Empowering Entrepreneurs: Seminar Explores Digital Business Growth via WhatsApp, GST, and FSSAI

Surat - In a collaborative effort between the South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of All India Traders (CAT), a seminar titled 'Exploring the gateway to digital business growth on WhatsApp and GST and FSSAI' was held at Samridhi, Nanpura. The event aimed to enlighten entrepreneurs on leveraging digital platforms for business expansion.

Praveen Khandelwal, General Secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders, took center stage as the keynote speaker, sharing insights into the evolving landscape of digital commerce. The seminar commenced with a warm welcome address by Himanshu Bodawala, former president of the Chamber of Commerce, who highlighted the transformative impact of social media on modern business.

Bodawala reminisced about the era when business was bound by time constraints, emphasizing the paradigm shift enabled by social media platforms like WhatsApp. Currently boasting over 40 crore WhatsApp Business users in India alone, these platforms have become integral to business growth, allowing entrepreneurs to transcend geographical limitations.

Khandelwal underscored the pivotal role played by traders in the country's economy, citing numerous beneficial schemes for MSMEs that often go unnoticed. He predicted a significant surge in social commerce over the next five years, surpassing traditional e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart. Khandelwal urged businessmen to embrace social commerce, revealing CAT's ambitious goal of onboarding 10 thousand traders into this evolving landscape.

Rohan Desai provided in-depth information on GST changes, while Metta's representatives Neha Bajaj and Priyansh guided entrepreneurs on utilizing WhatsApp Business, Instagram, and Facebook for effective business operations.

Chandresh Kansagra, a member of the Chamber's Food Processing Committee, made a presentation addressing concerns under the Food Safety and Standards Act. He handed over these concerns to CAT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal for presentation to the relevant department in New Delhi.

Kiran Thummar, Honorary Treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce, expressed gratitude to the attendees, and Pramod Bhagat, Chairman of the Retail Trade Committee, outlined the program's agenda. The seminar, skillfully conducted by committee co-chairman Mitesh Shah, saw active participation from entrepreneurs and businessmen, with the speakers addressing various queries from the traders before concluding the event on a positive note.