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Crowdsourcing: Heard about it, but what is it?
13/08/2011
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While the new government receives their first baptism of fire, small businesses continue to innovate and examine new ways of developing their service offering. The latest example of this comes in the form of a large dollop of creative thinking from Galway-based Tara Dalrymple of Busy Lizzie, who spotted an opportunity to build her business’s audience through a mutually-beneficial working synergy with another West-of-Ireland colleague, Irish Business Intelligence. ’Olwen and I share a very similar view on business, working with clients and the right way to do things. From on-going communications it was clear that our two businesses dovetailed nicely. Very quickly we decided a collaborative relationship was not only a way to really help our clients grow, but also a great way to grow each other’s client base’ Tara adds.Both businesses offer solutions and support for business-people and entrepreneurs of all walks, by simplifying, advising and expediting their personal and business lives: Olwen Dawe of Irish Business Intelligence ‘when Tara and I spoke about the idea initially, there was an instant fit. I offer support and advice by coaching start-ups, small and developing businesses on how to best get their product or service to market – helping them to overcome personal and business obstacles along the way. Busy Lizzie’s back office outsourcing portfolio is extensive – from call-answering, concierge, e-marketing and social media to personal and social services’Both Tara and Olwen are members of Network Ireland [Galway and Mayo branches respectively], and are award-winning businesswomen. Both have solid corporate backgrounds in operations, HR, IT, banking, retail, PR and marketing, giving these two ladies years of ‘big’ business know-how, they really do know their stuff.According to both Tara and Olwen, it’s a case of “paying it forward”; by supporting others, you can help yourself ‘I think businesspeople have had their fill of the constant stream of negativity – it’s time to look at the opportunities we can create for ourselves and one another by working together’ Olwen comments ‘Our packages are built with SMEs in mind, they cover off all bases a start-up or growing SME Company requires, and when they grow we have other packages to take them onto the growth stage. Between us, we will are able to take someone from zero to hero. For example, we are offering basic or ‘entry-level’ services from as little as €400 – this type of package would include a development report from IBI, covering a broad-spectrum of marketing and development objectives for SMEs, and a social media starter package, ‘bronze’ e-newsletter or call-answering / virtual secretary services. ‘ says Tara ‘In addition to this, we’re able to provide more hands-on packages for developing business which would include a selection of our back-office services as well as Olwen’s onsite consulting or monthly coaching option – we do a ‘pick-and-mix’ which offers best value-for-money.’Outsourcing is utilised more and more as companies limber up and examine routes to become leaner and meaner, while consultants really have to show their worth and deliver tangible results, ‘Unfortunately there were a lot of “consultants” around during the boom – sadly, many of them didn’t really do what they ”said on the tin” resulting in a wide sense, among business-owners, that most consultants are just “hacks” who don’t actually deliver anything’ claims Dawe, ‘I am a business-person, and I deliver results, based on clear, concise objectives agreed with my client – no ambiguity! Partnered with the wide-variety of services Tara offers to support businesses – we can revolutionise the way you do business.’If you’d like to hear more about the Busy Lizzie / Irish Business Intelligence service offering, visit the company’s websites at www.irishbusinessintelligence.com and www.busylizzie.ie or call Olwen on 087 7997772.
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- Welcome to Charity Box Ireland -
13/08/2011
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Why dealing with the media needn't leave you in a spin
28/10/2010
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Busy Lizzie opens in Malta
Busy Lizzie has opened an office in Malta. The office which was opened in January 2010 is located in St. Paul’s Bay and headed up by an Irish born sales and new business development manager.
Busy Lizzie will be providing both their range of social and corporate services to ex pats as well as Maltese SMEs and residents. Tara Dalrymple, Director of Busy Lizzie, Dalrymple explains, “The Maltese Economy is growing and we saw an opportunity to grow with them. We will be growing the business to full service remit over the next year.”
Busy Lizzie was a business idea that Tara brought over with her from the UK 6 years ago. She undertook a year’s market research before she launched the company, but having come from a family who all work for themselves; she knew that her future lay in being self employed. She started out in a spare room in an apartment in Galway city. The company has expanded into Dublin, Wicklow, Cork, Limerick and Malta with an increase of turnover by 200%. She endorses the work: life balance that her company provides by working from home and educating Irish women through her monthly podcast on how they too can achieve a healthy balance between work and home.
Busy Lizzie is a lifestyle management and back office support service company that exists for the sole purpose of helping clients to lead more fulfilling lives.
Through their services, they enable clients to enjoy newfound freedom by reducing the amount of time they spend performing time-consuming tasks. They strive to ensure that their clients have the opportunity to spend more time with their family, friends, hobbies, and passions.
