Ready, Set, Grow: Mid Ulster Enterprise Week Turns Ambition into Action!

Under this year’s theme, ‘Turning Ambition into Action’, the programme will equip entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses with fresh insight, useful connections and practical tools to navigate a changing economic landscape and plan confidently for growth.

The week opens with a bang with the ‘Mid Ulster: Ready, Set, Grow!’ event at Hill of The O’Neill, Dungannon. Hosted by BBC Economics and Business Editor John Campbell, the event will explore the outlook for the local economy, the challenges facing businesses and the steps local firms are taking to build resilience and pursue new opportunities.

John will be joined by local business leaders Dee Graham, Dee Graham Tailor Made; Ann McErlean, Craftec Ltd and Jody Wilkinson, Managing Director at Henry Brothers, who will share candid insights into their business journeys, future plans and experiences of responding to recent challenges.

Enterprise Week’s online events will help boost your business’s marketing expertise and increase online exposure; with webinars like ‘Google Business Profile’ with digital marketing experts Digital 24 and ‘Using AI to make your business more efficient’ with Ciaran Connolly from Profile Tree.

Louise Keenan Clarke will explore why clear and confident communication remains essential in an era of AI and automation during ‘The Confidence of Communication’ webinar, offering practical insight for businesses seeking to strengthen relationships, build trust and grow.

At Pomeroy Forest, broadcaster Lynette Fay will host ‘Behind the Mic: Podcasting for People and Business’. The event will bring together podcasters and communications specialists Rachel Molloy of ‘On the Couch with Rachel’, Lisa McElroy, The PR Angel and award-winning podcast producer Roger Gowdy from the DS3 project.

Together, they will share practical advice and first-hand experience for businesses and entrepreneurs interested in using podcasting to tell their story and connect with new audiences.

Businesses can also discover the range of help available through ‘The Business Support Spotlight’. Representatives from Invest Northern Ireland, South West College, Innovate+ and Mid Ulster District Council will explain the support they provide and how local businesses can access it.

The programme will also inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. During ‘From Blank Pages to Full Tubs’, author Emma Heatherington and Bethany Boyd of Betty’s Ice Cream NI will introduce young people to the world of enterprise and share how creativity, determination and ideas can be transformed into successful ventures.

From adopting AI and strengthening communication to accessing specialist support and exploring new ways to reach customers, Mid Ulster Enterprise Week offers practical opportunities for businesses at every stage of their journey.

Launching this year’s Enterprise Week, Councillor Deirdre Varsani, Chair of the Council, said: “As Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, I am delighted to support this year’s Enterprise Week, taking place from 16 to 20 November under the theme ‘Turning Ambition into Action’.

“Our local business community is full of ambition, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, and this year’s programme has been designed to help turn those qualities into practical action. With 12 online and in-person events, there will be valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses to gain fresh insight, make useful connections and access practical tools to support their next steps.

“Whether you are developing a new business idea, looking to grow an established company or seeking to adapt to the changing economic landscape, Enterprise Week offers something to help you plan with confidence and move forward.

“I would encourage businesses across the district to take advantage of the programme, connect with others and make the most of the expertise and support available. By working together and turning ambition into action, we can continue to strengthen our local economy and create opportunities for sustainable growth across Mid Ulster.”

Dee Graham, panellist and owner of Dee Graham Tailor Made, added: “I am delighted to take part in ‘Ready, Set, Grow!’ at Hill of The O’Neill. Running a business means continually adapting, learning and looking ahead, and I look forward to sharing Tailor Made’s plans for the future, as well as some of the lessons we have learned while navigating recent challenges. It will also be a valuable opportunity to hear from fellow panellists and connect with other ambitious businesses from across Mid Ulster.”

Dr Anne Rice, panellist and DS3 Multimedia Lab facilitator at Ulster University, commented, “We’re delighted to bring the DS3 Multimedia Lab to Mid Ulster Enterprise Week and show businesses how podcasting can turn expertise into influence in our ‘Behind the Mic – Podcasting for People and Business’ event at Pomeroy Forest. Through a live demonstration, attendees will see how podcasts can build credibility, grow audiences and strengthen their brand.”

To view the full programme of events for the week, and to register your place, go to: www.midulstercouncil.org/EnterpriseWeek.