It was announced today that Going for Growth, the award-winning business development programme for ambitious female entrepreneurs, is looking for applications for the latest cycle of the initiative.
Going for Growth is for female entrepreneurs, across all sectors, who are strongly focussed on growth. Ideally their businesses will be well established and they will have been trading for at least two years. The programme will give them a unique experience of peer support in a collaborative environment with entrepreneurs supporting entrepreneurs.
With the focus very much on action and results, participants work in interactive round table sessions led by successful female entrepreneurs and businesswomen who share their experience and insights with the group on a completely voluntary basis. They support the participants to examine and address the issues and challenges they face in driving growth in their businesses.
The six-month part time programme, which is sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and KPMG, will run from January to June 2018. There is no charge to those who are selected to participate. The deadline for applications for Going for Growth is Friday 8 December 2017.
Over 500 female entrepreneurs have participated in the initiative to date and the evidence from them is that the peer support approach delivers major impacts for both the entrepreneur and for her business. In the most recent cycle, the 78 participants reported an increase in their combined sales of over €20million over the six months of the cycle, bringing their total sales to over €136million.
Almost half the participants have customers in overseas markets. Between them the participants employed an additional 187 people full time, bringing their combined total to 1,250 people, an increase of 17.5% over the six month cycle.
Commenting on the initiative, National Director of Going for Growth, Paula Fitzsimons said, "Our mission in Going for Growth is to support female entrepreneurs to achieve their growth ambitions and to get more female owner managers into a growth frame of mind. We have demonstrated over many cycles that the collaborative peer based approach really works and delivers significant results for the entrepreneurs and their businesses."
Partner at KPMG, Olivia Lynch added, "The promotion of female entrepreneurship has many benefits from the unlocking of personal potential to the valuable employment opportunities it creates. We’re delighted to support Going for Growth and we look forward to working with the many ambitious entrepreneurs who will participate in the next cycle."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
