Women"s Enterprise Day beats off recession talk

The Women"s Enterprise Day. held at the Mullingar Park Hotel last week (November 26) flew in the face of economic gloom as 300 established and budding businesswomen travelled from all over the country to network and take advantage of the mentoring service available on the day.Organised by the Westmeath County Enterprise Board the event was a huge success and there was no talk of recession but instead an evident entrepreneurial spirit and talk of moving onwards and upwards rather that looking back.Favourite speaker of the day was undoubtedly Nora Casey, who led a management buy out of Smurfitt Communciations which eventually became Harmonia Publications. Nora, a former nurse and journalist, gave a an hour long talk which went down a storm with her audience.'She was absolutely fantastic and it is so important to hear some good news in amongst all the gloom and doom,' said Regina Bushell who owns Grovelands creche in Mullingar.'I was here last night but had to get a room at the Annebrook because the hotel was fully booked which is great for the area as well. It"s important to take some time out and look at the direction your business is going in.'What we have all been doing here today is to learn from each other. Some things might work for one business and not another but there are always tips that you can pick up that can help even if it is only a small thing.'Things have definitely moved on because I remember when I started my first business 30 years ago that it was much harder to get finance and people didn"t always take women in business seriously.'But just look at the hundreds of women here today who are all in business and must have got finance from somewhere so things are definitely moving along.'Designer Helen James, who works from a studio in Castlepollard was also at the event and said that her business as a hand bag designer was still going from strength to strength despite the recession.'I have been up and running for nearly four years and business is still good,' she said. 'My market is high end boutiques and I am still selling across the country. Nora casey was really fantastic and I loved the way that she approached the talk. I was very inspirational.'"Survive, Thrive and Grow" was the theme of the event, which was hosted by the County and City Enterprise Boards.Delegates heard that women entrepreneurs are making a significant contribution to the economy by starting new businesses at record levels. Over 1000 women are setting up a new business every month with 8 per cent of these entrepreneurs expecting to employ 20 people or more within five years. The challenge is to create the conditions in which these entrepreneurs can survive, thrive and grow to realise their ambitions.To capture the full benefit of this entrepreneurial activity for the benefit of Ireland and local communities, delegates heard that now more than ever, women need to be supported in business to give them the necessary confidence, knowledge and skills to thrive and grow their businesses to their full potential.Speaking at the event, John McGuinness, T.D., Minister for Trade and Commerce said; 'The growth and success of women-owned businesses is recognised as an increasingly important new engine of Ireland"s economic development and it is essential that female entrepreneurs receive adequate support through annual events such as National Women"s Enterprise Day.'Women have certain strengths that will stand them in good stead in a tough economic climate, according to Paula Fitzsimons, Strategy and Management Consultant and MC of National Women"s Enterprise Day.She pointed in particular to their steady approach to business, their risk adverse nature and their openness to seeking independent advice, which fosters confidence during periods of economic difficulty.Fitzsimons was adamant that, 'The myth should be scotched that women do not want to grow their businesses. Two in every three women early stage entrepreneurs expect to become an employer and one in every twelve expect to have very significant businesses. Women owner managers must be empowered to promote themselves and their businesses, to gain the confidence of potential investors and funders, and to turn the present adversity into an opportunity. Women are natural networkers. They must build on this strength and turn it to their advantage.'Welcoming participants at the event Christine Charlton, Chair of the National Women"s Enterprise Day Organising Committee and CEO of Westmeath County Enterprise Board, said; 'Measures to boost female entrepreneurship are central to the strategy of the County & City Enterprise Boards. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) research tells us that a woman who knows another recent entrepreneur is five times more likely to become an entrepreneur herself. We have an increasing number of excellent women entrepreneurs in Ireland, some of whom are here today. This event provides a platform for those role models to inspire future generations of women entrepreneurs to successfully start and grow businesses'.As the economy slows, it is vital that women business owners continue to seek advice and mentoring to support and achieve sustainable growth in the current challenging environment. The County & City Enterprise Boards for their part will continue to provide necessary supports to women entrepreneurs through training, mentoring and the development of networks', she concluded.Delegates benefited from one-to-one mentor sessions provided by a range of consultants, received advice from exhibitor service providers such as FáS, Enterprise Ireland, The County & City Enterprise Boards etc., and availed of networking opportunities throughout the day.