Eleven West Cork business women successfully launched their new and invigorated businesses yesterday in Kinsale on completion of a Women in Business programme funded and managed by the Local Enterprise Office Cork North & West. The women who come from a diverse range of business sectors in West Cork including: craft & gift, food and local professional services are expected to create more than 10 new jobs between them in the next 12 months.
The intensive programme which began last November was aimed at women who have been in business for a minimum of one year and those employing up to 10 employees. It was aimed at those looking for assistance to move their business forward to the next stage of growth. The Local Enterprise Office’s contracted agents for the programme delivery were Veronica Murphy and Billy O'Connor of Consult Discovery Ltd. Participants were provided with the tools they need to grow and develop their commercial businesses including strategy, finance, raising money, marketing, sales, public relations, social media, pitching, and the business plan
Geraldine Dwyer, Haven Shellfish, Oysterhaven, one of the programme participants commented "Our business is Oyster farming and we also supply a variety of other shellfish products to wholesale, restaurants and retail. After 30 years in business I felt that I was missing out on opportunities and although I wasn't fully sure what they were at the time, this course has been a huge eye opener. In the past I would have told myself that I didn't have the time to give to up skilling, but with the support of the programme, I now find that I can work more effectively and give myself the time needed to focus on building my business. I am no longer just working in my business, I am working on it and building it for the future, a future I believe is now very bright. We have a new product which will be launched in early summertime”.
Also among the participants was Ruth Fortune of Ruth Fortune Flowers, Glandore who runs a small flower farm and florist, she said, "I have learned so much thanks to the Local Enterprise Office and our fantastic trainers and can now confidently say that I have a business with real potential. Being a business owner can be a solitary task but this programme has given me the ability to prioritise my time so I can be more productive while also uncovering plenty of opportunities to take advantage of in to the future."
Speaking of the Women in Business Programme, Kevin Curran, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West said, “As part of our on-going commitment to women in business, we saw a need to develop this new Women in Business programme which offers a wide range of training supports and mentoring. This is our second such programme in West Cork and we hope to continue running it in other West Cork towns. Each of these 11 women in business have very much engaged in the programme and focused on the development of their businesses, over the past 4 months. They have looked at ways of growing and diversifying their businesses which will in turn make them more competitive and will allow them to grow and create employment.
Female entrepreneurship is at an all time high in West Cork. On this programme, we have seen women in business with 30 years and also those in business with 12 months. However, they all have one thing in common and that is the will to succeed, to create a future for themselves and also create employment in the region. I wish them all the very best in to the future and look forward to supporting them as they continue their business journeys."
There are 70,000 women self employed in Ireland and the numbers are growing. In 2015 and 2016, the LEO Cork North & West trained 1,255 women in business in varying training courses including Start Your Own Business programmes. Local Enterprise Office Working to Power Female Entrepreneurship
Eleven West Cork business women successfully launched their new and invigorated businesses yesterday in Kinsale on completion of a Women in Business programme funded and managed by the Local Enterprise Office Cork North & West. The women who come from a diverse range of business sectors in West Cork including: craft & gift, food and local professional services are expected to create more than 10 new jobs between them in the next 12 months.
The intensive programme which began last November was aimed at women who have been in business for a minimum of one year and those employing up to 10 employees. It was aimed at those looking for assistance to move their business forward to the next stage of growth. The Local Enterprise Office’s contracted agents for the programme delivery were Veronica Murphy and Billy O'Connor of Consult Discovery Ltd. Participants were provided with the tools they need to grow and develop their commercial businesses including strategy, finance, raising money, marketing, sales, public relations, social media, pitching, and the business plan
Geraldine Dwyer, Haven Shellfish, Oysterhaven, one of the programme participants commented "Our business is Oyster farming and we also supply a variety of other shellfish products to wholesale, restaurants and retail. After 30 years in business I felt that I was missing out on opportunities and although I wasn't fully sure what they were at the time, this course has been a huge eye opener. In the past I would have told myself that I didn't have the time to give to up skilling, but with the support of the programme, I now find that I can work more effectively and give myself the time needed to focus on building my business. I am no longer just working in my business, I am working on it and building it for the future, a future I believe is now very bright. We have a new product which will be launched in early summertime”.
Also among the participants was Ruth Fortune of Ruth Fortune Flowers, Glandore who runs a small flower farm and florist, she said, "I have learned so much thanks to the Local Enterprise Office and our fantastic trainers and can now confidently say that I have a business with real potential. Being a business owner can be a solitary task but this programme has given me the ability to prioritise my time so I can be more productive while also uncovering plenty of opportunities to take advantage of in to the future."
Speaking of the Women in Business Programme, Kevin Curran, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West said, “As part of our on-going commitment to women in business, we saw a need to develop this new Women in Business programme which offers a wide range of training supports and mentoring. This is our second such programme in West Cork and we hope to continue running it in other West Cork towns. Each of these 11 women in business have very much engaged in the programme and focused on the development of their businesses, over the past 4 months. They have looked at ways of growing and diversifying their businesses which will in turn make them more competitive and will allow them to grow and create employment.
Female entrepreneurship is at an all time high in West Cork. On this programme, we have seen women in business with 30 years and also those in business with 12 months. However, they all have one thing in common and that is the will to succeed, to create a future for themselves and also create employment in the region. I wish them all the very best in to the future and look forward to supporting them as they continue their business journeys."
There are 70,000 women self employed in Ireland and the numbers are growing. In 2015 and 2016, the LEO Cork North & West trained 1,255 women in business in varying training courses including Start Your Own Business programmes.