Donegal County Enterprise Board Blog

Sharing, Learning and Having Fun

2012-02-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that its that time of year again but it is, so DCEB staff and many of our colleagues in the economic development agencies are busily preparing a range of exciting business events. Many of the speakers this year are coming to Donegal for the first time to share with us their experiences in business and in life. We have a number of aims this year;

Encourage people to start new businesses (not as hard as you might think as we had 22 people attend our Start your own Business Programme last night!),

Promote the potential in generating a business from your ideas.

Provide guidance and learning through workshops in finance, marketing and web design.

Promote Wellbeing, through taking care of oneself in these challenging times and finally, to

Have some Fun, with the help of two TDs, the Community Chef and some great local Donegal food.

Getting interested? All events are free to attend covering all parts of the county and we would love to meet you, so get the dates March 5th - 9th in your diary and join us at Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2012

Enterprising Donegal Business Awards 2012

2011-12-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

If your business employs less than 50 people in Donegal you now have a great chance to raise your profile. Nominations have now opened for the Enterprising Donegal Business Awards 2012 and businesses across the county are being encouraged to submit an entry. The Awards are recognised as the most prestigious business awards in the County, and they generate huge publicity and business opportunities for the winning companies. Previous award winners include Swilly Group, Gartan Technologies, DS Environmental Services and North West Aluminium.

“The awards acknowledge the talent and determination of small businesses in the county. Despite the tough economic conditions local businesses are continuing to succeed and innovate. The awards are a great way to publicise your business and get recognition for you and your staff” says Michael Tunney, Chief Executive Officer of Donegal County Enterprise Board.

The awards are aimed at small and micro businesses in Donegal and there are a number of award categories including best new business and the coveted Enterprising Donegal Business of the Year. This company goes on to represent Donegal in the National Enterprise Awards.

The closing date for the Enterprising Donegal Business Awards 2012 is Tuesday 31st January. To nominate your company please download and complete this Application Form and return it to Donegal County Enterprise Board, Enterprise Fund Business Centre, Ballyraine, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

Tradelinks Programme

2011-12-02T02:03:00.000-08:00

Would you like to grow your business and receive support where you need it most?

Are you interested in developing your cross-border trade opportunities?

The Tradelinks Programme could be just what you need.

Donegal County Enterprise Board invites micro-enterprises who are interested in developing cross-border trade and linkages, to express their interest in a programme of support, providing opportunities to explore new markets and product development.

LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE

Tradelinks is a business development programme, delivered by Enterprise NI & its network of Local Enterprise Agencies and the Border County Enterprise Boards, designed to assist the micro-enterprise sector across Northern Ireland and the Border counties Donegal, Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim and Sligo in developing their ability to undertake or expand their cross-border trade.

Companies committed to:
· enhancing employment generation opportunities
· developing exporting capability
· addressing barriers to cross border trade
· investigating the opportunities afforded by new technology
· encouraging new market and new product development
· encouraging innovation
will find that the Tradelinks Programme is for them.

Tradelinks will assist micro-businesses by providing:
· a wide-ranging suite of programmes specifically designed to address the issues unique to the micro-enterprise sector.
· a team of experienced assessors and mentors
· the opportunity to form cross-border linkages with similar micro-enterprises
· a full signposting service to other programmes.

Tradelinks hopes to deliver a third tranche of the programme beginning in mid 2012 and are seeking expressions of interest from businesses who believe this programme would be of benefit.

As places will be limited, please identify your expression of interest by emailing Cathy at cslattery@donegalenterprise.ie or call the office on 074 9160735 before Friday 9th December 2011. Companies expressing an interest will be retained on a waiting list and will be contacted at programme commencement.

Regional Enterprise Information Event

2011-11-09T01:36:00.000-08:00

On Friday November 11th at the Lakeside Centre, Ballyshannon the County Development Board in association with Backing Ballyshannon is organising a regional business information expo. The event will run from 10am to 3pm.

Present at the event will be over 30 enterprise support and skills development agencies and organisation as well as local community organisations and businesses, both from within Donegal and the North West region. These will include the following agencies and support organisations:

Enterprise Ireland,
Donegal County Enterprise Board,
Donegal Local Development Company,
Letterkenny Institute of Technology,
Sligo Institute of Technology,
Donegal County Council,
Failte Ireland,
Dept.of Social Protection,
TUATH,
WESTBIC,
Patents Office,
Health & Safety Authority,
FÁS,
Intertrade Ireland
The main commercial banks.

As well as an opportunity to meet with the enterprise and skills support agencies and to learn from the experience of existing local businesses there will be three free workshops during the day. These will be:

11am Workshop 1.
Starting Your Own Business – M Tunney, Donegal CEB and John McNamara, Sendmode.ie

1pm Workshop 2.
“BeSMART “– Health and Safety in Your Business – Kay Baxter, Health & Safety Authority.

2pm Workshop 3.
Marketing Your Business – Stephen Friel, Friel Consulting.

Please click here to download the brochure for this event.

For further information contact Donegal County Enterprise Board at 074 9160735

2011-04-27T01:54:00.000-07:00

Cross-Border Networking Event

As part of the Tradelinks Programme, this cross-border business networking event aims to bring together businesses, expert facilitators and agencies, to provide a forum to allow businesses to network, develop an understanding of the issues of undertaking cross-border trade and identify the benefits arising from it.
Together with Key Note Speaker address and expert facilitators across a range of key business topics, this event has a lot to offer attendees.

Venue: The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine, BT52 1NF
Date: Tuesday, 24th May 2011
Time: 10.00am to 3.00pm
Cost: FREE including lunch

Event schedule
10.00 am - Registration and Refreshments
10.30 am - Welcome and Introduction
10.45 am - Key Note Address
11.15 am - Business Sector Discussion Groups, 1-to-1 Meetings
12.30 pm - Business Lunch
1.15 pm - Business Management Discussion Groups, 1-to-1 Meetings
2.30 pm - Ask The Expert Open Forum
2.45 pm - Closing Remarks and Evaluation
3.00 pm - Event Close

Building a Successful Export Business…..
Robert Patton of Old Mill Whips will share his top tips for building a successful export business. A role model entrepreneur Robert has achieved outstanding business results through Global sales and business leadership.

Benefits of Attending
• Business to Business Networking
• Sectoral Exhibition and Advice Stands
• Business Focus Groups
• 1-to-1 Business Meetings
• Ask The Expert Open Forum

“This event will provide a great opportunity to seek expert advice and guidance to take your business to the next level”
Stephen Scullion, Manager, Ballymena Business Centre

Registration is essential.
To attend this event, please contact Cathy Slattery on 074 9160735 or email cslattery@donegalenterprise.ie before Monday 9th May 2011.

To Lead or to Follow?

2011-03-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

To lead or to follow - that was the question that Padraig O' Ceidigh posed at today's lunchtime workshop to the audience.
Padraig's talk was both motivating and inspiring with some of the key points listed below.

Jump out of your comfort zone
Are there people who can change you life? Can you change the lives of others?
Discover what your passion is and go for it.
It is only when you are passionate about something in life that you become world class at it.

