Employee Ownership Ireland

What a day at our AwakenHub graduation event! Watching a room full of ambitious women founders—some just starting out, others scaling with confidence—reminded us why we do this. Clare McGee CEOs remarks, 'It was fantastic today, especially on a Saturday, to see a room full of ambitious women there to support each other. It was quite inspirational today that the SheGenerators were there and looking across the room at those companies, who maybe were in SheGenerate four years ago and were now on the SheScales programme, learning from each other and knowing that it is a journey and the journey isn't linear. So the journey is around starting, building, growing, scaling, and AwakenHub is there as part of that, all along that journey. And that's what we see as our secret sauce a community that is here to help you.' If you’re a female founder thinking about growth, join us. We don’t just talk about support—we live it. SheScales is proudly supported by InterTradeIreland through the Shared Island Enterprise Scheme. In February 2024, the Irish Government announced €30m of funding towards the establishment of a new Shared Island Enterprise Scheme developed by InterTradeIreland, Invest Northern Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. The funding supports new programmes for businesses across the island, including Women’s Entrepreneurship. This marks a new phase in all-island economic collaboration and the first joint scheme of this scale between the three economic development agencies. Mary McKenna, MBE Clare McGee Denise McQuaid Sinead Crowley Sarah-Marie Rust Karen Maguire Stephanie Hussels Meg Magill Elaine Patterson John Ferris Magda Targosz Maria McKeever Brìghde Barnes Ulsterbank InterTradeIreland Invest Northern Ireland Enterprise Ireland #FemaleFounders #AwakenHub #SheScales #WomenLedBusiness #SheGen #Entrepreneurship #CommunityMatters #sharedislandiniative

Brilliant to see our Chair Karen Maguire speaking at the AwakenHub #SheGenerates and #SheScales Graduation. Employee ownership clearly resonates with this new wave of purpose-led founders. Thanks to Clare McGee and Denise McQuaid and the whole AwakenHub team for creating such an energising space. Our own Project Officer Catherine Muldoon is a previous #SheGenerates Grad and sings the programmes praises! Teach out to the Awaken Hub team to find out more.

Really enjoyed being at the CBI Northern Ireland Annual Lunch at Titanic Belfast today with Aidan O'Neill, thanks to Queen's University Belfast for the kind invitation, and to Síofra Healy (she/her) for the warm welcome. It was great to hear from a range of speakers including Jim Pickard (Financial Times), John Foster (CBI) and,Angela McGowan, with plenty of reflection on the big issues shaping our economy, from the Spring Budget and trade policy to investment, skills, and the importance of government and business working together. There was a strong sense of momentum and shared ambition in the room and lots to take away around how we build a more agile and collaborative economy in Northern Ireland. Aidan and I were also there to advocate for Employee Ownership as an alternative approach to business succession. If you're interested in exploring how this model can benefit your business please reach out to Employee Ownership Ireland (EOI) we are here to assist and provide more information. Thanks again to CBI for bringing people together for such a valuable conversation in such a stunning setting. #CBNIBizLunch25 #EmployeeOwnership #EOI #NIBusiness #Networking #NIEconomy

A really interesting and independent episode on where Accountancy firms sit within the opportunity of an EOT as a succession plan! Always fantastic to hear Graeme Nuttall OBE share his knowledge and thoughts!

Catch this week's episode of Trading up with Karen Maguire, founder and Technical Director at Relinea - Available now on all streaming platforms #EYNI

From building her own business to helping others thrive - Karen Maguire shares the secrets to guiding businesses toward success. Jim Fitzpatrick #EYNI Trading Up - Available now on all streaming platforms

Thinking about business succession? EOI board member Aidan O'Neill shares insights on why Employee Ownership Trusts offer a smooth, drama-free transition for business owners in his latest article for The Irish News Employee ownership is gaining momentum in Northern Ireland—could it be the right fit for your business? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! 👇

💡 Employee ownership is gaining momentum in Northern Ireland! 💡 I was delighted to be invited by Jim Fitzpatrick to join the #TradingUppodcast with The Irish News News, where we discussed my journey with employee ownership and the work we're doing at Employee Ownership Ireland to support businesses considering this model. A huge thank you to Jim for having me on the show and for making the whole process so enjoyable! His support in highlighting the benefits of employee ownership is invaluable in helping businesses explore how this model can create long-term profitability, stability, engagement and benefits for the wider community we live in. For business owners thinking about succession planning, growth through employee engagement, or simply wanting to learn more about how employee ownership works, Employee Ownership Ireland is here to help. Visit the EOI website to explore the benefits of EO and discover how we can support you in determining if this model is the right fit for your business. 🌍 Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/egSfMdwn   Let’s continue the conversation! 🎧 Listen to the podcast here: https://lnkd.in/eEJCQv_S https://lnkd.in/e3ZUe3ZK https://lnkd.in/eWnET_in #EmployeeOwnership #Employeeownershipireland#BusinessSuccession #TradingUpPodcast#TheIrishNews #EOI #BusinessLeadership #FutureOfWork

At the end of February, I had the opportunity to attend the final stop of the Employee Ownership Ireland Roadshows at The MAC, Belfast. Since its launch in January, Employee Ownership Ireland has been travelling across the country, sharing insights into employee ownership (EO) models and this session in Belfast was no exception. The event featured a fantastic panel discussion and Q&A with: 🔹 Professor Joan McCoy, White Ink Architects 🔹 Anthony McVeigh FCA CDir, S&W Wholesale 🔹 Karen Maguire, Chairperson of EO Ireland 🔹 Andrew Harrison, Co-ownership Solutions LLP 🔹 Paul Millar, Whiterock One of the key takeaways for me was learning about how employee ownership structures work: ✔️ Shares go into a trust, which appoints a board of directors to run the business. ✔️ Every employee becomes a shareholder, ensuring they have a stake in the company’s success. ✔️ Research shows employee-owned businesses are 16% more productive than comparable businesses. Beyond productivity, EO models also focus on long-term job security, keeping businesses in local hands and fostering a culture of shared responsibility. It’s clear that employee ownership is gaining momentum, and I’m looking forward to seeing how more businesses across Ireland and beyond explore this approach. If you're interested in learning more about employee ownership models and their impact let me know in the comments or drop me a message. #EmployeeOwnership #BusinessGrowth #SuccessionPlanning #NorthernIreland #EOIreland

Did you know organisations with high employee engagement see 21% higher profitability? Employee ownership drives this success by aligning teams with shared goals. At Employee Ownership Ireland, we’re helping businesses unlock these gains. Learn how: https://lnkd.in/e7cuDZRq #EmployeeOwnership #BusinessGrowth"