Rural women entrepreneurs often face significant challenges stemming from their geographic and socioeconomic environments. These challenges can include limited access to markets, fewer educational opportunities, and reduced networking possibilities. This webinar will delve into these unique hurdles and discuss strategies to overcome them effectively. For loan officers, understanding these specific challenges is crucial, as it impacts how they assess loan applications and support initiatives tailored towards this group. The webinar aims to equip loan officers with the knowledge to better serve rural women entrepreneurs by fostering an understanding of the distinct context in which these business owners operate.
Thomas Cooney is Professor of Entrepreneurship at Technological University Dublin and also Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Behaviour, Inclusion and Innovation at TU Dublin. He is a former President of the International Council for Small Business (2012-13) and of the European Council for Small Business (2009-11), and was Chair of the ICSB 2014 World Entrepreneurship Conference. He is a policy advisor to Governments, the European Commission, OECD, and other international organisations. He is a Director of two enterprises and works in various capacities with a range of businesses. He has published extensively on entrepreneurship, particularly minority entrepreneurship, and his work includes 13 books, 26 book chapters, 38 journal articles, and 20 case studies.