Fifteen formidable company founders joined forces over breakfast in An Chultúrlann on Thursday for the inaugural gathering of the West Belfast Small Business Roundtable.
Addressed by international business strategist and former chair of Phoenix Energy Peter Dixon, the event focused on the building blocks of a successful company.
"I have only run small businesses," Peter Dixon told the local business owners, "because even at Phoenix Gas, my view was that the best approach is to treat every business like a small business.
Great start to the day with a group of business leaders in west Belfast. Thanks Peter Dixon for the insights and good humour, @newbelfast for bringing the group together and @Culturlann for lovely breakfast #Gnó pic.twitter.com/vgjlaYaBOF
— brendanbelfast (@brendanbelfast) November 7, 2024
"In terms of managing costs, for example, I think back to my mammy who kept a biscuit tin under the bed with a different envelope for every bill: the milkman, the coalman, the man from the Pru, the rent and so on. Every business should similarly list out all their costs on a monthly basis and make sure they know exactly what they are paying and to whom. Only then, can the business owner see where savings can be made and how some money can be put in the 'envelope' for monies which can be set aside for savings or for investment."
VOICES FOR SMALL BUSINESS: Yesterday's Cultúrlann roundtable
The business breakfast was also addressed by Terry McCrudden, CEO at Clonard Credit Union which is ramping up its support for members who are small business owners.
Among those attending were:
Pearce O'Neill of O'Neill's Gymastics
Orla McKeating of Still I Rise Stories
Mickey Joe Cooper of Cooper's Pharmacy
Nuala Ní Néill of Teach Mhamó
Úna-Méabh O'Hanlon from Connect the Dots Design
Gail Cook of Museum of Brands
Michael O'Kane of Kaboom
Paul Carlin of Carlin Hair
Séamus McAufield of Lifestyle Performance
"I've always been concerned at the lack of a rotary or business forum for West Belfast and in the fabled approach of 'Ná hAbair É, Déan É' ('Don't Say It, Do It') decided to bring some of our most ambitious small business owners together to network and learn from a business guru," said Máirtín Ó Muilleoir of Belfast Media. "It was very uplifting to see and hear from a new generation of entrepreneurs who really are the spine of West Belfast."
He added: "We only released 14 tickets for what was an intimate event with real access to a business legend but there will be other opportunities for more companies to take part in future gatherings. An additional win for me is that the funds from the tickets went straight to another great local business Bia Loch Lao in An Chultúrlann which provided a warm welcome and great grub for our attendees."
