TO coincide with International Women's Day last week, Invest Northern Ireland has launched a DVD and booklet celebrating the paths to business success of 12 local female entrepreneurs.
The new materials have been created to promote female role models and encourage other women to consider starting a business.
Launching the DVD and booklet Rotha Johnston, Invest NI's Deputy Chairman, said,"A key element of the government's drive to increase entrepreneurial activity is supporting more women to become involved in business and business start-up and unlocking their wealth creating potential. Women are the largest under-represented group when it comes to enterprise in Northern Ireland and there is enormous benefit to be realised for our economy if more women are encouraged to maximise the use of their skills in new business start-up."
Invest NI is also putting video clips on its website containing the presentations by keynote speakers at the New Pathways to Female Entrepreneurship conference, which took place during Enterprise Week in November 2006. These can be viewed at www.investni.com/femaleentrepreneurs
"Invest NI's Investing in Women initiative aims to increase the number of women starting a business and encourage those already in business to develop and grow their business. The booklet, DVD and video clips will support this drive. We know that women are influenced by other women and that strong role models are an important element in creating a stronger culture of entrepreneurship among women," adds Rotha Johnston.
The women featured in the DVD and booklet are involved in all sorts of businesses from software to construction, fishing to engineering, and include women who set up businesses straight after university and those who worked for many years before taking the step into self-employment.
The booklet and DVD will be distributed widely throughout business women's networks and enterprise agencies, and via schools, colleges and universities. It will also be available on the Invest NI website at www.investni.com/femaleentrepreneurs or in hard copy from Joy Knox; joy.knox@investni.com or telephone 028 9069 8519.
