We asked our members to tell us honestly the realities behind the scenes of being a Female Entrepreneur - Suggested solutions by Samantha Kelly.

People have been asking me why Women 's Inspire Network is so special .....well here are the reasons why...

VAT..The letters than can strike the fear of God into business owners. Value Added Tax, a complex subject. I will endeavour to simplify the if, when and how of registering your business for VAT.

Have you struggled with attracting a steady stream of clients with social media? Or maybe you’ve heard that LinkedIn is useful for lead generation, but you haven’t had much success with it. You are not alone. This is a problem faced by many people and businesses. There are a few things you can do quickly and easily to start to attract more leads and clients on LinkedIn.

Many people say that they struggle with confidence and would love to believe in themselves more and as a result, they stop themselves from following their dreams because they are afraid to fail. In this simple how to article you will learn that it is possible to take charge of your own life and improve your own self-confidence.

Helena Gilhooly and Jacinta Dempsey have been selected for the inaugural Women's Inspire Network Marie Collins Award!

Here’s a few things I recommend to have in place before you get started with PR, as you know, it’s so much easier to be as prepared as possible right?

Yay! You've started a Business. First of all, well done! It takes courage to take the leap. It ain't gonna be easy ...bit of a Roller Coaster actually....but it's sooooo worth it!

Social media is not just a marketing tool. It's a great way to build relationships with your customers and peers. Here are some tips to make sure you are using it correctly, how to deal with negativity and how to always have something to say.

You’ve probably seen a lot of acronyms, abbreviations and random words that might be going over your head. I’m here to take away the mystery from a few.

Preparing for tomorrow helps you bring a much better long term future both personally and professionally. Find out how.

Are you work ready for 2018? Here are 7 points to help you.

Taking Control Of the Triggers that are Fuelling Your Dreams

Do you want to be paid on time for all of your hard work? Do you want a set of guidelines to assist you when things go wrong with a customer? Do you want clarity for you and your customers as to what service you are providing and under what conditions?

I ask do you wake up in the morning full of excitement and enthusiasm about your day or do you dread going to work? If your job is sapping the life out of you then its time to re-assess your life and your work.

The latest Women’s Inspire Network event took place on Tuesday 10th October at the Radisson Blu Hotel at Dublin Airport. Over 200 women (and a few brave men) arrived to listen to over 20 wonderful speakers and enjoy some networking over tea, coffee and lunch. There was even a chance to buy some gifts and talk to experts in their fields, and a few lucky ladies got therapy treatments including reflexology and hand massage. Here are some of the main takeaways at #WIN17Dublin from people who were there…

Some good things come to end, it is just something you can't help. When one door closes another opens. Being open to changes, accepting some things are out of your hands and learning from them are vital in order to be flexible with your business.

What does it mean to really own our life story? In a nutshell we are finding out what makes us take the actions we take every day. What makes us do the rituals we do daily? Why do we get up before the kids to get organised? Or why do we leave it to the last minute and feel behind for the rest of the day?

You have noticed yourself ”borrowing from Peter to pay Paul”; stealing precious hours from your evenings and weekends to finish all these work-related items, trying desperately to keep up while failing to stay ahead. You wind up telling your kids they will just have to wait to spend time with you, only to wind up cancelling on them over and over again. If this sounds familiar, read on to find the solution.

Why should you go to the Women's Inspire Conference? Here are just 5 of the many reasons...

There are good people all around us. But how do you know which ones there are? Try these simple methods to connect and build real relationships with people you admire.

We all need business right? But sometimes it's important to make sure you are getting the right clients for you and your business.

There are many reasons to hire a Social Media Consultant (also known as a Social Media Manager, Social Media Curator among other things), but here are the top 5, in my opinion.

Every business has it's time. Managing your business better with a bit of planning and analysis provides better cashflow and being there at the right time for your customer makes you memorable for the right reasons. Learn more about how to manage your business seasonally in this post.

