Thirty-five-year industry leader Michelle Chong shows others how to do it

Michelle Chong is the co-founder of Honey Bun (1982) Ltd, an organisation she started with her husband. She has been CEO of Honey Bun for the past 35 years.

A graduate of the esteemed York University, Toronto, Canada, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, Chong is trained as a certified HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, a food safety management system) consultant through BRI International Canada and the Bureau of Standards, Jamaica.

Chong was selected as quality ambassador for the Bureau of Standards and has been highly ranked in Business Suite Online, both as Business Woman and as Chief Executive Officer, including number 1 in 2016 and top 10 in 2017.

She has also done quite a bit of philanthropic work, establishing The Honey Bun Foundation, for small and medium-sized enterprises and the Creative Industry, as well as providing mentorship to small business owners.

It is because of her skill set as a business mogul that she can inculcate into the minds of willing learners, the necessary facts about starting and managing a successful business. Chong's strength includes finding opportunities in challenges, strategic planning, team building and process engineering systems that create value and add consistency to manufacturing.

Her passion for the development of Human Resources has created a unique and dynamic culture that continues to be one of Honey Bun's key competitive features.

Honey Bun has previously earned the designation ‘Champion Exporter’ and continues to be a leader in the Jamaican export sector. Under Chong's leadership, Honey Bun reported a 43 per cent increase in profit from April to June of 2016. Chong also played an instrumental role in leading the initiative to sell Honey Bun’s rum fruit cakes in the United Kingdom-based ASDA Groceries.

The world changed fundamentally in the year 2020. It infiltrated the livelihood of thousands of businesses and uprooted the way of life for thousands of households.

To guide businesses during that time, a digital summit titled ‘Critical Conversations for Critical Times’ was held, featuring Chong.

Chong outlined what she called the ‘Intensive Care for COVID-19’ strategy.

"We have to grow through this pandemic and not just go through it," she had said.

According to Chong, persons who find themselves with lots of downtime during the pandemic should find ways to improve themselves, whether through taking digital courses like some of those listed on The Honey Bun Foundation's National Training Calendar or learning something new on YouTube.

Chong also emphasised the need to manage stress carefully during this time, noting that the more difficult a situation, the more creative people tend to become.

“Managing our stress is very important. Laugh! Love! Learn to be generous,” she said.

Her advice was testimony to her innovation and resilient character.

She also advises SMEs to embrace change.

“Change is the name of the game. Because you are small, it’s easier for you to change. Use your size to your advantage.”