Author: Entrepreneurs Academy

 

On the 8th and 9th of March last QED training as part of the Vodafone Smart Startup was part of the National Business Expo in Dublin. Maybe you were there too!

As a training company aiming to help you start you own business, this was a great chance to meet other entrepreneurs, share ideas and gain valuable information.

There were over 530 separate mentoring sessions as part of the Vodafone Smart Startup network where the QED training team offered information, advice and support on topics like Social Media, E-Commerce, Marketing, Cloud Computing & Productivity.

Right after high school I knew what I wanted to do; choose the business school which would give me the opportunity to gain professional experience and live abroad …..And I found it,  the ESDES Business School in Lyon.

I always loved to travel; Spain, Italy, Poland, USA etc. so why not finding an internship out of my own country, France, and live abroad.

Through the years I specialised in what I like the most, marketing and communication and got to spend some fabulous times in great companies, being part of projects and meeting great people.

Today, after 3 internships and an amazing semester in England, here I am working in Ireland with QED Training and its great team which welcomed me a few months ago.

5 years later when I look back I realise how lucky I was to be able to achieve all my goals….. so far !

Back in November I talked to Joanne and I presented my mission/goals, Marketing, Social media, Market research and Brand-building and she showed me my how wide and interesting my work would be in the company.

When I arrived in QED Training a few months later I was introduced to the whole team and, one by one, they told me about their work here, what I would do with them; and work could begin…

Since January, a book was launched, new projects were developed, we were part of the National Business Expo in the RDS and I learned about how to manage a website.

Only 2 months gone and I already had so many experiences the only question is ……. What’s next…?

 

Last weekend the QED training team were at the National Business Expo where over the 2 days (Friday & Saturday) there were over 2500 visitors.
Some of our team were mentoring at the Vodafone Smart Startup Network for the two days and we also had some of our team at the QED training stand.

It was great to meet all our friends, both old and new and we were delighted to have the chance to share some of the very exciting projects that we have coming up in the very near future.

A huge thank you to everyone who turned up and to our Momentum participants (some of who travelled from Cork) who joined us over the 2 days to meet other entrepreneurs and conduct their market research. They are an example of what QED training stands for and we are enjoying coaching them on their journey to starting their businesses in 2013.

“Live in your world – Learn in ours”

 

 

 

What a week it has been?

With our Momentum training in full swing we have nearly filled the full 90 places in the 4 nationwide courses and our participants are starting the journey to set up their own businesses and come off the live register. (More details on the Momentum programme here : www.qedtraining.ie/momentum)

Joanne was speaking with Ian Guider on Newstalk on Wednesday morning about the “Don’t get a Job, Build a Business” book that she has co-authored with Joan Baker. You can listen to the interview here:-

Joanne was also on RTE radio 1 on the Business show with George Lee and Daithi O’Regan of Handcraft Hurleys. You can listen to the interview here:-

Our QED team were at the National Business Expo on Friday and Saturday last where we mentored over 520 entrepreneurs / small business owners and startups as part of the Vodafone Smart Startup Network.  We have a phenomenal response and turnout to the event.  There were over 3500 visitors to the expo over the 2 days and many came to our QED training stand to discuss how we can help them both start up and stay in business.

The week culminated with myself joining Andy O’Donoghue on the Down to Business show on Newstalk 106 with Bobby Kerr where I was speaking about Social Media.

You can view the full radio discussion below (courtesy of Newstalk TV)

 

Joanne Hession speaking about employees and business owners working from home and the pitfalls to watch out for.

In this post, one of our interns, college student Philip King, recounts his time so far in QED Training, along with what he’s learned and what he hopes to learn during the rest of his time here with us…

There’s a common phrase which I seem to be uttering quite frequently as of late: “I would not believe you if you told me a year ago that this is where I would be today.” Not is this only true of having my own accommodation, having and running a car with my own funds, but it is true of where I would spend my 9-5, Monday to Friday here at QED Training.

Being in college has presented me with a plethora of opportunities  to take hold of, one of which was the option of extending my undergraduate degree by a year by working full/part time in industry on an industrial work placement. Since hearing about this option at the beginning of my college career in NUI Maynooth, I was pretty set that this would be something I would go for. And being a Business Administration student specialising in Entrepreneurship, QED seems to be a perfect fit.

