We’re partnering with Vodafone Business to equip 100,000 small businesses with the digital skills they need to take their operations to the next level.

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Want to boost your digital skills?

Join workshops and Lunch and Learn sessions led by digital experts who will unpack key topics and help you kickstart digital change.

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Attend practical workshops and webinars

Get specialist, solution-based training on how to get the most out of collaboration, online trading, security tools and more.

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Watch bitesize e-learning videos

The benefits of taking part in business.connected

Small businesses that are still to adopt technology can access a bootcamp series covering topics including developing a website, creating a marketing strategy and producing social media content.

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JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Sage will share its finance and accounting expertise with small business owners through online courses and webinars.

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Sage UK

Builder.ai is the programme's e-commerce partner and will provide digital support for small businesses through its webinars and money-saving offers.

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Builder.ai

business.connected partners

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business.connected bootcamps

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Get one-on-one support from a business.connected adviser

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Frequently asked questions

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After successfully completing over 12 years of consulting with companies on a 1:1 basis on their business and financial performance I am now entering the training world to engage my passion for teaching, training, guiding and mentoring entrepreneurs, founders and business owners to thrive financially. I am here to offer you the opportunity to benefit from my expertise in Pricing and Cash Flow Management. I am proud to be known as The Price Mentor and I would be proud to teach you The Price Code Methodology

Business Owner and Founder

Brian Cooney

Owner/director

Paddy Mc Dermott

Specialist in Web Design, Digital Marketing, Social Media, SEO, Analytics and Big Data.
Owner and founder of Feedalpha.com and Yourweb.ie

Gary Evans

Running your own business is hard enough: getting new enquiries, making sales, doing the work, and getting paid, all while trying to have a family life.
And feeling like you&apos;re in a marketing black hole is scary and adds to your stress.
You&apos;ve Googled &apos;til you&apos;re blue in the face, FAQs don&apos;t answer your questions, and chatbots drive you up the wall.
Having had to keep on top of depression and anxiety most of my life, I know the toll it can take on mental health.
I guide owners of small businesses out of their marketing black hole, giving them the confidence and freedom to focus on helping their clients and growing their businesses in a predictable, manageable, and sustainable way.
If your marketing&apos;s a mess, your tech ties you in knots, or your website is woeful, let me help you take back control and get the business you need for the life you want.
We&apos;ll do this by clarifying, simplifying, and amplifying.
✅ We&apos;ll clarify your message so your ideal customers want to engage and buy.
✅️ We&apos;ll simplify your business, marketing, and tech so it&apos;s easier to run and do business with you.
✅ And we&apos;ll amplify, growing your business in a predictable, manageable, and sustainable way.
Ditch the spreadsheets, Post-It notes, whiteboards, and confusion...and no more marketing and tech cul-de-sacs, frustrations, and overwhelm.
You&apos;ll have a business that&apos;s easier, a bank account that&apos;s wealthier, and a life that&apos;s healthier &amp; happier.
I&apos;ll be there to guide you towards success, help unlock your talents, and cheer you on as your business thrives...and make sure you don&apos;t fall back into bad habits.
&gt;&gt; Websites, CRM and Sales &amp; Marketing Automation, Coaching &lt;&lt;
🗓️ Book your free Marketing &amp; Tech Audit: <a href=&apos;https://bookandrew.co.uk/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>BookAndrew.co.uk</a>
▶️ <a href=&apos;https://linkedin.com/in/thesavvymarketingguy/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>linkedin.com/in/thesavvymarketingguy/</a>
✉️ <a href=&apos;mailto:andrew@thesavvymarketingguy.com&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>andrew@thesavvymarketingguy.com</a>

The Savvy Marketing Guy

Beat the Blank - Bring on your marketing mojo with help from ChatGPT

Say goodbye to writer's block and hello to marketing success with our free 'Beat the Blank' workshop – easy, fun, and effective!

