'The beginning is the most important part of the work,' Plato

(l to r) Brian Moore, Motivational Speaker & Referral Expert; John Flynn, MD, BCS Computers; Eoin Tynan O'Mahony , Regional Manager Plato MidWest yours truly at launch of Plato Midwest Advanced Group earlier this year



For the last few months, I have been attending the Plato Midwest Advanced Group in Shannon, so I thought I would tell you a little bit about it and what it involves.

I've been a member of Plato for a few years now and have always found it useful as a Sole Trader, working alone, to have a confidential forum for discussion, problem solving and general brainstorming of ideas.

That is what Plato is all about, the peer to peer group discussion as well as the involvement of the Group Leaders from multinationals and large companies in the Region.

You get the benefit of the large company experience and specialist knowledge from the Group Leaders and I have found that neither they nor the other members in the Group are shy in coming forward with advice!

The Plato Advanced Group moves it up a notch and the idea is that it will help me to focus more on where my business is going, to find my niche and challenge me to come up with a clearer vision.

So far I have been finding the Group very beneficial for a few different reasons:

As I said above, working alone, you don’t have the benefit of a team around you so in some ways I see Plato as filling that gap.

Coming up with ideas all the time is challenging. As part of developing a clear, strategic vision for your business, you need new ideas that set you apart so I have had to actively seek new ways of developing them.

This in turn has energised what I am doing.

I will keep you posted on how it develops but for now it’s a winning formula for me.

Plato Midwest is an initiative of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment through the Enterprise Boards of Clare, Limerick County and Limerick City with the support of Limerick Chamber, IBEC and Fas.

Further information visit www.plato.ie/midwest.

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business, Alan English, Limerick Leader, Guest speaker !

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business

Local editor, Alan English, guest speaker

16th October 2012, Strand Hotel Limerick City, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Cost : €30

Folks, I am running another PR course in Limerick City, next Tuesday and if you own or run a small business in Limerick City and would like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media then this workshop could be for you!
Organised by Limerick City Enterprise Board the course is Great Value for money and lunch is provided.

The one day workshop presented by myself will help you by providing practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for your business. I will cover media relations top tips, the ‘do's and don’ts’ when dealing with the media, tips for writing press releases and setting up photocalls.

In addition, Alan English, editor of the Limerick Leader, will join the workshop as guest speaker to give us some inside track on the challenges facing local media today so we can look forward to that.

Places are limited so booking is essential, please book your place online at http://www.limceb.ie/event-registration/?ee=76email. See www.limceb.ie for details on this and other workshops for small businesses.

Some testimonials:

“Since attending the PR workshop which Niamh was running in conjunction with Limerick City Enterprise Board my whole approach to the PR and marketing of my business has become much more effective. Niamh has great insight into the tricks of the media trade and a very clear way of dispensing this information to others. I would highly recommend anyone in business to take one of Niamh’s workshops.” Asa Carlsson / House of Norden – The Scandinavian Design Boutique.”

“I really enjoyed the course, it was a fantastic insight into the local and national media outlets, it gave me a completely different mindset of how PR works and I am very grateful for that. I would recommend it to any business, big or small, new or old.” Marie Keating, Marie Keating Photography.

Limerick City Enterprise Board launches Limerick Business Week 2012

Dear all,

Please see press release below from Limerick City Enterprise Board regarding the launch of Limerick Business Week 2012.

Limerick Business Week is in its ninth year and has attracted hundreds of business people each year and this year will be no different.

The events are all FREE of charge, there is a fantastic line up of speakers so its a must for all business people in Limerick City & County.

Have a look, I hope to see you all there!

Niamh

Limerick City Enterprise Board launches Limerick Business Week 2012, 1st to 5th October

(l to r) Pat Rickard, Chairman of Limerick City Enterprise Board, Dr. Helena Lenihan, Assistant Dean, Research and Senior Lecturer in Economics ,Kemmy Business School, UL; Eamon Ryan, CEO, Limerick City Enterprise Board and Cllr Gerry McLoughlin, Mayor of Limerick City.


