Briana McTiernan
Projects & Marketing Executive, Small Firms Association
How can female entrepreneurs navigate a world full of barriers and challenges and increase their chances of a successful business venture and career?
Starting and managing a business can be difficult. Female entrepreneurs might find it even more challenging to get ahead and break certain barriers, especially with access to funding and business support.
Helping women succeed
With more women at the forefront engaging with other female entrepreneurs, we can empower the future of women in business by making resources more accessible.
Here are some ways that female entrepreneurs can use to increase their chances of a successful business venture:
- Join a ‘women in business’ community – find a local or online group bringing together and supporting female entrepreneurs, or start your own!
- Find a business mentor – or become a mentor to pass on your knowledge to someone just starting.
- Upskill – take part in courses, workshops, conferences, etc tailored to your needs. Whether that is a writing course, marketing or sourcing financing – always make time to expand your knowledge throughout your career.
- Build your network early: Networking and building your list of contacts as early as possible ensures that you have a foundation of connections and resources available to you when you need them the most.
- Know your elevator pitch. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help, and follow up!
Whether that is a writing course, marketing or sourcing financing – always make time to expand your knowledge throughout your career.
Getting support
There is a constantly growing list of resources and grants available across Ireland to support women in business, such as She’s Next (Empowered by Visa) which helps women with funding and grants; Women in Business Network (run by LEO) supports women with various events and networking; MentorsWork has a 12-week programme tailored to individual business needs.
National Women’s Enterprise Day is taking place on 13 October this year, so be sure to check out your Local Enterprise Office for more information on how you can get involved.
Finally, the Small Firms Association is available to assist with everything you need to boost your business through a dedicated membership network, online guides, resources and templates, networking, events and more.