TO inspire the youth, as well as provide mentors to existing and would-be entrepreneurs, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) opened the “Trails of Success” exhibit at SM City Cebu last Friday.

The exhibit, which is part of the Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2009 celebration, features “inspiring” stories of 100 Cebuano
entrepreneurs. Exhibit panels of 70 of the featured entrepreneurs are located at SM while the rest are at Ayala Center Cebu.

The exhibit will run for two weeks.

"Matod Pa Sa Lola ni Noy Kulas." Join the story-writing contest on Cebuano folklore and win prizes.

“This has never been done before in Cebu. We want to find ways to inspire, empower and challenge the people who want to start, continue or take their businesses to the next level,” said CBM entrepreneurship chairperson Kate Dychangco-Anzani.

CCCI and the CBM team selected the 100 successful businessmen and women according to the growth in their businesses, profitability, popularity and sustainability, among others.

Anzani said the entrepreneurs featured share some common traits—patience, perseverance and hard work. They belong to the furniture, financial services, cargo forwarding, shipping, real estate, food, pharmaceuticals, web-based business, tourism, education, fashion accessories and trade industries.

Anzani said the CBM entrepreneurship committee will work with the Entrepreneur Magazine to come up with a coffee table book that will contain the stories of all the entrepreneurs featured in the “Trails of Success” exhibit.

Meanwhile, the CBM entrepreneurship committee will hold a “Meet the Business Icons” forum on Thursday at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.

Business icons during the forum are George Tan Yang of Golden Arches Development Corp. (McDonald’s Philippines), Justin Uy of dried mango producer Profood International Corp. and Dr. Alfonso Uy, president of trading firm La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp.