Durban entrepreneur sets off for global summit in India

Business woman and entrepreneur, Melissa Constance, is not only living her dream, but she has been given the opportunity to increase her knowledge by jetting off to India next week to a Global Entrepreneurship Summit.

Melissa said she always wanted to be in the engineering field and although she applied and was accepted to study at the then University of Natal after finishing school, she couldn’t afford the fees. She didn’t let go of this dream, however, and when she found herself unemployed in 2013, she decided to take the next step and achieve her goal of starting her own company.

“I have really come full circle from when I was younger. I was excited to start my own company, Meco Electrical, which is based in Umbilo. I’m now where I always wanted to be, working for myself and creating employment for other people, especially women, “ she said.

When she was a member of the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa, she attended a mentorship programme for women entrepreneurs in 2015. It was through this that she was approached by the Durban Consulate to apply to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad, India.

“I forwarded my information, and from this, five people are selected. This then goes on to Washington and I was given the link to apply internationally. Only 10 women are chosen nationally, and I was selected as the only woman in KZN to attend, which is very exciting! “ she said.

Melissa will arrive on 27 November and the opening ceremony and gala dinner, which is addressed by the Prime Minister of India and Ivanka Trump, will be on the 28 November.

The United States of America and the Republic of India will host the eighth annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad, India on 28-30 November, 2017. This year’s Summit will highlight the theme Women First, Prosperity for All, and will focus on supporting women entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth globally. Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump will headline the United States delegation to the Summit.

GES is the preeminent annual entrepreneurship gathering that convenes emerging entrepreneurs, investors and supporters from around the world. GES 2017 will create an environment that empowers innovators, particularly women, to take their ideas to the next level. Through two and a half days of networking, mentoring, and workshops, GES empowers entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, build partnerships, secure funding, innovate, and find their target customers — creating new goods and services that will transform societies.