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We are a community of friendly volunteer experts who love to help small businesses &amp; charities thrive. Request free 1-2-1 Boost Sessions with business mentors or join a Masterclass today for tailored help on strategy, digital marketing, finance, operations, technology, and so much more. ‍

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4 key legal considerations every business owner needs to know

Learn how to legally protect your small business with this beginner-friendly free Masterclass from Digital Boost 😊

Calling all Enterprise Nation advisers in Ireland!

? Did you find it useful? Want to share your experience?

We're looking to hear from Irish businesses that have taken part in the programme and used the resources provided to become more sustainable.

This is a great opportunity for your business to get free PR and promotion, not only with Enterprise Nation but with our Plan it with Purpose partners GS1 Ireland and AIB. 

If you're interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please email 

 with a brief overview of your business and the changes you've made to become more sustainable.

Enterprise Nation has helped thousands of people start and grow their businesses. Led by founder, Emma Jones CBE, Enterprise Nation connects you to the resources and expertise to help you succeed.

Adviser opportunity: Feature as one of our Plan it with Purpose case studies

Have you used our Plan it with Purpose hub? Want to share your experience?

It's fantastic to see more female founders in Ireland winning investment for their businesses. In 2021, 55 female-led tech start-ups and scale-up businesses raised €230 million via various forms of funding. And that figure was up 120% on 2020 (€105 million), according to a 

However, funding that goes to all female-founded businesses is still extremely low. In 2021, it accounted for just 2% or $64 billion of venture-capital funding.

If you're not sure how to go about growing your business, or are struggling to raise funding, you're not alone.

Founders are often presenting pitches to a male-investor-only room. The 

 states that in western Europe, 81% of general partners at VC firms are male.

 decided to go down the traditional investment route to fund her business 

, a tech company that helps to build truly inclusive workplaces. She says:

 of the TechCrunch annual startup-funding competition found that VCs also posed different types of questions to male (gains, promotion questions) versus female founders (losses, prevention questions) – which had substantial consequences for funding.

Certain sectors are seen as higher-risk. Healthcare (

), education and social services are more "risky" than technology or manufacturing, and lack networking and 

, is combating this issue with her female-focused investment network. She says:

 found women spend more time (55%) on unpaid work as a proportion of their total work, compared to 19% for men.

, recognises an expectation to be the face of the business "which is actually a marketing job". She adds:

The investment culture within VC firms needs to be more female-inclusive. Sarah Turner believes:

Having more women signing off on investment decisions is an important step, too. 

, a safe community for women to share advice and support on fertility, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause. She says:

In response, entrepreneur and angel investor Emmie Faust set up the network 

, decided she wanted half of her fundraising for her second company 

Don't be afraid to reach out to your current network, even if they haven't invested before.

Non-traditional routes can help prove your concept. 

Find angel investors in unexpected places, search online, or contact people you know via social media.

Join accelerator programmes and pitch-practice events

, took part in a rewarding cyber-security accelerator. She says:

 sells the benefits of your product, but it helps to think outside the box if you're pitching a female-focused product to men.

Rushina Shah remembers the way two female founders pitched their lingerie company. She says:

, experiment with answering prevention-style questions.

Get support from female-focused organisations

Find investors who can help you grow. Look for female-focused investment firms such as 

, who are committed to supporting female entrepreneurs.

Gain valuable founder wisdom by joining a free network such as 

 with Emmie Faust. Emmie says: "We provide resources such as masterclasses on funding, and pitch deck reviews."

Getting funding is a process, but your options don't have to be limited. Make sure you have the latest financial data for your business to show potential investors.

To guarantee you can pull out the details whenever you need them, choose software that grows with your business.

Sage Accounting helps you make sure your financial information is always accessible to you, your investors, and anyone you meet in an elevator! 

How female founders can find funding for their businesses

A discovery call is arguably one of the most important parts of the sales process. It’s the first conversation you’re likely to have with a prospective client, and the perfect opportunity to uncover a buyer’s needs and goals.

It’s also a chance for you to start building trust – and to discover if there is a potential fit for a business relationship.

, members of the community can request a discovery call with you at any time, to find out more about the expertise or services that you offer. This first call can set the tone for the rest of the relationship, so it’s important that you leave a strong first impression. 

With so much at stake, it’s important that you cover all bases. Here’s your guide to a successful discovery call.

This may sound like an obvious place to start, but it’s important to understand that discovery calls require work before you even pick up the phone. 

How well you commit to this first call is very telling of the way in which you commit to your customers in general, so learn as much as you can about them ahead of time.

Look at their website, browse their social channels, research their career history on LinkedIn, or simply ask them a few preliminary questions via email to get a general understanding of what their values or goals might be. 

Doing your homework at this stage will greatly increase your chances of converting your prospect. Discovery calls typically have a 60% to 70% conversion rate, as your prospective client has already shown an interest in your services and instigated that call. So do your research and draw as much information out of them as you can ahead of the call.

Once you’ve broken the ice, you should set an agenda for the call, outlining what’s about to happen. By doing this, your prospect will feel that you’re respecting their time, and that you’ve prepared for the call. It also helps you to take control of the conversation, and to manage their expectations. 

 is well-versed in the art of discovery calls: 

You should now be on friendly terms with the prospect, so it’s time to get down to business. 

If you’ve done your homework, you’ll already have a basic understanding of them and their company. Next, you’ll want to ask questions that will determine if you and the buyer are a good match – and if there is a potential sales opportunity. 

This stage is about gathering more detailed information and shouldn’t be questions that you can find the answers to on the Internet. 

Here are some qualifying questions that you may want to consider asking: 

It’s just as important to disqualify the prospect as it is to qualify them. That way, you don’t waste your time. Not everyone who books a discovery call is going to be a good fit, so if you don’t think they are, don’t attempt to sell them anything.

To better evaluate whether or not your prospect is a good match, here are a few questions that you really ought to be asking. 

You should now have a good idea of what the prospect needs, if you can provide a solution for them, and if they are an ideal customer for you. You may also have gotten a sense of their level of urgency to buy from you.

Either way, don’t end your call without agreeing on next steps. There should be no question about what the prospect (or you) should do to move the relationship forward. 

If you think you need a second call, compare calendars in the moment. Or, if you feel that you’ve gathered all the information you need to put together a proposal, commit to a timeframe and let them know when they should expect to hear from you. 

 understands the importance of this stage of the journey.

Is it true that the more you put in, the more you get out? We think so. 

 often find that entrepreneurs looking to build a business will remember those who have helped them along the way.

They may not convert to paying clients immediately, but there's a chance that they might in the future. At the very least, they’ll become advocates for your company and recommend you to their network. 

Of course, it can be tricky to find a balance between offering a few nuggets of advice, and simply giving away your expertise. But ‘giving a little’ can really pay off in the long term.

 suggests sending your prospect some relevant content post discovery call as a way to distinguish yourself from the competition and to remain at the forefront of your prospect’s mind. 

 agrees that it's a good idea to ‘give a little’:

Become an adviser on Enterprise Nation

If you’re an Enterprise Nation adviser member, take a moment to 

 to make sure members choose you for their next discovery call. 

If you’re not yet an adviser member, but would like to promote your services on Enterprise Nation, 

I am currently working at Enterprise Nation as the Community Manager.
I have however worked across a number of industries and therefore my business acumen is agile and well rounded.
I have a strong business and entrepreneurial background having run my own business for 7 years alongside previously working within corporate, local government and charitable sector roles.
Whilst running the swim school, it was nominated as one of the top 100 UK small businesses in 2017 and she was invited to 10 Downing Street to celebrate the occasion.
My strengths are attracting and maintaining strong relationships and I am confident in engaging with people and building rapport as well as having a wealth of experience in project management.
My real passion has been transferring knowledge and helping to develop people and small businesses which I have done through mentoring other business owners and running my own networking group.

Community Manager

Your guide to a successful discovery call

The first conversation you’re likely to have with a prospective client, and the perfect opportunity to uncover a buyer’s needs.

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Perfect for sole traders and small business owners, Sage Accounting has your books covered.

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