Businesses in Athlone and throughout County Westmeath are being invited to participate in an exciting programme of events and topics to mark Local Enterprise Week 2023.
County Westmeath small businesses and entrepreneurs will gather from March 6 to 10 for Local Enterprise Week 2023, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices across the country. With thousands expected to attend the events nationwide, and the threat of rising costs for small businesses, this will be the most significant Local Enterprise Week to date.
Run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEO ), events will be taking place from Monday, March 6 to Friday, March 10, and are open to all, particularly entrepreneurs and those with small businesses. The events will be running online and in person and will cover a whole range of topics from financial forecasting, local marketing, exporting and more.
There will be a range of national spotlight events hosted online each day, starting off on the morning of Monday, March 6, with the “First Steps to Export Success” webinar which is hosted by the LEO Westmeath. If you are considering expanding into international markets or if you are an early-stage exporter, the First Steps to Export Success webinar is for you. This webinar organised by the Local Enterprise Offices in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia will heighten awareness of market opportunities and supports available, discuss challenges to internationalisation and feature case studies drawn from both the Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland clients.
LEO Westmeath is also running a range of free training courses for Westmeath businesses throughout the week including “Financial Forecasting for Small Business” and “How to Market Your Business Locally” and will be hosting a range of clinic days on topics such as social media, finance, marketing and HR where businesses can book a one-to-one advisory session on the topic of their choice.
The week will also include some high-profile events, such as the Women in Business Event to celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8. This is a regional event run in conjunction with the LEOs in Longford and Leitrim and will include guest speakers from various successful businesses including Westmeath’s own Una Leonard of 2210 Patisserie fame. The winners of the Westmeath Enterprise Awards 2023 will be announced at a ceremony on March 7 in the Mullingar Park Hotel and the County Final of the Students Enterprise Awards will be held in the Golden Island Shopping Centre on March 9.
Christine Charlton, Head of Enterprise, LEO Westmeath, emphasised what a unique opportunity this is for businesses and entrepreneurs within County Westmeath and throughout the country.
“The Local Enterprise Office are an essential resource for any entrepreneur or small company in Ireland and Local Enterprise Week offers everyone the opportunity to understand what the LEO offers. It is also a fantastic chance for people to learn from the array of great speakers and to network with other likeminded entrepreneurs and business people in their area. Small Irish businesses rely on the support of those in their communities, particularly in those tough first years and with the rising costs of living and doing business. Local Enterprise Week is the perfect opportunity to learn what resources are available on your doorstep and who in your network can help your business to plan, start and grow," Ms Charlton stated.
The full list of local events is available on the website www.localenterprise.ie/westmeath
