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Donegal needs more female
entrepreneurs
22.10.18
FEMALE led businesses
already in Donegal need to be encouraged to act
locally but to grow globally - that was one of the
key messages from the National Women in Enterprise
event held in Burt last week.
The event – one of 16 held across the country –
heard Brenda Hegarty, Assistant Head of Enterprise
in Donegal, explain that the number of women in
enterprise in Ireland and in Donegal is under
represented.
“The gap is narrowing, but it is still too high. Men
are twice as likely to start a business than
females. We need to encourage more female led
businesses to act locally and grow globally. This is
particularly important given our peripheral location
and the recent uncertainty over Brexit. Thinking
globally and acting locally is the key to the
success of the local economy.”
She also explained that in Donegal only around 16%
of the Local Enterprise Office’s client base is from
female-led businesses, adding that 28% of male
entrepreneurs as opposed to just 9% of female
entrepreneurs expect to have 10 or more employees in
5 years.
“The figures are stark, but events like the National
Women in Enterprise event will help shine a light on
the issue, address the gap and hopefully inspire
more females to start and grow a business in
Donegal,” she said. |
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Pictured at the National Women in
Enterprise event in An Grianan Hotel Burt last week
were from left - Brenda Hegarty, Assistant Head of
Enterprise in Donegal, Larissa Feeney of
Accountantonline.ie; Grace Korbel, Local Enterprise
Office; Maire Morris, fashion consultant; Heidi
Higgins, fashion designer; Eileen Kelly, Enterprise
Europe Network and Jenny Holloway of Fashion
Capital. |
Thursday’s event held
in An Grianan Hotel in Burt also heard from a panel
of speakers including global expert in the business
of luxury fashion, Máire Morris; Larissa Feeney,
founder and CEO of Accountantonline.ie;
award-winning designer Heidi Higgins and
international fashion industry expert, Jenny
Holloway of Fashion Capital in London.
In her address, Larissa Feeney of
Accountantonline.ie urged those in attendance to
always treat their business as a business from the
very start.
“If you are just starting out there are things you
need to consider, like whether you should be a sole
trader, a partnership or a Limited Company, but you
also need to treat your business as a business from
the very outset.
Write down your goal and then work towards your
goal, that will mean the decisions you make in your
business will align towards that goal,” she said.
Maire Morris insisted there was never a better time
than now to be a small, independent business.
“There are still too few women in business, but
there are opportunities for women to resonate with
consumers – so many of whom are women. With every
change comes opportunity and it is much easier now
than ever for small brands to get to global
markets.”
Brenda Hegarty reminded those in attendance that
applications for the Donegal Business Awards are
currently open and she added that businesses should
also make sure they are aware of the full range of
supports and services on offer from the Local
Enterprise Office.
Details of the Donegal Business Award contest and
details of supports and services available from the
LEO are available from
www.localenterprise.ie . |
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