During his talk he emphasised how he himself is passionate about people and his advice to the group was that

If you grow your people in the business then they will in turn grow your business.
Separate yourself as an individual from the business
Look at ways to re-invent your business.
Don't fear failure, the only thing to fear is not to give your business your best shot.

If you would like to listen to an interview we did with Padraig before the event please see below.

Economics - The Donegal Perspective

2011-03-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Jim Power-economist, delivered a workshop for businesses in Donegal last night. Amidst the depth of the economic crisis Jim reflected on how he feels it is a good time to set up a business with the advice that access to credit will be the key challenge for business going forward, manage the costs and don't over expose yourself financially were among the key points of his message.

Whilst domestic demand he feels is dead, he believes the role of the new government is to reinstil and inspire confidence in the public. He also reckons that it is imperative for government to create the environment for small business to grow and prosper. Should this happen he sees a bright future for business in Ireland.
Watch his interview

Jim Power - Chief Economist

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All things Marketing

2011-03-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

Today some of the great marketing minds were gathered on barstools at 8.00am to share their knowledge and experience with businesses from throughout the county. Strange time of day for barstool conversations but rest assured it was all in the name of learning and sharing expertise as part of Enterprising Donegal Business Week. Niall Mc Keown of Ion Technologies based in Belfast focussed on all things involving digital marketing, Suzanne Hill of Handel Export delivered an excellent presentation on Business Development focussing on export markets and our local case study business was Michael Faulkner of Seed Ups and EuroXchanger based in Bridgend. The event was facilitated by Seamus Mc Adams of I2Total Marketing who has over 20 years of experience of working with businesses particulary micro businesses in the North West.

If you missed the event then take a look at the slides and watch the interviews with the speakers.

Marketing - Enterprise week 2011

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Enterprising Donegal Business Week Launched for 2011

2011-03-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at the Radisson proved to be an exciting and interesting lunchtime with Bobby Kerry providing an excellent launch of this years Enterprising Donegal Business Week. Over 120 business people attended the event. Bobby's presentation is available below

Bobby Kerr for Donegal County Enterprise Board

View more presentations from Donegal County Enterprise Board

or watch an interview he did at the event especially for Donegal business if you were not able to attend the event.

Getting Noticed - Using Marketing to Win Business

2011-02-28T07:38:00.000-08:00

As part of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2011, an event will take place next Tuesday the 8th of March which will focus on the area of marketing and the fundamentals of an effective marketing strategy.
This morning event will provide attendees with knowledge of key marketing tools and simple cost effective promotional techniques that small businesses should be using in order to raise their company profile. Attendees will also learn about the importance of conducting market research, how to successfully position themselves in the marketplace and to develop new export market opportunities. Seamus McAdams will facilitate an interactive information session later in the morning between the audience and a panel comprising of Suzanne Hill, Niall McKeown and Michael Faulkner which will give attendees the opportunity to ask questions surrounding the current extensive marketing mix and enquire about the most appropriate channels to suit the needs of their individual businesses.

The workshop will take place in An Grianan Hotel, Burt from 8am - 11am and is free of charge. To register to attend, please contact Donegal County Enterprise Board on 074 9160735 or email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie

Women and Wealth - Tips from an Entrepreneur to encourage Women in Business

2011-02-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

11890 founder makes call to female entrepreneurs in Donegal

On Thursday 10th March Nicola Byrne, Founder and Managing Director of Call 11890 Limited, will be the keynote speaker at a FREE business networking lunch hosted by Donegal County Enterprise Board as part of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2011.

Nicola recognises the imbalance when it comes to female entrepreneurship and the importance of encouraging women in business. Less than 30 per cent of new start-ups in Ireland are started by women compared to less than 50 per cent in the US.

Nicola’s advice to new business is to be “100% focused on what you are doing, be persistent and always ask for help. Never be afraid to take that first step” and advises existing businesses to “stay positive and focus on your strengths and talk to your customers as much as possible”.

‘Branding is easy; being different isn’t’

2011-02-25T08:20:00.000-08:00

Why do most branding strategies fail?

On Wednesday 9th March, as part of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2011, Carton LeVert, award winning design and communications company, teams up with the world famous Magee brand in an exciting workshop to explore the question of why most branding strategies fail. Rick LeVert explains “There are no quick fixes, no magic formulas, or secret recipes that can substitute for the correct mix of creative thinking, strategic planning and consistent communication.”

Rick will be joined by Lynn Temple, Chairman of Magee, who will case study the transformation of Magee from a traditional into a contemporary brand by building on the strengths of the company.

This half-day workshop will look at how companies can be truly different; it will look at the necessity of risk taking and the benefits that come from it, such as long-term customer recognition and loyalty.

Its so easy to register for all the events during Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2011

2011-02-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

Registration couldn't be easier this year for the county's biggest business week in the calendar. All you need to do is to go to any of the following locations or indeed call in to see us at our office in Letterkenny in order to register. All events are free of charge to attend and it is a great opportunity to meet others in business, whilst brushing up on some of the key business skills required to run a business in 2011. We also like to use the opportunity of Enterprising Donegal Business Week to highlight the exceptional business talent in the county, through use of case studies, guest speakers and indeed highlighting the finalists in the county's Enterprising Donegal Business Awards 2011.
So get involved and join in. March 7th -11th we look forward to meeting you there.

Ways to register your interest in attending the free events

Register on our website www.donegalenterprise.ie
Facebook www.facebook.com/donegalenterprise
Twitter:www.twitter.com/donegalceb
Phone: 0749160735
Fax: 0749160783
email: ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie:

"Hope is not a strategy” – using tested techniques to drive better sales results"

2011-02-15T04:51:00.000-08:00

On March 11th Donegal CEB as part of Enterprising Donegal Business Week will host a Sales event at An Grianan Hotel, Burt.
This event will combine a practical overview of the key points for developing a successful sales strategy for your business and then build on that learning by answering specific questions that the audience will generate, using a panel of sales professionals who between them have in excess of 60 years experience working in sales. This will be a highly interactive session with attendees leaving the workshop with many new tips and tools to improve sales in their business. Panellists at this event are Paddy Devlin, Seamus Mc Ewen and Monica Mc Geary. The workshop will be facilitated by Stephen Friel.

IF you would like to attend this event please call DCEB on 074 9160735 or email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie

Have a look at the presentation here to get yourself ready to sell in 2011. This presentation was kindly provided by Stephen Friel of Friel Consulting

Sales presentation

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Preview of some of this years entrepreneurs featuring during Enterprising Donegal Week 2011

2011-02-15T03:39:00.000-08:00

This years Enterprising Donegal Business Week promises to be informative, motivational and positive. There are a number of leading Irish Entrepreneurs featuring during the week. On Wednesday March 9th at 6:00pm there is an event targetted at the Food sector and one of the case studies is Glenilen Farm from West Cork. Watch the short video clip which will provide you with a background to the promoters Alan and Valerie Kingston and their small business story.