Busy Lizzie staff emulates the work of a personal assistant. Services are marketed with this in mind, promising busy individuals the opportunity to have their lifestyle managed by a “staff” of people dedicated to making their daily lives as pleasant and smooth-running as possible.
Busy Lizzie provides businesses and individuals with the time they need to focus on other tasks. They have a variety of business and personal services available to make the lives of their customers easier at an affordable price. Their office is staffed with experts that range from secretarial and administrative to experienced marketing and sales professionals.
For more information on this and many more of Busy Lizzie’s services, visit www.busylizzie.ie or contact on (0)1 514 3401.
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Overview of Women Start Ups in Ireland
July 2010
Did you know that more and more women are starting their own businesses in Ireland each year? According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report, in 2009 on average just over 1,000 women set up a new business in Ireland every month. These businesses varied from manufacturing to consumer oriented retail products.
As times are getting tight and people are used to more extravagant lifestyles, more women are using their spare time to begin new business ventures. With the ability to reach people in faster more economical ways worldwide many women are turning to the web as a means to facilitate their new endeavours. In addition, the GEM report also stated that one in five women tend to become an entrepreneur following a period spent as a homemaker or working part-time.
Lots of mum’s have taken this approach and have coined the nickname mumtrepreneur. A term that affectionately meshes the traditional role of the stay at home mum with the working world. This provides mums with the opportunity to bond with their children and earn a living at the same time. Among all the talk about doom and gloom it seems that women are gaining more respect in the global economy and more importantly they are beginning their new adventures here in Ireland.
Even though there are lots of women starting up businesses there are very few resources allocated to these talented entrepreneurs. Organisations like Busy Lizzie Lifestyle management run by mumtrepreneur Tara Dalrymple helps small businesses build their foundations by providing Pay As You Go secretarial services; where businesses only pay for the time they need, Virtual Personal Assistance; to manage daily appointments and Emarketing; a capability that helps clients reach potential customers. To avail of these services for your own business please visit Busy Lizzie at www.busylizzie.ie , phone 091565353, or e-mail directly at info@busylizzie.ie. Busy Lizzie has offices in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Wicklow.
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Successful networking and Business Survival
October 2009
Tara Dalrymple of Busy Lizzie [www.busylizzie.ie] believes that successful networking is the key to survival for new businesses. With this in mind she has created a new monthly business networking group in Galway called "Nothing Personal: Simply Business". The group meets at 10am the last Friday of each month in the Hotel Clybaun, Galway and provides a waffle free, male and female networking environment.
Dalrymple has come up with some 8 top tips to allow you to make networking work for you.
1.Don't expect early results: Like anything worthwhile, networking takes time and application. Take the time to develop relationships and create a network. Don't expect to walk into a room of strangers and come away with business - it just doesn't work like that!
2. Build relationships first: Networking is not about selling - it's about building relationships. The best business is developed when both parties know, like and trust each other. So take the time to get to know them and establish rapport.
3. Prepare your opener: When asked "What do you do?" develop a quick and interesting answer. Instead of saying "I'm an IFA", you could reply "I make sure that people enjoy their retirement by not being short of money." Inevitably, you will be asked how you do that.
4.Listen more than talk: There are three types of people; those who listen, those who talk and those who are waiting to talk! Become an active listener and see how you can help people you meet. By being aware of their needs you can connect them to people in your network.
5.Ask open questions: People usually find the most interesting subject is themselves! Make it easy for them to expand their answers rather than just replying with a "Yes" or "No". For example "That's interesting, how do you do that?"
6.Always follow up contacts: When you meet someone at an event, follow up with a simple e-mail or telephone call confirming where you met and what action, if any, was agreed. Prompt follow-ups are essential!
7.Arrange contact meetings: Once you've established rapport with someone you've met, how do you take things forward? Simple, meet for a coffee and get to know them. What makes them tick, what are their successes, aspirations, skills and experiences. What they are looking for? Can you connect them to one of your contacts?
8.Develop Networking Advocates: A networking advocate goes out of their way to recommend your goods and services without expecting anything in return. Go out of your way to connect them to key members of your network and introduce them to people who might benefit from their services. Become an advocate for them; people will eventually become advocates for you. This is where the networking dividend really pays out!
Busy Lizzie Lifestyle management run by mumtrepreneur Tara Dalrymple helps small businesses build their foundations by providing Pay As You Go secretarial services; where businesses only pay for the time they need, Virtual Personal Assistance; to manage daily appointments and Emarketing; a capability that helps clients reach potential customers.
Busy Lizzie has offices in Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Cork and Wicklow. We strive to improve our clients lives with our time saving services.
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