Waterford’s Polly Doyle, founder of Polly & Andy, has successfully completed the ACORNS Plus programme, which is a follow-on initiative to ACORNS, the highly-successful development programme to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.
And she is encouraging other females in Co. Waterford to apply for the next cycle of the free business development programme, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Lynn Shead of Natures Alchemy, also based in Waterford, is also encouraging others from Waterford to apply.
ACORNS has been providing a decade of support for female entrepreneurship in rural Ireland and has recently launched the 10th cycle of the business development programme.
The free initiative for early-stage female entrepreneurs is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).
The deadline for applications for this special 10th anniversary cycle is midnight, September 20th. There are up to 50 places available for ACORNS 10. Those wishing to receive an application form should register on the website (www.acorns.ie).
Polly Doyle is the founder of Polly & Andy, which is based in Cheekpoint in East Waterford. She set up her company selling bamboo socks after she found these were the only socks that her son, Andy, could wear comfortably. The business was launched in 2019 and has been going from strength to strength since. www.pollyandandy.com.
Polly was originally on the 6th cycle of the ACORNS programme. She returned to ACORNS during the 9thcycle to take part in its follow-on initiative, called ACORNS Plus.
Polly Doyle of Polly & Andy said: “ACORNS has put me outside my comfort zone and I am so grateful for it”.
“I feel more confident in my business skills and it has driven me to want more. It provides you with a supportive community that will be there for you through the highs and the lows. ACORNS is based on the belief that early-stage entrepreneurs learn best from their peers. Participants interact with each other in the monthly round table sessions, which are facilitated by a Lead Entrepreneur, who has first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland,” added Polly.
Lynn Shead of Natures Alchemy, which creates a range of products inspired by nature and designed for sensitive skin, completed the ACORNS programme during its 8th cycle last year. Based in Tallow, her business stems from her own personal battle with sensitive skin and her love of plants. www.naturesalchemy.ie.
Lynn Shead of Natures Alchemy said: “ACORNS is a such wonderful initiative to help women in rural Ireland develop their businesses”.
“The support given by the programme, the Lead Entrepreneurs and the other ACORNS is so valuable and there will always be someone in the ACORNS community with a solution to your problem,” Lynn added.
Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland, and who have had no sales before the end of June 2021, are eligible to apply. As ACORNS receives many more applications than there are places available, selection is on a competitive basis. ACORNS 10 will run from October 2024 to April 2025 and will include six monthly round table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies and an end-of-cycle celebration.
There will be no charge for those selected to participate in ACORNS 10, thanks to the continuing support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the voluntary contribution of time by the Lead Entrepreneurs.