PRESS RELEASE

Limerick City Enterprise Board launches Limerick Business Week 2012, 1st to 5th October

Limerick City Enterprise Board, responsible for developing small business through training, mentoring, financial assistance and other services in Limerick City, has announced details of Limerick Business Week 2012, which will run from the 1st to the 5th of October.

Limerick Business Week will provide support and information to assist and promote businesses in Limerick. The City Enterprise Board has teamed up with a number of business organisations and agencies to organise a packed week of networking events, presentations, seminars, a business showcase and workshops.

Highlights during the week will include ‘Brighter Horizons’ on Monday 1st October with Dr. Helena Lenihan, Assistant Dean, Research and Senior Lecturer in Economics at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick. Dr. Lenihan will talk about the impact of Enterprise Policy Interventions on small businesses in Ireland. With a current unemployment rate in the region of 14.9%, any jobs strategy needs an enterprise policy dimension.

The events include, on the 3rd of October, ‘Growing your Business in International Markets’ with Dr.Briga Hynes, Kemmy Business School, UL, Neil Kelly, Enterprise Ireland and John MacNamara, BCM Ltd, which will ask ‘Why export?’ and will look at what it means for pre-export and early stage exporting companies or existing companies wishing to explore international markets.

The Mayor of Limerick City, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin, who officially launched Limerick Business Week at City Hall commented, “I am delighted to see the continued level of support for small business provided by the Enterprise Boards in Limerick. Their training programmes are second to none, ranging from more traditional areas such as bookkeeping and marketing to cutting edge disciplines such as ebusiness. We look forward to Limerick Business Week and at a time when there are more challenges than ever facing small business, the role of the Enterprise Boards is more critical than ever.”
Eamon Ryan, CEO of Limerick City Enterprise Board said, “For almost 20 years now, we have supported local entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses. Our message continues to be that ‘we are open for business’ and ‘we can help’ through our various training and development programmes, mentoring or business grants. We look forward to meeting local businesses during Limerick Business Week and we hope they will benefit from the wide variety of advice and insights on offer.”

Events during Limerick Business Week are free of charge but prior booking is essential. Log on to www.limceb.ie for full details and booking information or contact Limerick City Enterprise Board on 061 312611.

The CEBs in Ireland were established by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation with responsibility for promoting Enterprise through training, mentoring and financial assistance. CEBs provide direct grant support to new and existing enterprises, and are uniquely positioned to understand local needs and know the background and track record of those applying for support and assistance.

Limerick Business Week Overview

Mon 1st October
Brighter Horizons & Networking, Limerick Strand Hotel
Booking www.limceb.ie

Tues 2nd October
Chamber Top Ten Sales Tips, National Franchise Centre
Booking Limerick Chamber info@limerickchamber.ie

Wed 3rd October
International Markets, Clarion Hotel
Going Global, a Female Perspective, Carlton Castletroy Park Hotel
Booking www.limceb.ie

Thurs 4th October
Irish Innovation Showcase, DELL, Raheen
Booking www.irishinnovationshowcase.ie

Fri 5th October
Small Business Start-Ups, Absolute Hotel
Booking http://www.paulpartnership.ie

Dear readers,

Last month, I posted on my blog about some PR workshops which I was planning in the Autumn, well the first of these is in Ennis on 4th October for Clare County Enterprise Board, details below. If you are interested in coming along, booking details below or please pass on to friends, colleagues who you think might be interested.

Thanks  a million,

Niamh

Effective PR Strategies for Small Business

4th October 2012, Woodstock Hotel , Ennis, 9.30am to 4.30pm

Do you own or run a small business in Co. Clare? Would you like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media? Then this workshop is for you!

Organised by Clare County Enterprise Board and presented by my good self, the one day workshop will help you by providing practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for your business.
I will cover media relations top tips, the ‘do's and dont's’ when dealing with the media as well as tips for writing press releases and setting up photocalls.

In addition, a guest speaker from the local media will give some inside track on the challenges facing local media today.

Places are limited so booking is essential, please book your place online at http://www.clareceb.ieor contact Clare County Enterprise Board on 065 684 1922

Some testimonials:

“Since attending the PR workshop which Niamh was running in conjunction with Limerick City Enterprise Board my whole approach to the PR and marketing of my business has become much more effective. Niamh has great insight into the tricks of the media trade and a very clear way of dispensing this information to others. I would highly recommend anyone in business to take one of Niamh’s workshops.” Asa Carlsson / House of Norden – The Scandinavian Design Boutique.”

