Entrepreneurs are optimists
Entrepreneurs and owner-managers are resilient and optimistic by nature. They have too. If it isn’t currency exchange, airport strikes, SARS, new legislation, a change in VAT, flooding, it is Brexit, cybercrime, recession, talent retention, climate change and a 1000 other things that can and will go wrong.
Refreshing
Which is why it is always refreshing to have a conversation amongst CEOs, owner-managers and entrepreneur about the issue they are facing and more importantly, share the solutions, insights, tips, lessons and learning. No powerpoint allowed, no fluff, no-one trying to sell anything, a chat with fellow business people, who have the battle scars to prove it.
KPMG
Constructive and practical. Previous events in Dublin and Cork have shown the value of getting business people in a room, without an agenda, apart from the willingness to share and help. The events are organised by KPMG, and this blog is about the event in Galway. The next event will be in Waterford on 27 March. Mail me if you want an invite.
Storytelling
What was discussed was the importance of storytelling, staff engagement and branding. How you need to get your staff to believe your story before you can sell and market.
Marketing
How social media channels are getting polluted and the consideration to create your own channel. How you with focussing on referral, customer service and personal sales, you need no budget for digital marketing.
Support
About design thinking, circular and sustainability and how to use GMIT to help you do that. How to leverage storytelling to fundraise, leverage funding from Enterprise Ireland, EPA, Horizon2020 and how SMEs are not using these funding streams enough.
Social media
How social media is part of the classic marketing mix and needs to apply when it is relevant, based on market segmentation, customer profiles, distribution, relevant channels And when not to use social media, when it is not relevant.
Media
How media mixes are still 60-40, with 40% still used for traditional media, with radio being particularly popular. How the use of media changes as you get older (there is hope for newspapers yet).
Sales
How sales is still a lost art and is coming back and how that is embraced by the education system in Galway.
Lindy effect
We discussed the Lindy Effect, which is appropriate in a city as old as Galway.
Constructive
And we discussed B..x.t. The solution for one company was to create two separate manufacturing units, one in the UK, one in Ireland. That is an indication of the tone of the event. Constructive (as entrepreneurs are).
Waterford 27 March
KPMG is rolling out the events for the rest of the year. Events in Waterford, Drogheda, Shannon, Cork, Dublin and Sligo. Waterford is on 27 March. Starts at 8:00 AM, finishes at 10:00 AM. E-mail me for an invite.