I have watched in the dedicated Women’s Inspire Facebook forum the growth of businesses and women overcoming all sorts of issues and problems. The problems have ranged from unsupportive partners to problem with suppliers. With well over 6,000 women and a few men in the group now, you can draw from a huge wealth of experience and knowledge.

These are all fears that have been told to me through my Women’s Inspire Network. I created the network because I knew there were others out there just like me. So here are some tips to help you keep going when you feel like all of the above.

We have to do this thing called living – why a f€&@ off attitude is essential to achieving your goals

How to learn to be more self-confident

Do YOU get the fear factor when you hear you’ve been called for a Competency based Interview? It puts the shivers up and down most candidates’ spines. Here is a summary of how I take the fear factor out of the equation resulting in an outstanding interview performance.

When was the last time you disconnected from your business 100%? When was the last time you switched your phone off or left it at home?

The challenge is to understand what you should be saying, to who you should be talking to, how should you say it and how and where to deliver your message. For that, you first need to start listening to your target audience and communicating in a language and style that they do, saying what they want to hear – not what you want to say! If you don’t do this right, all the content and marketing in the world won’t help you.

How to transform your perceived enemy into your best friend. Through love, forgiveness, and gratitude you can heal any relationship, even your relationship with food, your home – whatever your struggling with in your life. Heal the anger or hurt your holding onto. Open to the energy of your compassionate heart and feel unconditional love through forgiveness.

A Case study of a GP Practice

When was the last time you felt 100%? Are you fed up of feeling tired all the time? The stresses and pressures of modern life have left many of us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and with little time or energy to take care of ourselves. Now our bodies are beginning to pay the price. Sure, that chocolate bar or cappuccino might make you feel great for, ooh about five minutes, but after that quick high wears off, you’ll crash and burn and feel even more drained. So what’s the secret to long lasting energy and keeping sluggishness at bay? Simply follow my 7 fatigue fighters to put a spring back into your step.

Trade marks, logo & designs,, copyright, infringement issues and all other intellectual property areas.

Are you an entrepreneur? How many hats do you wear in a day? Work-life balance – a popular topic amongst entrepreneurs that can be incredibly difficult to accomplish. But self-care for entrepreneurs seems impossible when you wake up early after spending hours and hours in front of the computer the day before. You drink too much coffee, forget about eating healthy and haven’t worked out in while…sound familiar?

It's International Yoga Day this Thursday 21st June. Living with anxiety can seriously contract your universe. You may find basic social activities in life can suddenly become a big ordeal. Learning to live with anxiety is an option, learning ways to transform it is the key to getting your life back. Make a choice today to create a positive shift and change your state of anxiety to a place of calm.

Many congratulations first off!! What a super exciting time for you both! Family and friends will be over the moon for you and want to mark the occasion no doubt or meet up with you to celebrate. Make sure to enjoy these precious moments informing people of your news and beaming from ear to ear – it’s a fantastic feeling isn’t it?!?!

Remote working, and why we should take advantage of it!

Empowerment comes via responsibility. By taking ownership and being fully accountable in our lives, can we be, do and achieve anything our heart desires.

This is a fast paced digital world we live in. Perhaps we should bring it back to basics by taking a queue from our favourite MadMen Ad exec. Don Draper says “Advertising is based on one thing: Happiness."

Maybe you took time out from your career to raise a family or care for an elderly parent. Maybe you wanted to travel, or for whatever reason were unable to commit to a full time position. It can be a daunting prospect returning to the workplace after an extended career break, but according to Anne-Marie Taylor of Career Returners, companies are starting to turn to those who have taken time out to fill vital talent gaps. She speaks to The Daily Slog about how to rebuild your confidence and sharpen your skills to get back out there.

I have a little caravan on a private beach on the edge of a farm. My family have been fortunate and privileged to have been using this spot for over 75 years. It is my soul place. It’s where I go to completely unwind and get away from the stresses of life, television, wifi, housework, weeds….. I am sure you get where I am coming from.

