As a small business owner, navigating the day-to-day pressure of running an enterprise while keeping an eye on long-term growth is a constant balancing act.
Join the SFA in Galway on Tuesday, 9 June for an interactive morning briefing designed specifically for local business owners, leaders, and decision-makers. Grounded in reality and stripped of corporate jargon, this event will focus on the three pillars critical to sustaining and growing your business in the West of Ireland today: People, Process, and Progress.
This briefing will arm you with practical strategies to manage upcoming regulatory changes, deploy smart digital tools to eliminate admin waste, and learn scaling strategies directly from peers who have successfully built national and export-focused brands right here in Co. Galway.
Why Attend?
By stepping away from your desk for just one morning, you will gain:
- Navigational Clarity on HR Changes (People): Get ahead of upcoming, critical workplace reforms - such as Pay transparency and the Contractual Retirement Ages Bill, with a direct update and Q&A session with an employment law expert.
- A Roadmap for Practical Digitalisation (Process): Learn how to apply lean thinking, smart workflows, and practical AI solutions to simplify your operations, reduce manual work, and drive efficiency without heavy capital expense.
- Inspiration & Real-world Lessons (Progress): Hear an honest, candid panel discussion from award-winning local entrepreneurs on how they navigated scaling hurdles, built resilient operations, and managed successful business transitions.
- Valuable Peer Networking: Connect, share challenges, and swap insights with other ambitious business owners from across the region over a light networking lunch.
Event Agenda
- 10:30 AM – Registration & Networking
- 11:00 AM – Welcome Address
- 11:05 AM – Pillar 1: People (HR & Employment Relations Update) Joe O'Reilly, SFA HR Executive A high-impact, 10-minute briefing on the vital regulatory changes business owners must act on right now (from Pay transparency to the Contractual Retirement Ages Bill), followed by an interactive Q&A.
- 11:25 AM – Pillar 2: Process (Practical Lessons in Digital & AI) John O'Shanahan, Founder & MD, LeanBPI Discover how small businesses can cut operational waste, automate repetitive manual tasks, and adopt affordable digital and AI tools that align with how your business actually runs.
- 11:45 AM – Pillar 3: Progress (Panel Discussion & Scaling Journeys) MC: David Broderick, SFA Director A candid, peer-led discussion exploring successes, challenges, and hard-learned business lessons in Galway with our guest panel:
- Paul Glynn – CEO and Owner, Topform
- Heather Connolly – Managing Director and Co-Owner, Builín Blasta
- 12:15 PM – Networking & Light Lunch
- 1:00 PM – Event Close
Who Should Attend?
This briefing is highly recommended for Business Owners, Managing Directors, CEOs, HR Managers, Operations Directors, and senior leaders of small and medium-sized enterprises in the West of Ireland looking to modernise, protect, and grow their businesses. Guarantee your spot, register today!