Glenilen Farm is featured 2minutes and 20 seconds into the clip

You can also see the most recent appearance of Glenilen Farm on Ear to the Ground at the link below. Go to 13 minutes into the show to see Alan Kingston discuss butter making
http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1091790

Gartan Technologies - Business of the Year 2010

2011-01-21T04:32:00.000-08:00

Malachi Eastwood’s company Gartan Technologies was winner of the Donegal Business of the Year Award in 2010. Gartan Technologies makes software used by fire and rescue services to manage the availability of fire crews. Originally from Belfast, Malachi initially travelled as a musician to the US, playing at one point on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, before returning to Ireland with his future wife, Milford-born Margaret. He completed a degree in Applied Computing in Letterkenny Institute of Technology before founding Gartan Technologies with business partner Peter Cunningham in 2001. They initially developed software for fire services in Ireland, before making their first major sales in the UK in 2006, and are now selling their systems in North America.

A year later, how do you view winning the Donegal Business of the Year Award?
“Winning the award was a positive endorsement and vindication of our work. Breaking into new markets such as North America is exciting but it's also daunting and the award helped give us the belief in ourselves and in our efforts to grow the business.”

Are there any specific benefits you would highlight?
“There are many software businesses out there and so you're always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. Being able to tell prospective customers and the wider our market that we had been recognised in this way added to our credibility and certainly helped us win contracts.”

What would you say to companies thinking of applying for an award this year?
“Local small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy and whether they are sole traders or have ten employees, they are helping to keep their local economies alive. They should take the time to step back and congratulate themselves for having the ability, determination and guile to keep their doors open.”

Donegal Women in Business attend the National Women’s Enterprise Day

2010-11-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

Pictured above are Donegal delegates at the National Women's Enterprise Day 2010 with 2 of the speakers - pictured (l-r) are Rachel Wasson (DCEB), Mary Fitzgerald (Woodlands House Hotel and Spa in Adare), Rosemary Lyons (IDP), Mary Margaret Grant (Westbrook House), Ivan Yates (Newstalk), Margaret O'Kane (Glenmore Linens), Rosaleen Hegarty (Cranaknits) and Celine Carroll (DCEB).

The 4th annual National Women’s Enterprise Conference hosted by the County & City Enterprise Boards and co-funded by the European Social Fund and the Irish Exchequer,brought together 300 women in business from all over Ireland who are involved in running their own businesses. The Minister of State for Equality, Integration and Human Rights Mary White TD officially opened the conference and case studies of five homegrown female entrepreneurs were showcased, along with an exhibition of enterprise support agencies, one-to-one mentoring clinics and networking sessions.

Key note speakers at the event included Sahar Hashemi, founder of the UK high-street chain Coffee Republic, entrepreneur and hotelier Mary Fitzgerald, Woodlands House Hotel and Spa and Ivan Yates, Newstalk, broadcaster and founder of Celtic Bookmakers.

Of particular interest to the women entrepreneurs were the case studies of women who had started a business and the opportunity to share best practice through the question and answer session with these women in business.

The case studies included Alison Boardman, Managing Director of Unique Voice Language Institute who has over 15 years experience in the language services industries throughout Ireland and in Europe and Asia. She was Director of Studies for an international school in Portugal and taught English for many years in Portugal, Italy and Hong Kong. She now employs 10 people and works with 1,200 contractors globally.

Alice Ritchie of Polar Ice Limited manufactures and distributes dry ice products. Alison joined the board of directors in 2002, implementing a strategic change of direction for Polar Ice, concentrating fully on dry ice manufacturing. The company now has a state of the art CO2 liquefaction plant in Portarlington positioning Polar Ice as the industry leader and premium dry ice supplier in Ireland today.

Ann Marie Durkin’s business, Shasta Ltd is a highly innovative energetic company specialising in baby care products providing great solutions for busy parents. Shasta’s first product, Steri Soother, was the world’s first pre-sterilized baby soother and the company also provide a range of stainless steel BPA free baby bottles and a unique portable soother steriliser Steri Ova (patent pending in 140 countries).

Donna Daly Blyth is the Owner/Artistic Director of Donna’s Dance Studio and the Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy. Donna has been at the forefront of Dance Education and Training in Ireland for over 25 years working as a professional theatre producer, director and choreographer in addition to teaching dance and her students now teach and perform in all corners of the world. In 2008 Donna opened the Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy which provides ballet classes for the 3 to 6 year age group. The classes, based on the Television series and story books of the Angelina Ballerina character are operated under branded license from HIT Entertainment

Jennifer Ryan took her 20 years experience in marketing and consulting positions for Fortune 100 companies in the United States and used it to launch a coffee roasting business in Tipperary. Pónaire (Irish for 'bean') began in mid•2006, roasting specialty coffee in Tipperary. Pónaire imports raw beans from around the world, custom roasting, blending, and packaging coffee for some of the finest establishments in Ireland. The company is also the proud recipient of Bridgestone Awards in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Commenting on the event Michael Tunney, Donegal County Enterprise Board and Chair of the National Network of County and City Enterprise Boards stated, ‘This year’s conference was a major success with very positive engagement by all attendees. Speaking with many of the entrepreneurs they commented positively on the level of information sharing and learning and how positive the whole event has been. The conference emphasises the need for ongoing opportunities to come together and learn from each other.’

Continuing in their commitment to promoting female entrepreneurship, Donegal County Enterprise Board is offering women in business a unique opportunity to avail of targeted advice from a range of business mentors covering specific aspects of business such as finance, business planning, branding and marketing. This is the second year that the Matrix Mentoring for Women in Enterprise has been organised and the feedback has been very positive. Anyone interested should contact Celine Carroll on 074 9160735 or email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie. The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday November 26th.

Local Enterprise Board Celebrates ‘National Women’s Enterprise Day’

2010-11-09T04:26:00.000-08:00

Friday, November 19th is National Women’s Enterprise Day and the County and City Enterprise Boards, including the Donegal County Enterprise Board, are hosting a major conference, networking and enterprise support exhibition in Limerick that day to highlight the contribution of women in business across Ireland.

Organisers are expecting 300 female entrepreneurs to attend, including representatives from several Donegal-based businesses. The founder of the UK High Street Chain Coffee Republic, Sahar Hashemi, is one of the keynote speakers at the Strand Hotel on the Ennis Road on the 19th, along with local entrepreneur and hotelier, Mary Fitzgerald and Ivan Yates, broadcaster and founder of Celtic Bookmakers.

The Minister of State for Equality, Integration and Human Rights, Ms Mary White, T.D. has been invited to officially open the conference and the case-studies of five home-grown female entrepreneurs will also be showcased, along with an exhibition of enterprise support agencies, one-to-one mentoring clinics and networking sessions.

Speaking ahead of the event, the C.E.O. of Donegal County Enterprise Board and current Chairman of the Ceb Network, Michael Tunney, said: “On National Women’s Enterprise Day, female entrepreneurs will access information, advice and mentoring from experienced business people, the County and City Enterprise Boards and other state support agencies. At a local level, we support a large number of female entrepreneurs every year who are already in business or thinking of starting one up. We also work closely with the Donegal Women in Business Network in the range of events that they organise to support existing female entrepreneurs within Donegal. As well as the key note speakers a number of micro businesses owners will also be presenting and their will also be an opportunity to avail of mentoring on the day. We are encouraging as many local entrepreneurs as possible to make the trip to Limerick on November 19th. Donegal CEB is sub venting the cost of attendance, so any female entrepreneur interested in attending should contact the Donegal CEB as early as possible.”