I remember the first few weeks of work here in QED with fondness: being introduced to the team, getting settled at a desk, starting to work on some small projects, coming to terms with the morning commute. All great times which have continued into the following weeks and months. I’ve had the privilege of being in the company at a very special time, with multiple important events taking place, big contracts being won, books being published, etc.

The gist of my work I guess could be classified under administration, but as Noel and Joanne have said to me in the past, no one day will be the same, and this is true. I’ve had the opportunity to engage in corporate photography and video recording,  project co-ordination and much more besides, which has meant that there has rarely been a dull moment in the office. As challenging as it may be, it is certainly never boring.

And I suppose that is one of the great lessons that I have been able to take away from these first few months here in the office; that office work isn’t all boring. My only other previous office experience was certainly not as pleasurable as this, and I guess for a long time my perception of the work of an office staff was coloured thusly. My time here has shown me that office work is more than just sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day and is in fact at times, something which I quite enjoy.

Working with QED Training has been a great experience thus far. I’m here until roughly mid-August, so there is plenty of time left for new and exciting possibilities and challenges to be thrown my way. In any case, with about 6 months of my year long internship down, I can safely say that I’m looking forward to the rest of my time, honing my skills and developing my work ethic, along with continuing to discover more about myself and the working world with great anticipation.

After the four very successful Vodafone Speedmentoring events in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, the roadshow returns to Dublin.

FREE DIGITAL MENTORING & NETWORKING EVENT – With Guest Speaker Paddy Cosgrove of Dublin Websummit & Founders ! –  in the Conrad Hotel Dublin on Wednesday, 13th February from 6:00pm-9:00pm.

Created in conjunction with the experts at QED Training, the Vodafone Smart Start Up Network has now launched to help emerging Irish start-ups with inspiring tips and advice from some of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs. Set-up specifically for startups, these events will give Start-Ups and Small Business customers great free expert advice that cover areas like Social Media, Marketing Communications, Business Productivity, and the opportunity to Network with peers. 20-minute mentoring sessions will be available with expert mentors to offer tips and advice.

Mentoring topics on the night include:-

• Social Media
• Business Productivity
• E-Commerce
• Marketing

We’d really appreciate if you can attend the event or if you can help us in spreading the word to the local business or any start-ups in Dublin.

If you wish to attend or if you’re a new business, make sure you register for FREE  [button url=”http://startups.vodafone.ie/events/” target=”_blank” arrow=”left”]REGISTER FREE[/button]

The event, a kind of speed dating with a twist, gives you the chance to look for key advice in different business areas while networking with other like-minded people.

Guest Speakers at the next event on 13th February in Dublin:

Paddy Cosgrove – Websummit Fame

If you have further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01 4197000 or email philip@qedtraining.info / joy@qedtraining.ie.

We look forward to seeing you at the Vodafone Smart Start-Up Speed-MENTORING event in the Conrad Hotel in Dublin on the 13th of February.

Best Wishes,
QED Team

New Year’s Resolutions are designed to inspire you to think about your goals. In addition to your personal goals here is some inspiration for your business to add to that list!

Loud and Proud

Go out all guns blazing in 2013. Promote your business regularly and consistently throughout the year. While paid for marketing is a great way to drum up business, old fashioned word of mouth is a cheap and easy way to bring in new customers. Make promoting and shouting about your business a key priority for 2013

Meet yourself Weekly!

Time is the most precious commodity we have and using it wisely is a key to driving your business forward. Taking time each week to review your activities, adjust your plans and monitor your progress is a worthwhile investment to grow your business. It can help you feel more focused and in control on what and how you are spending your time and resources. Make that appointment with yourself…who knows what will happen!

Make hard decisions

Be honest with yourself about what is not working in your business. Make the hard decisions and stop doing the things that are not working. If there are relationships, hardware, software, customers, providers etc that are not productive, know when it is time to drop them and focus on the parts of your business that do work and can drive growth.

