An Tánaiste announces Local Enterprise Week events for Kilkenny businesses

‘Making It Happen’ is the theme of Local Enterprise Week, organised by Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny from March 1st to 5th.
An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar T.D. has launched the full programme of events for Local Enterprise Week, which is taking place online from Monday 1st to Friday 5th March. More than 200 virtual events are planned by the Local Enterprise Offices around the country, including the Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny. These include training workshops, information webinars and masterclasses with entrepreneurs and experts, designed to help Ireland’s small businesses and those looking to start a new business in 2021.

Organised by Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny and supported by Enterprise Ireland and Kilkenny County Council, this year’s theme is ‘Making It Happen.’ Common topics across the week include starting a new business, resilience and recovery, the green economy, becoming ‘leaner’, exploring new markets, doing business online and the new trading relationship with the UK. For the first time, Local Enterprise Week also includes ten national ‘Spotlight’ events and these are open to every business across the country. Spotlight events include the launch of the Green for Micro Programme, Growing Lean Seminar, AgriTech Revolution in Farming and Food Event and a Trading Online Voucher Training Seminar.

Highlights from Local Enterprise Week locally include: “Looking to the Future Seminar” with international US based keynote speaker Kevin Coupe along with 2 local companies Catherine Roycroft, Chief Operations Officer with Cartoon Saloon and John Duggan, Managing Director LoanITT Ltd. This free event takes place virtually on Wednesday evening 3rd March @ 6.30pm. Also taking place on Wednesday morning is the commencement of the Management Development Programme for owner/managers of small businesses. The Management Development Programme is the Local Enterprise Offices most comprehensive offering to small businesses. It is aimed at owner/managers who have a strong commitment to developing and expanding their business onto the next stage of its business cycle despite the challenging economic conditions posed at present. The Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny will also be hosting a series of one-to-one mentoring clinics during Local Enterprise Week in the areas of marketing, finance and Lean for Micro.

An Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar T.D. will officially opening Local Enterprise Week at the first Spotlight event, the Green for Micro launch on March 1st. He said: “We’ve all had to do things a little differently because of the pandemic and I’ve no doubt that those participating will find this year’s week just as useful and interesting”. He added “ Local Enterprise Offices are the point of contact for many of the Government’s grants and training schemes, such as the new Green for Micro initiative, the Trading Online Voucher Scheme and the Lean programme. Local Enterprise Week is the perfect opportunity to have a look at what help is available and find what works best for your business.”

Fiona Deegan Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny said: “Small businesses throughout Kilkenny are being severely impacted by Covid-19 restrictions and many haven’t been able to trade fully since last year. That’s why initiatives like Local Enterprise Week are more important than ever as they showcase all the supports that are available to small businesses and start-ups now. As well as the ten ‘Spotlight’ events, we are offering a full programme of events over the five days of Local Enterprise Week. Our advice to all local businesses and to those with a business idea, is to have a look at the events taking place by visiting LocalEnterprise.ie/Kilkenny and to book early.”

Details for events taking place for Local Enterprise Week, from March 1st to 5th, are available at https://www.localenterprise.ie/Kilkenny/Training-Events/Local-Enterprise-Week-2021/ Local Enterprise Week is an annual initiative from the Local Enterprise Offices and supported by Enterprise Ireland, Local Authorities and the Government of Ireland.