Go Negosyo has wrapped up probably one of its busiest years ever. What an achievement the year 2011 was. We have never seen our calendar so packed with events from provincial caravans, to collaborative seminars, to summits and other events, large and small, because of our affiliations with numerous organizations.

We started and ended 2011 by providing Negosems year-round, collaborating with our Go Negosyo entrepreneurs and various institutions. To truly be able to educate as many aspiring entrepreneurs as we can, we have made these Negosems a staple throughout the year by hosting one every other month in Metro Manila, some of them held here at our headquarters at RFM, some in other venues around the metro. Go Negosyo has also partnered with countless organizations, offering our Negosems in their events. To name some, we have collaborated with the DTI CITEM, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Cebu Business Month, DTI-BSMED for MSME Week, DILG, AFFI for its 10th Filipino Franchise Show, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Mandaue Business Month, PFA’s Franchise Asia 2011, International Youth Day, Multiply.com, Orchard Property Marketing Corporation (OPMC), and many more.

Through our partnership with the DTI, we have also made it a point to tap the far reaches of the country, and last year, we visited more than 20 cities in different provinces, including Dumaguete, Bataan, Laguna, Bukidnon, Oriental Mindoro, Antique, Surigao del Norte, Zambales, Cagayan, Cebu, Sorsogon, Davao, Zamboanga del Norte, Negros Oriental, Quezon, Batangas, Tuguegarao, Northern Samar, General Santos and Iloilo, offering our inspirational and instructional Negosems while the DTI provided skills training and how-tos.

Apart from this, we’ve also launched such programs as the special Negosem for the families of the Maguindanao victims, and a Negosem for the Sisters of Mary Girls and Boys Towns to help all of them jumpstart a life in entrepreneurship.

In our efforts to maximize our reach among the youth, we have also provided seminars to even more schools and universities this year, including the University of the Philippines ISSI, Ateneo de Manila University, the De La Salle System, Siliman University, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Bataan, St. Paul University-Dumaguete, and the University of Santo Tomas.

In support of the entrepreneurial spirit, we also joined the programs of other institutions that share the same advocacy. The Citi Microentrepreneur of the Year Awards, NLDC’s SIPAG Awards, and PLDT SME Nation’s MVP Bossing Awards are just some of the major programs we have been part of.

The year 2011 was also when we launched three large and highly successful summits: the Women’s Summit in March, the Young Entrepreneurs’ Summit in September, and the Villar Foundation’s OFWs and Family Summit. In all of these summits, hundreds of thousands traveled far to listen to a powerhouse lineup of inspirational and educational speakers so that many more can take the first step to the path of entrepreneurship.

Last year, we were also able to publish two educational and inspirational books: the 8 Simple Secrets to Raising Entrepreneurs, which was written by Go Negosyo Angelpreneur Joy Abaquin and has hit the bestsellers list in June; and the 50 Inspiring Stories of Young Entrepreneurs featuring Mr. Mang Inasal Injap Sia, which was launched in October.

It is very hard to limit to a few hundred words the events that we were part of last year. Last year was both exciting and very hectic for the whole team. And we owe the success of each our events largely to our fellow Go Negosyo advocates, entrepreneurs, Angelpreneurs and also to our followers who continue to believe our cause and have joined us in fighting poverty and uplifting lives through entrepreneurship.