Friday, 2 October 2026 | Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown
Over 70 Fingal business owners and entrepreneurs came together at the Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown for Future-Ready Fingal, the latest Fingal Business Network event, with the morning focused on Digitalisation, AI, Sustainability and Export Development.
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As technology changes how businesses operate and new opportunities emerge at home and overseas, the event looked at some of the practical steps small businesses can take to work more efficiently, adapt to change and prepare for future growth.
The event was opened by Deirdre Carroll, Senior Enterprise Development Executive at Local Enterprise Office Fingal, who welcomed attendees and introduced the themes for the morning.
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The main conversation was led by Noel Davidson, who was joined by three business leaders:
- Susie Kilcoyne, Founder and CEO of Locket AI Labs
- Lauren McDonald, Founder of Lynott Jewellery
- Stuart Nelson, Co-Founder and C.I. Director of Jigsaw Better Business
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Between them, Stuart, Susie and Lauren brought different perspectives and business experiences to the discussion.
Stuart Nelson brought his perspective on business improvement and the practical changes businesses can make as they prepare for future growth.
Susie Kilcoyne shared her perspective from more than 20 years working across marketing, ecommerce and customer experience. As Founder of Locket AI Labs and creator of Sophei, her experience brought AI and its potential role in understanding and responding to customers into the conversation.
Lauren McDonald brought the perspective of a founder who has grown Lynott Jewellery from its beginnings in 2021 to a business operating across five retail locations within the Brown Thomas Arnotts group, supported by its head office and fulfilment centre in Swords.
Together, the speakers discussed how businesses are responding to changes in technology, customer expectations and the wider business environment. The conversation explored where digitalisation and AI can make a practical difference, the role sustainability can play in business decisions and the importance of remaining open to new opportunities for growth.
Questions from the audience opened the conversation further, giving business owners an opportunity to raise some of the issues they are seeing within their own businesses and hear different perspectives from the panel.
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Connecting Businesses with Practical Supports
Future-Ready Fingal was also an opportunity for attendees to find out more about the practical supports available through Local Enterprise Office Fingal.
Throughout the morning, dedicated support clinics covered Digital for Business, Green for Business, Market Explorer Grant and Lean for Business.
Business owners could speak directly with the LEO Fingal team about their own circumstances and find out which supports could help them improve efficiency, introduce new digital tools, become more sustainable or explore opportunities in new markets.
The event concluded with a networking lunch, allowing conversations from the morning to continue in a more informal setting and giving attendees time to meet and connect with other Fingal business owners.
Future-Ready Fingal continued the Fingal Business Network's focus on bringing the local business community together to share experiences, learn from one another and access practical support for the next stage of their business journey.
Fingal Business Network | Connect. Learn. Grow.
Save the Date: Our Next Fingal Business Network Event 🎄
We’re already getting ready for our final Fingal Business Network event of 2026, taking place on Friday, 4 December at the Grand Hotel, Malahide, followed by our traditional FBN Christmas Lunch.
We have a fantastic theme lined up and a very special guest joining us for what promises to be a great end to another year of connecting, learning and growing together.
We’re keeping the details under wraps for just a little longer, but all will be revealed soon.
December is always a busy time, so for now, save the date: Friday, 4 December 2026.
Full event details, speaker announcement and booking information will be available soon in the Training & Events section of our website.
We can’t wait to welcome the Fingal business community back for one more FBN event before Christmas. 🎄