Tipperary Enterprise Boards gear up for National Women’s Enterprise Day.

Women in business and aspiring female entrepreneurs from all over Tipperary are gearing up for
National Women’s Enterprise Day on October 18th as part of EU SME Week.

The local Enterprise Boards are co-organising a major two day conference, exhibition and mentoring
clinic on October 17th and 18th to mark National Women’s Enterprise Day.

Co-funded by the European Social Fund with support from the Department of Justice and Equality
through the Equality for Women Measure, National Women’s Enterprise Day is being organised to
highlight opportunities for women, who have already set up a business or who might be considering
the move.

Geraldine Manning from the Tipperary North County Enterprise Board said: “National Women’s
Enterprise Day has become a strategically important initiative, aimed at encouraging more women
in Ireland to consider setting up a business. This is especially important for this country, as latest
research from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report shows that women in Ireland are still 2.5
times less likely to start a new business, than men.”

She continued: “The key message from all the County and City Enterprise Boards is that there are
year-round supports available for women, who are considering setting up a business or who are
already in business, looking for growth opportunities. We’re encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to
come and talk to their local Enterprise Board, if they’re thinking of setting up their own business.”

All the events during the two day conference on October 17th and 18th for National Women’s
Enterprise Day are taking place at the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise Town.

A panel of experienced business mentors will be available for one-to-one mentoring appointments,
giving advice around areas such as finance, sales and marketing, business start-up, sustainability, e-
business and food enterprise. There will also be a dedicated exhibition area, made up of information
stands from various business and state support agencies.

Kathleen Lynch. T.D, Minister for Disability, Equality, Mental Health and Older People will deliver
the opening address on Wednesday, October 17th. The ‘Focus on Technology and Social Media’
workshop on Wednesday afternoon includes presentations from Carol Tallon of Buyers Broker
Direct, Joanne Sweeney Burke of Media Box, Janet Beck of Glass Eye Products and Fintan Murphy
of Damson. A facilitated speed networking event is taking place that evening, giving all participants
the opportunity to make new contacts and strengthen existing business connections.

Clinical Psychologist and Author, Dr. Maureen Gaffney is one of two keynote speakers on Thursday,
October 18th, alongside Tour America’s founder, Mary McKenna, with TV3’s Collette Fitzpatrick
taking on the role of conference facilitator.

The ‘FAB! Females at Business’ panel that Thursday morning includes four highly-accomplished
women: Nicola Byrne from 11890, Linda O’ Shea Farren, CEO of the Irish American Peace
Foundation, Orlaigh Carmody from Mediatraining.ie and Barrister and former RTE broadcaster,
Theresa Lowe.

The ‘Telling It As It Is’ interactive segment later that day features Fleur Creed from Genesis Business
College in Wexford, Caroline McEnery from HR & Business Solutions in Kerry, Sarah Nic Lochlainn
from Aruna Sauces in Louth and Alison Banton from Brooke & Shoals Fragrances in Wicklow.

Booking forms for National Women’s Enterprise Day can be downloaded from www.nwed.ie and
the subsidised delegate fees are €100, which includes conference materials, meals and mentoring
appointments on October 17th and 18th.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report data for Ireland 2011. Men in Ireland are 2.5
times more likely to be involved in early stage entrepreneurship than women. Extract from page
31: “Gender: The likelihood that an individual engages in early stage entrepreneurial activity is
influenced by their gender. Irish men are two and a half times more likely than Irish women to be an
early stage entrepreneur. Rates of early stage entrepreneurs for males are 10.3% and for women are
4.2%.”

Event Title: National Women’s Enterprise Day 2012

Organisers: County and City Enterprise Boards

Co-Funders: Co-funded by the European Social Fund with support from the Department of Justice
and Equality through the Equality for Women Measure.

National Women’s Enterprise Day is part of EU SME Week 2012.

Date: National Women’s Enterprise Day is on Thursday, October 18th and the two day conference
takes place on October 17th and 18th 2012 at the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise

Official Website: www.nwed.ie

Other Participants at National Women’s Enterprise Day conference:

The ‘Focus on Technology and Social Media’ workshop at the conference includes presentations from
Carol Tallon of Buyers Broker Direct, Joanne Sweeney Burke of Media Box, Janet Beck of Glass Eye
Products and Fintan Murphy of Damson.

Photography Note: Reproduction-free images from last year’s National Women’s Enterprise Day
are available, together with images from the launch of this year’s conference (in July 2012). Please
request these from Engage Ireland at (01) 8855162 or office@engageireland.com

Media Passes: For complimentary media passes to the conference, please contact Engage Ireland.

Media Queries: Please contact Engage Ireland for all media queries. Sarah Bohan or Kerry Graye on
Tel: (01) 8855162 or by e-mail on office@engageireland.com