LEO Offaly News September 2023

Nail Your Marketing Message

Lunchtime Networking Event - October 4th

LEO Offaly is hosting a networking lunchtime event in the County Arms Hotel, Birr on 4th October. This is another opportunity for business owners to learn more and to foster connections in their business community.

The Nail Your Marketing Message networking lunchtime event will assist participants in unlocking powerful marketing messages and provide an opportunity to connect with fellow professionals,

Una Ryan, from The Marketing Eye, is a dynamic speaker who will share her expertise, cutting-edge trends, and innovative strategies to help businesses stay ahead of the game.

The link to Book is here: Localenterprise.ie/Offaly/Training-Events/Online-Bookings/Nail-Your-Marketing-Message-Join-Our-Networking-Lunchtime-Event! 


Saturday Clinic

Saturday Appointments with a Mentor - Saturday 7th October!

Unlock the power of personalised digital marketing for your small business – book your free 50-minute mentoring session with digital marketing expert Aisling Hurley, MSc, and tailor your strategy to connect with consumers effectively across all platforms. Don't miss this unique opportunity to analyze your digital assets and address specific challenges, whether they're platform-wide or website-specific.

Book your 50-minute session here! 


NWED 2023 event image

National Women's Enterprise Day 2023!

It's happening this October 19th at the picturesque Castle Durrow Laois! This annual business networking gathering is dedicated to businesswomen from our Midlands Region, including Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath.

These notable speakers will be there:

  • Terry Prone from The Communications Clinic and renowned businesswoman and author
  • Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School
  • Anna Marie McHugh of the National Ploughing Association / Championships,

This event is a collaboration brought to you by our dedicated teams in Local Enterprise Offices Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath.

To book a place click on the following link: https://tinyurl.com/2w6b9pej 


Feigherys Farm logoBiaSol logoWild Irish Foragers

Three Offaly businesses named finalists in the Irish Made Awards

BiaSol in Tullamore and Wild Irish Foragers in Shinrone have been shortlisted in the Food category while Feigherys Farm in Kilcormac has been named in the Drink category.

BiaSol upcycles brewers' spent grain, a by-product of craft beer, into functional grains and baking mixes. These products are high in protein and fibre, full of calcium and B-Vitamins, iron, and zinc, and are locally made in Offaly. Wild Irish Foragers & Preservers is a small family-run business deeply rooted in the heart of Ireland where they forage from the woodlands, meadows, hedgerows and boglands. They produce syrups, shrubs and preserves.

The annual awards, now in their seventh year, celebrate the best home-grown products in Ireland.

Public voting for finalists across the fourteen categories is now live on the Irish Country Magazine website: Irishcountrymagazine.ie/vote 


Gretchen for Ploughing 2023

Local Enterprise Village at the Ploughing Championships, Ratheniska, County Laois

Gretchen Donovan, Glass Innovations Ltd. based in Ferbane and more than 30 small businesses from across the country will get a chance to sell and promote themselves to crowds of almost 300,000 as part of our #LocalEnterprise Village at the Ploughing Championship in September. Glass Innovations Ltd. provide a decoration service for bottles and glasses for drink, candles and diffuser customers such as Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes, Handmade Soap, Fragrances of Ireland and Max Benjamin. This opportunity to meet with thousands of people at the Local Enterprise Village, which is one of the most popular stands at the Ploughing, will provide a great boost to Glass Innovation’s business. 


Training & Events

Local Enterprise Office Offaly has been planning a variety of new and interesting training for our small business owners and entrepreneurs for the remainder of 2023. 

The Start Your Own Business programme will run with both in-person and hybrid courses available. This is our primary course for people who are setting up a new business for the first time and it is a hugely beneficial grounding in the basics for running your own business.  If you are thinking of starting out, this one is for you.

There are other courses aimed at the financial side as well as a comprehensive suite of courses around Productivity, Competitiveness, Websites, Marketing and all things Digital Marketing.

Most of our courses are FREE OF CHARGE! Whether it is starting a business or growing a business there is something suitable for everyone. Full details and a link to book is here: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Offaly/Training-Events/Online-Bookings/   

EMBRACING A COMPETITIVE FUTURE

No matter what product or service they provide, businesses across every sector can find ways in which to improve - whether they take steps to become more sustainable, adhere to the Lean principles of maximising value while minimising waste or optimise their offering with the latest technology, there is always room for an upgrade.

To enable businesses all over Ireland to improve in these areas, Local Enterprise Offices have a range of Green, Lean and Digital supports which will help companies to cut costs, improve productivity and become more sustainable, which will in turn give them more of a competitive edge.

Get in touch with us to get the process started! Our Contact Details are HERE>>>

Download the latest LEO Supports Brochure HERE!

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Business Users Support Scheme for Kerosene (BUSSK) - a new scheme to help businesses

The Government has launched a new scheme for businesses that were impacted by significant increases in the cost of Kerosene in 2022.

The Business Users Support Scheme for Kerosene (BUSSK) will compensate eligible businesses for 50% of the increased cost of Kerosene purchased for heating their business premises during the period from 1st March to 31st December 2022, compared to the average retail price for the same period in 2021. There will be a guaranteed minimum subsidy payment of €500.

The scheme will remain open for applications until 31st October 2023. Find out more here: http://www.bussk.ie 

Download flyer here

Opportunities for SMEs to cut costs and become more sustainable in the use of water as Uisce Éireann and Small Firms Association join forces to promote Water Stewardship.

Small and medium-sized enterprises could make savings on their water bills and improve the sustainability of their businesses by participating in Uisce Éireann's Water Stewardship Programme.

The organisation has partnered with the Small Firms Association (SFA) to promote the programme, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of water conservation and provide SMEs with the tools and knowledge to become water-friendly businesses.

Full details are available by clicking HERE!