Paula Fitzsimons Director

Going for Growth

• Fewer women start new businesses than do men

• Latent entrepreneurial potential of women recognised

• Focus on encouraging more women to start businesses

• This addresses only part of the challenge!

Setting Out The Challenge

• Of those women that start, fewer grow their businesses

• Means needed to encourage and support more women to develop and grow their businesses

• Going for Growth was designed and developed to meet this challenge

Setting Out The Challenge

• Unique support for women growing their businesses

• Selected participants, at same stage of development, are placed at one of eight round tables

• Each group is facilitated and led by an experienced woman Lead Entrepreneur, who gives time on a voluntary basis

• Development fostered through agenda led discussion

What is Going for Growth?

The Going for Growth Leads

• Reduces sense of isolation

• Applies “good” peer pressure

• Participants become highly motivated and confidence increases

• Learn from each other as well as from the Lead

• Move towards achieving stated goals

• Set ambitions even higher

Effects of Going for Growth

• 93% of participants completed the 6th cycle

• 100% considered the experience positive

• 98% made a decision for their business

• 95% considered that the sessions translated into practical change within their business

• 93% felt nearer to achieving their growth goals at the end of the cycle

6th Cycle of Going for Growth

In the six month period:

• Sales: 71% of the participants’ businesses experienced an average growth in sales of 15%

• Exporters: Exporters increased by 22%

• Job Creation: 13% increase in employment

Tangible Outcomes

http://www.goingforgrowth.com/testimonials

What Participants say.....

• 6 cycles already successfully completed and plans at advanced stage for 7th cycle

• Over 350 past participants to date

• Testimonials on site attest to the benefits the participants derived from their involvement

• Past participants and Leads are best ambassadors

• High demand for participation in future cycles

Going for Growth

• Ambitious women entrepreneurs, regardless of sector, whether clients of development agencies or not

• Competitive process: all must demonstrate desire for growth

• Ideally with sales for at least two years – “Going for Growth”

• Exceptions with very significant growth potential are considered - “Starting Strong”

Target Group

• Firm base of research underpinning the initiative

• Reflects national policy and enterprise priorities

• Included in the 2009 Good Practice initiatives by the European Commission and voted into the Top 10 as most beneficial to implement of those initiatives.

• Represented Ireland in European Enterprise Awards 2011

• In 2014 described as inspiring practice by OECD and EU and awarded Good Practice by the European Institute of Gender Equality, following a competitive process

Strong Credentials

• An international dimension of Going for Growth will provide a means of linking ambitious women entrepreneurs focused on growth to learn from each other, network and do business together.

• Pilot of Going for Growth now completed in Finland, stated intention to roll out further in 2015

• Which European country will be next?

Going for Growth…..What’s stopping you?

Going for Growth Across Europe

Paula Fitzsimons paula@goingforgrowth.com

www.goingforgrowth.com