“I really enjoyed the course, it was a fantastic insight into the local and national media outlets, it gave me a completely different mindset of how PR works and I am very grateful for that. I would recommend it to any business, big or small, new or old.” Marie Keating, Marie Keating Photography.



Autumn PR Workshops in Limerick & Clare

Autumn Dates for your Diary

PR Workshops for Small Business in Limerick & Clare

Do you own or run a small business in Limerick City or Co. Clare? Would you like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media? Then this Autumn, I will be running two one day PR Workshops, one in Limerick City and one in Ennis, Co.Clare on behalf of the Enterprise Boards.

The PR Workshops will help you by providing practical advice on how to develop an effective PR strategy for your business.  I will dispel the myth that PR is too expensive for the smaller business, explain how to get better ‘bang for your buck’ when dealing with the media and encourage you to think creatively about how to use PR as a tool in promoting your business.

The details are as follows:

Clare County Enterprise Board, 4^th October, Woodstock Hotel, Ennis, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Limerick City Enterprise Board, 16^th October, Strand Hotel Limerick, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

In addition to this I will be holding a Mentoring Clinic on PR in Limerick on behalf of Limerick City Enterprise Board on the 26^th of October at Limerick City Enterprise Board offices on Michael Street, Limerick. The Clinic will be made up of six one to one mentoring sessions  following on from the Workshop on the 16th.

Both Enterprise Boards will be publicizing details of their Autumn training in due course and I will be doing a further blog post in the next few weeks. In the meantime, note the dates if you are interested.

You can contact me on 087 122 0119 if you have any queries or keep an eye on Clare County Enterprise Board and Limerick City Enterprise Board websites for further info and details on how to book.

Local Limerick Business scoops National Awards

 Elaine Sparling, Founder, Hummingbird Learning Centre (Photo: Morning Star Photography)

(l to r) Bobby Kerr, Judge, National Vodafone Start Up Awards, Elaine Sparling, Founder, Hummingbird Learning Centre, Colm O’Regan, Comedian & MC , National Vodafone Start Up Awards

Elaine Sparling, Founder, Hummingbird Learning Centre, Bobby Kerr, Judge, National Vodafone Start Up Awards, Ray Sparling, Elaine's husband

(l to r) Gaye Moore, Business Mentor and founder of The Women's Business with Elaine Sparling, Founder, Hummingbird Learning Centre (Photo: Morning Star Photography)

On the 24th of May, local entrepreneur and businesswoman Elaine Sparling, founder of Hummingbird Learning Centre scooped not one but two awards at the National Vodafone Start Up Awards in Dublin.

Please see below the press release with all the details about her win but I would just like to congratulate Elaine on winning the accolade and say well done also on Newstalk on Sunday morning last and on all the coverage today in the Limerick Leader, Limerick Post & Sunday Business Post online! 

Well done to Shauna Kennedy of Morning Star Photography on taking such great pix too which were used in the media today.


Elaine also attributes much of her success to the support of her friends and colleagues in Gaye Moore's TWB , The Women's Business Referral Network .


Great example of a small business using PR to maximise their exposure.!


Best of luck for the future Elaine and for your forthcoming Family Literacy Day planned for the 7th of July at the University of Limerick, further details to be announced soon!


Niamh 

PRESS RELEASE

Local Limerick business scoops Gold & Bronze in National Vodafone

Start Up Awards

(5^th  June 2012) Limerick business Hummingbird Learning Centre, which helps children and adults to overcome learning difficulties, has scooped two prizes in the 2012 Vodafone Start Up of the Year Awards.

Elaine Sparling, founder of the Hummingbird Learning Centre from Adare Co. Limerick, was presented with Gold in the Service Industry Category for her business and Bronze in the Social Enterprise category at the recent Awards ceremony in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel. 

The Awards are about recognising young, exciting, entrepreneurial Irish companies across all sectors of the Irish economy.