The more I talk to business owners the more I realise that most of them, regardless of industry sector, are working in the dark when it comes to pricing their product or particularly their service. They seem to adopt a finger in the air and hope for the best approach, or they price themselves just a little bit lower than their nearest competitor in the hopes of attracting business. Well, there is a good chance that that competitor is just as clueless about pricing as they are! There has to be a better way..for me I believe it’s all about pricing based on value delivered, but that value must be demonstrated to the potential customer, don’t assume that they understand everything that you are delivering.

The AIDA model is very simple and extremely effective when you understand it. In this post, we are going to walk you through the funnel and show you how to apply it to your sales and marketing efforts. At the end of this article, you will know how to generate better leads, how to build and nurture relationships, and how to accompany those leads all the way to purchase.

Being self-employed isn’t so much a job as a way of life, chances are you’ll be doing the work that you love but is it all a bed of roses and does it really bring continuity family life? Working for yourself clearly depends on your profession, your situation (where you’re based relative to home, family, friends support network, ages of children, are you juggling childcare in the school holidays), in fact there’s a whole host of things it can depend on!

Check out these 10 reasons why you should come to our clinic regarding osteoporosis.

How the Tweetinggoddess worked her magic on my confidence and bank balance.

We are confronted by these on a monthly basis hopefully, yet which ones would you pursue?

Hi, my name is Catherine, and I'm writing this blog post to explain to you, the reader, the Top Five Reasons Businesses need to become Video Savvy in 2018.

Auckland is the gateway to the North Island of New Zealand. It is surrounded by water and the Hauraki. The Hauraki Gulf is dotted with Islands and if you fly in on a clear day the view of this part of our beautiful New Zealand is stunningly gorgeous. So let me tell you how to find it. Grab your OBR MERINO travel wrap and come with me.

My Biggest Lesson was when I had the Hardest Knock! For one of my first speach contests, I developed and delivered my speech, even tried it out in front of my unsuspecting family -it got the Thumbs up!! Most speech contests had a maxmimum time of 7 minutes and my speech came in at 6:45. However, I found out that this particular contest had a maximum time of just 5 minutes!! I found out this vital detail, a day before the contest.

This month brings the anniversary of my first year in the business. I should have been celebrating this fantastic milestone but the month started with me feeling deflated and finding it hard to get time to work, and to motivate myself when I was working. I half wanted to just let the occasion pass me by, and then I thought back to all the amazing experiences last year and the valuable lessons learnt.

Six Myths of Solicitors

Simple steps that everyone can apply to take care of their skin in winter.

How I found out about the amazing products ASEA has to offer and how it helped my husband.

A little write up about my dream jobs and what I have learned along the way. I'm a professional Equine and Animal Portrait Artist...this is how I got there.

Let me introduce you to my website www.carrieonlife.ie . Carrie on life is a lifestyle blog trying to capture how life is for women at the mid-section of their lives. Its a website for women to share, share their passions, their thoughts and their experiences.

I thought you might want to share in some of the great takeaways and ideas I noted during the morning sessions from four of my favourite sessions at the Women's Inspire Network Annual Event in Dublin on 10th October 2017. I’m still buzzing from all the energy and ideas!

15 years ago when I discovered New Zealand merino it was like magic. For the first time in my life I could wear wool next to my skin. No itching! For years I have been in the fashion industry and have travelled the world extensively. (We have to travel so far to see the world from New Zealand!) So now I have put 1+1 together. NZ MERINO WOOL + TRAVEL= MERINO TRAVEL WRAPS.....with style.

A startling number of Gen X professionals shy away from Social Media when they find themselves searching for a job. If this sounds like you, hold my hand, look me in the eye, and repeat after me: "It doesn't have to be that hard." Here are a few pointers to help shake the Social Media heebie-jeebies and get you started.

If you are using a different language or dialect to your tribe, how will they fully understand what you can do for them, when, where and more importantly why they should pick you? Finding the words that connect you and your tribe makes creating content for Facebook a breeze.

What is an SSL Certificate and Why Does Your Business Website Need One? In 2017 all business websites should have an SSL Certificate. Understand More Here.

