Past Events of 2012

April 2012

Date : Tuesday 17 April 2012
Venue : Killashee House Hotel, Naas.
Your Image Matters
by Kathryn Byrne of Your Image Matters

Kathryn has over 20 years experience working with clients within the private and corporate sector (male, female) helping them to enhance their image.

Kathryn’s expertise, knowledge and understanding for the fashion business are her legacy handed down from her family before her, who were tailors. Therefore, her natural progression was to embark on a career in this business, which is inherent in her. She began her career as a fashion designer specialising in exclusive wedding and formal wear. Through working with clients and listening to their individual needs she soon realised a wider spectrum of people needed guidance with their personal image, giving them the self-knowledge, which in turn improved their self esteem and confidence. In short, ‘the feel good factor’, that we all deserve.

Moving into the area of ‘Image Management’, she became one of the first image consultants in Ireland, receiving her initial training with Colour me Beautiful (Top image consultants in Europe) and further studying in London, Paris and Milan. With her passion and enthusiasm for this industry she invests time and energy constantly updating her knowledge, keeping her at the forefront of what’s out there. Kathryn’s approach goes beyond the visual aspect of a person’s appearance. She invests time and energy helping each client to discover and then define their own authentic appropriate image.

March 2012

Date : Tuesday 27 March 2012
Venue : Killashee House Hotel, Naas.
Effective Communications
by Con McNamara of Effects Based Communications and Recruitment

Con Mc Namara retired from the Defence Forces in 2009 in the rank of Colonel and formed EBCR in 2011. Investing in developing your communication skills or those of your staff or team is an investment for life. Preparation and Structure coupled with Positive Verbal and Non-Verbal communication is the Key to enhancing your communication skills.

Con is a graduate teacher of communication studies from the Guildhall School of Speech & Drama London, a graduate of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland and holds an Honours MA in Leadership Management and Defence Studies from NUI Maynooth.
He has significant experience in addressing both national and international audiences, working at the political military strategic level at NATO and the EU HQs in Brussels and also with the United Nations.

Con lives in Newbridge and is married to Margaret. He has three daughters Elaine, Ruth and Susan.

March 2012

Date : Friday 9 March 2012
International Women's Day Celebration
Venue : Silver Restaurant, Newbridge.

Celebrating International Women’s Day in The Silver Restaurant, Newbridge has become a tradition for the Kildare Branch of Network Ireland. Over 85 members and guests enjoyed a wonderful dinner and full line up of entertainment to celebrate women’s achievements.

Yvonne Malone, 2012 President of Network Ireland Kildare welcomed and addressed the group, “I firmly believe if we had a greater percentage of women in all walks of life e.g. Banking, Politics, the Church etc., we would be in a different place today. Women’s lives have been transformed over the last number of years, yet we still have a long way to go to reach 50% parity with our male counterparts”.

On behalf of the members the committee formally presented a cheque for €15,000 to Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland - Kildare Branch, accepting the cheque on behalf of the charity was Orlaith Lalor, Bernadette & Pete Shinnors, the funds were raised through the continued support Network Ireland Kildare receives in sponsorship and donations for the Annual Charity Luncheon. Special thanks to the Kildare County Enterprise Board, local businesses, members who kindly donated raffle prizes and the many Kildare women who continually support our efforts.

The National President of Network Ireland, Louisa Maher from Drogheda, attended the event, “the organisation is committed through the joint effort of members to promote the welfare of the community, to promote a high standard of ethics in business and aims to develop members to their full professional and personal capacity”, she said, “Kildare Branch over the years has been very innovative and enthusiastic in actively promoting the welfare of the community”.

Entertainment was provided by Ellie McMahon & Conor McMahon, Ellie was a recent contender on ‘The Voice of Ireland’, a music student and daughter of the founder of Stage 2, Maryclare McMahon.

The line up included a stylish fashion showcase featuring members;
• Aileen Maher of SHADES & SHAPES Newbridge
• Paula Conlan of the NAIL BOX
• Claire Doyle (formerly Elizabeth & Claire)
• Loretta Carr of LORETTA’S BOUTIQUE Clane
• Martina Ginty of GLITZ & GLAM Accessories Celbridge
• Pauline Forde of HEIRLOOM BRIDAL BOUQUETS
• Mary Skelly of HEAVENLY shoes and accessories in Clane.
Models for the event were Mary Fehily Hobbs, Renee McGinn, Anne Madaire, Stephanie Byrne and Clara Russell.

February 2012

Date : Tuesday 28 February 2012
The Selling Conversation
Venue : Killashee House Hotel, Naas.

Network Member Margaret O'Gorman of Ambit Financial Services introduced her speaker, Dermot McConkey of Dermot McConkey Development & Training Limited, one of Ireland’s best known sales training, motivational, business development trainers and joint author of the book, The Selling Conversation.

Dermot spoke about the recent growth of neuroscience and as a consequence, the development of neuromarketing and how it is helping shape the world of sales for businesses, now and in the future. When you were a child, he told us, you are told: “Don’t talk to strangers!” Today in business you are told: Talk to strangers! People are not natural salespeople. They need to be highly trained and motivated to sell. As neuroscience is now unravelling many of the mysteries of the brain, more and more managers, business leaders and marketers are now looking to neuromarketing to help get their message across to their customers. We are now, more than at any other time in history, beginning to understand how we learn and retain information. To be able to deal with the vast volumes of information / data that we receive on a daily basis, our brains naturally scan incoming information before making a decision. This scanning is to make sense and meaning in order to determine whether the information is of any value or use to us. What we know is people buy more for emotional reasons than for logic.

Dermot also spoke about the importance of selling “trustworthiness” at present ie why you are the safest and most secure decision a customer could make in the current climate and how caring, focused questions followed by benefits identified by the customer are vital if a business is to convince a customer to buy. He mentioned “if you think training is expensive, try not training” to promote the importance of continuous development. Staff don’t generally get better on their own he said. He stressed the importance of selling to 4 major influencing factors with prospect and customers – they being: Time, Money, Quality and Quantity. These are the things that people need addressed in any sales presentation e.g. how can you make or save me, my staff or my customers, time?, how can you make or save me, my staff or my customers, money, how can you give me, my staff or my customers something that’s better then what I have (quality) and lastly, how can I get more from you (quantity).
His key phase throughout the evening was:
If things don’t change, they are sure to stay the same!

January 2012:

Date : Thursday 2 February 2012
Venue : Killashee House Hotel, Naas.
Dr. Maureen Gaffney one of Ireland’s most accomplished psychologists addressed members and guests and discussed her latest book “Flourishing”.
At a time of deep crisis the notion of flourishing seems unimaginable, however, distinguished psychologist Maureen Gaffney believes passionately that not only is it possible for us to flourish, but in an increasingly uncertain world, it is essential that we plan to do so and in her exciting and innovative new book “Flourishing” she shows us how. She comments on everything from personal development to organisational, cultural and societal change. A clinical psychologist by profession, she worked for many years in Trinity College Dublin as Director of the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology. Over the past ten years she has divided her time between her own consultancy business and a number of state and other boards. She works with companies on developing programmes of leadership and emotional intelligence; managing diversity, change and transitions; and offers a programme of Executive Coaching. She has worked with companies in Ireland, the UK, Israel, and the US.