Over 50 individual businesses from around the county gathered in the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan on Thursday evening last for the launch of Meath Partnership’s Elevation Network: Fostering Rural Entrepreneurship in Meath.
Michael Ludlow, CEO of Meath Partnership advised attendees that the Elevation Network
would work with small businesses in Meath to put in place effective supports, resources
and technical skills as identified by the businesses themselves. Michael spoke of how the
network would work to address the real issues facing businesses today including access to
liquidity and affordable access to technical support.
The keynote speaker on the night was Mark Fielding, CEO of ISME. He spoke to the audience of owner/mangers about his hopes for the economic future of Ireland and the ‘importance to reverse the recession and get back to the success that we had achieved in Ireland during the 1990’s. Mark detailed the necessity for the challenges to business creation to be addressed on a national level, ‘the country is full of talented creative people; many with a wisdom based on years of experience with good ideas, and they cannot get their hands on the money to put shape to them. The agenda for entrepreneurship in Ireland should be to place people first and particularly to put business people first, entrepreneurs and their requirements should be at the centre of policy making.’ 
Mark recognized the contribution that the SME’s sector has already made to the economy. ‘The true engine of our job creation will always be Irish businesses – and in
the main small businesses. We only have to remember back to the years 1993 to 1999 when we in the SME sector created over 450,000 jobs in Ireland. That’s the number of people who are unemployed today. It took us six years to do it but we did it and we can do it again! The key to the future of Ireland is an investment in our people, just
like what the Elevation Network is doing tonight.’ Mark called on the Meath business
people present to ‘create a vision to kick start the fight back. We are surviving, we can revive and through our own efforts in the not too distant future we can thrive again.’
Una Curley of PLATO also addressed the launch event highlighting the success of the PLATO Network and gave some practical tips on effective networking. ‘It is about people; more importantly it is all about communicating and connecting with people’.
Bernard O’Reilly, MD of ORL Consultants, a Kells based company, spoke of the challenges he faces as a rural business and the role a business plan plays in the successful growth any business. Bernard who has been in business for 10 years and employs 12 people spoke of the importance of a positive attitude in today business world. ‘I used to employ for skills, but now I place more emphasis on attitude, as you can train for skills’.
The establishment of Elevation Network will be facilitated by Allen Mc Adam of MCA Consulting and Frank Dologhan of Mentor Economic Developments. Allen outlined to those present, his vision for the Elevation Network and how he would conduct a needs analysis of member businesses, facilitate the development of a 3 year plan, assist in leveraging funding and roll out a series of supports including networking events, mentoring, study visits, training, business health checks. For more information or to join the Elevation Network please contact Meath Partnership on 046 9280 790 or email info@meathpartnership.ie.
