AUA Extension Hosts Women Entrepreneurs in an Exhibit of Local Products

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YEREVAN, Armenia – The American University of Armenia (AUA) Extension hosted “An Exhibition of Business Products” on Saturday, November 2, 2013.  The event was organized jointly by AUA Extension and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Promotion and Empowerment Center (WEPEC).  Thirty one women entrepreneurs, graduates of the AIWA-AUA Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (WEP), returned to campus to exhibit their business products and to participate in a marketing workshop.   

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, opening remarks were delivered by Ambassador Traian Hristea of the European Union, followed by welcoming remarks by Mrs. Laura Avagyan, President of WEPEC.  The Ambassador commended the participating women in taking the bold step of starting their own businesses and in creating such wonderful products.

On behalf of AUA Extension, Mrs. Arpie Balian praised the participants for their courage in moving forth and transforming their business idea to a start-up following completion of the AUA Women’s Entrepreneurship training.  “None of this would have been possible without the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA) and the American University of Armenia,” she concluded.

The primary goal of the Exhibit was to assist women-owned start-ups or small enterprises in finding new markets, discovering new opportunities for cooperation, and networking with other women-owned businesses.  This event was a follow-up to the Annual AIWA-WEP training for beginner entrepreneurs, women with entrepreneurial aspirations and a business idea that are taught skills in business management, including financing and marketing, in a dynamic learning environment.  The WEP course touches upon the behaviors and attributes required for operating successfully in Armenia.

Just before the opening of the Exhibit, participants attended a marketing workshop led by Matteo Rinaldi, a marketing expert with the Garrison Group.  Participants learned about the most novel strategies and techniques for keeping customers engaged in their marketing activities, as they try to increase market share by creating new products and expanding their business from small to medium size enterprises.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.