LEO Dublin City has a broad range of supports that help Creative companies:
Mentoring
Each week we run a FREE Business Advice Clinic. Over two hours, an experienced Business Advisor explains the essentials of starting your own business. Bookings can be made here.
For more tailored support, our one to one mentoring programme connects you with an experienced business mentor to provide you with advice to suit your business needs. Each session offers you up to 3 hours contact time with a mentor, which can be made up of onsite/off site visit(s), email/telephone support or time guiding your research for your business. You can choose between one 3 hour (€50) or two 3 hour (€100) sessions. Applications can be made here.
Training
We offer a variety of training workshops and courses to support individuals starting a business.
Over 4/5 weeks, our Start Your Own Business course provides a comprehensive overview of what it takes to start your own business. On completion of the course participants will have developed the necessary skills and knowledge to assess the market and financial viability of their business idea/project.
In addition to this, we also run a number of workshops to develop entrepreneur’s skillsets and understanding. Topics include Marketing Strategy, Social Media & Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation, Tax and Bookkeeping, intellectual property and Brexit to name just some of the subjects covered.
In partnership with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) we also offer the Building Craft and Design Enterprise (BCDE) Programme. The BCDE Programme targets ambitious Craft and Design based businesses who want to inject new ideas and approaches to product development into their practices. If you wish to register your interest in the programme for 2020 you can do so here.
Through Dublin City Council’s Central Library we also run the Spring and Autimn series of free talks on the essentials of starting a business.
For more information and to make a booking visit https://www.localenterprise.ie/DublinCity/Training-Events/Online-Bookings/
Management Development Programmes
Our Hi Start Management Development Programme assists ambitious early stage growth focused companies to identify and build foundations required to secure investment and scale the business in international markets. If you would like to take part in this programme, register
Aimed at owners/ managers and key staff members of small business who wish to gain an introduction to LEAN concepts, the Lean for Micro Management Develop Programme allows them to gain a practical understanding of LEAN principles. If you would like to take part in this programme, register your interest here.
Our Accelerate Programme provides the owner/manager with the management, leadership, business skills and knowledge to achieve sustainability and growth in their business. Register your interest here to participate in our next programme.
Plato Dublin provides practical training, business counselling and support so that you acquire the skills necessary to help your business grow and prosper. The programme also provides access to experienced executives from large organisations to support you throughout the two year programme. To find out more visit www.platodublin.ie.
Financial Supports
We offer a number of financial supports to individuals when starting their own Food business including the Feasibility Grant (market research, prototype development), Startup (Priming) Grant (salary costs), Business Expansion Grant (salary costs) Trading Online Voucher (eCommerce) as well as the Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters Grant (international tradeshows).
Alternatively we can assist you with making a Microfinance Ireland (MFI) Loan application. MFI offer unsecured loans of between €2,000 and €25,000 to cover working capital, marketing costs as well as the purchase of stock, equipment, machinery and business vehicles. Applications made through LEO Dublin City can avail of a preferential interest rate.
If you are interested in the financial supports available through LEO Dublin City please ensure you read the eligibility criteria before applying.
Networks
Networking is a valuable and productive activity for owner/managers. Networking puts you in contact with like-minded people whose experience and knowledge can help greatly in helping you solve the day-to-day problems of business and benefit from the opportunities that may arise.
Women in Business
Plato
