SENIOR health professional-turned social entrepreneur Glenda Burns was 'pitch-perfect' at the IoD's women’s leadership conference marking International Women’s Day, when she won a £4,000 funding boost for her fledgling business.
Glenda, founder of Breath NI, which provides support services to parents impacted by trauma, was one of four female entrepreneurs to pitch for delegates’ votes at the annual summit at the Crowne Plaza Belfast.
A multiple-trauma survivor herself, Glenda uses her background to provide various services including workshops and support groups to people who believe past trauma is impacting their parenting, helping them to “be the parent they want to be”.
Other finalists in the 4k pitch competition were Aílis McCaul (ESTHER), Sarah Scullion (Integra Bookings) and Claire Colvin (Simple Scaling).
IoD regional chair Gordon Milligan said: “Without a doubt, the pitches from four exceptional female entrepreneurs represented a major highlight of our Women’s Leadership Conference, and it was incredibly heartening to see and hear some of the amazing new businesses that are growing in our local economy.
“It was tremendous also to join with so many other leaders, as we learned new leadership lessons and skills, that I’m sure will make a real difference as we return to our own organisations.”
The conference, which took the theme ‘Leading the Way’, was attended by more than 500 delegates and heard from a host of local and national speakers including acclaimed astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, renowned diplomat Anne Anderson, and disability rights activist Joanne O’Riordan.
