Carlow County Council’s Local Enterprise Office in partnership with County Carlow Chamber and Carlow Town Business Watch are inviting business owners or managers to invest in their business in 2022 by engaging in our Retail Development Programme, a business development programme designed specifically for Retail.
The Local Enterprise Office and its partners want to support Carlow retailers as much as possible and have engaged the services of retail consultants Optimum Results to complete the programme which will be targeted at small local family-run retail businesses throughout County Carlow.
An introductory Webinar for businesses will be held on 19th May 2022, outlining the Programme, timeframe, and outputs for each participant. After this a minimum of 8 businesses will be invited to participate in the full programme, for which there will be a €100 fee. The true cost of the programme per business will be in the region of €1,000 but the remaining cost will be subsidised by the Local Enterprise Office.
Speaking about the Retail Development Programme for 2022, Assistant Head of Economic Development & Enterprise Séamus Doran said, “this new scheme is designed with your business in mind to give you the tools to create an action plan to market and develop your retail offering.” He continued to say, “After the devastation that Covid-19 wrought on our business community, Carlow County Council wish to provide the best support possible for developing your business in 2022, and this new scheme aims to provide mentoring and training to assist in driving your business forward.”
The programme will be delivered by Optimum Results and Aidan Harte, Director of Optimum Results explains, “our team has delivered tailored variations of this programme to hundreds of SME Owner Managers over the past decade with excellent results and remarkably positive feedback from the participants” going on to explain that this programme is also classified as being an ‘International Best Practice’ SME training intervention by the European Union’s Training Foundation (ETF). “SME Retailers are very busy people who work long hours and don’t want to be lectured to by consultants. They don’t mind putting in the commitment but they want to see tangible results in sales growth, profitability and generally improved business operations” he concludes.
Leas Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Cllr. John Mc Donald, said, “I’m delighted to support this new programme from the Local Enterprise Office, which will help our businesses to develop in 2022. The Leas Cathaoirleach continued to say, “I know the past two years have been difficult for all and we in Carlow County Council are keen to play our part in supporting businesses for reopening.”
Speaking about the Retail Development Programme, Colin Duggan, President of County Carlow Chamber, said, “For 2022 we want to support businesses across the County and this new scheme provides both training and mentoring support to assist businesses reopen after a very difficult time.”
Gerry Dunne, Chairperson of Carlow Town Business Watch, said, “We hope that as many businesses as possible will engage with this scheme, and further information is available on the Local Enterprise Office website at www.localenterprise.ie/carlow or by calling the office on 059 9129 783, and you can book for the Introductory Webinar through https://leocarlow.submit.com/ where you will get an outline of the programme and how it can impact your business and the benefits it can bring to your business over the coming years.” For further information contact Séamus Doran on sdoran@Carlowcoco.ie or by calling 059-912873
- One-Hour Introductory Webinar – Thursday 19th May 2022 @ 10.30am
- Apply for the Introductory Webinar through https://leocarlow.submit.com/ by Monday 16th May 2022
- Apply to the Full Programme through the Local Enterprise Office website at https://www.localenterprise.ie/Carlow/Training-Events/Online-Bookings/ by Friday 27th May 2022
- Places are Strictly limited