"For people interested in developing a business idea"

How/Why your company should be doing Search Engine Optimization (SEO)!
An Enterprise Forum Network Event

Date: Tues 24 April 2012
Venue: Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone
Time: 6.15pm – 7.15pm
Cost: FREE

Event Format – This event will feature our keynote speaker followed by Q&A session. Participants are welcome to network after the presentation.

80% of all consumers looking for goods, services or information start their investigation using a search engine, e.g. Google, Yahoo etc. When they type in a query for your particular type of product or service do they find you or do they find your competition? At this event we will show you briefly how to ensure they find your website and not your competition through Search Engine Optimisation techniques.

Keynote Speaker Profile:
Catriona Montgomery is Operations Manager, and her colleague Suzanne Hoey is the Senior Technical Support Executive with SitesToGo InternetLab in Tullamore
SitesToGo® specialise in user and search engine friendly, accessible websites that are owner-updatable. They work with companies to either do their search engine optimisation or train them to do their own site set-up. The company can equip you with a search engine optimisation strategy based on the best opportunities for your industry.

RSVP to info@enterpriseforum.ie

All welcome – Feel free to pass this to a friend that might be interested in joining us on the night or in the Enterprise Forum.

Enterprise Forum Committee: Siobhan Bigley, Mary Doyle, Michael Furey, David Jackson (Chairperson), Seamus McKenna, Rob O’Rourke, Sébastien Rolland (Secretary), Michael Tumulty (Vice-Chairperson)

Enterprise Forum network meeting in the Prince of Wales Hotel Athlone on Tuesday the 19th of July 2011. For our summer event we are supporting the Simon Community summer BBQ fund raiser Saturday the 16th of July 2011 see attached poster, all welcome.

The Enterprise Forum network aim to review the benefits of being a member and encourage new members joining and also integrating existing members so we can support each other more effectively. With this in mind our next network meeting will give you an opportunity to share your business idea or service with members which provides you time to make strong contacts of support who will potentially refer you to clients and possibly do business with you. We will look at the benefits of being a member and have the opportunity to network in a relaxed atmosphere.

Please consider the following points for your pitch at the network:

• What is your business about? (name, service or product offering)
• Who are your customers? (brief profile of your typical customer)
• What are your successes to date? (any breakthroughs you have in your business or inspiring stories)
• What are your challenges? (past, present or future)
• Your vision for your business? (goals, what is your dream for your business?)
• By providing us with the above information we are all better able to assist you make your goals a reality and support each other along the way.

We look forward to seeing you and feel free to invite a friend, all are welcome.

The Competitive Start Fund for Life Science, Cleantech and Industrial projects is an attractive offer to start-up companies in these sectors. See the details below for an overview and a link to the application page.

Overview of the Competitive Start Fund

The Competitive Start Fund for Lifesciences, Cleantech and Industrial companies is targeted at helping start up and early stage companies at post feasibility stage to get off the ground and launch new products and services in international marketplaces. This is a competitive support with applications being judged by EI and a panel of Industry Experts.

Eligibility

The Competitive Start Fund is open to:

• Companies who are active in the Lifesciences, Cleantech and Industrial sectors
• Individuals who, prior to Enterprise Ireland’s investment, will register a company that will be active in these sectors.

In addition, applicants must fulfil all of the following criteria:

• Is a manufacturing activity or an internationally traded service as defined in the Services Order 2010.
• Must not have received equity funding of €100K or more.
• Is pre-trading or recently commenced trading, i.e. had revenues less than €60k in the last full financial year.
• Must be capable of creating 10 jobs in Ireland and realising sales of €1m within 3 to 4 years of starting up, or, where a company is required to have FDA or CE approval, within three years of approval to sell.

What is the maximum funding available?

The selected companies will receive a maximum investment of €50,000 for a 10% ordinary equity stake in the start-up company. The investment shall be released in two equal tranches. The Company will be required to secure additional equity investment of €5,000, from promoters or external investees, prior to the release of EI’s first tranche.

What is the call close date?

The CSF will open on May 26th and the call for applications will close on the 14th June 2011, at 6pm.

How do companies apply?

Applications are made through the Enterprise Ireland online application system.

