Going Global: Her Way

Kildare County Council's Local Enterprise Office invites you to celebrate 20 years of National Women’s Enterprise Day (NWED) at The Keadeen Hotel on Thursday, 15 October, from 10.45am to 3.00pm.

This year's theme, Going Global – Her Way, will celebrate the women taking Irish businesses to international markets. The event will bring together women at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey, from those considering their first steps into exporting to established business owners already trading internationally.

Over the past two decades, National Women’s Enterprise Day has become an important platform for recognising and supporting the significant contribution women make to Ireland's enterprise landscape. This special anniversary event will explore the opportunities, challenges and ambitions involved in growing a business beyond the Irish market, with inspiring stories from entrepreneurs who have successfully navigated their own international growth journeys.

The keynote discussion will feature Marissa Carter, founder of Cocoa Brown, who will share her experience of building an internationally recognised Irish beauty brand and the lessons learned from taking a homegrown business to global success.

Marissa Carter is the founder and CEO of Cocoa Brown, the award-winning Irish beauty brand she founded in 2012.

From its beginnings in Ireland, Marissa has grown Cocoa Brown into an internationally recognised beauty brand. Today, Cocoa Brown has an established and expanding international retail presence, working with major retailers including Boots, Superdrug, Target, Walmart, Bleu Libellule, ICA, Primor and Kmart, and reaching customers across the UK, France, Spain, Scandinavia, the US, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Marissa’s entrepreneurial journey has been defined by ambition, resilience and grit – building a brand, navigating the inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship and continually adapting to new markets and opportunities.

More than a decade after launching Cocoa Brown, Marissa remains closely involved in the brand’s innovation, creative direction and international expansion, building on an established global retail footprint while continuing to open new markets and partnerships.

“Resilience and grit have been at the heart of my journey. Building a business is about believing in what you’re creating, but also having the ability to adapt when the road changes. You learn, you adjust and you keep going. I’m incredibly proud to see an Irish brand like Cocoa Brown working with some of the world’s leading retailers – and I’m every bit as ambitious for the business today as I was when I started.”

We will also welcome Sonya Lennon - a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and social entrepreneur who founded Work Equal and LIFT Ireland. Her lifestyle brand, Lennon Courtney, is in a retail partnership with Kilkenny Design. Sonya is also a high-profile advocate for equitable workplaces and women’s empowerment. Sonya has been working to reframe social attitudes to retirement and ageing from an economic burden to a societal opportunity. This has culminated in the launch of The Centre for Successful Retirement, which delivers a framework for whole-of-human reflection, assessment, and planning for a rich and fulfilling post-retirement life. It also fosters a community of valuable, experienced people who want to continue contributing to society. Sonya lobbies for equitable workplaces at the European level to drive policy change. She was recently called as an expert witness to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on gender equity. Sonya recently completed a Master's in Business Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at IADT and has just received first-class honours in a PgD in non-executive directorship with The Financial Times in London. Sonya is a member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce board and chairs the Labour Taskforce.

Also joining the event is Therese Murphy  (pictured above), founder of Equi-Ed and winner of the Female Entrepreneur Award at the 2026 National Enterprise Awards. Therese will discuss the realities of building an export-focused business, offering practical insights into the opportunities and challenges involved in reaching customers in international markets.

The event will also feature pop-up boutiques and a goodie bag showcasing Kildare-created beauty and wellness brands, opportunities for networking with fellow entrepreneurs and business leaders, and will conclude with a delicious afternoon tea.

Join us for an afternoon of inspiration, learning and celebration as we recognise the achievements of women in business and explore the opportunities that lie beyond our shores.

Book your place today and join us for a day of inspiration, practical business insights and meaningful connections as we celebrate National Women's Enterprise Day 2026.

Places are limited and booking is essential.

GDPR NOTICE: Photo and video content will be taken at this event for social media, reporting and promotion of future events. Please advise a member of the LEO team prior to the event, if you wish to be not recognisable in that content.