resilience
The guest speaker, Cindy Choong, Chief Financial Officer at Medine Group, addressed the essential financial knowledge needed to successfully grow a business with a particular focus on the important difference between profitability on paper and cash management.
“You simply need to start paying attention to them, and financial confidence grows gradually, one number at a time, often more quickly than women expect once they take the step. The most important thing to understand first is that being profitable and having cash in the bank are not the same thing : you can be doing everything right and still find yourself short on cash simply because customers haven’t paid you yet”, she said.
Cindy Choong encouraged entrepreneurs to focus on two essential financial documents: the profit and loss statement, which provides visibility on profitability, and the cash-flow statement, which shows whether the business can meet its financial obligations. She also urged founders to keep their financial monitoring practical and consistent by tracking a small number of key indicators, including margins, customer payment behaviour and cash inflows and outflows.
“Clarity comes from building small, consistent habits: knowing roughly where your cash stands each week, understanding what your key numbers are actually telling you, and treating financial literacy as a skill you can develop, rather than a talent you either have or don’t.” Cindy said. She explained that it is not necessary to predict every change, but rather to understand your own numbers well enough to make informed decisions when circumstances shift. She also emphasised on the importance of relationships, noting that a mentor or trusted peer who recognises your potential can make a real difference. Ultimately, she highlighted that resilience is not about removing uncertainty, but about building enough financial understanding to prevent uncertainty from holding you back.
Mastering strategic leadership and purpose driven advocacy
The workshop moved beyond financial fundamentals, with Selvana Mootien, the Workshop facilitator and also the Ambassador of WEA who guided the participants through key segments on leadership structure, project management and advocacy.
“First and foremost, the women entrepreneurs of WEA are truly remarkable and it was particularly inspiring to see them running their businesses with such strength, determination and ambition. It was a great privilege and a proud moment to carry out a workshop on Leadership, Project Management and Advocacy alongside such driven and inspiring women.” said Selvana.
Selvana went on to explain the importance of investing in oneself, especially business leaders who navigate in increasingly complex environments. “People are at the heart of every successful business, making continuous learning, personal development and self-care essential for entrepreneurs and their teams to maintain high standards and deliver quality products and services. It is key in leadership, for every leader, to know who they are, and ensure that their actions and business ventures remain aligned with their values and principles for success. Having a clear leadership vision, supported by a well planned and determined roadmap through project management principles, can be a powerful asset in achieving their goals. And when challenges or obstacles arise, I hope they will feel empowered to use advocacy techniques to tackle them, find solutions, and create opportunities for positive change”, she added.
Empowering entrepreneurial voice and ecosystem growth
The final component of the workshop was focused on communication and public speaking which was led by Marie Descombes, Community and Partnerships Manager at Turbine. She shared her perspective on the importance of pitch coaching and building confidence among founders. She stated, “It has been a long time since I joined a training to become a public speaking coach, as I felt that in the entrepreneur community, at some point, there is a growing need to have support to pitch, to sell their product, to move their businesses forward and to raise funds with investors.” She also linked stronger communication capabilities to the development of the wider local entrepreneurship ecosystem.
She also noted: ” “When you speak by having confidence in yourself, or when you have a pitch that leaves an impression , well, it touches your audience much more, and it helps you develop.” Confidence in communication can be an asset for entrepreneurs, influencing everything, from attracting customers and securing funding to building valuable partnerships”
