Put 20 businesses in a room and ask them what supports they actually need. What do you think would come up first?

Marketing budgets? Funding access? Digital skills?

We heard something different: connection. Between businesses themselves, and between businesses and the agencies supporting them.

That’s what happened Tuesday morning at the ATU Innovation iHub in Castlebar. Around 20 local business owners, and entrepreneurs showed up for Ideas over Coffee – a session held by the iHub, Mayo LEO, Castlebar Chamber and Connected Hubs to put real business experience at the heart of future enterprise supports.

Participants represented a broad mix of sectors, including business consultancy, retail, tourism, graphic and web design, social media, book-keeping, hospitality, talent development and furniture design and fitting. This diversity added real depth to the event and highlighted how many challenges and solutions are shared across industries.

The format was simple: open conversation in a relaxed setting. No presentations, no agenda beyond “what’s actually challenging you right now?”

What emerged were the practical realities of running and growing a business in Mayo. Marketing and collaborative promotion. The value of networking and peer learning. The realities of scaling sustainably. Navigating available supports. Ongoing management and team development. Building confidence and capability as businesses evolve.

“It’s vital that we listen carefully to what businesses are actually experiencing on the ground,” said John Magee from Mayo LEO. “These conversations help ensure that future supports are relevant, practical and shaped by real needs.”

“Events like this make it easier for SMEs to engage directly with support agencies. When hubs and partners work together to facilitate those discussions, it leads to better understanding and better outcomes for everyone,” said Maria Staunton, representing both Castlebar Chamber and ATU iHub.

This session is part of a pilot approach, with similar engagements planned across Mayo and Monaghan in the coming months. The insights gathered will help inform future mentoring, training and management development initiatives.

Thanks to everyone who contributed so openly on the day, and in particular to John Magee and Nicola Kennedy (Mayo LEO); Maria Staunton, Barbara O’Shea and Anjalee Weearasinghe (ATU iHub); and Liam Horan and Carolina Batista (Connected Hubs / Western Development Commission).