Bobby Kerr, of RTE’s Dragons Den and Awards Judge said, “The judges felt that Hummingbird Learning Centre should be awarded gold for a great system of literacy and numeracy teaching, which was unique, innovative and appealing to people. They identified a social issue and developed a strong solution and a teaching method which will change people’s lives.”

Speaking about the Awards, Elaine Sparling said, “We are thrilled that educational needs were recognised as being important through these Awards. Many people struggle with traditional learning methods because they see the world in a different way to everyone else. Through working with people to identify their individual learning style, we help overcome difficulties and turn learning into a positive experience. Often, these people are the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow who will create a better future for us all.”

Based in Adare, Co Limerick, Hummingbird Learning Centre was set up in 2011. Through the Hummingbird Method developed by Elaine Sparling, the Centre specialises in helping adults and children with learning difficulties from mild spelling and maths issues to learning difficulties associated with Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and other conditions.

Effective learning requires certain basic skills from stress reduction to time management to name but a few. Through The Hummingbird Method these essential skills, when mastered, allow people to store and recall information easily, faster and more effectively.

In addition to offering specialised learning programmes for children, teens and adults, Hummingbird Learning Centre offers support to parents, teachers and others who are helping people to learn and grow.

A Family Literacy Day is planned by Hummingbird Learning Centre for 7^th of July at the University of Limerick, further details to be announced.

Further information will be available on www.hummingbirdlearningcentre.com or on facebook.com/hummingbirdlearningcentre and Twitter @HummingbirdLC.

Ends.

More about Elaine Sparling & The Hummingbird Method™

Elaine Sparling is originally from Derryquay, Tralee, Co. Kerry, daughter of Liam & Sheila Sayers. A Master Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, she created the Hummingbird Method™ to help adults and children overcome the effects of various learning difficulties and disabilities. Elaine also mentors at Coder Dojo, Limerick. Further details are available on Elaine’s Linked In profile, www.linkedin.com/in/elainesparling.

Elaine is available for interviews, contact her on Tel: + 353 87 299 6054.

Effective learning requires certain basic skills that almost any child or adult can learn with proper coaching and motivation. These essential learning skills include areas such as stress reduction; focus & attention; organization; reading; spelling; handwriting; vocabulary memorization; memorization of abstract information; memorizing maths facts; telling time; goal setting and others.

Through The Hummingbird Method™ these essential skills, when mastered, allow you to store and recall information easily, faster and more effectively. Learning becomes an easy, naturally successful activity and confidence soars. 

More about the Vodafone Start Up Awards

The Vodafone Startup Awards had 15 categories in total and represented entries from young Irish Companies, Partnerships or Sole Traders trading in the Republic of Ireland, privately owned, in business for less than three years on March 1st 2012 and employing 30 staff or less. See www.startupawards.ie for a complete list of winners and further details about the Awards.

Some PR Myths Debunked

There are many myths out there about PR, often compounded by images such as those portrayed in Absolutely Fabulous, the great sitcom. I love Ab Fab, it's hilarious and brilliantly done but it's not PR in the real world. I thought I would try to dispel some of the myths surrounding PR, if anybody has any comments I would love to hear them!


1.PR is free advertising

PR is not free advertising, with advertising you pay for the space and your ad appears. With PR you are working to find an interesting angle and get your story published if it's newsworthy but it's not free in the sense that there is time involved , either your own or that of a PR professional and you will have associated costs etc such as photography.

2. No such thing as bad publicity

I dont agree with this one, I think that there is such a thing as bad publicity and that generally, businesses should avoid it where possible and have a strategy in place to deal with potential crises.

3. PR is too expensive for small businesses

It depends on what you want to do, PR can actually be very cost effective for businesses operating on a tight marketing budget. A simply executed photocall can be very effective for example with the right picture, story and timing.

4. She is 'good with people' so she's 'in PR'

It's a given that anybody in business, let alone PR needs to be good with people.  It's not just about that, there are other skills involved.

5. PR is about sipping champagne and attending functions

This is so not the case, particularly in the current climate. It's the Ab Fab image, sipping the 'bolly'. PR is most certainly not about this and in my experience, PR people are normally too busy at these functions and don't have time to drink!

