The Future
Using International Connections To Bring Investment To Ireland
By Beatrice Whelan, Social Media and Content Specialist at Sage
We spoke to Terry Clune, founder of Connectireland about their recent initiative to bring investment to Ireland.
Terry Clune
Hi Terry, your most recent project is ConnectIreland which was launched in March 2012. What is Connect Ireland?
ConnectIreland is a crowdsourcing inspired initiative asking individuals to use their contacts, family, friends and business connections, to identify and make introductions between ConnectIreland and overseas companies who are considering international expansion. Any individual who introduces a company that subsequently invests in Ireland and creates new jobs will receive a minimum reward from the Irish Government. For each job created the introducer will receive of €1,500 per job, up to a maximum of 100 jobs.
How many people have registered on the site to date?
Almost 15,000 people worldwide have visited the website and over 5,000 people have liked our inspirational YouTube video featuring Irish-American Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley, Hollywood veteran Martin Sheen and emerging young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan. We have received interest from all over the world, but in particular from North American which has traditionally been a good investor in Ireland and its people. Since our launch date on March 8th ConnectIreland has over 40 high end potential investors in its pipeline as a result of introductions made by people in Ireland and overseas. ConnectIreland is also using Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to inform audiences worldwide about the initiative but also to communicate good news stories about Ireland.
Posted under: Growing Pains – Accommodating Business Growth Beyond Sage 50
By Sinéad Hayes Sales & Marketing Manager, Advent
I recently met up with a Sage 50 user, Tom who runs a medium sized distribution business. Tom has been using the software for many years. His company just loves the software – in his opinion it is so easy to use and has really helped the business to get to where it is today.
So, we chatted more about the business, the challenges they face and the opportunities that lie ahead. Tom has worked in the business a long time (although he would not give me any specific number!) and it is apparent that he along with his team is driven, focused and passionate about the business.
As we evolved the conversation into looking ahead to the future, it became apparent that Sage 50 really wasn’t going to be a long term solution. Cracks are beginning to appear and although it is all working fine at the moment, Tom was concerned about a few areas in particular. What if I add another 1, 2 or 3 users? Tom’s Sage 50 is already at 9 users, so adding a few more licenses will mean he will soon reach a cul-de-sac as 10 is the maximum.
Get Ready For The Future, A Special Report From Sage
As published in the Sunday Business Post on 25th March 2012.
Sage Ireland launched Sage in the Cloud earlier this year, which brought the concept of the cloud to life through a quirky and innovative device that created floating cloud shapes using a foam printer – visit Sage Ireland’s YouTube page to watch. For the past 30 years, Sage has supported the business software industry and, in the last number of years, provided hosted online software solutions for a range of customers. With the Sage in the Cloud campaign, Sage is encouraging businesses across Ireland to experience the cloud for themselves by exploring free trials on www.sagecloud.ie
Businesses need to become more agile to survive and thrive in the emerging new economy. The last fewyears have all been about battening down the hatches, scrutinising the cost base and trying to make more savings. But with the ESRI forecasting some growth this year and the suggestion that green shoots are slowly appearing, there’s good reason for businesses to look ahead with more optimism. There’s only so long a business can put off investing in new technology before the effects damage the long-term prospects of the company, rather than save it money.The time to stick is over, according to Peter O’Rourke, head of channel and corporate division, Sage Ireland.
‘‘In order to be competitive in what’s coming down the track, you are going to have to have the tools to make you more agile,’’ he said. ‘‘You are going to have to respond more quickly and efficiently to your customers, and be more dynamic with product development cycles.’’ He paints a picture of a truly global economy, where a competitor could be in China as well as round the corner. ‘‘Everything is happening faster and bigger. At Sage, we see ourselves as drivers of change, efficiency and ultimately growth.We partner our customers, helping them to survive and thrive in a fast changing world.’’
The Sage Cloud Evolution
By David O’Reilly Head of Product Marketing at Sage Ireland
Evolution. Now there’s a big idea. But it’s a big idea driven by a very simple one; the drive to do things better. We see this in the evolution of computing. The capabilities get ever better, bigger and more powerful. Yet there’s also this interesting trajectory going on, where the bigger the capabilities get, the neater and sleeker the operating experience becomes. It’s a weird but cool inversion of scale. Systems become more powerful but also more manageable. Users can do more than ever, yet with more autonomy. They have more ability but they also become more free; free to travel light, free of the baggage of storage and the weight of hardware.It’s like everything evolves with a sleek and beautiful economy. And the evolution doesn’t stop. In fact, all this is possible because we are already deep into a new phase of the computing evolution. We are deep into the cloud.
At it’s very simplest, anything you do, communicate or store beyond your firewall is ‘in the cloud’. Cloud computing means you can use vast and huge capabilities but keep your own software, training and infrastructure to a minimum. Servers are virtual. Platforms offer perfect accessibility. No-one yet knows where integration in the cloud can take us. As yet, the horizons of cloud computing are distant. We know only that it will inform every aspect of our technological future and it is already guiding the present. And where the future goes, Sage is happy to lead.
How To Run Your Business From An iPad
By Beatrice Whelan, Social Media and Content Specialist at Sage Ireland
Now here’s a big statement: you can run your entire business from your iPad. It’s true! And I don’t just mean a light and nimble small business with streamlined operations. Thanks to the wonders of cloud software, and some clever thinking from Sage, you can run ventures of all shapes and sizes – even big business – from the comfort of your own iPad.
It’s all possible because cloud technology literally lightens your load. The action happens in the cloud, not on your overworked server. Your information gets stored in a safe place where space never runs out, hardware never becomes dated or erodes and there are no breakdowns or viruses. The only capability you need is good cloud based software with a simple user interface.
That’s all very well, you’re probably thinking, but real business can be real complex. It’s not just wheeling and dealing – or even good old-fashioned production. It practically takes a business to run a business. There’s communications, accounts, project management, staff issues, CRM and so much more. Would you be surprised to know that it’s all in the cloud and all accessible from the iPad?
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