Going for Growth is the brain child of Paula Fitzsimons who put it forward in response to an initiative on women and entrepreneurship proposed by the NDP Gender Equality Unit in the then Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
“The idea came from recognition that while more women are being encouraged to start new businesses, there is a need to move beyond just starting into growing. My mission in Going for Growth is to support women entrepreneurs to achieve their growth ambitions and to get more women entrepreneurs into a growth frame of mind.”
The Going for Growth initiative is funded by Enterprise Ireland and KPMG. Their continual support goes far beyond financial contribution and is very gratefully acknowledged.
Since 2009 the merits and excellence of Going for Growth have been recognised repeatedly by the EU, OECD, and European Institute of Gender Equality. In 2015, Going for Growth was awarded the European Enterprise Promotion Award, Investing in Entrepreneurial Skills. In 2016, the initiative was included by the EU and OECD in a compendium of examples of innovative initiatives. The entrepreneurship tool for policy makers released by the EU and OECD includes Going for Growth as a case study.
Paula Fitzsimons
Paula is the founder and managing director of Fitzsimons Consulting, which specialises in areas related to entrepreneurship and growth. Currently the National Director of Going for Growth, Paula can be contacted at paula@goingforgrowth.com
Paula is a former President of the consortium of GEM national teams, and a former Director of GERA, the governing body for the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association.
Having been an expert facilitator to the Small Business Forum on entrepreneurship and growth, Paula subsequently advised Forfás and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the development of a national entrepreneurship policy and was involved in the writing of Towards the Development of an Entrepreneurship Policy. Both emphasised the importance of optimising the number of start-up businesses and, in particular, on maximising the number of start-ups aspiring to and achieving high growth. In this regards, the latent potential of women entrepreneurs was recognised.
Equally at home, among policy makers, development agencies, academics, and entrepreneurs, Paula is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic champion of entrepreneurship. Her advice is frequently sought in areas associated with entrepreneurship and growth. A regular speaker at national and international conferences.
For more information on Going for Growth please contact:
Paula Fitzsimons,
Director, Going for Growth
Email: paula@goingforgrowth.com
Tel: 01 8450770
