THE ENTREPRENEURS & SMALL BUSINESS CONFERENCE

OUT ON YOUR OWN 2010  - HOW TO START, FINANCE AND SUSTAIN A SMALL BUSINESS
There is no doubt that the world’s economy has gone through an
unprecedented upheaval in the last couple of years and the Irish
economy has certainly felt the knock-on effects of this. Job losses
and pay cuts have affected many of us.

However, as sure as it is that we are in an economic downturn at
the moment, it is also certain the economy will bounce back. It
always does. Some would argue there are already signs of green-
shoots emerging with the bottoming out of the property market
coming and numerous regular job announcements from multinationals
based in Ireland.

70% of the world’s largest
companies were set up during
recessions

This means that many superb business opportunities are just
around the corner. The development of new businesses is the key
to the country’s efforts to develop organically, and getting these
companies to export their goods and services is essential to
pulling Ireland out of recession and into a sustainable period of
economic growth and job creation.

Following on from the inaugural Out On Your Own Conference in
Dublin in October 2009, The Sunday Business Post is delighted to
announce that we are organising two Out On Your Own
Conferences for 2010, one on October 20 again in the RDS in
Dublin and one in Cork in UCC on October 12.



Last year’s Dublin event was a huge success, with over 560 dele
gates in attendance and the maximum of 20 exhibition stands.We
aim to grow these conferences significantly this year by again having
the best high profile inspirational speakers including 3
Dragons from RTE’s Dragons’ Den, leading entrepreneurs and dis
tinguished Sunday Business Post journalists such as Richard
Curran, presenter of Dragons’ Den. Many interactive discussions
and networking opportunities are planned for this year’s events.

Event Summary

Topics, among others, covered at this one day
intensive conference will be:

•
Top tips for surviving an economic down
turn
•
Why entrepreneurship is vital to Ireland’s
economic recovery
•
Entrepreneurship and business planning
•
Creative marketing on a shoestring
•
What it takes to be a successful entrepre
neur
•
Funding your start-up company and getting
your pitch right to investors
•
Buying a franchise and the advantages of
franchising your business
•
Getting your goods and services to the
Export Market
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

•
Entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs
•
Owners of small businesses
•
Recently-redundant employees who may
have some funds and are now looking at other
career options and business opportunities
•
Policy-makers
•
Bankers
•
Universities and third-level colleges
•
Investors and venture capitalists
•
Executives who provide financial assistance
and other support services to the small business
sector
•
Tax experts
•
Enterprise Boards
•
Others who wish to support and facilitate
new business development

SPEAKERS INCLUDE SPEAKERS INCLUDE
Sean Gallagher, entrepreneur and


Bobby Kerr (RTE Dragons’ Den RTE Dragons’ Den panellist
Gavin Duffy, management consultant and RTE Dragons’ Den panellist
Erin McCann, commercial manager, after working for some years in RTE 
John Crawley, FCCA, finance expert and co-author of The Profit Mindset
Simon Hollywood, corporate solicitor, Leman Solicitors
Iain MacDonald, founder and former chief executive of Perlico and
John Whelan, chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association  
Sarah Owen, master franchisee, Referral Institute UK and Ireland
Philippe Brodeur, chief operations officer, Eightytwenty/interactive


CONFERENCE
SPEAKERS
PROGRAMME
8:45am Welcome from the
Morning Chair

Cliff Taylor, editor, The Sunday Business Post

8:50am OPENING KEYNOTE PRESENATION


Batt O’Keeffe TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Innovation

9.10am FIRST DRAGON’S
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Success Leaves Clues

•
Choosing a winning idea
•
Finding the cash to get started
•
The Traffic Light Model – what to stop, what
to continue and what to start?
•
No Growth without Growing Pains
•
Sean’s top ten tips for Business Success.
Sean Gallagher, entrepreneur & RTE Dragons’ Den panellist

9:45am For Business Start-Ups –
start as you mean to continue

•
Business planning
•
Small business accounting – keeping it
simple and effective
•
Manage your sales with intelligent CRM
Erin McCann, commercial manager, Sage Ireland

10:15am Oiling the machine –
alternate sources of start-up funding


This presentation will cover alternate sources
of funding for start-up businesses in the event
that banks refuse credit. This is highly
informative for entrepreneurs at the moment
who are finding it very difficult to secure
bank financing.