6. PR is about sending out press releases

Yes, PR involves sending out press releases but it's not just about that. It's about understanding the communications process, what needs to be communicated and why and what is the best way of doing this. It may or may not be using a press release.

The challenge with PR is that it is intangible and misunderstood by many so it often gets confused with other areas of business which may be similar. PR is about reputation and managing that reputation, it's about getting the right message across about your business and what you do as simply and effectively as possible.

All organisations, large or small can benefit from having a sustained PR campaign which can help create a competitive advantage, build business and protect a business in a crisis.

"Not the end of the Story", Sunday Times Magazine, 15th April 2012

I read this article in the Sunday Times Magazine recently (15th April 2012) and it really got me thinking about a world without newspapers and what that might be like - not too nice I would say - personally I like to pick up a newspaper, flick through it etc and generally take my time over it. With the Sunday's , I read them throughout the week and magazines sit around even longer, (Ive only just got around to reading this piece now! ). It's not the same in front of a computer screen and you certainly don't linger over a lengthy feature as you might with a newspaper and a coffee, you grab the headlines and get on with the day.

'Not the end of the Story' explores what newspapers are doing to survive in the Internet Age and is by the journalist Tim Rayment, who began his career in Grimsby Telegraph. When I read it I thought I would share it with you but in tune with the article itself, it is behind a paywall so you have to subscribe to read it in full! So it seems that things are moving in this direction, Mr Rayment's concluding remark was that "the immediate future is multiplatform - on smartphones, tablets, traditional computer screens and printed paper with paywalls proliferating to try to fund the journalism."

So newspapers are not dead yet then?

Much is discussed in this article about the decline in newspaper circulation in the UK and around the world, particularly regional newspapers, and many points are made about the risk facing the industry. There is no doubt but the industry is at risk and giving news away for free online as papers have been doing has, in my view, potentially damaged many brands.

However, according to Rayment's article, papers like the Sunday Times and The Times are making more money now from subscriptions and online advertising than they were from advertising when their sites were free! What news papers seem to be doing is reinventing themselves and I believe that ultimately, this will benefit the reader in the form of better, more creative, interactive and exciting content both online and in printed papers.

Closer to home, our regional titles are being challenged as elsewhere but what I think we are seeing is a reinvention of the model with the introduction of apps, epapers and a mix of paid for digital formats and premium products helping to fund the newspapers so hopefully they will survive.

I for one hope that the newspaper is here to stay, in the same way that I hope books wont disappear, I am all for advances in technology but did I read somewhere that Long Playing records and turntables are making a comeback ......say no more...........!

A picture really does tell a story..............and can sell a story.

Members of the National Harp Orchestra, Castleconnell, Co. Limerick, 

 directed by world renowned Irish harper Janet Harbison, selected to represent Ireland at the 10^th European Youth Music Festival in Linz Austria, where over 198 Music Schools from all over Europe  performed. 

I frequently find that the importance of a good photograph (see above), and by that I mean a shot which is well thought out,  taken by a professional photographer and sent into the papers the way they want it, is often underestimated by many businesses when doing PR. As a result, they may not get the results they are looking for and wonder why. Simply taking a shot with a digital camera and sending it in in the hope that it will be published is not sufficient. It's a very competitive space with local newspapers receiving literally hundreds of photos each week (more at a national level in the dailies ) so you have to stand out to be published.

With that in mind I wanted to put down a few points on the topic which hopefully people will find useful if setting up photocalls to carry out publicity for their businesses.

- think about the shot which you want to set up, who is involved, what is the story , generally I would advise against having too many people in a photograph, try to limit to three or so

- hire your own professional PR photographer who supplies pictures to the newspapers on a regular basis and knows what they want and how to send it to them. I work with several photographers in Limerick including Kieran Clancy, Keith Wiseman & Press 22 - all brilliant and creative.There are others but the main thing is that they are press photographers.

- invite the local press also if the story is strong enough but have your own photographer there as a back up.

- where are you going to take it, inside or outside, do you need permission for a certain location etc.If outside, whats the weather and do you have a fallback if its raining. Discuss the location with your photographer as he may advise you.

- do you need a prop, if so, organise this in advance as it can take time to pull together.

