Small businesses across the island were adversely affected by the financial crisis of 2008 as the availability of finance contracted and domestic demand shrank.

Despite an overall improvement in the financing environment in recent years, small and younger firms are not only still experiencing greater difficulty accessing finance but are unaware of the range of finance options open to them.

Here Grainne Lennon, Funding for Growth Manager at InterTradeIreland, outlines in simple terms some top tips for accessing finance and explores some of the current alternative funding options available to SMEs. 

In light of the recent BREXIT referendum decision, a key objective for InterTradeIreland is to ensure that the benefits from cross-border trade and business development opportunities continue to grow and be exploited by SMEs across the island.  InterTradeIreland will help you to adjust to any new trading relationships that emerge from BREXIT negotiations so that you can continue to avail of these opportunities. 

Cross-border trade in goods and services on the island of Ireland has grown significantly over the past twenty years and now stands at circa £5bn/€6bn. The cross-border market on the island is a particularly important market for small firms with nearly two thirds of Northern Ireland’s SMEs exporting goods to Ireland and one sixth of Ireland’s SMEs exporting North. 

Download our BREXIT Factsheet for Businesses which gives you some practical advice post BREXIT referendum and highlights 5 key BREXIT supports that InterTradeIreland is putting in place to help your business.

InterTradeIreland, in partnership with the National Export Hub, is looking for approximately 20 businesses from across the island to participate in a new Export Readiness Programme called ‘Explore Export’.

This is a two-phase programme which aims to take participants through an educational and support led journey to improve their capability to export into existing and/or new markets.


We are looking for applications now over the summer months.

InterTradeIreland's Meet the Buyer Belfast event took place on the 8th June In Belfast and attracted over 600 delegates from across Northern Ireland and further afield. 

If you were unable to attend this event, you missed out on a valuable opportunity to get in front of some of the key public sector buyers in Ireland and Northern Ireland. 

However, don't despair, we have uploaded the directory from the event  to our website which contains useful information about the buyers and business support agencies who attended the event. We have also added the presentations from the day there also.

InterTradeireland is currently looking for small businesses who want to grow their business cross-border. Our sales programme, Elevate, is 100% funded by InterTradeIreland and the application process is very simple. 

Check out if you are eligible and if you are get your application in.

How do I apply?

All you have to do is complete a short application form and if approved, you will then get to choose one of our consultants who will work with you to develop a winning cross-border sales plan for your business, kick start your sales and get on the fast-track to cross-border trading!

You’ll benefit from free one to one advice and support from your very own expert within your industry or sector to develop your own sales development plan.

Interested?

• give SME borrowers transparency around the application process,
• provide SME borrowers with reasons for declining credit, in writing, that are specific to their application,  
• provide protections for guarantors,  
• contact SME borrowers who have been in arrears for 15 working days,  
• warn SME borrowers if they are in danger of being classified as not co-operating, and  
• provide SME borrowers with the right of appeal.

NetRegs is a partnership between the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in Northern Ireland and SEPA in Scotland. 

They provide free environmental guidance for small and medium-sized businesses throughout Northern Ireland and Scotland. The website has a lot of useful information such as good practice videos, updates on new and forthcoming legislation and e-learning tools.

One of the items on the website you may find of interest is their self-assessment tool which is free to use and completely anonymous.

It is designed as a means by which a business can

• check their compliance with the main pieces of environmental legislation
• print out or save a summary report
• demonstrate environmental awareness
• start a programme of environmental improvement.

Quintess Denta are the exclusive distributor to the UK & Ireland of Humble Brush -  the world's most sold eco-friendly bamboo toothbrush. 

Designed in Sweden, Humble Brush lasts just as long as a traditional toothbrush and for every Humble Brush sold, a child in need receives a toothbrush or alternative oral care through the Humble Smile Foundation. 

Humble Brush is taking the world by storm having been awarded the Best New Natural Living and Home product at the Natural and Organics Trade Show in London in 2015; followed by the award for the Best Wellness Product 2016, at the International Biofach Trade exhibition in Germany in 2016. 

We all know there are a lot of guides, hints and tips out there in relation to social media platforms and how best to use them. However I came across an infographic recently which actually made sense to me so I thought that I would share it with you. 

Not every social platform suits every business. Use these tips to choose the right sites to engage potential customers and deepen existing relationships. Enjoy!