Co-funded by the European Social Fund with support from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs through the Equality for Women Measure, the aim of National Women’s Enterprise Day is to give national recognition to the role of female entrepreneurship.

Tickets for the National Women’s Enterprise Day Conference at the Strand Hotel on the Ennis Road in Limerick cost €100 and are available to buy through http://www.nwed.ie/ but there are a limited number of subsidised places available from Donegal County Enterprise Board. The fee includes an evening reception and networking event on Thursday, November 18th, in addition to lunch, one-to-one mentoring and admission to the conference on Friday, November 19th. Updates on the National Women’s Enterprise Day are also available from the NWED Facebook page and from Twitter updates.

For more information about National Women’s Enterprise Day, please contact Donegal County Enterprise Board at 074 9160735 or email: info@donegalenterprise.ie or contact ENGAGE IRELAND: Sarah Bohan or Serena Bryans at Engage Ireland, Tel: (01) 88 55 162 E-mail: info@engageireland.com

Final days to book your tickets to see Doug Richard

2010-10-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

BBC “Dragons’ Den” star Doug Richard, in partnership with Donegal County Enterprise Board, is delivering a one-day “School for Startups” seminar at Letterkenny Institute of Technology on Friday 15th October. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about starting and growing a business from this hugely successful businessman and investor.

A must-attend event for all existing and budding entrepreneurs, "Start Here! Starting and Growing a Successful Business" is delivered personally by Doug Richard and is the cornerstone of the School for Startups curriculum.

Before an entrepreneur invests valuable time and money into a business idea, there are some essential questions they should ask themselves:
• Who are my customers?
• What makes my proposition attractive?
• Do I have a sustainable competitive advantage?
• What type of industry am I in?
• Do I have the right skills and experience?
• What is low cost marketing?
• How do I create a successful business model?
• How can I make money?
• Who else do I need to make this work?

This seminar provides the framework within which entrepreneurs can answer these questions for themselves and offers an educational, insightful and inspiring introduction to how to succeed in business.

Book your place now!
•Visit http://www.schoolforstartups.ie/
•Call Celine at Donegal County Enterprise Board on 074 9160735
•Email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie

Tickets for the full-day event cost, including lunch, cost €75/£65 (€65/£55 for students or the unemployed).

WIN LUNCH WITH BBC “DRAGON” DOUG RICHARD

2010-09-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

Sixteen local business people are in with a chance to have a special ‘one-to-one’ lunch with serial entrepreneur and BBC “Dragons' Den” star Doug Richard when he comes to Letterkenny on 15th October. Doug will be delivering a one-day seminar called “Start here! How to start and grow a successful business” organised by Donegal County Enterprise Board. Anyone who registers for tickets to the one-day event by Friday 24th September will be entered into a draw and the 16 winners will join Doug for a special invitation-only lunch.

The “Start here!” seminar will focus on how to start and grow a successful business and draws on Doug’s huge experience both as a businessman and as a successful investor in other businesses in Europe and the US. The one day workshop will help potential entrepreneurs answer key questions before starting or growing a business: how to develop your business model; how to identify your product and market; how to run a low cost marketing campaign; how to treat the recession as an opportunity; and how to make money and secure investment.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for anyone in the North West thinking of starting or expanding a business”, said Ursula Donnelly, Assistant CEO of Donegal County Enterprise Board. “The opportunity to talk one-to-one to someone with Doug Richard’s track record is fantastic. We have already sold two thirds of the tickets for the event so we know there is huge interest in hearing what he has to say among businesses in the North West.”

Doug Richard is a successful entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience in the development and leadership of technology and software ventures and is former Chairman of the UK’s Small Business Task Force. He featured in the first two series of the BBC’s “Dragons' Den”. Between 1996 and 2000 Doug was President and CEO of Micrografx, a US publicly-quoted software company. Prior to that he also founded and subsequently sold two other companies, Visual Software and ITAL Computers. A champion for start-ups and small business, Doug founded the School for Start Ups in 2008 in order to help people start better, more profitable businesses. Since 2008 he has taught thousands in face to face and online classes across the UK.

“Over the past 25 years I have seen how things can go wrong in the early stages of building a business. The Letterkenny event is a one day boot camp for those who aspire to start a business or for those who have started a business and want to do better”, says Doug. “Entrepreneurship takes practice but it can be learnt. My message is that you can improve a lot with very little”.

Start here! takes place on Friday 15th October, 2010 from 8.30am to 4.30pm in Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT). To book your place, and see a video of Doug discussing the event, go to www.schoolforstartups.ie or contact Celine Carroll at Donegal County Enterprise Board on 074 9160735 or email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie. Tickets for the full-day event cost €75 or €65 for students/unemployed.

How do I register my new business for tax?

2010-09-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Tax is an important consideration for anyone thinking of starting a business. If you are starting a business you must ensure that you register for tax correctly and on time. However before you register you must consider what structure your business will take.

If you choose to operate as a sole trader, the business will be registered for taxes in your name and the profits will be subject to income tax. As a sole trader, the form you require is Form TR1. This form is available from any Revenue office or on www.revenue.ie . If you are trading under a business name you should also register your business name with the Companies Registration Office online at http://www.cro.ie/.

If you are setting up a partnership with two or more individuals you will also require Form TR1. You should also register your business name with the Companies Registration Office www.cro.ie . The partnership will be issued with a separate registration number and the partners will have to return individual income tax returns and also make an annual partnership tax return.

To register a Limited Liability Company, you or your accountant must register your company with the Companies Registration Office/Form A1 . The company is a separate entity from you for tax purposes. There are a number of legal obligations on the Directors/Secretary of a Limited Liability company. For further information on how to register and the requirements for a company check out www.cro.ie/ena/business-registration-company.aspx and/or www.basis.ie section Legal and Regulatory.

If you start your business as a sole trader or partnership you can at a future date change to a limited company though this is best done with the advice of an accountant or a tax advisor.

You can request a "New Business Visit" from your local Revenue office to assist you with understanding your tax obligations.

The Irish Taxation Institute launched a series of Tax Guides in 2010 to help tax payers understand the tax system and highlight reliefs and allowances that can be claimed. Particularly in relation to small business they have produced an excellent Guide entitled ‘Understanding Tax for Small Business’ which provides an overview of the issues that small businesses need to consider. The Guide summarises the relevant tax obligations when starting a business, identifies some tax pitfalls and opportunities for existing businesses and a summary of tax issues to be aware of when transferring or selling a business. To download this very useful guide and other tax guides follow the link www.taxireland.ie/taxadvice/34859.aspx .

BBC “DRAGON” DOUG RICHARD TO HOST ONE-DAY SEMINAR IN LETTERKENNY

2010-08-16T03:58:00.000-07:00

Serial Entrepreneur and BBC “Dragons’ Den” star Doug Richard is coming to Letterkenny to host a one-day seminar for new and existing businesses on 15th October. The seminar will focus on how to start and grow a successful business, drawing on Doug’s huge experience both as a businessman and as a successful investor in other businesses. The one-day workshop is being organised by Donegal County Enterprise Board and will take place at the Letterkenny Institute of Technology.