- what time of day and what day of the week do you organise the photocall, this is very much dependent on when you are putting your story out, if its next day, hold early in the morning and if you are targeting weekly papers, generally Monday or Tuesday are good days. Check its not clashing with any other major event.

- write the caption for the photographer and supply him with it , names etc

The above is by no means definitive but it does provide some of the basic tips. 

I have included some more shots below which achieved good coverage at both a local and national level:

Enterprise Boards in Midwest support creation of 245 jobs through Dell European Globalisation Fund

John Twomey, Emutex and Pauric Logue, Wiseloads
Innovative online transport specialist Wiseloads teamed up with Limerick based software developer Emutex to launch a ‘one stop shop’ online delivery service for postage, parcels or pallets to any destination in Ireland, the UK and Europe. 

Marketlink hosts Open Forum on Sports Marketing at LIT

As part of the ongoing programme of activity for Limerick as European City of Sport 2011, Marketlink, the innovation and entrepreneurship programme for students at LIT, hosted its 2011 Open Forum on Sports Marketing at LIT  (5^th April 2011) attended by students and business people from the Midwest Region.

PR for the Small Business Enterprise, Mentoring Clinics by Quinn Communications in Limerick

Following on from my PR course on Effective Strategies for the Small Business for Limerick City Enterprise Board, I will be running a series of mentoring clinics for the Enterprise Board on the 5th of April at the Board's offices in the Granary, Michael Street, Limerick.

The clinics will be from 9.30am to 4.30pm and will be 50 minutes each. Booking is through the Enterprise Board by emailing assistant@limceb.ie , further info on http://www.limceb.ie/.

Some more details:

What will the Mentoring Sessions cover?

The mentoring sessions are designed to cover a specific PR objective which the participant has in mind for his / her business, whether its targeting a particular newspaper or radio station, writing a press release or organising a photocall.

Some typical areas which businesses might want to cover:

• How a good picture sells a story and how to set up a good photo that creates a story.
• Tips on writing a press release that gets results.
• Using PR to get a return for your advertising spend.
• How to create topical angles in relation to what is newsworthy about your business.
• How to build relationships within the media to maximise results.
• How to put together a PR plan for my business


I will be emailing all the participants beforehand to establish exactly what it is they want to cover in the mentoring sessions.

I will also provide email and phone access after the session to should people wish to follow up with any additional questions and I will also contact all participants two weeks after the session to see how they are progressing with their PR.

I would be delighted to have you on one of the sessions where I plan to provide practical and informative advice on how to use PR as part of the marketing mix.

There is a myth that PR is too expensive for the smaller business and I hope to dispel that myth and encourage small businesses to think creatively about how to use PR as a tool in promoting their businesses.

Places are limited to six on the day so if you are interested please book now by contacting Limerick City Enterprise Board on 061 312611 or emailing assistant@limceb.ie. Further info on http://www.limceb.ie/.

Thank you!

Niamh Quinn

PR is like car maintenance.........

Effective PR Strategies

Workshop, 15th March, Strand Hotel Limerick, 9.30am to 4.30pm, bookings assistant@limceb.ie

PR is like car maintenance – it costs time and money when you don’t seem to need it but it saves the expense and embarrassment of major breakdowns! (Public Relations, A Practical Approach by Ellen Gunning). This definition is I think very true, allocating resource to PR is an investment for the future and it can assist in times of crisis.

Also, there are many myths about PR including the most popular one, 'its free publicity' or 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' or ' PR is too expensive for small business'. PR is in fact extremely cost effective for small businesses and contrary to popular belief , it is possible to be effective at it yourself if equipped with the right tools to develop your strategy.

I hope to dispel more myths at a PR workshop which I am running for Limerick City Enterprise Board on 'Effective PR Strategies' , 15th of March, 9.30am to 4.30pm in the Strand Hotel Limerick.

We will also be covering media relations top tips, the do's and dont's when dealing with the media, tips for writing press releases, setting up photocalls and how to be effective in interviews.

If you own or run a small business in Limerick and would like to learn how to deal more effectively with the media and achieve more 'bang for your buck' then this workshop should help you!

