business-startup.ie

The Dragons are coming to Carlow!! in the form of Norah Casey & Gavin Duffy as part of an exciting new programme called “The Business Toolbox” hosted by Carlow County Enterprise Board & Carlow Chamber of Commerce. The Dragons will be joined by Apprentice Finalist, Joanne Sweeney Burke from Media Box and a host of speakers with local, national and international experience for this seminar experience.  The first seminar is to be held in the Seven Oaks Hotel , Athy Road on Thursday 19^th April 2012 and run from 7.30am-11.00am.

Eight small Irish businesses are crossing the Atlantic later this month to showcase their products to potential US buyers, hoping to secure combined export sales in excess of $200,000 in the next twelve months. Supported by Fingal County Enterprise Board, 'Fingal's Finest' are attending the 'Ireland Show', taking place on April 21st to 24th in Secaucus, New Jersey.  One of the United States largest 'Irish' trade shows, attended by hundreds of influential buyers and industry leaders every year, it offers Irish companies a unique opportunity to meet and impress key representatives from the lucrative Irish-American gifts and crafts market. 

The Peats closure story really truck a chord with me as I was working from home the other morning before attending a rather sad funeral of a young man from the locality. It is so sad to see venerable quality firms such as Peats go out of business. They had a huge reputation for what is supposed to be the key to business success, a dedication to customer service and well trained helpful staff. They did their business in a professional way with nice retail stores offering quality products with first class after sales service. Clearly such values are no longer enough.

SME-owners, sole traders, businesspeople and the general public are invited to climb the Reek this June as part of the second Irish SME community “highest Tweet-Up”, taking place this June 16^th.  The charity climb will be raising funds for Mayo Roscommon Hospice; however individuals and collectives are also welcome to fundraise for their own preferred charities.

Exciting events will be happening in Tullow Street in June when Carlow County Enterprise Board in association with Carlow Arts Festival Eigse 2012 and Carlow Town Council present the “Tullow Street Pop Up Shop Project”.  This experience will see 6 premises re-open their doors from 8^th-17^th June 2012 as galleries and craft outlets, and compete for business in a formal commercial environment.

A record number of Irish student entrepreneurs have signed up to the 10th Annual Student Enterprise Awards, according to the organisers at the County and City Enterprise Boards. 2012 marks the tenth anniversary of the first Student Enterprise Awards National Final and since last September, 16,647 budding entrepreneurs from 387 secondary schools have been researching, setting up and running their own enterprises, with help from their teachers and local Enterprise Boards.