Doug Richard’s ‘School for Start-Ups’ one day Seminar, hosted by Donegal County Enterprise Board, will take place on Friday 15th October, 2010 from 8.30am to 4.30pm in Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT). A special ‘Early Bird’ ticket is available at a discounted cost of €60 euro (normal fee €75) until 10 September. For tickets, visit http://www.schoolforstartups.ie/. Additional information is available from Donegal County Enterprise Board on 074 9160735 or email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie.

Are you using Google Alerts?

2010-07-09T02:13:00.000-07:00

Google Alerts is a content monitoring service offered by Google that enables you to monitor your online presence. For small businesses, this free tool allows you to monitor your brand and keep up-to-date with what people are saying (be it positive or negative) so that you can respond accordingly. You can use it stay informed about what is being said about your business, your products, your business sector, your competitors and even yourself.

Google Alerts are emails sent to you when Google finds new results -- such as web pages, newspaper articles, or blogs -- that match your search term. The service might not catch every occurrence of your search terms but it should find most of them.

To set up Google Alerts, visit www.google.com/alerts and complete the form choosing your search term and preferences for the notifications. After setting the alert, you should receive a verification email and once you have confirmed your email, you will start receiving your Google Alerts. You can repeat this process if you want to set up additional alerts i.e. to monitor both your business name and your product name. For more information on this, visit Google Alerts Getting Started Guide.

Calling all Businesses in the Creative Industries

2010-07-07T02:26:00.000-07:00

Donegal County Enterprise Board has been made aware of a call for applications for European funding to support business in the Creative Industries Sector. With this in mind we would like to invite all those businesses working in the sector to attend a meeting on Thursday July 15th at the offices of the Donegal County Enterprise Board at 6:00pm. The objective of the meeting is to bring together creative businesses and to identify any areas where the sector may require support. It is hoped that together we can assess possible areas of collaboration with businesses in the sector and identify any issues/projects that may benefit from support. Following this DCEB will then complete an application for funding of a project to support the businesses in the sector. For the purposes of the call for applications the definition of Creative Industries is "Those industries and sectors that contribute to the creation, development, distribution and commercialisation of digital content, specifically in the areas of film and broadcast, animation, computer games, music technologies and interactive media.
For further details please contact Ursula on 074 9160735 or email udonnelly@donegalenterprise.ie

Donegal Food Coast welcomes Peter Ward

2010-06-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

The Food Coast- Donegal’s Good Food Initiative launched its exciting schedule of events for the remainder of 2010 with a Networking Lunch and Talk in Rathmullan House Hotel recently. Before lunch there was time for a leisurely and very educational tour of the hotel’s organic walled garden where attendees saw first hand the huge variety of plants including cucumber, garlic, basil, globe artichokes, and peas as well as gooseberries, loganberries, raspberries and nine different variety of tomatoes!

Lunch, which was prepared using only locally produced ingredients, offered the choice of Donegal Lamb or Mulroy Bay Scallops and was followed by a Football Special Surprise. Special guests were Peter and Mary Ward of Country Choice in Nenagh. Peter, who is the current Good Food Ireland Person of the Year, spoke about the importance of raising awareness and visibility of local food based on an economic and ethical platform, and of being able to take the best of Donegal food to a national and international market.

Following the event, Peter and Mary enjoyed the hospitality of Donal Doherty of Harry’s Restaurant in Bridgend on a boat trip on Lough Swilly and afterwards they were guests of the Wheeler family and staff in Rathmullan House.

Click below to view Peter Ward’s talk:

Tradelinks Programme

2010-06-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

If you are a micro-enterprise owner/manager looking to grow your business, explore new markets and develop cross border trading opportunities then the Tradelinks programme is for you.

Tradelinks is a business development programme designed to assist the micro-enterprise sector across Northern Ireland and the 6 Border counties of Donegal, Cavan, Louth, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo.

The programme offers a range of support measures aimed at addressing the barriers to cross border trade facing micro enterprises based within Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland i.e. the “Border Corridor”. This strategic approach is designed to support businesses displaying entrepreneurial flair and export potential but which do not have access to a continuous programme of company development to enable them to become more sustainable and competitive, to encourage innovation and increase employment, to identify new market opportunities and develop their export capability.

Tradelinks will assist micro-businesses by providing:
• Consistent and tailored business support measures specifically designed to address the issues unique to the micro-enterprise sector. This includes a Business Assessment, Business Improvement Plan, Market Research and Market Entry Plan tailored to suit the individual needs of each business.
• A team of experienced mentors and consultants with expertise in all areas relevant to micro enterprises who will assist companies to access new markets; to identify new trading opportunities get ready to start, or expand, cross border trading.
• The opportunity to identify and form cross-border linkages with similar micro-enterprises along with additional support to help companies achieve maximum benefit of these linkages and to improve trading activity.
• A twelve county wide network of business owner/managers and business support agencies on both sides of the border meeting locally and regionally as well as a full signposting service to other business development programmes.

More information as well as case studies of companies who have participated on the Tradelinks programme can be found on the following website www.tradelinks2.com. To make enquiries or to discuss the programme further, please contact Cathy at Donegal County Enterprise Board on 074-9160735 or by email to cslattery@donegalenterprise.ie.

Introducing LYIT Gradsmart Programme – the smart way to add value to your business!

2010-05-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Are you looking to develop your business but can’t commit to employ someone on a full time or continuous part time basis?

Do you think your business could benefit from services such as web design, development of marketing strategy etc?

If you have answered yes to these questions, your organisation could benefit from the expertise of a student or graduate who could undertake projects which will enable you to develop your business at minimal cost. Examples of projects could include the following:

Conducting market research
Developing databases
Website development
Drawing up marketing strategies including maximising use of social networking sites for marketing purposes
Undertaking feasibility studies

Your vacancy will be notified to your selected target group using the following methods; newsletter, mail-shot, notice-boards, email. This service is free of charge.

This initiative benefits you, the employer in that you have you can have a project completed at minimal cost. - you negotiate an hourly rate. It benefits the student/graduate in that they are gaining experience that is relevant to their course and enables them to obtain a relevant employer reference. The following link features the range of full time courses that are on offer at LYIT www.lyit.ie/courses.

For further information, please contact Catherine Lyster, Careers Officer, Letterkenny Institute of Technology on 074 9186812 or email catherine.lyster@lyit.ie.

Advanced eBay training for Donegal Businesses - Donegal Businesses go global

2010-05-21T02:05:00.000-07:00

Seven Donegal businesses participated on the Advanced eBay training course with Donegal CEB over the last two days and as a result of the training have set up their own virtual shops on eBay. Training programme participant, Helen Carr outlines the advantages of eBay for her jewellery business, and the trainer Michael Hughes gives some suggestions as to why Donegal Businesses should develop a presence on eBay and the advantages associated with it. If you would like to learn more about eBay take a look at the video clip or give Ursula a call for more information.

The Food Coast – Donegal’s Good Food Initiative

2010-05-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Following the very successful launch of The Food Coast by Richard Corrigan in March, we are delighted to announce the next phase of the initiative which includes training and a series of workshops with guest speakers.

