Sixty places are available on the Going for Growth programme, which will run from January to June 2022. The deadline for applications is Thursday, December 16.  There is no charge for those selected.

The six-month part-time programme, supported by Enterprise Ireland and KPMG, assists ambitious female entrepreneurs to achieve their growth aspirations.

Anyone interested is encouraged to register on the website goingforgrowth.com and a link to the application form will be sent to them.

Going for Growth participants join interactive round table sessions led by successful business women with personal experience of growing a business.

These business leaders volunteer their time to encourage participants to set and achieve personalised goals and milestones to address the opportunities and challenges they face in driving growth in their businesses.

In Association with

Some of this year’s Lead Entrepreneurs include five previous Going for Growth participants: Dr Anne Cusack, formerly Critical Healthcare; Chupi Sweetman-Durney, Chupi; Gillian O’Dowd, Azon Recruitment Group, Jeananne O’Brien, Artizan Food Co. and Oonagh O’Hagan, Meaghers Pharmacy Group.

The other Lead Entrepreneurs include Fidelma McGuirk, Payslip and Monica Flood, formerly Olas IT.

Áine Denn, co-founder and formerly of Altify, and Breege O’Donoghue, formally of Primark, will lead Continuing the Momentum round tables. This is a further development programme for former participants of Going for Growth.

Remarkable Resilience

KPMG partner Olivia Lynch commented: “The results of this year’s programme speak to the remarkable resilience of these women in the most challenging of market circumstances. Women in Ireland continue to be underrepresented amongst our entrepreneurship community, but with the right support, have the potential to contribute significantly more to our economy. The many programme participants who have adapted their businesses to become first time exporters and create new jobs are proof of this potential.”

Going for Growth is implemented by Fitzsimons Consulting, specialists in areas related to entrepreneurship and growth.

According to Paula Fitzsimons: “The achievements of the participants in growing revenue, increasing jobs and beginning exporting during some of the darkest days of the pandemic are a credit to the peer support that they got from each other and from the Lead Entrepreneurs.

“The way the participants have pivoted, identified new opportunities, and changed to meet the needs of their market, shows great resilience and a true entrepreneurial spirit. The strength of the network, developed over the last 13 years, has proven to be a great resource in the most challenging times, as it is when the environment is more benign.”

Photo (l-r): Leo Clancy of Enterprise Ireland, Anne Cusack, Jeananne O’Brien, and Olivia Lynch. (Pic: Orla Murray/Coalesce)