Wanted: Enterprising Sligo Women Who Want To Develop Their Business

An appeal has been launched for dynamic Sligo women to take part in the latest cycle of Going for Growth - a unique programme aimed at helping ambitious Irish female entrepreneurs develop their businesses.

Going for Growth is open to enterprising women from Sligo and all over the country who are at least two years in business, own at least 50% of their companies, and who are working full-time and focused on growth.  

Participants will be offered a unique, peer-led learning environment with experienced and successful Irish businesswomen acting as “lead” entrepreneurs for the duration of the programme which starts in January 2012.

According to Paula Fitzsimons, National Director and founder of Going for Growth, the economic downturn has not put a halt to the huge entrepreneurial spirit that exists amongst Irish businesswomen.

“Ireland needs all the entrepreneurial talent available to it and Irish women have a major role to play in delivering the economic benefits and job creation opportunities that successful entrepreneurship can bring. Going for Growth is designed to support women to fully exploit their entrepreneurial talent and potential,” she said.

Fitzsimons said the recently published 2010 GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor) Report for Ireland, which she co-authored and which is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland, found that men continue to be more active as early stage entrepreneurs than women.

The report found that:
Women represent just 29% of all early stage entrepreneurs.

• 42% of Irish men are more likely to know someone who has become an entrepreneur in the previous two years compared to just 27% of women.
• Despite their increasingly high academic achievements, only 42% of women in Ireland are confident that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to start a business, compared to 57% of men.
• 43% of women say a fear of failure would prevent them from starting a business compared to 34% of men.
• 16% of men have significant growth ambitions for their new business compared to 8% of women

The GEM research has made it clear that women are particularly influenced by role models. For example, women who know an entrepreneurial role model are five times more likely to be an entrepreneur themselves. “I believe that this is true not only for those starting new businesses but that it also has an effect on women’s ambition and self-belief for their new business. With much fewer women entrepreneurs achieving significant growth, very few women entrepreneurs are exposed to women role models who have grown significant businesses. Going for Growth addresses this role model deficit.”

The 60 business women from around Ireland who participated in the last cycle of Going for Growth had a combined turnover of €42 million and employed almost 450 people.  During the cycle the majority of the participants increased their turnover by an average of 10%, created an additional 45 jobs and several become exporters for the first time.  Given the ongoing difficult trading conditions that prevailed during the cycle, this is a positive outcome. Moreover, the majority have focused on the strategic positioning of the business and are now better positioned, as a result of their participation, to avail of opportunities as they arise. This may be expected to result in further sales and employment growth.

Over 150 women entrepreneurs have to date benefitted from participation in previous cycles of Going for Growth and they are fulsome in their praise of the benefits they have obtained from their participation.

They report that mentoring sessions with “lead” entrepreneurs - who themselves have built successful businesses - translated into practical changes within their businesses, and helped them move towards achieving their growth goals.

Graduates of the programme include Sligo entrepreneur, Aoife Porter of Bua Marketing. Bua Marketing enables organisations to thrive online. A digital marketing agency based in Sligo, Bua Marketing delivers digital marketing consultancy and services to a wide variety of clients including the Western Development Commission, IT Sligo, The Model arts centre, Cinema North West, Good4U Health Foods and Fastcom Broadband.

The Sligo woman was full of praise for the Going for Growth programme.  “Going for Growth has been of huge measurable benefit to my business. In my six months I have made some big business decisions to realign my clients, recruit an employee and focus on business development. The network the Going for Growth programme provides is of the most dynamic, successful and inspiring Irish business women and this alone can be worth 100% growth to your business, if you approach it the right way. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to take your business to the next level,” she suggested.

Lead Entrepreneurs on the programme include Colette Twomey, Chief Executive of the Clonakilty Black Pudding Company, Eileen Bergin, founder of Butler’s Pantry, Elaine Coughlan, Partner Atlantic Bridge, Fiona O’Carroll, Executive Vice President of the New Ventures/Innovation Group, Julie Colclough, Founder and CEO of Eurobase, Lulu O’Sullivan Executive Chairman and founder of GiftsDirect.com, Mary McKenna founder and Managing Director of Tour America and Monica Flood, founder of OlasIT, which she sold recently to a French public company.

The Going for Growth programme is funded by the European Social Fund, Enterprise Ireland and the Equality for Women Measure, Department of Justice and Equality.  Graduates include Nikki Evans of PerfectCard, named WMB Entrepreneur of the Year 2010, and well known entrepreneur, Nicola Byrne of 11890.

The willingness of successful, well-known and inspirational women entrepreneurs to act as “leads” and to contribute their time voluntarily, together with the sponsorship which has been awarded, means that applicants are not required to pay to participate in Going for Growth. They need only cover their own expenses.

Businesswomen interested in applying for the programme can access information and download application forms here. The closing date for receipt of fully completed applications is Friday November 25th, 2011.