Seed Mentoring

19/09/2023

Strategy in a Day anyone?
We have a series of one day in person masterclasses on offer, at subsidised prices, part funded by the programme. The first one is with an amazing trainer Diane Roberts and called "Strategy in a Day", ideal if you want to step back, review, challenge yourself and action-plan. Often in your business you are so busy with the endless doing and and never take time out to "deep dive" into your business.

Max 15 participants.
Date: Wednesday 4th October, 10-4pm
Venue: Pinsents, Belfast
Content:

We will work on your strategic plan and will start to build your business. You will have a renewed vision and ambition for your business, and an easy to plot business plan and a renewed confidence.
By the end of the day, participants will be able to formulate, communicate, and execute effective strategies with a focus on growth and innovation.

https://www.womeninbusinessni.com/centre-of-learning/Yes-You-Can-boost-it

27/03/2023

Firing up the energy on a Monday at the Elevate my Business event by . Got to meet so many past startup clients, and hear how they are progressing. Always worth taking time out for connections, storytelling and learning. Congratulations Sinead on a brilliant day

10/01/2023

First time on a podcast... Exciting...

Have you a business idea, are you a start up or are you part of a large organisation and you need support?

are the supporting event partner for The Digg Podcast Live Galgorm Collection Resort and Spa on the 19th January, and I couldn’t be more excited to have them join us on the day.

They will highlight how they can support businesses from the large corporates to the person who just has an idea.

will be joining me on stage along with a WIB member who has “made it happen” all with the support of Women in Business NI .

If you haven’t got your ticket yet then click the link below⬇️

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-digg-podcast-live-making-it-happen-tickets-491807869577

01/12/2022

Brilliant to see current and past clients from Imagine It Bootcamps and Explore It startup programme out selling and promoting their products in the Merchant last night. For some it was their first ever market. The first of many. It was lovely to hear from the lovely Tania that the support programmes by have changed her life!! Amazing chocolate letters! I came home with a bag full of gorgeous gifts - i might struggle though not to keep them for myself!! .directus

18/11/2022

Global Entrepreneurship Week - what a busy week!?

13/11/2022

Shocking!!

Dear 'Politicians'
Democratic Unionist Party
Sinn Féin Ireland

We opened 11 months ago with a fire in our belly ready to create something magical in Belfast for the people of Northern Ireland. Since that day we have fought.

Our first months electric bill in Jan 2022 was £180. Our bill for October was £5446. If we don't start getting some sort of help from our 'Government' we will be closed by next year and I would say there are plenty of restaurant/retail/cafe owners in the same position.

What do we do? Do we protest? Will it make any difference?

If we stand together they can't ignore the noise so how do we do it? Get in touch.

27/10/2022

Anyone in business startup, mentoring or growth support should read this!

Ive just stepped out of an event on Business Angel investment, and its amazing to see that the landscape has changed so much over my 20+ years working with female founders and new opportunities are on the horizon.

For startups and business mentors:
• Angel investment is a great way to raise funding
• You need to give Angels shares and would normally bring on a few angels, not just one
• Some may be hands on and give you advice /support
• Others will want to write the cheque and not be involved
• They may wish to be an observer at your Board meetings
• An angel is not a Director, just a shareholder
• You should only consider angel investment if you plan to sell within 4 to 10 years. The angel will want a return (i.e aim to make profit when you sell)

For potential Angels
• You should only invest money that you don't need back in a certain time period
• You can only exit the investment if a business sells, or it does a 2nd capital elraise, and another investor buys you out
• You are not a Director so any public search on your name will not disclose this information. So no fear of discrediting your name if the business fails
• You should join an Angel Syndicate and attend a training course on becoming an investor
• You can invest a small amount of money to start e. g £10k
• You are best to invest in more than one company to spread the risk

The Maths (This is incredible!)
The government Enterprise Investment Scheme means that you get a huge tax benefit

Example:
Invest £10000 on a startup trading less than 2 years
Get automatic 50% tax relief on your next tax bill (£5k back)
If it fails later govt give you back 40% (if you pay this tax rate) of the other £5k back

More people need to know this.

We need more Women Backing Women

Thanks to the a new initiative will launch in January to help female investors and female founders. So get in touch with them!

13/10/2022

What's your story? Don't we all love a good story!
Kids love their bed time story, and often they want the same story again and again!
The best presenters, teachers and lecturers teach best through stories.
Many comedians succeed due to their story telling skills
And the marketing world is full of story telling, to help us visualize how we might feel if we bought the product!

This year's Women in Business NI Female Entrepreneur Conference had a theme "I did it my way". But for me it was about female founders who had great stories and were open to share them

Thats the thing I love about female enterprise. Getting to learn about their why. Its rarely "I saw an opportunity to make loads of money" (and theres nothing wrong with that!). But a life experience, a skill, a personal need that drives them...

I was blown away by the endless run of female founders and their stories. But the 2 who really grabbed me were and

Congratulations to the many story tellers. And the finalist pitchers who told their story under huge pressure.