Business
Galway entrepreneurs to share success stories at city seminar
Fintrax entrepreneur Gerry Barry and SCCUL Entrepreneurship Award winners Channel Mechanics will be the key note speakers at a seminar for SME’s in the Clayton Hotel Galway on Wednesday next, June 26, at 6pm.
Entitled ‘Galway Entrepreneurs Share Success Stories’, the seminar will hear from successful Galway based entrepreneurs who will discuss their business experience and offer practical advice for business owners today.
The event is organised by SCCUL Mentors, an initiative established by SCCUL Enterprises to provide mentoring support to start up and existing business owners.
Also speaking at the event is Hazel Hendy, a mentor with SCCUL Mentors who will review the success of the mentoring programme to date and outline future plans. MC for the event will be Philip Furlong, deputy manager of St. Columba’s Credit Union.
Announcing the event, Chairman of SCCUL Enterprises Padraig O’Callaghan said that the seminar would offer business owners a unique opportunity to hear success stories from different stages of the business life cycle
“We are delighted to present two very successful entrepreneurs for our flagship summer event,” he said.
“Fintrax founder Gerry Barry saw a niche business opportunity and developed a highly successful business which he sold last year. Channel Mechanics, an early stage business, is continuing to make the headlines for winning not only the SCCUL Entrepreneurship Awards but more recently the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards.”
“Clearly these entrepreneurs have wonderful stories to tell and experiences to share that may help other businesses. SCCUL Mentors exists to provide access to pro bono business expertise and wisdom and we are delighted that both gentlemen are giving of their time to present at this seminar.”
Open to the public, the seminar will be of interest to small and medium business owners and offers networking opportunity for Galway’s business community before the holiday season.
Colman Collins Chairman SCCUL Mentors Advisory Board said: “In today’s business world it is important that all businesses are given as much help as possible to ensure they have the greatest chance of success.
“Seminars such as this offer business owners an opportunity to gain access to different perspectives and to make valuable business contacts.”
The seminar is free but attendees must register in advance. To register contact Ballybane Enterprise Centre on 091 386 004 or online www.scculmentors.ie
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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