Getting on top of time management

A discussion on time management at today’s meeting of Mayo Open Coffee Club inevitably led to one topic – emails!

07.Jan.10 General Read more Comments (0)

Passionate businesspeople brave bad weather to plan for 2010

Despite the bad road conditions, there was another excellent turn-out of over 25 people at yesterday’s Mayo Open Coffee Club (MOCC) meeting in GMIT, Castlebar.

MOCC is beginning to find its feet, and, towards the end of the meeting, a good discussion took place about the future direction of the network. There was a strong consensus that it is proving a valuable and worthwhile network, and we look forward to even bigger gatherings in the months ahead.

Network member Robert Grealis – one of the organisers – delivered a practical and thought-provoking talk on goal-setting. Robert, former Chief Executive of Ireland West Airport, is now a business advisor and mentor with The Discovery Partnership.

The slides he used to illustrate his talk will be made available here on the MOCC website.

Some nuggets that emerged included:

• In these tough times, where things are changing so quickly, it is still important to plan your day, your week, your month, and your year. A plan offers an overview of where your business is going, and helps to focus the people involved;
• ‘Be passionate’ about your business, said Robert. He was preaching to the converted – those who come to the MOCC meetings make the effort because they are determined to succeed;
• Ask customers if there’s anything else they’d like –further opportunity to sell to customers may present themselves simply by asking;
• Brainstorm – with your staff, with your friends, with people you trust;
• Ask yourself “right now, am I making the best possible use of my time” – time management is crucial. Time is one of our biggest resources and must be used wisely. Be careful about the ‘side roads’ you go down;
• Hard work remains the key – persevere – but don’t be afraid to believe in the occasional miracle too.

The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 3rd, at 11am in the GMIT. All you have to do is turn up and take part. The more the merrier.

A word of thanks to O’Brien’s, who once again sponsored the refreshments; GMIT, who hosted the event; and guest speaker Robert Grealis.

07.Jan.10 General Read more Comments (0)

Free Mentoring Clinics at GMIT Innovation Centres

The IiBC in Mayo and Galway are holding FREE MENTORING CLINICS AT GMIT INNOVATION CENTRES.

The purpose of this is to give people help and advice to people with new ideas for start-up businesses.

IiBC Castlebar: Mon 18th & Tue 19th Jan 2010
IiBC Galway: Wed 20th & Thu 21st Jan 2010

Contact Trisha Carrick to book your session.
Tel: 091-742853
Email: trisha.carrick {at} gmit(.)ie

Download PDF for more information

30.Dec.09 Events, General Read more Comments (0)

19th MOCC – The Mayo Business Network – Setting and Achieving your 2010 Goals – Guest Speaker: Robert Grealis

Setting – and achieving – goals for 2010 will be the theme of a talk by former Ireland West Airport chief executive Robert Grealis, at the January meeting of the Mayo Open Coffee Club (MOCC).
The meeting will take place on

Wednesday, January 6th,

at 11am,

in Seminar 25
on the GMIT’s Castlebar campus.

The move to the GMIT has taken place due to the large numbers attending recent meetings, with each of the last three get-togethers attracting in excess of 40 people.

21.Dec.09 Events, General Read more Comment (1)

Spontaneous X-Mas get together

On Barry’s initiative to call for an informal

X-Mas

Get Together

on the 16th of December (3rd Wednesday)

at 7pm

in McCarthy’s, Castlebar

The event will be “Dinner plus drinks! Informal evening out between business owners! etc. !” (Barry had questionmarks after every phrase, i though I make it exclamations )

Bring your instruments, if you play any, who knows what will happen?!?!

08.Dec.09 Events Read more Comments (0)

Over 40 Attendees at December’s Mayo Open Coffee Club in the new location of the GMIT

There was another excellent turn-out of over 40 people at Wednesday’s Mayo Open Coffee Club, held in the new location of the GMIT in Castlebar.

This is the third consecutive month that the attendance has exceeded 40, and illustrates the desire among Mayo businesspeople to come together to network. The guest speaker was Johnny Beirne, an expert in social media, and his discussion generated a great deal of discussion about how businesses can incorporate social media into their operations.

The format of the Open Coffee Club meetings is very informal, and it is proving an outstanding place to make valuable contacts.

There is no charge for attendance, thanks to the generosity of the GMIT, who provide the venue free of charge, and O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar, Castlebar, who provide the tea, coffee and finger food.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 6^th. All meetings start at 11am and last between one hour and 90 minutes.

04.Dec.09 General Read more Comments (0)

New Enterprise Opportunities in the Food Sector

Information Seminar

Are you interested in setting up a new food enterprise or expanding your existing one?

Aimed at food companies and potential entrepreneurs interested in getting into the food sector, this seminar will offer insights into new developments and trends in the food sector, as well as highlighting opportunities for innovation and new product development.

It will be held on Thursday 3rd December at 7pm in the Regional Training Centre, Aras an Chontae, Castlebar.

