Mayo business leaders give insight to current challenges
E-commerce, resilience, revenue growth, business challenges and solutions were discussed at the Castlebar Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business event held in the TF Royal Hotel.
Pat Rowland, Intersport Elverys, Rachel Davoren, Portwest, and Donal Vaughan, Vaughan Shoes, gave insights into their business challenges and how they overcame them.
If you were not at the event, you lost an opportunity to learn from experts and network with other businesses in the town. Pat Jennings, TF Hotel, and Bernard Hughes, The Connaught Telegraph, both past presidents, formed the first panel to discuss the success of the Castlebar Chamber over the years.
Pat donated the Chamber chain of office in memory of his father and was congratulated on winning a Mayo Business Award the previous week. Bernard Hughes spoke about the challenges of Covid for the Chamber and how he ran workshops on Wednesday online during the lockdowns.
Contributions from speakers and local business owners outlined how a change of work practices in previous years, particularly in light of the lockdown, staff shortages and the energy crisis, changed the dynamic of their work operations.
These challenges, which were addressed by speakers Donal Vaughan of Vaughan Shoes, Pat Rowland from Intersport Elverys and Rachel Davoren from Portwest, showed how companies can adapt and diversify to become even stronger and grow to meet customers current demands and needs.
A positive and inventive attitude and strong work ethic in the face of adversity can be the difference between a company surviving and growing or succumbing to economic pressures seemed to be strong advice lesson from the three successful business speakers.
Anne Conlon, All About Sales, president of Castlebar Chamber, joined the panel and discussed the future of Castlebar Chamber.
She said: “Right now, Castlebar Chamber is not in a strong position. On the one hand, our memberships are very low and support from the businesses is disappointing.
"In times of trouble, companies turn to their chamber for support. Now is the time to build the chamber to a place of strength so that it will be strong when the businesses of Castlebar need it.
"On the other hand, for a small committee, we are punching above our weight. We published three reports this year, we have an e-commerce website, and we welcomed the Governor of the Central Bank, Ministers, Ambassadors and the Taoiseach to Castlebar.”
Anne went on to outline the news of Castlebar Chamber's next event on Monday, March 4, with a national line-up of speakers.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured at the Castlebar Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business event were members of the newly-elected chamber committee. At back are Michael Callaghan (Carraig Donn), Michael Gill (ATU) and John Caulfield (Business Consultant). At front are Rory Curran (Bank of Ireland), Bernard Hughes (The Connaught Telegraph), Gerard Scully (Bank of Ireland) and Anne Conlon (All About Sales), chamber president.