Bangkok: Participants of the Graduate Entrepreneur Programme (GROW) and its advanced programme, GROW PLUS, organised by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS), recorded cumulative sales of RM105.6 million in the first nine months of this year, underscoring the effectiveness of the corporation’s structured guidance model.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, PKNS Entrepreneur Development Manager Yuzawati Yusof stated that the strong performance reflects PKNS’s success in driving the transformation of micro and small graduate entrepreneurs through strategic marketing support, intensive training, and enhanced professionalism in business management. She highlighted that this year’s sales figures demonstrate the participants’ determination in applying the modules and strategies delivered through the intensive training sessions.
A total of 60 entrepreneurs graduated after completing more than 20 modules, which included intensive training, scheduled assessments, and comprehensive business skills development sessions conducted from March to November. The closing ceremony of the GROW and GROW PLUS Modular Programmes was held at the PKNS Headquarters and attended by Selangor Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi.
Yuzawati noted that the GROW programme recorded RM8.82 million in sales, rising to RM1.38 million in November alone, reflecting the effectiveness of enhanced marketing strategies. Meanwhile, GROW PLUS achieved RM96.8 million, with sales jumping from RM4.19 million in March to RM21.74 million in November. She emphasized that the combination of modules, coaching sessions, and continuous monitoring has a direct impact on participants’ development, and PKNS will continue strengthening its approach to ensure entrepreneurs are well-prepared to compete both domestically and internationally.
Mohd Najwan commented that the nearly RM106 million in combined sales recorded by programme participants demonstrates the ability of local entrepreneurs to grow and compete when equipped with accurate and effective guidance. He encouraged participants to support other entrepreneurs who have yet to achieve similar levels of income, especially after benefiting from the programme. Mohd Najwan also mentioned that the state government, through PKNS, will continue identifying small and medium enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs, including micro entrepreneurs, who have the potential to be developed in terms of operations and marketing.
Earlier, Mohd Najwan presented mock cheques to the top five finalists from each programme after they presented their business models before a panel of professional judges. The winners took home RM3,000 (First Place), RM2,000 (Second Place) and RM1,000 (Third Place).
The GROW programme, established in 2006, focuses on systematically enhancing marketing and management skills for micro graduate entrepreneurs, while the GROW PLUS programme, introduced in 2023, targets small entrepreneurs to strengthen their business capacity and enable them to penetrate the international market.