Building a Business That Can Adapt, Grow & Thrive
What happens when the environment around your business changes in ways you never anticipated?
Markets shift. Costs rise. Customers change. People leave. Unexpected challenges disrupt even the best-laid plans.
While we can’t control everything that happens around us, we can control how prepared our businesses are to respond.
Join us for an engaging and practical session with Marlene Gay, CEO of CFET and one of its founding members, as we explore what it really takes to build a business that can adapt, remain resilient, and continue to grow—even when circumstances are uncertain.
Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in leadership, capacity building, organizational development, and strategic planning, Marlene brings a unique perspective shaped by working with organizations and businesses in Haiti, an environment where political, economic, and natural disruptions can create extraordinary challenges.
Her experience has taught her an important lesson: resilience isn’t something you discover when a crisis arrives. It is something you build before you need it.
During this session, Marlene will share the practical approach her organization has developed to help small businesses strengthen their capacity for growth. Together, we’ll explore how leadership, people, processes, systems, and strategic decision-making can determine whether a business simply survives change—or is prepared to thrive through it.
And while Marlene’s experience comes from a uniquely challenging environment, the lessons are relevant to all of us. Whether you are building a business in Costa Rica, leading a team, managing growth, or simply trying to create a more sustainable organization, the ability to adapt is one of your greatest competitive advantages.
What You’ll Explore
During this event, you will:
- Explore what business resilience really means—and why it goes beyond simply surviving difficult circumstances.
- Identify the capacity your business needs in order to adapt, grow, and respond effectively to change.
- Discover how leadership, people, processes, and systems contribute to a resilient organization.
- Learn how to recognize capacity gaps and vulnerabilities that may be limiting your business’s ability to grow.
- Consider whether your business is truly ready for the next stage of growth—or whether growth could create new challenges.
- Explore practical approaches to making strategic decisions when you don’t have all the answers.
- Reflect on what your business could do differently today to become stronger and more adaptable tomorrow.
- Leave with practical ideas and actions you can begin implementing in your own business.
Who Should Attend?
This event is ideal for:



