PA051/A/07 CAFRE Runs Successful Farm Diversification Conference

The recent Farm Diversification Conference held at Loughry Campus was a huge success. It was part of the Diversification Challenge - Business Start Programme run by the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE). The farmers and farm family members that attended the conference have recently started new Farm Diversification Businesses.  

The keynote speakers at the conference were Fiona Harrold, a life coach and author of many best selling books, Pauric McGowan, the director of the Northern Ireland Centre for Entrepreneurship, Conall McDevitt, a director at Weber Shandwick, the largest public relations firm in Britain and Ireland, and Gerry Faloona, a businessman and trainer with a background in comedy.

The conference also featured workshops which covered topics on branding and business image, tourism challenges and opportunities, taxing matters for the growing business and tendering for public contracts. These workshops were run by Paul McAnallen of ‘Shift Control’, Fergal Kearney ‘Northern Ireland Tourist Board’, Mervyn Priestly of the NFU Mutual and Garnett Wolseley, GMR consulting.

Fiona Harrold, recently voted as Britain’s top Life Coach, presented a proven blueprint ‘The Seven Rules of Success’, that reveals how the truly successful have achieved fulfilment and happiness and the rules that the world’s top achievers live by. At the conference, Fiona showed the audience how to apply these rules to their own lives.

Pauric McGowan outlined the key constituents for entrepreneurship and the potential for success. Pauric commented: “It is important to be focused and innovative and to be prepared for the opportunities that ‘change’ may bring.”

Conall McDevitt gave a brief overview of the different types of media available to business owners; the television, radio and the newspapers.  He demonstrated how to make good use of them and how to get your message across to the public.

Gerry Faloona left the audience in no doubt that ‘first impressions are lasting impressions’ with his inspiring talk on the topic which was based on his lifetime experiences in business. Gerry commented: “It is essential that you make a great lasting impression.”

He gave tips and advice on how to make a positive impression and sell yourself to potential customers.

The conference was organised by CAFRE in association with Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Melanie Humphrey of Mallusk Enterprise Park.