I'm stressed... It's not uncommon to hear people say that on a daily basis dealing with day to day life troubles.. but could this excess stress be affecting our health and we're not aware of it?

There are a few stats and tips that can give you a bit of a better understanding of SEO from Google's point of view as well as a quick introduction to the latest in site architecture for SEO: Pillars and Clusters.

SSL certificates are an extra step in online security, and not just for taking online payments. It also gives users a peace of mind when filling in their details on an site.

I absolutely love going on trips, deciding where to go who to see where I would like to visit, its magical. That’s all very well I hear you say. But what about when you have the kids in tow? Well this is where I can help…

Wednesday the 5th of April 2017 will go down in my life story as the day I completely stepped out of my comfort zone and into a new me. I nervously got on stage in front of 250 women and told my story.

Sometimes being everything to everyone just simply gets too hard. Keeping yourself up to speed with the latest updates and developments in your field of expertise can get time consuming and expensive. Sometimes you just need to narrow your offering.

With the upcoming event focusing on self-care, I wanted to cover the subject of mindfulness. Guided mindfulness exercises are definitely a great starting point in self-care.

The secret about content marketing is well and truly out! Companies big and small are turning to content as a means of attracting and nurturing customer relationships. But while content marketing brings many benefits it also takes time and energy to get right. So if I have one bit of advice for you starting out it is to make sure you understand and implement a content marketing process.

I felt like a little kid when the plane landed. I was about to step onto Irish soil for the first time in my life! Just the previous year, I set up my first vision board, and in plain view, I glued “I-R-E-L-A-N-D” in big red letters. So I wouldn’t miss it.

Do you believe thoughts become things? There is so much about it in on social media now “thoughts become things”, “be careful what you wish for”, “manifest what you want”, “dream it believe it”. I believe dreams do come true.

At times, you can lose touch with why you do what you do in your business. You may have set stringent goals and timelines in January because you felt you had to. However, you may find that these goals and timelines don’t really fit into your life.

A Story of Social Day to speaking moment It’s not every day a white-knuckle ride through the streets of Birmingham leads to an International Speaking invitation!

"Each time you interact with someone, you have the opportunity to reflect what is special and precious about this person, to heal a wound, to co-create closeness, possibilities, and magic" - Mavis Tsai We all agree with what Mavis is saying here and we are all reading the top companies tips for everything and anything that will helps us in business (I am not alone in this right?) but how do we bridge this skills gap between our personal and professional interactions?

You have had the best idea ever but a friend you haven't seen in 2 years suddenly calls you and it's gone?? Over the years I have had to adapt and make sure the moment doesn't pass me by.

Education is key with every aspect of life. The same can be said for using ethically produced cosmetics.

I gatecrashed a Twitterparty ...and discovered a wonderful world of new friends and serendipity!

Whether you are new in business or an old hand - everyone can get "out of the habit" of being social. It pays you to exercise this muscle no matter what stage you are in todays climate of being memorable for the right reasons. Are you doing this now?

Although the large, sprightly hare held the advantage, the slow and steady tortoise crossed the line in first place. It struck me recently that this well-known fable provides a simple analogy for comparing traditional marketing approaches with the more recent turn to content marketing. I’m a big fan of the underdog or, in this race, the tortoise. In this post, I want to examine the advantages that content marketing holds over traditional marketing techniques. I’ll look at how adopting this strategy can give your business a fighting chance to beat out larger competitors and achieve the success of the tortoise.

Did you know that we live and die at cellular level so taking care of one’s self is of the utmost importance for everyone. As we age our bodies become slow and sluggish sending cellular messages to us that we need to help protect ourselves from the ravages of ill health.

Some people make the mistake that I have my life sorted because I am a coach and what was even worse was that I thought I had to keep up that pretence for the exact same reason.

I’m often asked by people, how they can be more productive, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to share learning's on the subject of consistency. Ever have off days, where you just can’t focus? Consistency is key to maximum productivity yet most of us have days where we just can’t summon the oomph to be at our very best. In the past I’ve struggled with being consistent. There have been days when I did the work of three people and there also have been many days, when unfortunately, I just didn’t make any worthwhile progress on my to do list. I needed to find a more consistent way of working.