Start Your Own Food Business, a training programme aimed at people who are considering starting a business or who are in the early stages of developing their business, begins on Thursday 27th May. The programme is designed to enable participants gain the information and develop the skills to start up their own successful food business, and consists of ten workshops of three hours each, and includes six hours of one-to-one mentoring per participant.

The series of workshops and talks aimed at people involved in the food industry begins on Wednesday 2nd June when Peter Ward, the current Good Food Ireland Person of the Year and former Chairman of the Taste Council of Ireland, gives a lunchtime talk at Rathmullan House Hotel.

This will be followed by a day long workshop on Food Branding on 20th July. Future talks and workshop topics will include Food Packaging, New Food Product Development, Food Marketing and Distribution, and Food Safety. Details will appear here soon.

Managing New Ideas Programme

2010-05-07T05:09:00.000-07:00

Dr. Dave Francis from the Centre for Research in Innovation Management ( CENTRIM) at the University of Brighton delivered a two day workshop to the twelve businesses on this programme on May 5 & 6th. Since the first day of the programme participants carried out detailed assessments of each other in advance of the workshop and over the two days they learned about the importance of developing a range of necessary skills and mind-sets within a small business that enables new ideas to be searched for, examined and tested, decided on, realised and then optimised.

These are in fact the core elements essential for innovation development in any business and critical to its development is the owner manger and her/his mindset and disposition in driving this agenda within the business.

To hear some of Dave Francis’s insights click below

Student Enterprise Awards

2010-04-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

“entrepreneurship is the future lifeblood of the Irish economy and today’s students are tomorrow’s business leaders”.

In the centre of Letterkenny there is a memorial in the Market Square to the days of the hiring fairs when men, women and children form west Donegal came to Letterkenny to be hired out to work on large farms in east Donegal. It’s a reminder of how things were not that long ago, and of times which we never want to return to when children had to work to survive and were separated from parents and family for months at a time.

The recent final of the Student Enterprise Competition held in Croke Park emphasised just how far we have come as a society in a very short period of less than fifty years. This event organised by the County and City Enterprise Boards brought together county finalist from every county in Ireland to exhibit their businesses, their talents and above else their spirit of enterprise and determination that will surely shape their future.

It is this spirit of enterprise and determination that the County and City Enterprise Boards have been working to encourage, to foster and to develop over the past 16 years – at both local and national level. This task of promoting entrepreneurship was given to the Boards on their establishment in 1993 and is one which all the Boards have embraced enthusiastically and worked determinedly at over the years. A critical element in our achieving this objective is our ongoing engagement with second level schools and students. This is done through working closely at local level with teachers, calling to schools , talking to students, advising and encouraging them and in organising county and city based competitions from which local winners are selected to attend the national finals - as we did last Tuesday April 27th in Croke park.

The announcement of the final winners in the three categories – junior, intermediate and senior , saw over seven hundred people packed into the conference centre in Croke Park where there was little, if any standing room left.

The winners announced were:

SENIOR CATEGORY

• First Place: Rap- It from Presentation College, Carlow
• Second Place: Planet Saverz from Scoil Mhuire, Clane, Co. Kildare
• Third Place: Fowl Play, Colaiste Mhuire, Buttevant, Co. Cork
• Innovation Award: Watstat, St. Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare
• Best Display: The Quaid Quartet, Colaiste Bhride, Carney, Co. Wicklow
• Special Merit: Grow With A Grin, Mercy College, Sligo
• Professional Award: S.O.L.E. Saver Cards, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Edenderry, Co. Offaly

INTERMEDIATE CATEGORY

• First Place: Paul’s Pix, Bailieborough Community School, Co. Cavan
• Second Place: Mangoes, Patrician Academy, Mallow, Co. Cork
• Third Place: Lunches 4 Less, O’ Carolan College, Nobber, Co. Meath
• Innovation Award: Sun Gazer, Pobal Scoil Chorca Dhuibhne, An Daingean, Co. Chiarraí
• Best Display: Deja Vu, St. Augustine’s School, Limerick

JUNIOR CATEGORY

• First Place: Play It Safe, CBS High School, Clonmel
• Second Place: Trinity, Colaiste na Trocaire, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick
• Third Place: Rebecca’s and Emily’s Recession Buster Cookbook, Loreto Abbey , Dalkey
• Innovation Award: Domhan Samhail, Pobal Scoil Corca Dhuibhne, An Daingean
• Best Display: Sláinte, Gael Choláiste Port Láirge, Waterford

Richard Corrigan launches The Food Coast – Donegal’s Good Food Initiative

2010-04-19T03:52:00.000-07:00

Richard Corrigan, celebrity chef and restaurateur, officially launched Donegal County Enterprise Board’s new food initiative, The Food Coast – Donegal Good Food Initiative, in the Silver Tassie Hotel recently. Richard, who was able assisted by local chef and entrepreneur Martin Anderson, captivated an audience of ninety businesses with his highly entertaining cooking demonstration of an Urban Breakfast using haddock from Killybegs based Albatross Seafoods, and a Beef Wellington using beef from Edenmore Farm Meats in St. Johnston. He even took time to prepare a seafood risotto and a rump steak and marrow dish using ingredients purchased earlier in Hillsborough Farm Shop in nearby Ramelton.
Richard said that because of Donegal’s unspoilt countryside and long coastline the county is ideally placed to take up a position as a location for fine food, and called on all in the sector from small Bed and Breakfast establishment to the large food producers to take up his challenge. He was quick to point out the quality and good value of his lunch in Harry’s Restaurant in Bridgend that afternoon that consisted of locally sourced ingredients, and he complimented producers such as Tom Dooley of Aroma Café and Mini Bakery, Joseph Doherty of Inishowen Country Kitchen and Donegal Rape Seed Oil Company on the quality of their products.
The Food Coast is a new three-year pilot programme to support development, growth, and quality in Donegal’s food sector. The initiative will act as the central platform for establishing Donegal as a ‘Food County’ – a place with a vibrant food culture and food economy – by providing businesses with vital networking opportunities and addressing key topics such as new product and business development, entering new markets, improving quality and merchandising, and increasing sales. The Food Coast programme is open to anyone with an interest in the county’s food sector – from start-up businesses to established primary producers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and restaurateurs. Participants pay a nominal registration fee to access a comprehensive suite of supports and measures including: tailored, food-specific mentoring for groups and individual businesses; in-depth and hands-on workshops aimed at honing the commercial and marketing acumen of food businesses; best practice visits and trade fair attendance; group and individual marketing mechanisms.
One final word on Richard Corrigan’s call to Donegal food companies to rise to their potential comes from Donal Doherty of Harry’s Restaurant, “Great that Richard Corrigan sees the potential and future for Donegal Food. We will shout as loud as we can, but more voices are needed”. If you are interested in finding out more about The Food Coast – Donegal’s Good Food Initiative, please contact us on 074 9160735 or visit our website.

Need to find some work life balance. Help is at hand!

2010-04-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

Work Life Balance consists of the implementation of working arrangements and policies which assist workers in combining employment with other aspects of their lives. Employers can benefit from these policies too as they can help to develop a more committed and productive workforce.

