Local Enterprise Office Longford's 2015 Local Enterprise Week
LEO Longford’s Enterprise Week was a great success, with many events and workshops throughout the week supporting local businesses and to encouraging entrepreneurship.
The County Enterprise Awards and Networking Event at County Longford Golf Club included guest speakers Joan Mulvihilll, CEO of Irish Internet Association and Paul Bond, owner of brixworkwear.com sharing their experiences in business and online. Finalists for the County Enterprise Awards, Wendy Louise Designs, Shipmytribike and N&E Precision were presented with a beautiful piece from Thomas Lynam Ceramics on the night. N&E Precision was awarded the overall winners of the County Enterprise Award.
Longford LEO, in association with Longford Women’s Link and t
he Longford Women in Business Network hosted a Women in Business Event at the Sin Bin Event Centre. Guest speakers on the night were Róisín Hogan, Finalist of the BBC's The Apprentice and owner of Híró by Róisín and Helen James, judge on RTE’s Home of the Year and designer of Dunnes Stores Considered range. Both ladies gave an inspiring talk showing how perseverance in business can be rewarded.
A number of workshops were also held throughout the week where local businesses could avail of mentoring sessions in Idea Generation, Website Clinics, the Online Trading Voucher Scheme and LEO supports.
Younger people also took part in Enterprise Week with the Student Enterprise Awards launched in The Backstage Theatre. Gerry Duffy spoke on motivation and goal setting and about his great sporting achievements. Róisín Hogan spoke about her experience in an enterprise competition through The Apprentice and her experiences in setting up her own business.
IBYE Bootcamp, part of the Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur competition also kicked off with nine young Longford entrepreneurs having made it through to the County Final, with three winners to share in a prize fund of €50,000 and going on to the Regional Final. The National Final will then see one young person named Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur.
Longford LEO launched its Autumn Training and Mentoring Programme, with courses offered in Retail Renewal, Starting Your Own Business and Social Media Marketing.