This is a piece I wrote last year, on my experience as a busy mother to two wonderful young girls. I regularly forget and just don't have the time to do anything for 'me', which I'm sure a lot of mums can relate to!!

Most of us are aware at this stage of the importance and benefits of using video as a means to share your brand message. We all love to view videos; whether we are searching Google, YouTube or checking our social media channels. There are lots of surveys and statistics out there that illustrate how video works (and I will share a few of these in the post).

Google Analytics is the backbone to online campaigns as it gives the knowledge and insights of what clients and potential clients desire. This post highlights the importance of utilising Google Analytics within a small business owners digital marketing strategy.

Often we have a great product or a great service but for some reason we can't get our story out there about it. Perhaps it is based on fear of being judged; fear of no-one wanting us, rather than what we have to offer; an inability to say what we need or any other reason. We might also be telling our story to the wrong audience. When I say wrong what I mean is that those people are not people who are likely to buy from us as they either do not need what we have OR already have something similar. We may share with them because we feel they are a safe audience with whom to share our story. I like to help people find their real story and to voice it in a way that will attract their right people!

It is well accepted that listening is crucial for connection, be it to as a leader, manager, parent or friend. Interestingly, while we learn lots about how to speak well, read well, and write well, we don’t typically learn how to listen well. In this blog post, I’d like to share with you my thoughts about the importance of listening, how women are particularly skilled at this, and to share seven tips to help you to listen better.

There are some that say email marketing is dead, but last year alone, 100 billion business emails were sent/received EVERY DAY! That’s doesn’t look like it’s dying to me. So, how can your business tap into this marketing strategy? It’s simple, really.

I’ve put together some tips for you to help you understand that first of all it’s not all about high numbers of followers. It’s more about having followers who are relevant and who will become your own little army of marketeers. You see, people buy from people. And Twitter is all about being authentic and building up trust with your audience. Why should they follow you anyway? Do this check list first

Telling stories isn’t a new concept of course. We have been listening to others stories since we were children. We have had our imagination captured in all sorts of ways in books and comics and daydreams. We have listened to the thrills and spills of imaginary characters, who have overcome gripping daring-do to become victorious! (Spoiler – good always defeats bad in these kind of books!).

Have YOU looked at the gaps in your knowledge? Can you list them? How do you plug these gaps?

It’s that time of the year, where we promise ourselves to do things differently. We want to make our business grow, we want to enjoy what we do – but then you have that sinking realisation that you haven’t had a new lead or customer for weeks.Then the panic kicks in.

Influencer marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on using key leaders to drive your brand’s message to the larger market. Rather than marketing directly to a large group of consumers, you instead inspire / hire / pay influencers to get out the word for you.

Email marketing has been around since the dawn of the digital age but email is, by far, the most effective way of directly affecting your bottom line and actually growing your business.

Part two in a series by PR consultant Tara Gilleece on leveraging PR to support brand and corporate marketing.

In a two-part series, ‘Understanding PR’ exclusively for the Women’s Inspire Network, PR consultant Tara Gilleece explains PR in layman’s terms and outlines how it works, and what the options are with regard to engaging a consultant or agency or attempting some DIY PR for your business or social enterprise.

Working as a couple comes with some great advantages and occasionally a few challenges, but on the whole its been really positive and we’re still married so that must count for something.

Firstly, let me say, my knowledge of social media has been gained primarily from experience, reading articles, a few workshops, and following those who are savvy in this business. I wasn’t extremely fond of Twitter when I started out but I listened to the advice of those around me and they all said the same thing, ‘engage!’

So what is Visual Marketing online? It’s quite simply everything you do to represent your business visually whether that be images and graphics, animated GIFs, slideshows, video or live streaming. In half an hour we could only cover a limited amount, so I decided to keep it to mostly still images and graphics for this workshop. Below are the tips I shared, plus the bonus one.

Follow these 10 top tips for using Twitter for your business and you'll never look back.