CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. Being prepared for that change is optional.
If you’re an entrepreneur/SME owner/someone with a dream of setting up your own business, staying ahead of the curve is key to success. It can be hard to predict what’s coming around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put your best foot forward either.
Local Enterprise Week is the perfect opportunity to keep abreast of consumer changes, technology updates and new ways of being successful. Running from March 4-8 inclusive, this Local Enterprise Office (LEO) initiative offers training opportunities and the chance to network with like-minded individuals.
Local Enterprise Week is all about giving business owners an opportunity to take stock of trends in their sector, spot opportunities for growth and innovation, and find out about the supports available to help them. We want owners to look up and scan the horizon, to take some time out from working in their business, to working on it. It’s about seeing where the opportunities are and the variety of assistance that exists,” explained John Magee, Chair of the Local Enterprise Office network.
All 31 dedicated LEOs across the length and breadth of the country are running events, such as workshops and discussions with industry-leading minds. For those serious about doing business in Ireland, these events are not to be missed.
There are many reasons to participate, whether you’re thinking of starting a business or are looking to bring your business to the next level. We know that small businesses have had to cope with significant increasing costs in recent years and believe it is so important that they look at productivity supports that help to reduce costs and increase their margins. Perhaps the most important reason for participating is to introduce yourself to the team from your local LEO who will be delighted to chat through the supports that may work for your own business,” John added.
These free events are open to all, regardless of location. Covering a broad range of topics, from sustainability to increasing productivity, you can find all the events taking place during the week here.
A number of Spotlight Events will be taking place throughout the week, where guest speakers will break down relevant and challenging issues for businesses across all industries. These events take place in-person but are also available to watch online for free. For an example of an impactful Spotlight Event, look no further than the ‘Understand and leverage future trends for your business’ event.
This event will cover the ever-changing tech landscape, helping audiences understand what’s going on and what they can do. Keynote speakers are Nancy Rademaker, a trend expert with excellent insights into the future, and Ady Floyd, who helps match businesses with the right tech to thrive.
Nancy, who has been at the forefront of trend observation in previous roles within IT (including Microsoft), spoke of the challenges facing business when it comes to adapting new technology.
I feel for [businesses] because I spend most of my days researching and talking to organisations, talking to people that have lots of knowledge on one topic. It’s hard for companies to keep up. The thing that I want to convey is to make sure that you have this high-level understanding of what technology can do, and then just pick a few areas where you can experiment, and then learn from that,” she said.
Nancy is aware of what growing businesses need to learn, but she doesn’t stop there. Those in attendance at the talk will understand the importance of applying specific technology to their business to get the best results.
For businesses, it’s truly a struggle, first of all, to keep up with everything that’s going on,” she said. “Secondly, getting a new mindset is not achieved by implementing a new technology, it has to be a business-wide or a company-wide initiative where the whole mindset is being changed. 80% of these projects fail, if the human side is not addressed.”
Not only has tech changed how we do business, but it’s also changed us as humans. Recently, multiple studies have pointed towards us becoming more and more impatient, as we’ve grown used to super-fast everything. Nancy helps give an understanding of this new consumer, who is accustomed to web pages loading instantly, for example.
What intrigues me most is how technology can help businesses and can help people and how it transforms both of them as well. The effect it has on people and businesses is what interests me most,” she added.
Whilst she may not have a crystal ball, Nancy does have insight into where the business world is headed. This includes the key areas you should be looking at for your business and how business will evolve in 20 years’ time.
Give yourself and your business the best chance of success by attending Local Enterprise Week 2024.
Visit Local Enterprise Office to learn more about the free events in your area.
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