OVER 400 PEOPLE EXPECTED FOR LOCAL ENTERPRISE WEEK 2019
Offaly ENTREPRENEURS & SMALL BUSINESSES GATHER FOR A WEEK OF TALKS, TRAINING & NETWORKING
Offaly’s small businesses and entrepreneurs will gather next week for Local Enterprise Week, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices across the country, which is now in its 5th year. With over 11,000 expected to attend the 370 events nationwide, and the threat of Brexit looming for small businesses, this will be the most significant Local Enterprise Week to date.
Run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEO), events will be taking place from Monday 4th March to Friday 8th March, and are open to all, particularly entrepreneurs and those with small businesses. The events will cover a whole range of topics from preparing for Brexit, building a brand and dealing with tax to, making your business age friendly, pitching your business and getting investment.
The Local Enterprise Offices support over 7,000 small Irish businesses and entrepreneurs nationwide who employ in excess of 36,000 people. The LEOs supported the creation of 3,600 jobs in 2018 with funding to small businesses and provide a range of supports such as mentoring, training and industry specific expert advice to assist businesses who are at any stage of their development. The Local Enterprise Offices are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland in partnership with the Local Authorities.
Ms. Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise emphasised what a unique opportunity this is for businesses and entrepreneurs around the country; “The Local Enterprise Office are an essential resource for any entrepreneur or small company in Ireland and Local Enterprise Week offers everyone the opportunity to understand what the LEO offers. It is also a fantastic chance for people to learn from the array of great speakers and to network with other likeminded entrepreneurs and business people in their area. Small Irish businesses rely on the support of those in their communities, particularly in those tough first years and with the uncertainty of Brexit looming. Local Enterprise Week is the perfect opportunity to learn what resources are available on your door step and who in your network can help your business to plan, start and grow.”
Some highlights include
- Best-selling author and International Business Consultant, the inspiring Blaise Brosnan, will ask the business community “ARE YOU AFRAID TO MAKE MONEY?” during a Breakfast session on success in Tullamore on March 7th
- Representatives from Grow Remote Ireland, Shopify, and AirBnB will outline the pros and cons of remote working on March 8th. Remote working is a fast-growing solution for the digital age, which counters overpriced city accommodation, enables rural employment, and solves many work-life balance issues.
- With March 29th around the corner, there is a workshop on Brexit scheduled for March 5th, to help Offaly businesses be conscious of the risks they might be facing, and aware of the support that’s there to help overcome them. This event is organised in conjunction with Edenderry and Local District Chamber of Commerce.
For more information on Local Enterprise Week and how to find events in Offaly log on to www.LocalEnterprise.ie/Offaly and you can join the Local Enterprise conversation on social media with #MakingItHappen.