The speakers for the evening will include:

• Declan Troy, Ashtown Food Research Centre,
  speaking about new commercial opportunities recently identified by the Research Centre, new developments or trends in the food sector, and new technologies of interest to food companies.
• Gerry O’Neill, South West Mayo Development Company Ltd,
  on the supports for business creation and development available under the Rural Development Programme for innovative rural enterprises and for farmers interested in diversification into non-agricultural activities.
• Clodagh Fitzgerald, The Food Technology Centre, St. Angela’s College, Sligo,
  will give a presentation outlining the services offered to industry by the Food Technology Centre

Registration and Further Information

Attendance is free and all are welcome. Attendees can register for the event on the night. If you would like further information on this seminar, please contact any of the following:

• Gerry O’Neill, South West Mayo Development Company, Tel: (098) 41950
• Vivian Wood, Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Company, Tel: (096) 30458
• Maria Staunton, Innovation in Business Centre, GMIT, Tel: (094) 9043198
• Seamus McCormack, WESTBIC, Tel: (094) 9256745
• Joan Fahey, Mayo Ideas Lab, Tel: (097) 27945

01.Dec.09 Events Read more Comments (0)

18th Mayo Open Coffee Club – The Mayo Business Network – Guest Speaker: Johnny Beirne

is meeting on Wednesday the

2nd of December 2009

at 11am

in the

Innovation in Business Centre (IiBC/GMIT)
Nursing Practice Suite of the GMIT,
in Castlebar

Guest speaker is Johnny Beirne, facilitator of the Leitrim Business Network and Roscommon Business Network

Based outside Carrick on Shannon, Johnny is CEO of JB Training and Consultancy and provides training & mentoring in professional networking, social media and conversation marketing (blogging for business), innovation and is a sought after public speaker. He is the facilitator of the Leitrim Business Network and Roscommon Business Network and has 14 years experience in business management, ICT and innovation including founding and developing downloadmusic.ie and TEXT A TRACK. Prior to establishing JB Training & Consultancy, Johnny was the Innovation Officer for Leitrim County Enterprise Board.

Please bring friends and leave a comment if you plan to attend, thx. See you there.

Directions: When you enter the GMIT main reception you need to go left, go through double doors and then straight (through another set of double doors). Continue forward and take stair case on the right. Room is up those stairs on the right (says Nursing Practise Suite on the door).

We ask all attendees to allow 20 Minutes for Parking. As you might have experienced yourself, parking on the GMIT/IiBC Grounds are a very valuable commodity, please plan your arrival early, so that we can begin on time.

18.Nov.09 Events Read more Comment (1)

Mayo 2040

“You can shape the future
if you can first imagine it”

Charles Handy

Mayo Science & Technology Festival – now in it’s third year – has organised an innovative night of presentations, discussion and debate on the types of technology that might be in use in 30 years time and how these will affect our lives and that of our children. Entitled Mayo 2040, the night is aimed at entrepreneurs, business people, teachers, parents and anyone with an interest in what Mayo might be like in 30 years time.

30 years is considered by scientists as the average period of time between the advent of new and innovative technologies and their widespread uptake and use by the general population. The question is: “how will the technologies that scientists are developing today impact on our lives in 2040”?

Mayo Science & Technology Festival now wants to begin a discussion about the types of technology we might be using in 2040 and how these will affect our lives. For example, advances in medical technology have led to estimations that a child born today can expect to live to the age of 100 and that their children might be able to live for much longer again. How might this affect life in Mayo? Advances in renewable energy technologies will have profound implications for Ireland. Can Mayo be to the forefront of these developments?

The event will take place in GMIT, Castlebar on Thursday 12th November, starting at 7pm.

Speakers:

A series of speakers will present their ideas of what the future in Mayo will look like. Speakers include:

• Bill McDaniel, Head of the Innovative Technology Unit at the Digital Enterprise Research Institute, NUI Galway who will speak on “The Future of Information: The Web and You in 2040”:
• The National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, NUIG, which is at the cutting edge of developing the medical technologies of tomorrow;
• What will Mayo actually look like in 2040? Peter Hynes, Director of Services, Mayo County Council;
• “Mayo as an energy exporter?”: Ben Wrafter, Business Consultant. Could Mayo and West of Ireland actually become an energy exporter?

The evening will be chaired by Barbara Burns, Head of GMIT. A panel discussion will take place after the presentations.

Speaking this week about the upcoming event John Magee of the Mayo Science & Technology Festival said he was very excited about the Mayo 2040 event. “This promises to be a fascinating look into the future. The pace of technological change is incredible and technologies and applications currently being developed will have a tremendous impact on our lives in the coming decades. What are the potential business opportunities that might arise in the future? Lets start talking about these things!”

Further details on the Mayo Science & Technology Festival are available at www.mayoscience.ie

03.Nov.09 Events Read more Comments (0)

Open Evening at the Innovation in Business Centre in Castlebar

The Innovation in Business Centre has an open evening on the 26th of November 2009

Are you planning to set up your business? Then come and see how the IiBC in Castlebar can help you to achieve your goal.

The IiBC also offers low cost office space (starting at 45 euro per week) and support services to help grow and develop your business.

Everybody is welcome!

02.Nov.09 Events Read more Comments (2)