•
The importance of cashflow management
•
Attracting venture capital funding
•
Business Angels
•
Enterprise Ireland Grants
•
City or County Enterprise Grants
•
BES funding
Simon Hollywood, partner, Leman Solicitors

10:45am Morning coffee break
and exhibition viewing


11:15am The Profit Mindset

John has spent the last 12 months turning
around distressed businesses and raising
finance for expanding enterprises. Hear how
business owners and new entrepreneurs are
surviving without bank finance.

•
Start-up finance options
•
Purchasing power of groups
•
Giving more credit – getting more profit
•
Opportunities with distressed businesses
John Crawley, FCCA, finance expert and co-author of The Profit
Mindset

11:45am SECOND DRAGON’S
KEYNOTE PRESEANTATION

•
From Lean to Green – The Insomnia Way
•
Keeping costs low
•
Effective marketing strategies
•
Entrepreneurial advice
•
Reasons to be cheerful
Bobby Kerr, chairman, Insomnia Coffee Company, and RTE
Dragons’ Den panellist

12:20pm PANEL DISCUSSION –
Raising Finance: The Dos and
Don’ts

•
AIB
•
Enterprise Ireland
•
First Step Micro Finance
•
Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN)
Q&A session

12:55pm Lunch and exhibition
viewing

2:05pm Welcome back from the
afternoon chair

Richard Curran, deputy editor, The Sunday Business Post

2:10pm THIRD DRAGON’S
KEYNOTE PRESENATION
Surviving a recession you didn’t
start?

•
This recession versus the recession of the
1980s
•
Recession: the father of invention
•
Recovery – be ready for the opportunities
Gavin Duffy, management consultant and RTE Dragons’
Den panellist

2:45pm Referral marketing – it is
simple but not easy

•
Why aren't you getting the referrals you
want?
•
Can you predict the referrals you receive, or
do they come by chance?
•
How do you feel when you discover your
competitor wins business you could or should
have won but you didn't know about it?

•
Do you have a referral marketing strategy?
•
Why are you kissing too many frogs?
•
Why do you feel you may be leaving money
on the table because of a hole in your referral
marketing strategy?
Sarah Owen, master franchisee, Referral Institute UK and

Ireland

3:15pm Television – the small
business channel

•
How the idiot box became the smart TV
•
The real-time water cooler effect: why the
web and TV go together
•
How to market your small business on TV
Philippe Brodeur,chief operations officer, Eightytwenty/
interactive

3.45pm Afternoon coffee break and
exhibition viewing

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
4:05pm Why social media is not a
waste of time

As social media is an important cost-effective
tool for anybody who is self-employed, Iain’s
presentation will aim to help attendees
discover how social media can benefit them.
He will also speak about his journey as an
entrepreneur, setting up Perlico and Weedle.

•
The highs and lows of entrepreneurship
•
How social media can help you get out there
on your own
•
Why Weedle?
Iain MacDonald, former founder and chief executive of Perlico,
and founder and chief executive of Weedle

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
4:35pm Opportunities in exporting

•
With global markets booming again, how to
find your niche clients
•
Key steps to successful exporting of goods
and services
•
Pitfalls to avoid in international selling
John Whelan, chief executive of the Irish Exporters Association
and chairman of the Institute of International Trade of Ireland

5:05pm PANEL DISCUSSION – ask
the Dragons

•
Richard Curran, deputy editor, The Sunday Business Post
•
Sean Gallagher, chief executive, Smart Homes,
and RTE Dragons’ Den panellist
•
Gavin Duffy, Management Consultant, and
RTE Dragons’ Den panellist
•
Bobby Kerr, chairman, Insomnia Coffee Company, and RTE
Dragons’ Den panellist
5:35pm Conference ends/exhibition
viewing


Silver Sponsor

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people, their customers, their suppliers, their core operations
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Having grown from five to over 300 people since establishing
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T: 01 - 6026043 F: 01 - 4786198 W: www.entrepreneursconference.ie
E: conference@sbpost.ie