If you are based in or around Galway make sure you check out this great event, organised by one of our Contributors, Caroline McDonagh, and Developing Enterprises Skillsnet.
‘Breathe Fire into your Business – A Dragons Perspective’ with Sean Gallagher takes place in the Clayton Hotel, Galway from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Tuesday May 10th.

Attendance is free but you must register by emailing developingenterprisesskillnet@gmail.com

The event will focus on the challenges that businesses in the Border, Midlands & Western region are experiencing in today’s harsh economic climate. As an entrepreneur Gallagher understands the challenges of setting up and growing a successful business in Ireland. He is a passionate supporter and campaigner for entrepreneurs and small business owners and will bring with him the message of hope and inspiration in the face of adversity on his visit to Galway.

In addition to Sean Gallagher, speakers will include:

- Seamus Bree, Director, Western Region, Enterprise Ireland

- Breda Fox, CEO, Galway County and City Enterprise Board

- Caroline McDonagh, CEO, WIN – West of Ireland Networking

- Gert O’Rourke, Gert O’Rourke, Training and Development

For more information on Developing Enterprises Skillsnet click here.

The Small Firms Association released findings from their Winter Jobs Sentiment Survey today. The results show that retaining jobs and creating employment remained a challenge for small firms.

SFA Acting Director, Avine McNally stated, ““In the past small firms have demonstrated the capacity to create employment, and they will do so again if they are given the right economic conditions. In 2010 12% of firms increased their employee numbers, however, the final months of the year showed a decline in the numbers at work in small firms and this may have been a reflection of the uncertainty that firms felt about Ireland’s economic future.”

There is a reason to remain positive however. While the challenges remain for many firms in regards to retaining and creating employment, 62% of companies indicated that employee numbers will remain at current levels during the next three months, while 14% of respondents expect to increase employee numbers in the next three months, an increase of 7% on the last quarter of 2009.
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Tomorrow sees the first day of the National Ploughing Championships in Athy, Co. Kildare.

Last year over 180,000 people flocked to the event over three days, making it the largest rural gathering of people in Ireland and Europe. …

They say that you can tell a lot about a society by its advertising. If this is true, Irish society has shifted in the past twelve months as ‘staying in’ is becoming the new ‘going out’. You may have seen brands capitalise on this with changes in their messaging such as the new Smirnoff ‘Dress up and Stay in’ ads.

TV stations are also updating their programming with new shows such as RTÉ’s ‘Take on the takeaway’. This new show features celebrity chefs such as Kevin Dundon compete against the contestants’ take-aways to try to beat them in the area of price, speed of delivery and taste.

As consumers demand better value on their weekly shop, they are turning to review websites and forums to find out where to shop and what products to buy. One website that is catering for this effectively is CheapEats – a blog about eating well in Ireland while getting value for money.

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Ernst and Young issued a Europe-wide report today with some good news for Ireland.

After two years of contraction the economy is predicted rebound dramatically in 2011. …

Another day, another county, and another great National Enterprise Week event.

Allaboutbusiness.ie was back in Galway yesterday to go to the enterprise evening in the Ardilaun Hotel where over 80 local business owners had the opportunity to network and listen to speeches on ‘Managing your business through the recession’. …

There was a great buzz in Dundalk on Thursday at the launch event of National Enterprise Week.

Business owners from the area took advantage of the evening to listen to speeches and chat to business experts such as legendary Dragon Bobby Kerr over a cup of tea and a sandwich!

The speakers at the event did a great job of highlighting how SME’s can build better businesses. All of the speakers talked about how important it is to remain positive, even in the current economic climate, and that even though the market is difficult at the moment there are definite signs of improvement so no one should get disheartened! …