New networks respond to needs of business people

TWO business networks, one of them for women, were launched in west Cork by Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin last week.

The Small Business Network and the West Cork Business Women’s Network were kick-started in an initiative by the West Cork Enterprise Board.

The Small Business Network, which aims to promote entrepreneurship among men and women in small businesses throughout the region, will provide a forum for networking, plus regular informative business presentations.

The West Cork Business Women’s Network will focus on the needs of businesswomen, providing information, resources, contacts and opportunities for women who run their own businesses in west Cork.

Both organisations are being established following requests to the West Cork Enterprise Board from businesspeople in the region, according to its chief executive Michael Hanley.

“The small business network is a direct response to people who have been through our training programmes such as Start Your Own Business Training Programme and the Small Business Management Programme and also clients to whom we have given financial assistance.”

The board, he said, was responding to “the feeling of isolation people have when they set out on their own,” by establishing a supportive network.

“The Women in Business is a response to the same type of request, but one coming from females who have entered business. We figure that it would be a valid response to issues for women in business.

“The network will help women address both general business issues and the issues which affect them as women in business.”

Women would have the option of joining either or both networks he said, adding that about 30 local businesses were expected to sign up to each network.

Bridget Lawlor, co- founder of Nua Training and Development in Skibbereen which runs a variety of training courses for community and business, will be involved in running both new networks.