Patisserie 2210's Una Leonard for Women in Business event

Westmeath gets ready for Local Enterprise Week

Financial Forecasting for Small Business and How to Market Your Business Locally are just some of the events planned for Local Enterprise Week, which takes place from from Monday March 6 to Friday March 10.

Una Leonard of Patisserie 2210 fame will guest speak at the Women in Business event to celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday March 8, a regional event run in conjunction with the LEOs in Longford and Leitrim.

LEO Westmeath will host a range of clinic days on topics such as social media, finance, marketing and HR where businesses can book a one-to-one advisory session on the topic of their choice.

Meanwhile, the winners of the Westmeath Enterprise Awards 2023 will be announced at a ceremony on March 7 in the Mullingar Park Hotel and the County Final of the Students Enterprise Awards will be held in the Golden Island Shopping Centre on March 9.

With thousands expected to attend the events nationwide, and the threat of rising costs for small businesses, this will be the most significant Local Enterprise Week to date.

Events, which will be running online and in person, are open to all, particularly entrepreneurs and those with small businesses. They will cover a whole range of topics including financial forecasting, local marketing, exporting and more.

National Spotlight Events will run online each day, starting off on the morning of March 6 with the First Steps to Export Success webinar which is hosted by the LEO Westmeath.

If you are considering expanding into international markets or if you are an early-stage exporter, the First Steps to Export Success webinar is for you. Organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia, it will heighten awareness of market opportunities and supports available, discuss challenges to internationalisation and feature case studies drawn from both the Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland clients.

What's On

LEO Westmeath is also running a range of free training courses for Westmeath businesses throughout the week including Financial Forecasting for Small Business and How to Market Your Business Locally, and will be hosting a range of clinic days on topics such as social media, finance, marketing and HR where businesses can book a one-to-one advisory session on the topic of their choice.

The week will also include some high-profile events, such as the Women in Business to celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday March 8. This is a regional event run in conjunction with the LEOs in Longford and Leitrim and will include guest speakers from various successful businesses including Mullingar's own Una Leonard of 2210 Patisserie fame.

The winners of the Westmeath Enterprise Awards 2023 will be announced at a ceremony on March 7 in the Mullingar Park Hotel and the County Final of the Students Enterprise Awards will be held in the Golden Island Shopping Centre on March 9.

The full list of local events is available on the website www.localenterprise.ie/westmeath

For more information on Local Enterprise Week and how to find events in each of the 31 Local Enterprise Office areas log on to www.localenterprise.ie/week and you can join the Local Enterprise conversation on social media with #MakingItHappen.

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 7,870 jobs in 2022 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 LocalEnterprise Offices are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland in partnership with the Local Authorities.

Christine Charlton, Head of Enterprise, LEO Westmeath 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 rising costs of living and doing business. Local Enterprise Week is the perfect opportunity to learn what resources are available on your doorstep and who in your network can help your business to plan, start and grow.”