For more information:

Log on to: www.enterprise-ireland.com/csf

Email: csf@enterprise-ireland.com

Ring the dedicated Help Line 01 727 2202 (9am – 5pm)

Westmeath Enterprise Board and Athlone.ie are presenting a Business Information Seminar taking place in Athlone on Tuesday 21st June in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone. The event will take place between 12:45 and 17:50. There is a limited number of exhibition spaces available to Support Agencies, Training Providers and related Business Service Providers. There seems to be a lot of information and talks on how web and current IT trends can help your business, from understanding ‘Cloud’ to learning about ‘App’s and everything in between. Tickets costs €25.00 for the whole day, and it looks like, from everything on offer, your getting some serious value for money. For more information and booking details, please check out www.athlone.ie/seminar.

It’s that time again! The Enterprise Forums June Network Event is fast approaching. We hope to see you all there.

The first half of the event will feature a keynote speaker Glenn Quinn, followed by Q&A session. The second half will features a network member sharing information on their business, an aspect of their businesses or a current challenge. This is followed by open networking. Glenn is South African with Irish roots. He is a Professional Trainer, a Certified Life Coach and an International Martial Arts Instructor (5th Dan Shotokan Karate). Glenn has extensive working and training experience dealing with numerous multi‐national companies and is continually engaged in public speaking events which span from specialist communication‐skills training to stand‐up comedy. He is also an active member of Toastmasters International and has completed the Competent Leader and Advanced Communicator Bronze award to date. All welcome – Feel free to pass this to a friend that might be interested in joining us. RSVP to info@enterpriseforum.ie or David 087 6781978 or Richard 086 2636704

Date: Tues 14 June 2011
Venue: Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone
Time: 6.15pm ‐ 7.15pm
Cost: FREE

A Seminar and Exhibition of Enterprise, Employment & Training Supports for People in Westmeath. Sean Gallagher from Dragons Den is the keynote speaker for this FREE event to be held in the Annebrook House Hotel, Friday June 3rd, 10am – 2pm. All are welcome. Booking is available through http://westmeath-enterprise.ie or by calling 044 9349222. There is a fantastic line up of speakers alongside Sean to include; Minister Willie Penrose, Prof.Ciaran Ó Catháin AIT, Robert Lynch I.N.O.U. There will also be some 15 state agencies to offer advice on a hugh range of possible questions across Enterprise, Employment and Training. If your thinking about starting your own business then this could be a fantastic event to attend.

I just wanted to let members and non-members know that we have setup a group on LinkedIn for the Enterprise Forum. If your a member of LinkedIn, and would like to connect with us and make new contacts please check out our group page. Enterprise Forum LinkedIn Group

Well I want to thank everyone who came to our Network Meeting last night. I’d also like to give special thanks to Aengus O’Rourke from Snap Printing for giving an insightful presentation on sales. I believe everyone who attended went home with a better mindset on how to approach sales. I’d also like to thank Claire Hickey for sharing all of the positives, and some of the issues facing her business today. Many of the Forum members were able to provide solid ideas and suggestions about how she might find a solution.

RTE Radio 1′s ‘The Business’ is staging a networking event in Athlone on May 5th. The show’s presenter, George Lee will be speaking at the event, as will Pat McDonagh, the founder of Supermacs. He will be talking about how to run a business in recessionary times. As well as the headline speeches, there will also be business speed dating, to give everyone in the room a chance to make new contacts.

George Lee said :

“It’s really important for the team and myself to hear how local businesses are getting on and to learn about the issues they face on a daily basis. Since I’ve started presenting The Business, I’ve been inspired and impressed by the attitude of business people all over the country and their ability to keep going in these tough times. These are the people that will get our economy moving again. We’re also hoping to meet lots of businesses that we can profile on the programme in the future.”

The event will be taking place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone between 7.00 and 8.30pm. Admission is free and all are very welcome. For further information please contact Aideen McLoughlin, Series Producer of The Business on 01 2083551 or 086 8588879 or e-mail athebusiness@rte.ie

The next Network meeting is fast approaching. The event will be focused on helping you increase your sales, with advice and tips from Aengus O’Rourke, of Snap Printing. The event should prove helpful to any one who is trying to increase their sales. As per normal. The second half of the event will allow for conversation about issues relevant to members and networking. The event will take place on Tuesday 10th May in the Prince of Wales Hotel at 18:15. Look forward to seeing you all there.