Clare female entrepreneurs are encouraging others from the county to join the latest cycle of ACORNS – a highly-successful development initiative to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
The call for applications for the latest cycle of the programme — ACORNS 7 — has been launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D. ACORNS is funded under the Department’s Rural Innovation and Development Fund.
Programme organisers are looking for female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, who wish to start and develop new businesses or who have recently started a venture.
A total of 50 new entrepreneurs will be selected and the free initiative will run over six months from October 2021 to April 2022 with the deadline for applications midnight on September 10, 2021.
Past participants from Clare include: Niamh Hogan of Agile Digital Strategy, Roisin Keown of The Brill Building and Barbara Marin of Bright Days Media. All three business women took part in the 6th cycle and have encouraged anyone interested in ACORNS to apply for the programme.
Roisin Keown said: “Being accepted into ACORNS feels like such an endorsement in itself, and your confidence just grows from there. Being in a network of inspiring women to learn from and be motivated by is the best thing ACORNS offers – but the practical advice, real business tools and ways to think about my company and growth more strategically were invaluable. ”
Barbara Marin said: “ACORNS is a wonderful support for businesswomen across Ireland. Even with Covid restrictions, small communities of female entrepreneurs are still able to support and help each other online. I was delighted to have had the chance to exchange ideas and information with a variety of female-led businesses in the West of Ireland and would recommend any female entrepreneur to apply for ACORNS. It is a safe place to get feedback and support.”
Among the 50 new businesses that took part in the last cycle of ACORNS during the Covid-19 pandemic, many changed their career direction completely to establish their businesses.
A desire to make lifestyle changes was a common thread among the participants. Resilience and flexibility – especially during the challenging economic circumstances – was particularly evident. There was great variety and diversity in the new businesses.
Based on a belief that entrepreneurs learn best from each other, ACORNS is centred on interactive round table sessions facilitated by successful female entrepreneurs who have started and grown businesses in rural Ireland. These are known as ACORNS Lead Entrepreneurs, and they give their time free of charge to encourage and support the new business owners.
There is no charge for those participating in ACORNS, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the Lead Entrepreneurs.
This year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Anne Reilly, PaycheckPlus; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Larissa Feeney, Accountant Online; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; Norma Dinneen, Bó Rua Farm and Triona MacGiolla Rí, Aró Digital Strategies.
In addition, Monica Flood, formerly Olas IT and a Going for Growth Lead Entrepreneur, will facilitate an ACORNS Plus round table for selected previous participants who are committed to driving forward the growth of their businesses.
The previous cycle of the programme — ACORNS 6 — was held during nationwide restrictions to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges that they were facing, the ACORNS 6 participants were very positive, and their businesses grew. Over the six-month period of the programme, the combined turnover of the overall group doubled from €1.8 million to €3.6 million.
Six new businesses started to trade during the programme and there were seven new exporters. At the end of the cycle, ACORNS 6 participants employed 107 people — an increase of 29.
A further 150 past participants were actively involved in other Community aspects of the initiative during the sixth cycle.
Any woman with a new business based in Co Clare — or a well-developed idea for a new venture they want to get off the ground — can get more information and register to receive an application form at www.acorns.ie. There is no charge for participation. (Eligibility criteria in notes below)
ACORNS 7 will run from October 2021 to April 2022 and will include a launch event, six roundtable sessions, an understanding the financials workshop, a briefing by the various development agencies and an end of cycle celebration.