Inspirational and hard-working women in business were celebrated at a special event hosted by the Donegal Business Network.

The local business group had issued an open invite to female business owners to join their networking morning this week as part of National Women in Enterprise Day.

Attendees at Donegal Business Network ‘Women in Enterprise’ Networking morning in the Radisson Blu Hotel Letterkenny, 16th October 2019

The theme of this year’s Women’s Enterprise Day is ‘Making It Happen’ and this event focused on how female employees and leaders can boost a business in many ways.

Network member Clare Ryan, of ITUS Secure Technologies, highlighted the benefits that the power of a woman can bring to any industry. Key characteristics and traits of women are known to increase business productivity, innovation and profitability, she said.

Clare Ryan, ITUS Secure Technologies, speaking about the perceptions of women in business the Donegal Business Network ‘Women in Enterprise’ Networking morning

Clare told the meeting how having a female at a senior level in a business can make it 15-30% more profitable and 20% more innovative.

The diverse range of women in the room represented many different walks of life and branches of business and services, including travel, insurance, finance, design, communications and holistic therapies.

Amanda Clarke, Susan Stevenson, Dearbhla Kelly, Toni Forrester and Michael MacGinty at the Donegal Business Network ‘Women in Enterprise’ Networking morning

Maureen Hamilton, FloorIT, Christine Cullen, Irish Life and Kate Callaghan, Callaghan’s Jewellers at the DBN ‘Women in Enterprise’ Networking morning

Heather Peoples, the newly-appointed director of the Donegal Business Network, said that the aim of today’s event was to showcase the network to more women in enterprise and share how early morning networking can be suitable for busy businesswomen.

Donegal Business Network members Bill Steele, Heather Peoples, Ruth Graham and Denis Finnegan at the DBN ‘Women in Enterprise’ Networking morning

The Donegal Business Network ‘Women in Enterprise’ Networking morning

Heather, of Minding Me holistic therapies service, is encouraging more women to come forward and to join the network, which has over 20 well-connected business owners.

DBN members recorded a revenue turnover of €1,000,000 in 2018 and are on track to reach the same goal this year.

And Heather is keen for more women in enterprise to be part of this success.

“We know that women are the main people getting children out in the morning, but many women here today have family lives. The network is about helping them, encouraging them and supporting them to get out there, especially when they are well up in their businesses, they own their own businesses, or they need support to get their business off the ground,” Heather said.

If you’d like to find out more about the Donegal Business Network, visit: donegalbusinessnetwork.ie