Welcome to the third annual permanent tsb Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
In the last few months we have faced unprecedented economic challenges in Ireland. This has undoubtedly affected businesses run by ethnic entrepreneurs across the country. The current uncertainties mean that many ethnic entrepreneurs are finding it extremely difficult to access the finance and supports they need to keep afloat.
But we need not despair. Economically, these may be the most difficult times in the last 10 years, but ethnic entrepreneurs will continue to establish new ventures. For those in business already, the financial crisis offers the opportunity to learn some important lessons. It reminds us of the need to be very strategic in the planning and management of our businesses. It is a reminder, too, that we must always be very sensitive in our investment decisions.
Above all, this is a chance for us to reinvigorate our capacity to effectively run our businesses. The networking and mentoring opportunities which the permanent tsb Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year Awards offer us are a way of defeating some of our business problems. The benefits of the awards are many, and one can only experience them by entering the 2009 competition. This can be done by filling in the enclosed application form, or online, at www.ethnicentrepreneurs.com I want to thank our sponsors, patrons, judges and supporters for backing the permanent tsb Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, an initiative of Ireland’s multicultural weekly, Metro Éireann, supported by Tullow Oil PLC, the Irish Times, Communicorp, and Newstalk106-8 fm.
