Successfully Engaging Senior Entrepreneurs:

50+Start Your Own Business Course

Sheelagh DalyCEO

Wicklow County Enterprise Board (CEB)

CEB’s OverallObjectives

• Fostering an Enterprise Culture

• Supporting Dynamic New Enterprises

• Strengthening Existing Businesses

• Supporting Growth

CEB’s Supports for Start-ups

• Information • One-to-one Advice• Start Your Own Business• (SYOB) courses• Business Skills Training• Business IT Skills• Seminars• Networks• Mentoring• Finance

50+ SYOB Pilot Programme

• Kildare, Meath, Wicklow• Pilot: 3 courses run simultaneously• SYOB Content & format adapted• Residential element introduced• Promotion• Funding

Participation

New Business Profiles

• Healthcare• Beauty• Tourism• Software• Craft• Web based• B2B services• B2C services

• Average projected number of employees:2

• Average projected annual turnover: €120,000

50+ SYOB course – A Success?

• High overall satisfaction rating by particpants• Clear merit of having an age specific

50+SYOB course• Strong commitment by particpants• Good dynamic and collaboration • Too early to judge the number of

sustainable new businesses that will emerge

Recommendations• A focus on an age specific 50+ Start Your Own Business has merit and should be continued• Include testimony from past particpants in

marketing and promoting future courses• Extend the length of the course to 12 weeks• Focus on the production of business plans

as targeted outcome

RecommendationsStyle of delivery•Draw on the expertise and experience of particpants•Less as a teacher more as a facilitator•Focus on applied learning•Provide course material in advance of each session•Presentation and course materials to be easily read and heard

Recommendations• Profile particpants at early stage (expertise, experience and planned new businesses)• Recognise unevenness among group

in IT knowledge and computer skills• Issues surrounding succession and

exit strategy very pertinent• Facilitate social/networking element

Recommendations• Residential workshop should be be made more developmental• Introduce role models to describe their

experience to group• Following the course, develop self

sustaining groups • Six month follow-up• Develop online resource material• Role of Senior Enterprise

Successfully Engaging Senior Entrepreneurs: 50+Start Your

Own Business CourseSheelagh Daly

CEOWicklow County Enterprise Board

sheelagh@wicklowceb.ie