Business Women Can joined forces with Jobcare on Wednesday 11th February to run a joint event for a cohort of their Female delegates. The theme for the afternoon was ‘Inspiring Success’ and sub themes included motivation, attitude and aspiration.

The Positive Economist – Practical Steps Forward

Susan Hayes MD of Hayes Culleton, and otherwise known as the Positive Economist, was the key note speaker. She described very eloquently her own career journey and the road blocks she has encountered and detoured. She discussed the need to take charge of your own destiny and said how ‘every journey begins with one small step’. She talked about the power of networking and how it has been so invaluable in her own career to date. In doing so, she provided tips around relevant agencies and stakeholders also who would provide assistance and ideas to the group.

Susan is a real believer is making yourself different from the crowd and each of us needs to know our own USP. In addition she spoke of the importance to reach out to others and consider finding a Mentor to support, guide and drive in the right direction. Susan finished up by encouraging the Group ‘The only way you’ll fail is if you quit – never never never quit’ she concluded.

Susan is a powerful speaker and motivator. She brings spades of passion, colour and energy to her sessions, and further information can be found on her website www.thepositiveeconomist.com

Start your own business wokshop – the good the bad and the ugly!

Next on the agenda was a workshop from Ron Imink co founder of www.smallbusinesscan.com and Paul Neary of Ulster Bank, who addressed the group around the dos and don’ts of starting your own business. Ron didn’t cushion the fact that starting up in business is certainly not an easy road and ‘be prepared for hard work – the average entrepreneur works circa 70 hours per week’. Ron discussed the importance of ideation, technology and commercialisation among other headlines.

Paul addressed the subject of business plans and their purpose when dealing with a Bank. He described how the plan is ‘your opportunity to sell yourself as the individual, knowledge of the sector and competitors and also the uniqueness or your product/service to the market’. In addition he described that the financial part of the plan needs to show realistic financial forecasts.

Getting Interview Ready – the importance of a positive state of mind

The final workshop of the day was delivered by Anna Danicka, the Job Interview Surgeon. Anna delved into the anxieties that are felt by many in the lead up to an interview. She offered suggestions around how to deal with such anxiety and reflected on the things that make individuals feel confident First impressions are really important so how we look and feel stepping into interview mode are critical. There was lots of discussion within the working groups on this topic and shared learnings.

Anna Dannicka, The Job Interview Surgeon, Hannah Gamble Jobcare, Emma Chapman Ulster Bank, Peter Johnson Jobcare, Susan Hayes The Positive Economist, Fiona Kingston Ulster Bank, Paul Neary Ulster Bank.

Business Women Can Inspiring Success

Business Women Can Inspiring Success

Business Women Can Inspiring Success

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The Cartier Women’s Initiative Award is looking for committed female entrepreneurs heading initiatives with the potential to grow significantly in the years to come. The selection of the finalists and laureates of the competition is done by an independent international Jury of entrepreneurs, investors, business executives and other profiles engaged in the support of female entrepreneurship.

Eligibility Criteria

The project to be considered for the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards must be an original for-profit business creation in the initial phase (1-3 years old) led by a woman.

• The “for-profit” requirement: the business submitted for the Award must be designed to generate revenues. We do not accept non-profit project proposals.
• The “originality” requirement: we want your project to be a new concept, conceived and imagined by the founder and her team and not a copy or subsidiary of an existing business.
• The “initial phase” requirement: the project you submit should be in the first stages of its development with one year of operations and sales to account for but no older than 3 years.
• The main leadership position must be filled by a woman. A good command of English is required (both verbal and written) to take full advantage of the benefits the Award has to offer.
• All entrants must be aged 18 or the age of legal majority in their respective countries or states of citizenship, whichever is older, on the day of the application deadline.

For more information on how to apply, go here.

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The snow in Galway did not deter approximately 100 guests of Ulster Bank’s Business Women Can Ambassadors at The G Hotel to hear three fantastic speakers on the subject of Health & Wellbeing – The Key to Inspiring Your Success. This latest Inspiring Your Success Event is part of the varied supports provided by Business Women Can to women in business, professions and workforce.

Addressing the Health of the Nation

Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, National Director for Health & Wellbeing for the HSE, shared the strategies employed by her team to address the health of the Nation. Dr O’Keeffe outlined the enormity of the task but also the importance to the person, the family, the community and the Country at large that we aim for improved health and wellbeing for all. She stressed that it required a whole of government but also a whole of society effort; the health of the Nation is impacted by poverty, education, housing, unemployment and all manner of other societal issues, requiring real joined up thinking from multiple Government Departments, Local Authorities and society to effect change. Dr O’Keeffe provided her audience with a hugely interesting macro view of the complex area of health. One of the most frightening statistic she shared was that 5,500 families are bereaved in Ireland each year due to smoking but reminded us that we each can be a positive role model for health in families, in the workplace and in the community and that great progress is being made and more is possible.

Candid account of one Man’s personal experience on Health & Wellbeing

Padraig O’Ceidigh’s contribution complimented Dr O’Keeffe’s macro view of Health by focusing on his own personal experience. He was starkly honest about his own journey growing a very successful business from nothing to a traumatic wakeup call in Coronary Care. His message was clear; people who are chronically stressed are in a bubble. They don’t know that they are in it but the people who care about them do and they would do well to listen. He would always have thought that there were two zones; the comfort zone and the stretch zone. What he failed to realise, and almost fatally, was that there is a third zone, the danger zone. He cautioned his listeners to recognise the signs when they are in the danger zone and make changes and critically to understand that the wealth of a business is not on the balance sheet, it’s in its people.

Coaching People to be the best they can

Jennifer Hughes, Head of Corporate Planning and Services Delivery for Ulster Bank drew on her experience managing teams within a large organisation and her role as Head Swim Coach to Team Ireland Special Olympics Team to address the importance of coaching for people to be the best they can be. She echoed Padraig’s words about stress and cautioned that stress can present as something completely different and a manager or a coach needs to be aware. Jennifer provided a fascinating insight into how to communicate with dignity and respect to ensure that messages are received and understood and that this holds true whether you are in the board room or the swimming pool.

The lively Q&A Session was ably managed by Joanne Murphy of TriTalking Sport as MC for the night, herself a dedicated triathlete.

Jennifer Hughes (Ulster Bank, Head of Corporate Planning & Service Delivery).Olwyn Long (Head of Region Midlands & West and Region South – Markets, Ulster Bank), Padraig O’Ceidigh (Founder of Aer Arainn), Caroline Miney (Senior Manager, Ulster Bank), Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe (National Director for Health & Wellbeing, HSE), Brendan McDermott (Regional Director, Ulster Bank), Moyra McMahon (Ulster Bank)

Joanne Murphy,( TriTalking Sport), Caroline Miney, (Senior Manager, Ulster Bank), Moyra McMahon, (Ulster Bank), Olwyn Long (Ulster Bank)

Audience

Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, National Director for Health & Wellbeing HSE

Speakers at the BWC event – Padraig O’Ceidigh (Founder of Aer Arainn), Jennifer Hughes (Ulster Bank, Head of Corporate Planning & Service Delivery).Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe (National Director for Health & Wellbeing, HSE)

Faith Fahy (Financial Consultant and Insurance Broker), Lorraine Scully (Sherry Fitzgerald), Elsie Farragher (Ulster Bank), Laura Canavan (Ulster Bank), Noreen McKenzie (Sherry Fitzgerald)

Amy Gill (Roche Pharmacuticals), Maria Dooley (Forever Living), Maria McHale (Slainte Magazine), Joan O’Rourke (Ulster Bank)

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