Afiya Douglas

Afiya Douglas our Entrepreneurial Consultant brings a wide range of experience to ARNTEL she is also Managing Director of an evolving, successful dessert and customized cookie business for the past four (4) years. During this time and up until April 2018, she was also a full time Incubator Manager at National Entrepreneurship Development Company Limited with responsibilities primarily in entrepreneurial new business development for the past five and a half years working closely and mentoring more than 25 startup companies.

Her studies began in the Hospitality Industry at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute in the year 2000 where she achieved an Associate’s degree in Hotel Operations. After spending a few years on the Radiance of the Seas as an Assistant Waitress, she proceeded to pursue her Bsc. in Tourism Management at the U.W.I. Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management in the Bahamas which she completed in 2008, achieving First Class Honors and the Department prize for Overall Best Performance in her category of studies.

Starting as an Events Coordinator in 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Ms. Douglas was promoted twice ending her stay at the hotel in 2012 as a Convention Services Manager where she was overseeing and managing all large local and international conventions at the hotel including FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Wanting to diversify her portfolio, she graduated with her IMBA with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business in 2012 with distinction.

With 10 plus years’ experience in both the Hospitality and Entrepreneurship Industries combined, Ms. Douglas is a highly organized, innovative and driven Executive. In her previous and current capacity she has co-designed, directed and implemented the Programme’s Mentorship Programme and has been a Mentor herself to these start-up businesses assisting them with three critical areas of infrastructure, sourcing capital and accessing networking opportunities from which the growth of their companies have been realized. She has also been instrumental in identifying training deficiencies and developing training programs to enhance the capacity of the Entrepreneurs’ individual capacity

Using her knowledge and experience in understanding the entrepreneurial mindset, she has also lectured entrepreneurial and non-entrepreneurial courses at both the T.T.H.T.I and SHEL Tertiary level education school. During her tenure as the Manager of assigned Incubator Centres and within her own business entity, Ms. Douglas has been a member of recruitment panels involved in evaluating and selecting key employees for both organizations.

A member of many local and international associations (NBIA) she gives back to the many organizations that has gifted her with the experience that she now possess. When Ms. Douglas is not busy with formal work, she spends her free time indulging in culinary expressions and her literary interests in Inspirational Literature. Afiya Douglas is a well-balanced professional and proudly awaits the opportunity to serve you.