Judging by the results of a 2017 survey of 277 female entrepreneurs in the Republic of Ireland, Female Founders need somewhere to turn to for insight and perspective that only trusted peers can provide. Eighty-six percent of Enterprise Ireland sponsored female entrepreneurs view peer support as extremely or very important in developing their ventures. Take a look at how they access peer support, the most beneficial peer support activities and the value and impact of peer support on female business venturing.

1. THE VALUE OF PEER
SUPPORT IN FEMALE
BUSINESS VENTURING
29.03.2018
Helen Fullen
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

2. THE INSPIRATION
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
TRUST EMPOWER TRIBE

3. WHAT WE KNEW ABOUT
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
CUSTOMER SERVICE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SCRIPT WRITING
ONLINE ADVERTISING CONTENT STRATEGY DENTAL TECHNOLOGY
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION PERSONAL IMAGE NETWORKING EU FUNDING
WRITING RESEARCH GOAL SETTING RISK ASSESSMENT PITCHING DESIGN
THINKING FUNDING APPLICATIONS EMPLOYMENT LAW NEGOTIATIONS
INVESTOR RELATIONS GOAL SETTING DIGITAL MARKETING SALES CONTENT
HEALTH + SAFETY TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY SUSTAINABILITY REVENUE
GROWTH MOBILE DATA PROTECTION TRAINING PSYCHOLOGY BUSINESS
PLANNING TIME MANAGEMENT MARKETING PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
MERGERS+ACQUISITIONS RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS
EDUCATION INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECRUITMENT ONLINE TUTORIALS
SLIDE-DECK DESIGN DISABILITY CONFLICT RESOLUTION PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT PARENTING COMMUNICATIONS PRESENTATION SKILLS HR
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS CORPORATE FINANCE
WELLNESS FASHION SYSTEMS LOGISTICS NETWORKING TEAM BUILDING

4. WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
AMBITION
CONFIDENCE
LEADERSHIP
PROBLEM SOLVING
NETWORKS
RISK TAKING

5. RESEARCH AIM +
OBJECTIVES
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

6. TO EXTEND UNDERSTANDING OF
THE VALUE OF PEER SUPPORT IN
FEMALE BUSINESS VENTURING
ACROSS ENTERPRISE IRELAND
SPONSORED PROGRAMMES
BETWEEN 2013-2017
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

7. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
Identify the ways female entrepreneurs engage in peer
support
Analyse peer support activities across Enterprise Ireland
sponsored female entrepreneurship programmes
Determine the importance and impact of peer support for
female entrepreneurs
Make recommendations as to how to incorporate peer
learning in future future female entrepreneurship
programmes
FOUR KEY OBJECTIVES

8. HOW DID WE DO IT?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

9. QUANTITATIVE + QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
Online survey of 13 questions
Sample of 277 female entrepreneurs 35% response rate
Semi-structured interviews with 10 follow-on questions
With 8 domain experts

10. HOW IMPORTANT IS PEER
SUPPORT IN DEVELOPING
YOUR BUSINESS?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

11. 86% DEEM PEER SUPPORT VERY
OR EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO
THEIR VENTURE
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT 45%
VERY IMPORTANT 41%
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT 14%

12. WHAT WAYS DO YOU ACCESS
PEER SUPPORT?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

13. MENTORS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE
IN PEER SUPPORT
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
MENTORS 81%
FEMALE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
PROGRAMMES 62%
FRIENDS AND FAMILY 61%
BUSINESS NETWORKS 58%
ALUMNI NETWORKS 31%
SOCIAL NETWORKS 28%

14. WHAT ARE THE MOST
BENEFICIAL PEER
SUPPORT ACTIVITIES?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

15. LEARNING FROM OTHERS
IS CRITICAL
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
46%
WORKSHOPS

16. WHAT ARE THE MOST
VALUABLE ASPECTS OF PEER
SUPPORT?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

17. PEERS ARE AN EFFECTIVE
MEANS OF TRANSFER OF SKILLS,
KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
83% Sharing of knowledge,
information and
resources
79% Exposure to diverse
ideas, perspectives
and experiences
81% Sharing of similar
challenges and
concerns
78% Increased interpersonal
connection, belonging
and collaboration
80% Motivation to
reach for higher
expectations
78% Reduced sense
of loneliness and
psychological
support from
the group

18. WHAT HAS BEEN THE
PERSONAL IMPACT OF
PEER SUPPORT?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

19. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

20. WHAT HAS BEEN THE
BUSINESS IMPACT OF
PEER SUPPORT?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

21. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

22. THE OVERALL IMPACT OF
PEER SUPPORT
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

23. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
Personal impact is a prerequisite to business impact

24. ARE YOU STILL IN CONTACT
WITH PEERS FROM YOUR
PROGRAMME?
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

25. PEER SUPPORT OFFERS
MEANINGFUL AND
PERSONAL CONNECTIONS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
YES 85%
NO 15%

26. EMERGING THEMES
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

27. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

28. RECOMMENDATIONS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND

29. PILLARS OF PEER SUPPORT
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND
PILLAR I: Design: a female entreprenurship peer support strategy and
framework that connects existing supports in a user-centric fashion
PILLAR II: Develop: a peer support community of peer support champions,
role models, seasoned entrepreneurs, academics, development advisors
PILLAR III: Deliver: an awareness campaign foused on the benefits and
value of peer support, together with a toolkit to help female entrepreneurs
access the appropriate supports at the right time
PILLAR IV: Do: high value activities to support peer support development i

30. THANK YOU
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND