Ambitious female entrepreneurs from Meath sought foraward-winning Going for Growth programme

The call is now open for ambitious female entrepreneurs from Meath, who are looking to take their business to the next level, to apply for the latest cycle of Going for Growth, the award-winning business development initiative.

Going for Growth is a six-month part-time programme, supported by Enterprise Ireland and KPMG, which assists ambitious female entrepreneurs to achieve their growth aspirations. There is no charge to those selected to participate.

This is the 15th year of Going for Growth and more than 850 female entrepreneurs have so far taken part in the programme.

A total of 88% of participants on the 14th Going for Growth programme reported that their involvement brought about practical change within their business and 93% said they felt nearer to achieving their ambitions.

All participants said they would recommend Going for Growth to others.

The figures, which were gathered in their end-of-cycle survey, show the resilience and determination of the entrepreneurs on the programme – and the value of the peer support they received while participating.

The entrepreneurs’ combined turnover increased from €35million at the start of the cycle to €43m by the end, a 23% increase in just six months. Their total workforce increased by 41 people over the cycle, while 27 participants began exporting their products and services for the first time.

Some of the past participants include Aimee Connolly of Sculpted by Aimee; Áine Kerr of Kinzen; Jennifer Corley of Equitrace; Louella Morton of TestReach; Tara Beattie of Mange Tout and Prepsheets.com; and Vanessa Creaven of Spotlight Oral Care.

Past participants from Meath include Audrey Gaffney, founder of Tailor & Wolf, an internationally active design agency for cleverly branded interiors providing; a full interior design service, user flow mapping, design concepts, brand design and architecture for hospitality spaces, healthcare environments, corporate offices, and retail spaces.

Audrey, who was a participant on the 5th cycle says: “Communication is always key especially during tough times, but having that extra support from like-minded individuals, who are also rooting for your success is invaluable. The team at Going for Growth, I know, are always there whenever I need that support. I’d highly recommend any business owner to get involved in Going for Growth”.

Mary Sadlier, CEO of Irish Cream Liqueur company, Coole Swan, was a participant on the 12th cycle of Going for Growth.

Mary says: “The Going for Growth programme was of tremendous benefit to me. To be among so many brilliant women made me grow in confidence and allowed me to ‘lean-in’. The fellow participants are like really good neighbours – they are there with you when need them but not when you don’t”.

The programme is seeking applications from female entrepreneurs – across all sectors – who are strongly focussed on growth. Ideally, businesses should be well established. Applications will also be considered from highly innovative entrepreneurs at an earlier stage of their development if they have already generated some sales and are focused on growth in export markets. (Eligibility criteria in notes below)

Up to 60 places will be available for the 15th cycle of Going for Growth, which will run from January to June 2023. The deadline for applications is Friday, November 18, 2022. There is no charge for those selected. Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to visit the website goingforgrowth.com.

Those selected for the Going for Growth initiative join interactive round table sessions led by Lead Entrepreneurs. The Lead Entrepreneurs are successful businesswomen with personal experience of growing a business. These high-profile business leaders volunteer their time to encourage participants to set and achieve personalised goals and milestones to address the opportunities and challenges they face in driving growth in their businesses.

This year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs include Anne Cusack, formerly Critical Healthcare; Chupi Sweetman-Durney, Chupi; Jeananne O’Brien, Artizan Food Co.; Leonora O’Brien, formerly Pharmapod; Louise Phelan, Phelan Energy Group; Monica Flood, formerly Olas IT; and Oonagh O’Hagan, Meaghers Pharmacy Group.

CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Leo Clancy, said:

“Increasing support for ambitious female entrepreneurship is a key national priority and Enterprise Ireland is proud to support Going for Growth. I believe our close partnership with Going for Growth provides excellent support to our incredible women entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses and achieving global ambition. Strong peer groups, wonderful Lead Entrepreneurs, excellent formal learning opportunities and frameworks for business growth make this a ‘must consider’ for anyone seeking to accelerate her business.”

Partner at KPMG, Olivia Lynch, said:

“KPMG is committed to encouraging domestic entrepreneurship and supporting female entrepreneurs in achieving their growth aspirations. As part of our commitment to diversity we are passionate about ensuring females have the supports they need to succeed. We are delighted to continue supporting Going for Growth; this is an exceptional programme for ambitious women looking to take their businesses to the next level. With the invaluable expertise and encouragement of the Lead Entrepreneurs, this programme engages participants with insights and experiences to succeed and connects them with their peers to boost entrepreneurship in Ireland.”

National Director of Going for Growth, Paula Fitzsimons, said:

“Going for Growth has recognised from the outset that it is not just about the numbers of men and women that are starting a business that is important. That is only one part of the challenge. The other challenge relates to the potential impact of the entrepreneurial effort of those men and women, not only in the early days but over the life of the business.

“The objective of Going for Growth is to encourage female entrepreneurs to become more ambitious; to support them to achieve their growth aspirations; and to realise the full potential of their businesses, on Irish and export markets, throughout the lifetime of their business.”

Log onto www.goingforgrowth.com for more details.