a genderresponsive team of project staff and technical assistants is needed to coach and mentor managers of bds to respond to the distinct needs of male and female business ownermanagers a growing body of experience in both the micro and sme sectors shows the critical need for coaching especially of female sme owneroperators male and female graduates and startup entrepreneurs awareness creativity and proactive outreach can work towards recruiting females and males as bds specialists trainersfacilitators and beneficiaries to meet the need for a gender mix in bds facilitatorsproviderstrainers