A support scheme has been developed to assist in the development of a planned and systematic approach to work-life balance at enterprise level. Under this scheme, an experienced consultant can be made available to work with small to medium sized enterprises in developing and implementing work-life balance policies and arrangements.

For more details, visit the Irish Work Life Balance website

Thinking Differently for the Future

2010-04-08T02:16:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 12th March Anne Lise Kjaer gave the keynote presentation in the Mount Errigal Hotel as the final workshop of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010. Anne Lise outlined to the large audience that we are all active participants in shaping the future and that of our businesses. This however requires vision and an understanding of the key society drivers and how they affect people and society.

Successful businesses enable their customers to find fulfilment and happiness through providing meaningful and sustainable solutions while further enhancing their personal empowerment. However customers often have conflicting demands and businesses that want to succeed and grow must adopt a holistic approach. To read the full synopsis of Anne Lise’s presentation and the eight key trends that she identified as affecting most companies today and in the future, click here or view the presentation and a short interview with Anne Lise below.

Thinking Differently for the Future

View more presentations from Donegal County Enterprise Board.

Thinking of starting a business???

2010-04-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

Thinking of starting a business - then why not attend our Start Your Own Business Programme? The next course begins on Wednesday 28th April and runs for one evening per week over 8 weeks.

The programme is intended for people who are interested in finding out more about starting & running your own business. It will help you to gain information and develop the skills to start up your own business.

Places are limited so book early to secure your place. Click here for more details and to download the registration form.

Doug Richard addresses Donegal businesses

2010-03-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

On the Tuesday evening of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010, Doug Richard of the school for start-ups www.schoolforstartups.co.uk, entertained and enlightened over 90 people at the CoLab in Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Outlining his own experiences in setting up and running his own businesses, from starting a computer sales business with his brother to selling out to a publicly quoted US corporation which subsequently went bust , Doug outlined in his wry, yet very engaging style, the range of lessons he had learnt. He advised all present that if they were ever approached to sell their business that they be sure to take cash, that they be single minded in developing their businesses, to follow through and maximise an opportunity when it presents itself and to not be afraid of competing to win.

For more information on this event, please visit our website here.

For a short summary of Doug’s presentation click on the short video attached.

Launch of Tradelinks 2 – Micro Enterprise Cross Border Programme

2010-03-22T03:27:00.000-07:00

A new cross border business development programme, that aims to assist and grow the important micro enterprise sector across Northern Ireland and in the border counties of Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal, was launched on Friday 5th March at an information event held in the Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown by the Tradelinks Network.

Promoted under the campaign banner of ‘Tradelinks’, the programme has received £3m worth of funding from the European Union’s INTERREG IVA Programme to help support the micro enterprise sector. Tradelinks is a partnership initiative delivered by Enterprise NI, the network of local Enterprise Agencies and the Border County Enterprise Boards. It is also supported by both governments, through the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The overarching aim of Tradelinks programme is to assist 550 micro businesses on both sides of the border to identify and address barriers to cross border trade and development. Using a portfolio of business development and support tools, experienced business advisers will work hand-in-hand with business owners to assist them to become more sustainable and competitive with a view to developing cross border trade opportunities and linkages as well as helping to generate greater added value, earnings and wealth within their local communities.

Speaking at the launch, Howard Keery, Director of the Joint Technical Secretariat within the Special EU Programmes Body which manages the INTERREG IVA Programme, said: “The Tradelinks programme is an excellent example of an EU supported initiative that will create direct benefits for micro-enterprises on a cross-border basis. Designed to help overcome many of the challenges faced by business owners, particularly in today’s tough economic landscape, it will enhance their competitiveness by providing the support and assistance they need to grow and develop.”

Michael Tunney, Chief Executive of Donegal County Enterprise Board and joint-chair of the Tradelinks Management Committee, commented, “The outcome of the collaboration between the Border County Enterprise Boards and Enterprise NI resulted in a very successful Tradelinks1 Programme. That support, to over 680 micro businesses across the 12 county regions, led to the creation of more than 800 new jobs and in excess of €50m of new sales.”

He continued, “Although the economic climate has changed significantly over the last two years, it is now more important than ever before that businesses look at new markets both in geographical and sectoral terms. The Tradelinks programme is designed to assist the micro-enterprise sector to pursue new opportunities with the help of a network of over 300 business mentors and advisors.”

Speaking about the Programme, Ken Nelson, Chairman, Enterprise NI said: “This is the second Tradelinks programme delivered by the LEA/CEB network and we hope that it mirrors the successes of the first programme. The quality and the variety of support which we believe Tradelinks offers the micro-enterprise sector is testament to the time, commitment and consideration that has gone into providing a programme which will benefit all those companies participating.”

The Tradelinks Programme will be in operation until June 2012 and is available to any micro enterprise in Northern Ireland or the border counties of the Republic of Ireland. Anyone interested in getting involved should contact Cathy at Donegal County Enterprise Board by email to cslattery@donegalenterprise.ie or by phone 074 9160735. Further programme information can be obtained by visiting www.tradelinks2.com

Letterkenny company wins “Donegal Business of the Year” award 2010

2010-03-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Milford-based Malachi Eastwood has carried away the prestigious Donegal Business of the Year Award at the 2010 Enterprising Donegal Business Awards, held in the Solis Lough Eske Hotel. His business, Gartan Technologies, develops administrative software solutions. Their flagship product is used primarily by Fire and Rescue Services to manage the availability of part-time and volunteer staff. Founded with co-owner Peter Cunningham in 2001, the company has sold its systems to over 40 Irish and UK Fire & Rescue services.

The Emerging Business Award went to Noreen McGlynn of Home Instead Senior Care, while Tom Dooley of Aroma Coffee House and Bakery won the Business Achievement Award.

The Earagail Arts Festival received a special award recognising their 'Outstanding contribution to the local economy' and this year’s Innovation Award went to John Britton of Road Team, a company that re-cycles road materials to cut down the costs of repairing and maintaining roads. Kevin McMenamin of Durgan Media won the 2010 Business Performance Award.

An Tanáiste Mary Coughlan TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment presented the awards during the black-tie dinner event which attracted a huge turnout from the local business community.

“This year’s awards highlight the amount of entrepreneurial talent we have in the County” said Minister Coughlan. “There is a great cross-section of companies represented, from local business services to high-tech software firms, all managing to grow and expand despite the tough economic environment of the past year. I’d like to congratulate the winners and Donegal County Enterprise Board for the work they are doing in promoting business and entrepreneurship in Donegal. These types of ambitious companies will play a huge part in driving the future success of Donegal and Ireland as a whole.”

“I’m absolutely delighted”, said Malachi Eastwood. “I’d like to thank the staff here in Letterkenny and all of our customers for making this possible. Word travels fast if you provide a good product and good service and our customers have been our best sales staff. I’d also like to thank Donegal County Enterprise Board and Donegal Fire Service for their great support down the years.”

Said Michael Tunney, CEO of Donegal County Enterprise Board: “Malachi and his team at Gartan Technologies richly deserve this award. They have developed an innovative solution for fire service management, and more importantly they have managed to sell it effectively, starting in Ireland and then entering the UK market. Malachi and his team are a great example for other companies in the county to show what can be achieved through innovative product design and good customer service combined with hard work and determination.”