Inspire Yourself

Learning new skills, listening and learning from others can help inform and inspire new business thinking. There are so many tools, apps, training and events that can help keep you innovative and inspired about your business and customers. If you don’t want to leave the comfort of your own business TedTalks.com (or app) is a great way to get 5-15 minute inspirational talks from experts around the globe to inspire new thinking.

(Our Very own Noel Davidson gave a TEDx talk in Norway just before Christmas on “Thinking Differently” which can be viewed here:-

 

Networking

Join a good local networking or business group. It is a great opportunity to talk to other business owners about their business, sparking new ideas and making valuable business contacts. It is a great way to spread the message about your business and gain valuable insights into how to move your business forward.

Make yourself a priority

Most small businesses rely on the owner to generate income and customer. While working hard to achieve your business goals is essential it is also important to take care of yourself. All work and no play can make you not only dull but also run down and ineffective. Schedule in time to recharge and refresh your batteries so that you can give yourself and your business the best opportunity to thrive. Customers also tend to like happy and enthused business owners so it is a win win activity!

 

Welcome back after the Christmas Holiday break and we wish you all a very Happy New Year

After the three successful Vodafone Speedmentoring events in Dublin, Cork and Limerick, we’d like to invite you to

FREE DIGITAL MENTORING & NETWORKING EVENT – With Guest Speaker Richard Curran of Dragon’s Den! –  in the Meyrick Hotel Galway on Wednesday, 16th January from 6:30pm-9:00pm.

Created in conjunction with the experts at QED Training, the Vodafone Smart Start Up Network has now launched to help emerging Irish start-ups with inspiring tips and advice from some of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs. Set-up specifically for startups, these events will give Start-Ups and Small Business customers great free expert advice that cover areas like Social Media, Marketing Communications, Business Productivity, and the opportunity to Network with peers. 20-minute mentoring sessions will be available with expert mentors to offer tips and advice.

Mentoring topics on the night include:-

• Social Media
• Business Productivity
• E-Commerce
• Marketing

We’d really appreciate if you can attend the event or if you can help us in spreading the word to the local business or any start-ups in Galway.

If you wish to attend or if you’re a new business, make sure you register for FREE  [button url=”http://startups.vodafone.ie/events/” target=”_blank” arrow=”left”]REGISTER FREE[/button]

The event, a kind of speed dating with a twist, gives you the chance to look for key advice in different business areas while networking with other like-minded people.

Guest Speakers at the next event on 7th November in Limerick:

Richard Curran – Broadcaster, Dragon’s Den Fame
Daithí O’Regan – HandcraftHurleys

If you have further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01 4197000 or email philip@qedtraining.info / joy@qedtraining.ie.

We look forward to seeing you at the Vodafone Smart Start-Up Speed-MENTORING event in the Meyrick Hotel in Galway on the 16th of January.

Best Wishes,
QED Team

Over 12,000 start-ups in Ireland every year will save a total of more than €6 million in professional fees associated with a company, as a result of some of the reforms to be introduced as part of the Companies Bill 2012, published last Friday December 21st.

Changes included in the new Companies Bill will mean that most of the 12,500 private limited companies which are established every year will be able to incorporate more easily, resulting in average savings of €1,200 in professional fees, resulting in substantial improvements to the ease of doing business in Ireland by comparison to other European countries.
One of the stand out features and changes in the bill is the ability for a company to have only one director – there will no longer be a requirement to have a second director merely to comply with a requirement of the law.

Also private companies for the first time be able to engage in mergers and divisions where as up until now under the old law, there is no facility for two Irish private companies to merge.

The Bill also states SMEs will now be able to apply to the Circuit Court for examinership.

Any company will now be enabled to convert from its existing company type to any other company type which can be formed under the Bill. This will provide flexibility and greater options to companies which find a change in their circumstances.

The Companies Bill 2012 is the culmination of over 12 years’ work.  It is 1136 pages long, consolidates over 25 enactments and reforms Irish company law as we currently know it.

Currently the Bill is only a piece of proposed legislation awaiting enactment by the Oireachtas.  Since there is some distance to go before enactment and commencement, there are no particular steps that the director or owner of a company needs to take at this stage but we here at QED training are delighted with any legislation that makes it easier to do business here in Ireland and abroad.

Full details of the Companies Bill 2012 available here from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation