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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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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

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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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Free Fundraising Masterclass for small businesses and charities.

Prior to launching the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB) in 2010, I worked as a management accountant. I had my own small self-employed business and was also employed by different micro and small businesses in a variety of sectors.
I am passionate about micro and small businesses and believe they should be much better supported and recognised for the important role they play in our society, contributing socially, environmentally and economically.
I also believe that Doing Good is Good for Business. No-one is too small to make a difference, but not only do we have a moral obligation to operate ethically and responsibly the business case for doing so speaks for itself! Businesses, however small, that show they care about people and our fragile environment are far more likely to be the most profitable and successful. And you&apos;ll also find you are working with much nicer people which makes business more enjoyable.

In 2022, my husband and fellow director and I gifted ORB to the membership. However, I&apos;m still the CEO and I&apos;m excited about the future for ORB aligned with a change in consciousness that seems to be growing. I am determined to carry on supporting small businesses and the agenda for a better way of doing business - because those two passions are completely aligned!
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Impact, change and story: Which came first?

Join our monthly online event to learn how the power of storytelling can transform your business.

Diana Robertson is an award-winning speaker, communication skills trainer, TEDx speaker and coach and founder of Skillsme, a soft skills academy. Having been a shy introvert herself, she has devoted her life to helping others unleash their potential with the power of communication skills.
She delivers workshops on public speaking, storytelling, leadership and confidence all over the world. She is frequently seen presenting for non-profits like Project Management Institute, Professional Womens Network and Toastmasters International as well as universities in the UK and the US.
She belives that everyone is capable of developing new communication skills at any age. The secret is to follow the right learning approach which she talked about in her TEDx speech.

Founder & CEO

Storytelling for success: How to tell stories like Steve Jobs

Master the art of storytelling and impress your audience just like Steve Jobs once did!

If your company has a greater purpose, and wants to demonstrate its credentials not just on the environment but also with suppliers, workers, customers and clients, B Corp certification is for you.

It's the gold standard for better business, and companies that certify are truly following the model of people, planet and profit. Companies that choose to become B Corps commit to measuring their social and environmental impact alongside their financial performance.

Their commitment is reflected in the rigorous certification process that the company must go through to become a B Corp. So 

? What are the benefits of being certified? And why might your business choose to apply for certification?

A B Corp (or B Corporation) is a profit-making company that seeks to benefit society and the environment through the business it does.

To become certified as a B Corp, a business must go through an extensive assessment process to demonstrate its commitment to standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

The goal of becoming a B Corp is to create long-term value for everyone who has a stake in the business – and not just a financial one. Companies that become B Corps are driven by the belief that their success should benefit everyone – employees, customers, suppliers, the environment and the wider community.

By holding themselves accountable to higher standards than traditional corporations and businesses do, they can make sure they're having a positive impact on a number of fronts throughout their operations. Once certified, the company must maintain its standards every two years to keep its status.

By becoming B Corps, companies are showing the world a different business model – one that has an eye towards sustainability and responsibility. They're part of a new era of corporate social responsibility where success means more than just financial gain – it means leaving behind something better for future generations.

Is B Corp a good thing? Why should a company be a B Corp?

Being a B Corp is more than just a label – it's an opportunity to create lasting positive impact. The certification process encourages businesses to think beyond their bottom line by evaluating their social and environmental performance, as well as their commitment to transparency and accountability.

Companies that become certified show they're serious about being responsible businesses, and are rewarded with access to a network of like-minded businesses, resources and support. Plus, they gain credibility in the eyes of customers and investors who recognise the value of being part of the B Corp movement.

Ultimately, becoming a B Corp is about more than just gaining recognition – it's about committing to upholding certain values and making conscious decisions that benefit society and the planet as well as profits.

Companies that join this movement are paving the way for a new era of corporate responsibility and 

 – one where businesses not only strive for financial success but also think beyond themselves to create meaningful change in their communities.

Any company that wants to become a B Corp has to meet certain standards. The path to certification involves completing the 

 and going through a strict certification process.

This process looks at how the company works with its employees, customers, suppliers, communities and the environment. The company must provide evidence of how it operates ethically, contributes to the local community, and strives to make as little 

The results of the assessment are then used to generate a score that reflects how well the company is performing in those areas.

Once certified, the company must continue meeting the standards every two years in order to retain its B Corp status.

Becoming a B Corp isn't just about ticking off boxes on an assessment. It's about making a commitment to doing good work and making positive social and environmental change.

The first step towards becoming a B Corp is to complete the B Impact Assessment (BIA). This evaluates your company's impact on everyone who has a stake in the business, including your employees and customers, your supply chain and the wider community.

The BIA is a free online assessment that analyses how your company interacts with its workers, customers, community and the environment. It is used by over 50,000 businesses and requires you to achieve a minimum score of 80 out of 200 to qualify.

Step 2: Submit your assessment for review

Once you've completed the assessment, you can submit it to B Lab for review. B Lab is the non-profit organisation that's become known for certifying B Corporations.

Depending on several factors such as the sector or industry you operate in, your impact score and your ownership structure, it could take anywhere from six to eight months to get your their certification approved.

Once you're approved and certified as a B Corp, you can become part of the community of businesses and corporations that are committed to making sustainability an integral part of their operations and creating positive social and environmental change.

A green cotton garment with tags attached that read "100% recycled fabric"

You can become a B Corp as long as you're a profit-making business that's been operating for at least 12 months. So that excludes organisations like charities, that aren't set up to generate profit.

Company size has no bearing on certification, although smaller businesses or start-ups that want to demonstrate their commitment to doing good can also apply for Pending B Corp status (see below). This requires 12 months' worth of data, so you'll need to wait until you've been operating for a year before you apply.

 and partnerships aren't eligible. Your business must be a 

Pending B Corp status is designed for businesses that have been operating for less than 12 months, but still want to show that they're committed to doing good.

To gain Pending B Corp status, you need data from the last 12 months of business operations. This is a great way to get your foot in the door before applying for official B Corp certification.

By becoming a Pending B Corp, you'll be taking the first step towards becoming officially certified. It's an opportunity to get started on meeting the legal requirements and getting familiar with the B Impact Assessment. As a result, you'll be well equipped when it comes time for full certification.

Plus, being a Pending B Corp shows that you're serious about being a 

 and making a real difference in the world.

If you're submitting an assessment for official B Corp status, you'll need to pay a submission fee of £250 (plus VAT). Once you're certified, you pay a yearly certification fee, which is worked out based on your total revenue in your last set of audited accounts. You can see a table of prices on the B Lab website.

Applying for Pending B Corp status is slightly different. In that case, there's a one-off fee of £500 (plus VAT). This covers you for the 12 months while you prepare your impact assessment.

A young happy woman holding a box of vegetables picks tomatoes in a large greenhouse

Is a B Corp the same as a benefit corporation?

Not quite. B Corps and benefit corporations are often confused, as they have similar missions. But there are key differences between the two that you should know.

A B Corp is a company that has met the rigorous standards for certification and submitted an assessment of its business to 

, the organisation responsible for certifying B Corporations.

Benefit corporations, on the other hand, have no association with B Lab. Unlike B Corps, these entities don't need to meet any standardised requirements or submit to third-party certification. They simply commit to creating public benefit through their business operations and products or services.

A B Impact Assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of a business's social and environmental impact. It helps companies track their performance in areas such as labour standards, environmental practices, and community involvement, allowing them to identify where they need to improve in order to become certified as a B Corporation.

The assessment also serves as an important tool for not-for-profit businesses and investors who are interested in supporting businesses that prioritise sustainability and corporate responsibility. With the B Impact Assessment, organisations have the opportunity to make meaningful changes within their operations while helping create positive change around the world.

The B Impact Assessment is a free tool you can use to carry out an impact audit, regardless of whether you're seeking to become certified or not. Not only is it an effective way to measure and monitor your company's impact, but it's also educational. You'll learn things about your social and environmental impact that you might never have considered a problem.

What do you need to do to remain a certified B Corporation?

Staying B Corp-certified can be an ongoing challenge, but it's worth the effort. Not only is it a great way to demonstrate your company's commitment to social and environmental stewardship, but it also opens up new opportunities for partnerships and funding.

To remain certified, you'll need to regularly monitor your performance in the 10 areas that define leadership on social, governance and environmental business impacts. You'll also need to recertify every three years as the B Corp standards are always evolving.

This can mean making changes to your operations, making continuous improvements or investing in new initiatives that further your sustainability goals. Even if you don't become certified right away, taking steps towards becoming a B Corp is worthwhile. Reaching out to other responsible companies that are already certified is a great way to start.

Becoming a B Corp can be fairly time-consuming. It involves gathering the necessary documentation and then submitting an application, which could take anywhere from a few hours for smaller companies to a few weeks for larger ones.

Everything you submit needs to be verified, so you must have the right documents to prove that you have certain business practices in place.

Once you've sent off your application, it can take up to seven months for approval depending on wait times. However, it's worth noting that this certification isn't just a one-time thing; staying true to your B Corp status involves regularly monitoring how your company is doing in terms of its environmental and social mission and recertifying every three years as standards change.

All in all, becoming a B Corp-certified business may require some dedication and effort but will open many doors for your company.

How does B Corp address social sustainability?

Our current economic system is built on a history of injustice, inequity, violence and oppression. But businesses do have options to build more inclusive workplaces.

Becoming a B Corp is one way to embed policies and procedures that help to ensure a fair and equitable workplace for everyone. The B Impact Assessment focuses on workers, customers and community.

It can also map the UN Sustainable Development Goals to include those that particularly focus on Reduced Inequalities (goal 10), Gender Equality (goal 5) and Good Health and Well Being (goal 3).

As of March 2023, there are over 6,000 certified B Corps in more than 150 industries across 80 countries around the world. That's an amazing number of mission-driven businesses that have prioritised their social impact and environmental performance and redefined what business success really means.

Plan it with Purpose Ireland: Helping businesses develop a better understanding of environmental and social issues

Plan it with Purpose: Sustainability discovery tool

Answer a series of questions about your business and get a tailored action plan that tells you where to find the support, resources and advice you need to be more sustainable. 

<a href=&apos;https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahblake-earthology/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>Sarah Blake </a>is enthusiastic about communicating sustainability practices to businesses and individuals in a straightforward way, through talks, workshops and strategy. She believes that putting sustainability at the heart of what your business does will increase revenue, drive staff retention and reduce risk. Sarah’s background is a combination of both Human Resources (CIPD Associate) and Horticulture (RHS trained). Sarah believes that companies can make a profit and be Planet Positive. After studying Sustainability at Cambridge University Sarah founded <a href=&apos;http://www.earthology.ie/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>Earthology</a> and subsequently <a href=&apos;http://www.greenzebra.io/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>Green Zebra</a> to help employees and their companies on their sustainability journey, one step at a time! Sarah has also completed the <a href=&apos;https://www.climaterealityproject.org/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>Al Gore Climate Reality</a> training and is a qualified B Leader for those companies interested in becoming <a href=&apos;https://bcorporation.eu/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>B Corporations</a>. Sarah has been certified with the <a href=&apos;https://carbonliteracy.com/&apos; target=&apos;_self&apos;>Carbon Literacy </a>project in the UK.

Director

B Corp companies: What are they and how do you become one?

Becoming a B Corp means committing to measuring your social and environmental impact alongside finances.

As we celebrate all things Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day this year, there has never been a better time to enjoy the very best features of 

Our community of small business owners based in Ireland is continuing to grow at a remarkable pace, with many taking advantage of the learning resources, events and programmes on the platform. 

Take a look at the best of what Enterprise Nation Ireland has to offer:

Following the resounding success of the multitude of local meet-ups across the Irish Sea, Enterprise Nation is delighted to announce 

, hosted by your wonderful Local Leaders.

, so we encourage any entrepreneurs based in and around those cities to get involved and take advantage of the networking opportunities and expert insight on offer.

If you are keen to represent your local area, 

register your interest now to become a Local Leader.

In partnership with Microsoft, Vodafone and Klarna, Enterprise Nation Ireland is striving to support 20,000 small businesses to improve their digital skills, in the shape of the 

Online workshops, e-learning and drop-in sessions will all be provided by the vast array of business minds taking part in the programme.

If you haven’t already, get involved with Go and Grow Online now.

Do you specialise in a certain area of business? Perhaps you possess expertise that can take fellow Irish entrepreneurs to the next level. If so, then why not become an adviser? 

 will help build your profile, enable you to be involved with our programmes – including Go and Grow Online – and deliver training to small businesses throughout Ireland.

Furthermore, there are opportunities for advisers on Enterprise Nation to work with some fantastic partners, including Meta, Vodafone, Square and Klarna.

Sound good? Register your interest to become an adviser today.

Get connected with Enterprise Nation Ireland by following us on 

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.

St. Patrick's Day: Make the most of Enterprise Nation Ireland

There has never been a better time to enjoy the very best features of Enterprise Nation Ireland.

Only days away, St. Patrick’s Day is the celebration that puts Ireland firmly on the map of a global audience. 

With many of the world’s major cities set to turn their landmarks green, is there a little something small businesses could be doing to ‘highlight’ themselves on the anniversary of Ireland becoming a snake-free nation?

It’s important to stand out, so you’ll need to get creative.

Here at Enterprise Nation, we’ve gathered some super social media tips, and mixed them with some great advice from 

, to serve you up a smorgasbord of ways to use St. Patrick’s Day to your benefit.

No matter which platform you’re using, you’ll need to include hashtags to get seen on St. Patrick’s Day. Try the following:

Everyone likes a discount, and you can make yours stand out by applying a unique discount code (for example, PADDY10) or offering a 17% sale on certain items. 

Showcase your Irish items across your social media during the St. Patrick’s Day activities when ‘everyone has a little Irish in them’. You might snag a sale from a sentimental follower.

If you’re an Irish craft business, show behind-the-scenes clips of your workmanship. Don’t be afraid to show your personality or your co-workers/staff on your platforms. People want to get to know who they’re buying from.

Why not offer a discount or free gift to all Patricks and Patricias on St. Patrick’s Day? What better way to spread the word through social media than have your followers tagging their favourite Pats to avail themselves of a free coffee or special offer?

How much do you know about St. Patrick’s? Is it just the story about the snakes? Why not get clued up on all things St. Patrick and share a quiz through your stories or some true/false facts to generate some audience participation?

Barry’s or Lyon’s? Tayto or King? This is always a fun topic of conversation.

Get the chat flowing on your media channels by creating a little nostalgic moment with an image of the 

. A simple ‘Who remembers this?’ will have your comment sections flooded with anecdotes about the biggest fear of all – leaving the immersion on.

Might be cutting it a bit fine but as the Bank Holiday is close to the weekend, no doubt people will be stretching out the celebrations for days.

Run a tag-and-share competition on your social media channels to run until Sunday. “Tag someone who loves St. Patrick’s Day more than you” or “Tag your most ‘Irish’ friend and tell us why” should throw up some interesting reads in the comments section. 

Ask your followers to send you images or videos of how they’re spending their St. Patrick’s Day. Encourage them to tag you in their stories for shares on to your platform.

If you’re feeling very creative, put together a video of all the Irish festive images and clips they send you. 

Find whatever green clothing you have in your wardrobe and that’s your outfit for the day. Even if you don’t want to dress up like a leprechaun, adding a bit of green to your garments lets your followers know you’re in on ‘the craic’. So don’t forget those selfies!

Do not underestimate the ‘pulling’ power of our cute furry friends. Do your followers want to see you dress (small green hat or bow tie) your family pet up on St. Patrick’s Day? Of course they do. Will they share such a cute image? Of course they will.

Just make sure your pet is on board with the whole dressing up thing – the ‘grumpy cat’ persona has already been taken.

Go and Grow Online: Advice and training to grow your business

Go and Grow Online Ireland: Get access to advice and training

Enterprise Nation is working with Microsoft, Klarna and Vodafone to support 20,000 small businesses across Ireland to improve their digital skills.

Small businesses: How to use St. Patrick’s Day to your advantage

Samantha Kelly explains how to use St. Patrick’s Day to your business's benefit.

Sage Ireland Accounting Offer - Get 3 months free

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

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Facebook Ads Manager allows you, as a business owner, to get your brand out there and reach your target audience.