Originally from Belfast, Malachi Eastwood had a keen interest in music that initially led him to playing on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It was in New Orleans that he met his wife, Milford-born Margaret. The couple returned to Ireland in 1991 and in 1994 Malachi enrolled as a mature student in the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, completing a four year Degree in Applied Computing. He went on to set up Gartan Technologies with Peter Cunningham in 2001. They originally developed a payroll and billing system for the Donegal Fire Service which proved to be popular with other fire services around Ireland. Despite that success, breaking into the UK market was difficult at first with most Fire services wanting to see an English reference customer before coming on board themselves. However in December 2006 they signed their first landmark deal with Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue service which quickly led to contracts with Gloucestershire, Highlands & Islands and Lancashire. Since then their solutions have been installed by 17 UK Fire Services. “We work hard on providing good after sales support and this has driven our success both here in Ireland and in the UK”, says Malachi. “Fire and Rescue Services are in the business of saving lives and they want products and suppliers they can rely on. The challenge now is to maintain the growth of the company while maintaining our high standards. We are working to bring our solutions to new sectors and to new market places. These are exciting times for us. This month for example, Coldlake Fire Service (Alberta, Canada) are beginning a trial of our system which as you might expect, is an exciting project for us.”

The Enterprising Donegal Business Awards are an annual event to acknowledge the contribution of local entrepreneurs to the economic and social fabric of the county. Sponsored by Donegal County Enterprise Board, the awards mark the end of Enterprising Donegal Business Week, a series of events held each year to celebrate the role of local businesses in the North West and to encourage an entrepreneurial culture. Each year an overall County award is made to one of the category winners, and this company goes on to represent Donegal at the National Enterprise Awards in Dublin. Previous winners of Business of the Year award have included DS Environmental Services, Mantis Cranes and North West Aluminium.

Inspiring Women to Success

2010-03-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

Kilcar native Margaret Sweeney returned to Donegal on Wednesday to address an audience of over 60 women (and 2 men!) at Gallaghers Hotel in Letterkenny. The event was co-hosted by Donegal County Enterprise Board and Donegal Women in Business Network as part of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010. Margaret drew on her own experiences as a woman rising to the top in a predominantly male work environment, from her beginnings as a trainee accountant to becoming the first female Chief Executive of an Irish retail bank, to inspire the crowd to push through any obstacles and drive their businesses to success.

After her motivating talk, Margaret also gave us a few words of wisdom for entrepreneurs and women thinking about starting a business. Please click below to see her interview.

Donegal Business Week 2010 Launched

2010-03-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

Enterprising Donegal Business Week was launched last night with the help of Celebrity Chef Richard Corrigan who cooked up a storm at the Silver Tassie. The event was attended by around 90 businesses and also saw the launch of a new 3 year initiative by Donegal County Enterprise Board to support the food sector in Donegal and establish Donegal as the 'Food Coast'. Local food companies turned up in large numbers to support the initiative and hear how top Chef Richard Corrigan has succeeded in developing a number of successful food businesses both in Ireland and the UK Richard also shared his views on what he feels Donegal Businesses need to do to develop a reputation within Donegal for good food.

Interview with Colm Long, Facebook's Director of Operations in Europe, Middle East and Asia

2010-03-05T09:07:00.001-08:00

Colm Long, Facebook's Director of Operations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia visited Donegal today as a guest of the Donegal County Enterprise Board, marking the beginning of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010. Here is a short interview we had with Colm just before the seminar. We'll be posting more images and video throughout the week, which runs from today until Friday 12th.

Enterprise Week has arrived

2010-03-05T00:38:00.000-08:00

Well its March 5th so its the start of Enterprising Donegal Business Week. Lots of events for those in business or interested in starting a business. We have just received some of the key speakers presentations and they really will challenge us all to think differently, prepare for the future in business and most importantly to learn what exciting and interesting times are ahead of all in business. Gerard O Neill of Amarach Consulting will kick off proceedings on Monday morning at the Villa Rose Ballybofey with his presentation, 'From Recession to Recovery' and he looks set to explain where we currently are and what is likely to happen for business in the future. For further information or to register for the event go to http://www.donegalenterprise.ie/dceb/EnterpriseWeekRegistration.aspx

Mobilising Women’s Enterprise for Growth

2010-03-04T01:23:00.000-08:00

Join us for Lunch with Margaret Sweeney, Chief Executive of Postbank Ireland Ltd on Wednesday 10th March 2010 in Gallaghers Hotel, Letterkenny at 1.00pm.

Margaret Sweeney will be the keynote speaker at a free business networking lunch organised by Donegal County Enterprise Board in association with the Donegal Women in Business Network.

A native of Kilcar, Margaret has over twenty years experience in leading and advising businesses across different sectors and international markets including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and the United States. Prior to joining Postbank, Margaret worked for KPMG and Aer Rianta.

Margaret was recently elected to the new Board of FÁS and she is currently a Board Director of Postbank Ireland Limited, One Direct Limited, Dublin City University, Teagasc and Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

To register for the FREE event, click here.

Join us at the Official Launch of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010

2010-02-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Donegal County Enterprise Board invites you to Official Launch of Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010 and the launch of the new Donegal Food Initiative by Special Guest Speaker Celebrity Chef Richard Corrigan on Friday 5th March at 7:30pm in the Silver Tassie Hotel, Letterkenny. To book your place, click here.

Raising Awareness and Engagement Online

2010-02-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

Donegal County Enterprise Board invites you to lunch with Colm Long, Director of Online Sales and Operations at Facebook Europe, Middle East and Asia on Friday 5th March at 12:30pm in the Radisson Hotel, Letterkenny. To register for the event, visit www.donegalenterprise.ie/dceb/EnterpriseWeekRegistration.aspx.

Richard Corrigan, Volvo Ocean Races and Facebook at Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010

2010-02-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

With guest speakers including Celebrity Chef Richard Corrigan, Facebook Director Colm Long and Doug Richard from the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, this year’s Enterprising Donegal Week is shaping up to be the strongest so far. Organised by Donegal County Enterprise Board, the aim of the week is to encourage anyone in Donegal who wants to start or expand a business. Running from Friday 5th March through to March 12th in venues across the county, this year’s theme is ‘New Directions and New Opportunities’.

For more information, please follow this link to our website.

2010-02-18T04:04:00.000-08:00

Enterprising Donegal Business Week 2010 brochure now available to download at www.donegalenterprise.ie Find out about all the free events and seminars taking place in Donegal from March 5th - 12th

Welcome to the Enterprising Donegal Week 2010 blog

2010-02-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

Hello, welcome to the Enterprising Donegal Week 2010 blog, covering the lead up to the week which begins on Friday 5th March 2010 and lasts until Friday 12th. Over the next few weeks we'll be posting information about the events during the week, including video interviews with local businesses and guest speakers. You can also access a full schedule of events from the main Donegal County Enterprise Board site at www.donegalenterprise.ie. Please post a comment about anything you'd like to see, and contact us at 07491 60735 or email Celine Carroll at ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie if you have any questions about Enterprising Donegal Week.