Funding your growing business: Challenges and Supports for Women in Business

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Funding your growing business: Challenges and Supports for Women in Business

Date: Monday 14th November 2016

Time: 19.00-21.00 (registration from 18.45)

Venue: Alexander Hotel, Fenian St, Dublin 2

  • Jonathan Mills, Managing Director, Bloodstone Partners: “Best and Worst Ways of funding your growing business”

  • Sarita Johnston, Manager Female Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland: “Challenges faced by women in business and Enterprise Ireland initiatives to support them”

  • Mary MacSweeney, Deputy Head of Local Enterprise Office Dublin City: “LEO Financial and other supports for Start-ups and Growth Businesses”

This month’s event will look at the best ways of funding a growing business. some of the challenges particularly faced by women in business and the supports available from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office. The event will include a talk by Jonathan Mills, Managing Director, Bloodstone Partners on the Best and Worst Ways of funding your growing business. Sarita Johnston, Manager Female Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland will talk about the extra challenges faced by women in business and the supports that Enterprise Ireland has put in place to increase the number of women setting up and growing high potential start-ups. In addition, Mary MacSweeney, Deputy Head of LEO Dublin City, will talk about the ways in which the LEO supports start-ups and what they look for in businesses that they support.

We will also be launching our Annual Awards on the night.

The talk will be followed by networking over wine and finger food.

This event is open to non-members who haven’t yet attended an event in 2016 but all must register before 5pm on Friday 11th November through this form: http://goo.gl/forms/tOn3b4CeC85wthum2

 

SPEAKER PROFILES:

Jonathan Mills, Managing Director, Bloodstone Partners

Jonathan is a Chartered Accountant with broad experience of commerce, finance and financial services, in Ireland, the UK and the US. Over the last thirty years he has worked with both the SME and Financial Services sectors and holds a degree in Geography and Economics from Trinity College Dublin.

 

Sarita Johnston, Manager Female Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Ireland

As Manager of Female Entrepreneurship, Sarita manages Enterprise Ireland’s key initiatives to support Female Entrepreneurs. These initiatives are part of a drive to boost the number of innovative, export-oriented businesses being set up and led by female entrepreneurs. Sarita has worked for Enterprise Ireland since 1995 in various roles, which include Regional Development, Commercial Evaluation and most recently as Senior Development Advisor with the High Potential Start up Team.  She holds a Bachelor of Business (Hons) Degree and a MBS from Liverpool John Moores University.  With circa twenty years’ experience in working with indigenous companies across multiple sectors Sarita has significant experience in strategic mentoring, financial analysis, operational strategy and business plan implementation.   

Mary Mac Sweeney, Deputy Head of LEO Dublin City

Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) provide a range of financial supports designed to assist with the establishment and/or growth of enterprises (limited company, individuals/sole trader, cooperatives and partnerships) employing up to ten people. The financial supports include financial , training, networking and mentoring.   Prior to joining the LEO as Deputy Head in 2015,   Mary headed up the Employee Relations unit that addressed change management, industrial relations and employee attendance for all employees of Dublin City Council from Sept 2011 to April 2015.

 

 

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