Donegal businesswomen urge others to take art in the ACORNS programme

Two Donegal businesswomen who participated in the ACORNS programme are urging other female entrepreneurs to become involved.

Antoinette Moore, founder of Pyramid Holistic Centre, and Lisa Breslin, founder of Imagine Lab received certificates from Junior Minister Pippa Hackett marking their participation in the initiative to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

Applications are open for the next cycle of the programme, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Carrigans based Antoinette Moore says the ACORNS programme equipped them with the guidance and tools necessary to adopt a growth-oriented approach to their business, while Stranorlar based Lisa Breslin stresses the importance of being part of a community of like-minded women that support and lead each other.

ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers, with monthly round table sessions, facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland.

Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2021, are eligible to apply. ACORNS 10 will run from October 2024 to April 2025, with September 20th the deadline for applications.

More details and application form available HERE

Release in full –

Donegal women call for female entrepreneurs to join ACORNS business development programme

• Former participants Lisa Breslin of Imagine Lab and Antoinette Moore of Pyramid Holistic Centre encourage others to join 
• Female entrepreneurs in rural locations have until September 20 to apply

 

Antoinette Moore, founder of Pyramid Holistic Centre, and Lisa Breslin, founder of Imagine Lab, are calling on female entrepreneurs from Donegal to join the ACORNS programme.

Both are past participants on the highly-successful development initiative to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

Applications are open for the next cycle of the free business development programme, which is celebrating its 10^thanniversary this year.

ACORNS has been providing a decade of support for female entrepreneurship in rural Ireland and has recently launched the 10^th cycle of the business development programme.

The free initiative for early-stage female entrepreneurs is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).

The deadline for applications for this special 10^th anniversary cycle is midnight, September 20^th. There are up to 50 places available for ACORNS 10. Those wishing to receive an application form should register on the website (www.acorns.ie).

Antoinette Moore is the founder of Pyramid Holistic Centre and Spa, a family-run business based in Carrigans, east Co. Donegal, providing courses in reflexology, massage and aromatherapy, as well as therapy courses accredited by the International Therapy Exam Council and Federation of Holistic Therapy. 

Her mission is to help people wishing to change careers or take their existing career in therapy to the next level. Antoinette was a participant on ACORNS 7. For more information, visit her website (www.pyramidholisticcentre.ie).

Antoinette Moore says:

“The ACORNS programme equipped us with the guidance and tools necessary to adopt a growth-oriented approach to our business. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate. The access to Lead Entrepreneurs was exceptional, providing invaluable support in developing innovative strategies and incorporating visual planning into our day-to-day operations.”

Lisa Breslin is the founder of Imagine Lab, a multidisciplinary design service catering to domestic and international clients. Lisa has been working in creative industry for more than 20 years, including spells with the BBC, Channel 5, Yahoo, Google, and Lloyds Bank. She was a participant on ACORNS 7. The company is based in Stranorlar. For more information visit her website (www.imaginelabdesign.com).  

Lisa Breslin says: 

“The ACORNS experience was pretty special. It’s a community of like-minded females that support and lead each other. It’s an amazing programme. Starting out was a lonely experience, trying to do it all, but what I didn’t realise is that there is amazing support out there. I would recommend anyone thinking about running a business or at early stages to do this programme.”

ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland. 

Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2021, are eligible to apply. As ACORNS receives many more applications than there are places available, selection is on a competitive basis.

ACORNS 10 will run from October 2024 to April 2025 and will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies and an end-of-cycle celebration. 

There will be no charge for those selected to participate in ACORNS 10, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the Lead Entrepreneurs.

Charlie McConalogue T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, says: 

“2024 marks a decade of support from my Department for Female Rural Entrepreneurs.  This initiative has supported over 400 women in rural Ireland over the last ten years.  The programme aims to address the skills, enterprise and capability gaps that female entrepreneurs can face and takes into account the barriers which often limit entrepreneurial activity in rural areas. I am delighted that once again we can target this area and help Female Rural Entrepreneurs to realise their dreams of starting and growing successful businesses.”

While 57 participants completed ACORNS 9, the initiative also provided continued support to more than 300 past participants through the ACORNS Community, which provided them with the opportunity to take part in workshops, roundtables, a Community Forum and other networking events.

Each of the Lead Entrepreneurs give their time to the programme on a voluntary basis, as they believe in the philosophy of ‘entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs’. 

This year’s voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs are Alison Ritchie, Polar Ice; Caroline Reidy, The HR Suite; Eimer Hannon, Hannon Travel; Larissa Feeney, Kinore; Mary B Walsh, Ire Wel Pallets; and Triona MacGiolla Rí, Aró Digital Strategies. 

In addition, experienced businesswomen, Clare Duignan and Geraldine Kelly, who are on the Going for Growth advisory panel, will facilitate ACORNS Plus round tables for previous participants, who are committed to continuing driving forward the development of their businesses. 

In addition, a series of regional Gatherings for ACORNS Community members will be held in the autumn to celebrate 10 years of the initiative. These Gatherings will provide an opportunity for previous ACORNS participants to reconnect, network with other ACORNS from different cycles in their region and focus on the continuing and further development of their businesses.