‘Fear of business failure’ stronger amongst women than men in Ireland
National Women’s Enterprise Day is being celebrated tomorrow (Thursday, November 17th) with one of the largest gatherings of female entrepreneurs in Ireland this year.
The enterprise initiative is the brain-child of the County and City Enterprise Boards, which are organising a major conference, exhibition and mentoring clinic in Portlaoise, with 260 female entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs attending from all over the country.
Irish research*shows that a higher proportion of women report that a ‘fear of failure’ would prevent them from starting a business in Ireland. According to Eamon Ryan from the County and City Enterprise Boards, one of the main aims of National Women’s Enterprise Day is to encourage more women to access information and enterprise supports.
He said: “Irish research shows that men are more confident that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to start a business. To help address that gender imbalance, we’re hosting National Women’s Enterprise Day to put Ireland’s female entrepreneurs in the spotlight.”
He added: “Even after National Women’s Enterprise Day has come to an end, the network of County and City Enterprise Boards still provide year-round support services to anyone thinking of setting up a business. We’d encourage women in particular, to find out what supports and networks are available to them at a local level.”
Later this evening, the Minister for Social Protection, Ms. Joan Burton T.D., is the guest speaker at a networking event at the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise, ahead of the full day of talks, exhibitions, case studies and mentoring clinics at the hotel tomorrow.
Debra Searle MBE , author and entrepreneur, is one of two keynote speakers at the National Women’s Enterprise Day conference, along with the founder of the Itsa Bagel chain, Domini Kemp. The stories of eight other female entrepreneurs, who are all based in different parts of the country, will also be showcased at the conference.
Searle hit the headlines a number of years ago after successfully rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic alone, spending three and a half months at sea. A highly accomplished sportswoman, she later helped to set a new World Record for Dragon Boating across the English Channel, with a very famous team-mate, Kate Middleton.
Chef and food writer, Domini Kemp, runs the hugely popular Itsa Bagel chain with her sister and their outdoor catering company, Feast Catering, is also flourishing alongside two new restaurants.
Co-funded by the European Social Fund with support from the Department of Justice and Equality through the Equality for Women Measure, the aim of National Women’s Enterprise Day is to give national recognition to the role of female entrepreneurship.
Tv3 broadcaster and journalist Collette Fitzpatrick is the conference facilitator and the four case study entrepreneurs this year are Lisa Myers from the Wig Clinic in Cork, Birgitta Curtin from the Burren Smokehouse in Clare, Elena Brennan from Elena Brenna Jewellery in Cavan and Grainne Barry from Anotherfriend.com in Limerick City.
Aisling Hurley from Teamwoodcraft in Laois, Liz Waters from Malone’s Cleaning in Dublin, Mary Fitzgerald from Woodlands House Hotel in County Limerick and Deirdre Murtagh of Causey Farm in Meath are all on the ‘more established businesses’ panel at this year’s conference.
Later this afternoon, Damien Mulley from Mulley Communications is hosting a social media workshop, with case studies from Emer McCormack of Just-East.ie, Lorna Sixsmith from www.garrendennylane.com, Karen O’ Sullivan from the Talbot Hotel in Carlow and Tara Wilson-Black from www.irishwomeninbusiness.ie. Meanwhile, Mary Ann McDonagh from Payback Solutions is facilitating the network sessions.
The conference also includes an exhibition of enterprise support agencies and one-to-one mentoring clinics with experienced businesspeople.
Organisers have set up an official website at www.nwed.ie, with full details for events planned for National Women’s Enterprise Day. The official twitter account is www.twitter.com/nwed
For more information about National Women’s Enterprise Day, please visit www.nwed.ie
The conference in Portlaoise on November 17th has been sold out.
*Research: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report for Ireland (2010)
Page 30 / 8.4 Attitudes of Men and Women
“A higher proportion of women (43%) than men (34% report that a fear of failure would prevent them from starting a business.”
“More men are confident that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to start a business (57%) than women (42%).”
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