Page 34 - IB Dec 2020

SPBD SPBD

pandemic and resulting economic impacts impacted SPBD?
What adjustments have you made?
GC: 2020 has indeed been an extraordinary and difficult
year. SPBD has made many adjustments to better serve SPBD’S 20 YEARS OF
our clients in this significantly changed environment. SPBD
adopted new procedures and policies to fully comply with all EXPANSION
new government regulations in each of our markets. Among
other things, this included adopting significant use of per-
sonal protective equipment in all aspects of our operations, 2000: SPBD Samoa established
suspending weekly meetings as needed and then using micro-
meetings (with just 3 people, in lieu of larger groups) when 2004: Savings program begins
appropriate. We also helped our clients with their loans by 2009: SPBD Tonga established
providing them with significant repayment grace periods and US$10m in loans disbursed
opportunities to reschedule existing loans. Additionally we
are providing all of our clients with the ability to take out new 2010: SPBD Fiji established
rehabilitation financing to either relaunch a business or, for Launch of Death Benefit Product
those who were working in the tourism industry, to launch an 2011: SPBD Holdings launched
entirely new and different business.
2012: SPBD Solomon Islands established
IB: You describe yourself as a ‘serial social entrepre- Financial Education Program launched
neur’. What new ventures are you working on now? Mobile Banking in Fiji begins
GC: In addition to SPBD, I am also the Chairman and CEO of 2013: SME Loans launched
WaterHealth International (WHI). WHI is a major provider and Overseas Workers Loans first available
operator of distributed, affordable clean drinking water facili-
ties located in hundreds of rural communities across India, 2014: Higher Education Loans
Nigeria, and Ghana. Millions of poor rural families rely on us 100,000 loans disbursed since inception
each day for their purified drinking water. Value of clients’ savings exceeds US$1.5million
2015: Solar loans first available
IB: What is the one piece of advice you would give some- US$10 million in assets
one who is thinking of going into business? 40,000 active savings accounts
GC: My advice, to any person considering going into busi- US$60 million in loans disbursed since
ness, is to have a very clear vision of the specific customer inception
needs that you are going to address and satisfy. Figure out
exactly how you are going to delight your customers by fully 2017: SPBD Vanuatu begins operations
meeting their specific needs. With that knowledge in hand, US$100 million in loans disbursed since
you can then design a financially sustainable and scalable inception
business model that will consistently deliver terrific solutions SPBD launches new offices, bringing total
that please your customers. You will then be on your pathway number of offices to 17
towards a successful business. 2018: 200,000 loans disbursed since inception
US$130 million in loans disbursed since
IB: Who inspires you, and why? inception
GC: My father has always been my main inspiration in busi- Number of savings accounts serviced surpasses
ness. He is a tremendously accomplished entrepreneur. He 50,000
instilled in me most of my core values, a strong work ethic,
and a disposition to tenaciously and smartly build quality 2019: First local national GMs take the helm in
organisations around terrific, tightly knit teams. Samoa and Tonga
Value of clients’ savings exceeds US$3 million
IB: Sadly, you haven’t been able to travel to SPBD coun- US$20 million in assets
tries this year. But when borders reopen, where are you 2020: SPBD celebrates its 20th Anniversary
looking forward to visiting again? SPBD launches network-wide effort to support
GC: In 2021 I will most definitely be back in all five SPBD member businesses impacted by COVID
countries (Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands & Vanuatu). I restrictions
look forward to meeting face-to-face once again with all of SPBD Fiji’s BLOOM business accelerator
our teams and many of our wonderful, inspired members. programme graduates its first group of
participants

34 Islands Business, December 2020