If you are interested please email assistant@limceb.ie, places are limited so booking is essential. See http://www.limceb.ie/ for further details on the course.

Economist George Lee addresses Limerick businesses

(l to r) Gerry Moran, ODCL Financial Services, George Lee & Jim O’Donovan, Partner, O’Donovan Caulfield Lavin Chartered Accountants

George Lee, renowned Irish Economist, Journalist and Broadcaster recently spoke to a congregation of business people in Limerick on the 16th of February 2012 about the possible opportunities for growth in the current economic climate.

The breakfast meeting was held in the Strand Hotel which was attended by 100 local business. It seems that SME growth and local businesses building the domestic economy are the key to the future success of the Irish economy, according to Lee who believes "Ordinary people doing great things, that's where the future lies and that's where the passion is right now."

George Lee cited examples of the many inspirational stories he hears each week :

1. Coder Dojo, set up by an 18 year old Irish entrepreneur James Whelton to teach children to write code
2. Stripe, a hi-tech start-up which has just received investment of $100 million
3. Fragrances of Ireland, selling millions on US Shopping channel QVC.

Continued Lee,“In terms of the economy, times are difficult but there are lots of good things happening. Wage costs are down, our inflation rate remains below the European average and our competitiveness continues to improve year on year. I believe that Ireland is well positioned when the recovery comes.”

“There is also much speculation about the Euro but I believe that the Euro is safe and that from an Irish perspective, being in the Euro is a safer place to be than out. “

In relation to the Government’s plan to create 100,000 jobs by 2020, George Lee said, “I do not believe that the Government can create jobs, it can create the environment for jobs and I would urge all SMEs to demand that this environment is in place, rent, rates, access to cash and so on. Exports alone cannot deliver the jobs we need in Ireland. We need Domestic Growth and that growth will be delivered by the SME sector.”

Gerry Moran, Director, ODCL Financial Services also spoke at the breakfast meeting. He focused on small and medium sized business owners, stating the point that Financial Planning and the Financial Planning Process would be very beneficial.

Said Gerry Moran, “Lifestyle Financial Planning is all about ‘knowing your number’ i.e. how much money do you need to fund the lifestyle you have or the lifestyle that you want at some point in the future. For some people, this may mean working longer, spending less or reducing debt to achieve that number. Even in the current economic climate, having a Financial Plan and periodically reviewing that plan is essential if you are to meet your financial goals over time”.

Concluded George Lee, “We have more than what it takes to recover from this recession, but we need to develop a plan, as Gerry Moran has said. The plan should help us to address the new reality which is that maybe we cannot retire as early, or maybe we cannot do the things we want to do right now but, if we have the confidence in ourselves to get on with it, we will be just fine.”

I believe that the advice given by both Lee and Moran should be taken into account as it is highly relevant to many. To see change, we must first be the change.

Limerick City Enterprise Board provides vital support for job creation in City

Pictured are (l to r) Tom Mackey, Chairmain of Limerick City Enterprise Board and Eamon Ryan, CEO of Limerick City Enterprise Board

Some information on the vital role which Limerick City Enterprise Board played in the local economy in 2011 and will continue to play in 2012:

Tom Mackey, Chairman of Limerick City Enterprise Board recently announced details of job creation supported by the Board in 2011 together with details of the Board’s training and development support provided to Limerick City businesses during the year.

369 new jobs were created in 2011 by businesses grant aided by the Board, this was comprised of 241 full time and 128 part time jobs. As at December 2011 and taking into account company closures and job losses during 2011, there was an overall net gain of 100 full time and 61 part time jobs or 161 additional persons in employment in the City in small business supported by the Board.

84 new businesses started in 2011 with the support of the Board, most of them employing 1-3 people. These figures include the businesses supported by Limerick City Enterprise Board through funding from the DELL European Globalisation Fund (EGF).

Overall, 225 businesses in the City, supported by the Board, now employ 1499 full time and 535 part time persons. While some of these businesses are new others have been in business since the Board started its work in 1993.

