We still cannot get over the great response and feedback to Northwest Connects last saturday.
As an organising committee – we hoped we had left nothing to chance in the run up; our greatest concern was whether anyone would turn up? We had nearly 130 confirmed registrations and had assumed a natural attrubution rate of up to 30%.
In the end, we had over 120 people attending throughout the day – and to all of you – a huge Thanks – you are the ones that made it a success.
So – What Next?
We’ve taken some time this week to pore over the comment forms – here are some of the overriding themes that are emerging :
- There is lots of positive energy, ideas, inspiration and confidence to be gained from informally mixing with other folk and talking about business and entrepeneurship
- There are clever people and clever businesses in the Northwest – it would be great to interact with them more.
- You don’t have to be alone – lots of 1 and 2 person companies out there.
- Lots of help from people who have been there.
With regard to what people learned on the day, points raised included :
- The amount of support and help that is available if you look for it and take advantage of it.
- The importance of the elevator pitch to your potential customers and indeed anyone that you come in contact with – “what do you do?”
- Others have have faced these same problems – find out what they did?
Some of the best comments came around the question of what did attendees wish there was more of :
- More networking and conversation time other attendees and afternoon speed networking session, for those who missed the morning.
- More 5 by 5 sessions, as well as more breakout sessions after speaker presentation (there was a particularly good, accidental breakout session after Fergus Callagly’s Permission Markering talk – this was just before the afternoon coffee break, so did not interfere with other slots).
- More focussed sessions for different types of businesses – and other speakers from the wider business commmunity.
Finally – onto your thoughts on what you would like to see more of in the future, and other tips and reccomendations :
- Top of the list was definitely for this event to happen again; it looks like NWC10 – due to popular demand – will be a runner.
- More focus on core business topics such as finance, business planning.
- More flexible slots for speakers – barcamp style; on the day, put your name down for a talk – a longer version of the 5 by 5 if you will.
The organising committee (part of Open Coffee Sligo) are currently evaluating all of the comment and feedback, talking with panelists and sponsors – and establishing a plan and format for NWC10.
We would be delighted if you could get in contact with us, if you haven’t done so already – and share more thoughts with us!!
Ignite the west: incendiary talks ignite Westport
We thought the following information regarding Ignite the West might be relevant to those who attended and are interested in Northwest Connects. Ignite the West takes place next Friday May 7th in Westport.
In the seanchaí tradition, tales were never written down. They were passed on by word of mouth by a seanchaí through storytelling conventions peculiar to the Irish folk tradition, fusing all the imaginative skills and lyrical power to keep the audience engaged.
For the seanchaí, storytelling was a business. He used his skills to earn his living. A glimmer of those old seanchaí ways is re-emerging in the new networking phenomenon, Ignite the West – a new series of talks to showcase the region’s resources of imagination and entrepreneurship which kicks off at 8pm on Friday 7 May at the The Mill Times Hotel in Westport.
Ignite the West promoters Steve Daley and Dermot McCabe are bringing the sensational Ignite formula – that has spread like wildfire across over 200 cities across the world – to the West of Ireland. Ignite The West is a cabaret event that harnesses our collective imagination to champion new business opportunities, inspiring lessons learned, ambitious social projects and some hilarious gibberish to make everyone laugh at breakneck speed. Ignite aims to become the social event in the West’s calendar for those who want to share new ideas over a beer; encapsulated in the Ignite motto: “Enlighten us, but make it quick.” Speakers have 5 minutes to get their idea across – with twenty slides which revolve every 15 seconds on the screen. There’s no time for waffle. You get up there and tell your tale. The range of speakers at the first Ignite The West gig is guaranteed to fire your imagination.
Here’s just a few of our intrepid speakers lined up for the opening night:
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