This interactive session, part of Local Enterprise Week, taking place on Thursday March 6th from 10am - 12pm at Century Cinema Letterkenny, focuses on the critical role of branding and vision in shaping the identity and success of local businesses. Whether you're a start-up or an established enterprise, this event will provide practical insights into creating a compelling brand that resonates with your target audience while aligning with your business's long-term goals.-
What to Expect:
'Believe in Branding' will feature industry-leading experts, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions, offering attendees invaluable insights into creating a compelling and memorable brand identity.
Why Branding Matters:
Branding is more than just a logo or a catchy slogan – it is the foundation of a business's identity and reputation. A strong brand builds trust, fosters customer loyalty, and sets businesses apart in competitive markets. One of the most powerful tools in branding is storytelling. By crafting a compelling narrative, businesses can create emotional connections with their audience, humanizing their brand and making it more relatable. Effective storytelling conveys authenticity, builds trust, and makes a brand unforgettable.
Key Highlights:
Reserve your spot at this event by emailing economicdevelopment@donegalcoco.ie
Sally Murphy is a communications consultant, trainer, coach and author, passionate about helping leaders ignite their people, business and culture with powerful stories, well told. A TEDx speaker with a background in the creative industries, Sally is also the vice-president of the Donegal Women in Business Network. In 2017 she won the Northern Ireland Creative Industry Skills Award and her first book on leadership storytelling was published in 2024. She has studied Public Narrative Leadership storytelling with Marshall Ganz at Harvard University and is a certified Public Narrative coach. She has worked with great people in a range of organisations such as The United Nations, Google, Johnson & Johnson, The National Museum of Ireland, Trinity University and more.
James Doherty is the founder and managing director of Sliabh Liag Distillers, through their Ardara Distillery they are on a mission to reclaim the distilling heritage of Donegal bringing back smoky styles and regionality to Irish whiskey. With over 25 years of experience in the global drinks industry, James combines his passion for Donegal with an entrepreneurial drive to produce award-winning whiskies and gins inspired by the rugged landscapes and rich storytelling traditions of the region. Under his leadership, Sliabh Liag Distillers has grown to be a key player in the Irish whiskey renaissance, bringing the spirit of Donegal to the world. An advocate for local enterprise, James is deeply committed to fostering sustainable economic growth in the northwest of Ireland.
Vanessa is the founder and CEO of bigO, and over the course of 15 years in the business, she has moulded a diverse group of creatives — digital storytellers, marketers, creative producers, makers, writers and designers — into a tight, award-winning team, with an array of ICAD, Shark, DMA, IDI and prestigious 100 Archive awards to their names. Trusted by the industry to deliver what she promises, Vanessa has extensive experience in managing, directing, strategising and marketing projects for practically every type of client, from blue chip to governmental. Before bigO, she worked for IBM as a collaboration software consultant for 7 years. Vanessa has worked with Government departments at the most senior level. This experience gives her unique expertise in engaging stakeholders and driving projects to achieve often unprecedented levels of success. In 2021, she delivered all the acclaimed Global Ireland Expo Dubai content in the space of 6 weeks. This included a really ambitious wrap-around Oculus room - the scale of which had never been seen before.
Paula Kennedy Garcia is the CEO of Forward Emphasis. With over 25 years’ experience in the global Customer Experience and BPO industry, Paula is award-recognised for leadership and innovation in emerging technology, globally, and continues this with the recent rebrand of Forward Emphasis and the development of the company's new RegTech solution suite and ForwardX Innovation Lab. Paula is the current Chair of the Customer Xperience Alliance BPO Council in the UK, a former TedX speaker, and Forbes Technology Council Alumni.
Ivor joined TCS through the acquisition of Pramerica System Ireland in December 2020 . he is a Delivery Partner for Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance clients from the East Coast of the United States. Ivor spent the prior 20 years working for Prudential Financial across their Global Technology and Corporate Functions Ivor has built and lead capabilities ranging from Legacy IT Managed Services as well Digital Transformation Program involving Hyper Automation , Cloud Migration and Enhanced Employee Experience Ivor has a Diploma in Electronic engineering, A Masters Degree in Leadership and Innovation and a Diploma in UX and Applied Innovation along with various industry accreditations and certifications across technology and business disciplines.
Donegal’s Economic Development team have a proven track record in leading impactful brand awareness campaigns focused on place-branding, sustainable economic development, and business promotion. The Economic Development team has lead on award winning creative campaigns including #LoveDonegal, #BuyDonegal, and #MoveToDonegal to name a few. These campaigns are aimed at increasing brand awareness and amplifying the message that Donegal is the ideal location to live, work, study, invest and explore.
