Gearing up to mark Local Enterprise Week in Cork city

BUSINESS in Cork city displayed considerable resilience, agility and ambition during the challenges of recent years.

Now public health measures are lifted, Cork City Local Enterprise Board wants to make sure that businesses can stabilise, and realise opportunities the future will pose.

During 2020 and 2021, Local Enterprise Offices (LEO’s) around the country responded with new supports designed to aid micro and small businesses to overcome significant new challenges being faced by the sector.

During that two-year period the LEO Cork City provided 408 one-to-one business advice clinics, 771 Trading On-line Vouchers, 690 Mentoring Sessions and 3,995 companies received continuity or re-start vouchers.

The public health crisis has caused people to reconsider their priorities and some now would like to start a business. In Cork City LEO we are increasingly being contacted by individuals who wish to enquire about starting a business with enquiries varying from those wishing to explore making a living from a hobby or a passion to those who developed an idea with time on their hands.

The above factors reinforce the importance of Enterprise Week, where there is an opportunity for Entrepreneurs to participate in events targeted at businesses at all stages of development. The schedule of events for Local Enterprise Week 2022, we believe, reflects the changing environment businesses and business owners find themselves in. Events vary from TikTok for Business Workshops to Wellbeing, whilst also encompassing the more traditional business and finance supports, supporting businesses at all stages of their development.

Commencing on Monday March 7 to Friday March 11. All events throughout the week will be operating online again this year.

There will be panel discussions, training courses, networking sessions, Business Advice Clinics, and fun workshops such as Chair Yoga throughout the week.

The week kicks off on Monday 7th March with Tips and Tools for Entrepreneurs for Minding your Mental Health and Wellbeing.

On Tuesday there will be a Food and Drink Starter Programme. Also, on Tuesday, “Retail and Foodservice 2022 - Expert Views” is scheduled, facilitated by James Burke, a leading retail and foodservice expert. 

The Guest Speakers are Domini Kemp of Itsa Café and Rachel Doyle of Arboretum, and they will be joined by Weran Tahir of Bocelli Kitchen & Wine Bar and Joan Lucey of Vibes and Scribes for a panel discussion on “What is the Winning Formula for 2022”.

There will be a “TikTok for Business” workshop on Wednesday, and the afternoon will feature “Simple Cybersecurityfor the Small Business”.

Lunchtime Thursday, there will be a talk on How to respond to Tenders and Quotes” highlighting the many opportunities for SMEs to avail of through public procurement and tendering, with “Re-invigorate with Digital” to follow.

Finally, the week will finish with a discussion and information session on “Building a Better Business”, focussing on the LEAN for Micro Programme.

Local Enterprise Week is a highly anticipated national event organised by Local Enterprise Offices around Ireland. As part of this, Local Enterprise Office, Cork City will be running its own series of business-related events for Cork city businesses and budding entrepreneurs.

We hope this week will give an insight to owners and managers of small/ micro businesses throughout Cork City of the available resources at Local Enterprise Office, Cork City to support business start-up and growth.

For further information on the LEO Cork City’s complete programme of events for Local Enterprise Week and to book your place online, visit https://www.localenterprise.ie/