Eamon Ryan, CEO of Limerick City Enterprise Board said today, “We were delighted to be able to play our part in assisting job creation by businesses in Limerick City during 2011. It was a difficult year for many and 2012 is set to be challenging also. However, Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation has confirmed that the Board’s budget for small business support in 2012 will be retained at the same level as in 2011. This means that the Board can continue to support individuals who wish to start or expand a small business in the City. While it is unlikely that as many new jobs will be created in 2012 it is expected that the creation of at least 50 new jobs in the City will be supported by the Board. In addition a full Training and Development programme will be available to all business owner managers to help them to sustain, develop and grow their businesses for the future.”

A major focus for Limerick City Enterprise Board during 2011 was assisting those with business ideas to get those ideas off the ground, the technology and software sectors were very strong, in particular start ups by graduates of the University of Limerick and LIT. In addition, those former employees of Dell who qualified for grants from the Dell EGF fund were a significant part of the Board’s focus for 2011.

As part of Limerick City Enterprise Board’s ongoing commitment to small business training and development, 1000 participants took part in some aspect of the Board’s training and development programme in 2011, 372 of these were male and 628 female. This figure shows an increase of 231 on the comparative 2010 figure.

The training and development programmes of the Board are divided into seminars and workshops, mentoring and advice, skills training and development programmes, business development programmes, management development programmes, and networking opportunities.

There is a significant trend emerging towards ebusiness programmes such as Online Marketing, Social Media, Using eBay, Facebook Marketing and this area of training was oversubscribed, attracting over 150 participants.

There was a strong demand for traditional programmes on basic bookkeeping, branding, business planning and marketing with over 200 participants in this area.

Start Your Own Business Programmes were run for 64 participants during the year and Management Development Programmes like Accelerate (11), PLATO (20) and a special Management Development Programme for Owner Managers in the Childcare sector (11) were very well supported.

General networking events, including Women in Business events, continue to be in demand and had an attendance of between 30 and 70 depending on the speaker.

The CEBs in Ireland were established by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation with responsibility for promoting Enterprise through training, mentoring and financial assistance.

CEBs provide direct grant support to new and existing enterprises, and are uniquely positioned to understand local needs and know the background and track record of those applying for support and assistance.

Plato – a unique collaborative forum for SMEs

(l to r ) above, Eamonn Kelly, CEO, Clare County Enterprise Board, Eoin Tynan O'Mahony, Regional Manager, Plato Midwest & John O'Connell, MD Connor Winfield, Shannon, Plato member. Connor Winfield design & manufacture machine-to-machine communication products and systems amongst other electronic products. They also provide manufacturing services to Irish companies.

I have been a member of Plato Midwest for almost two years now. As a small business owner, I have found the confidential and collaborative nature of Plato to be invaluable as much of my time is spent alone in my office working away as well as planning a way forward for my business, like countless other Owner Managers.

This can be isloating to say the least and while networking etc is brilliant and necessary to do, you dont go along to a networking event to solve your business issues whatever they may be.

What makes Plato unique is the involvement of the multinationals in a mentoring role.

A group of us meets every month for a few hours and we each put our issues on the table for discussion. Our two Group Leaders, both from multinational organisations and excellent in terms of experience and business knowledge, work through these with us with input from the other members. Sometimes a solution is found, sometimes it is not. It's not perfect by any means and the success of the Group is very much down to how people work together, but nine times out of ten, you go away with at least and approach to solving your problem if not a complete solution.

To me this has been very helpful and I dont know of another forum like it.

In a recent survey of member by the Plato organisers, 91% of them reported that participation in Plato had given them more confidence in running their businesses, indeed 41% of them expanded their businesses and took on new employees with 30% reporting an increase in turnover.

Plato runs a Core Programme and an Advanced Programme and has just launched their Advanced Programme for 2012. A free Information Evening to outline details followed by networking and refreshments will be held on Thursday evening, the 9th of February, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ennis Road, Limerick from 6.00 to 7.30pm. If you would like to go along, contact Eoin Tynan O'Mahony , eoin@platomidwest.ie or mob 086 303 5664, Eoin is the Manager of Plato Midwest.

I just wanted to share this experience with you, should you wish to know more about Plato, you can go to . http://www.plato.ie/ and if you want to ask me more about it, you can post a comment or email me at niamh@quinncommunications.ie.