Kildare author and entrepreneur Emma-Jane Leeson has been shortlisted for Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) 2019 competition in the start-up category with her (I’ll tell you a story about) Johnny Magory business.
“I’m so privileged and grateful to have been shortlisted for the Kildare round of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE) competition in the start-up category with my Johnny Magory business. I have to date had 3 days of amazing coaching and cannot put into words what I have gained from them. I still cannot believe I pitched to a Dragon (Gavin Duffy)!”
Emma-Jane is on a mission to transform her series of books into the Irish children’s brand for all things outdoors, nature and wild. The business is based on the old Irish rhyme “I’ll tell you a story about Johnny Magory”.
“Our aim is to educate children on Irish heritage, wildlife and culture. Our purpose is to them to get outside exploring and connecting with nature," she said.
Johnny Magory’s purpose and vision will be delivered through a rhyming children’s book series, interactive ‘Explorer Guides’ and a rigorous schedule of events throughout Ireland in 2019. EJ will be appearing at Playstival 2019 and the Laya Healthcare City Spectacular’s (Dublin and Cork) to name but a few events.
“The support from Doreen Heavey and Jacqui McNabb from the Local Enterprise Office Kildare has been outstanding. How lucky are we as a country to have these support mechanisms in place for enterprise?”
Kildare IBYE entrants with Gavin Duffy at Enterprise Day in the Keadeen Hotel
IBYE is a programme run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) with the support of the Department of Enterprise and Innovation and Enterprise Ireland. The competition is open to people between the ages of 18 and 35 with an innovative business idea, new start-up or established business.
Now in its 5th year, IBYE has an investment fund of up to €2million. IBYE is a nationwide competition, run across three categories: Best Business Idea, Best Start-Up Business and Best-Established Business. Up to 450 young entrepreneurs will be invited by the LEOs to attend free regional ‘Entrepreneur Bootcamps’ later in the year to help them develop their business and new venture ideas.
With an IBYE investment fund of €50,000 each, every LEO will award up to six investments to three category winners and three runners-up at county level. The local winners in the Best Start-Up and Best-Established Business categories at county level will receive investments of up to €15,000 each and the two runners-up will each receive up to €5,000.
The Kildare county finals will be held on 2 May 2019 at Aras Chill Dara, Naas.
Books are available for sale from www.JohnnyMagory.com
See www.IBYE.ie for more information.
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