Small is (also) beautiful
Jackie Maguire, CE, Meath County Council 10th February 2017
It’s not gloomy
I’m not as pessimistic as some about the possibilities of American companies leaving Ireland and bringing it all back home to the States. For regulatory and tax reasons, many, if not most, of them will have to have an EU base and naturally I think that Ireland, and specifically Meath, is the best place to be based.
In the thick of it
But at Meath County Council we’re not just about targeting US corporations, asking them to #MakeItMeath. We welcome any business to come to County Meath. With four motorways running like industrial arteries through the county, businesses can have their goods or services delivered in hours to any part of the island. If they want to go further afield, airports and seaports are less than an hour away.
From one to half a million
We like small businesses for many reasons. Small businesses like coffee shops or cleaning services become part of the fabric of a community and provide ideal work for those who want flexible hours, close to home. Small is also beautiful as small can grow. I’m inspired by the likes of @PamelaNewenham one of the three co-founders of the female social network @GirlCrewHQ that started off as one person wishing to go out for the night. When last I checked they now have 81,000 active members worldwide– and they’re hoping to make that 500,000 by the end of this year. That is some growth.
Overhead killers
So here are some reasons you should base your early stage company in Meath. Firstly, costs are simply lower than in Dublin. Secondly, accommodation, both living and work, is cheaper in Meath. Rule No.1 in business is to kill the overheads. Your business can be very, very lean in Meath. If you have ambitions to grow your business then international access is vital. Meath is closer to Dublin airport than many parts of traffic congested Dublin. We also have the people. Tens of thousands of Meath residents travel to Dublin to work every day. They’d love to be able to spend their time working in Meath and not sitting in traffic.
A new team member
You or someone you know may be thinking of setting up or re-locating your business. We’d love to talk to you or to them. Kevin Stewart and his Economic Development Team are always available for an informal chat to tell you how Meath can and will help you. And when you decide to #MakeItMeath they’re there to make the process as easy as pie for you. All you have to do is to pick up the phone now and start the process. We’re on your team.
10 Feb 2017