Focus Forward is Grand Bahama’s most engaging outreach strategy to showcase entrepreneurs. The simulcast shares the latest news about current events and developments positively impacting the Freeport business community. Derek Newbold, GBPA Senior Business Manager affirms, “Focus Forward gives a weekly pulse on the island of Grand Bahama. We are thrilled to feature segments that provide residents and visitors alike with more reasons to invest, experience and explore Grand Bahama.” He explained, “Since we started, the favourable responses from our listening and viewing audiences confirm that we are doing our part to showcase and deliver quality programming that highlights the best in Grand Bahamian innovation and entrepreneurship.”
The dynamic show is hosted by Mrs. Glendia Sweeting and Mrs. Alex Thompson, two familiar and respected faces within the Grand Bahama business community. Both hosts share an unquestionable passion and enthusiasm for empowering small business owners. As the Business Development Officer at the Port Authority, Sweeting has a good understanding of latest developments about the island. She is also deeply rooted around sharing and creating opportunities that make her community a great place to invest, experience and explore. Sweeting shares, “Hosting Focus Forward is incredibly refreshing because we deliver content that is relevant to our audience. I get extremely excited to invest quality time in planning a show that will captivate the attention of our audience so that they feel the genuine enthusiasm about the best of what’s on the horizon for our home and community, that is My Grand Bahama.”
As a local business owner, Thompson recognizes and understands the challenges and opportunities that exists within the community. She allows this knowledge to frame her hosting style to authentically connect with the audience. Thompson reflects, “Everyone knows about my passion for promoting and supporting everything about small businesses. Focus Forward is a natural fit for me because I am connecting with our guests around topics that naturally get me excited to discuss. My hope is that the excitement is contagious and motivates more persons to shop locally and of course, always turn on Focus Forward.”
With a growing audience on Facebook and loyal listeners on Freeport based radio stations, Focus Forward continues to expand its reach to a wider national audience. Newbold says, “After recognizing our success here in Freeport, we embraced the need to expand. We entered into an agreement with ZNS, the national broadcasting corporation of The Bahamas, and as such, Focus Forward can be viewed on Saturday mornings at 9:30am and then again on Tuesday evenings at 9pm.”
With national coverage expanding, Newbold remains hopeful that more persons take a greater interest around doing business in Freeport. He notes, “One of the goals of the Invest Grand Bahama Small Business Bureau is to introduce more Bahamians to imagine the possibilities of doing business in Freeport. We want all Bahamians to appreciate the good things happening in Freeport and consider us as an option to grow and expand their existing businesses. Focus Forward is the perfect television and radio show for us to connect with a national audience and we are excited about season four and beyond.”
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