(Myself with the ladies from UCC after having drawn the world's most not-to-scale clitoris beside a model of petroleum economics... I love my job....)

Some of you may have noticed my radio silence on the blog the past week. So sorry about that. I've had a rather busy one sprinkling Sex Siopa brand sexiness across the country.  I was invited down to University College Cork on Wednesday to speak to 200 hundred students about the economics of sex as their S.H.A.G. week just happened to coincide with Economics week. 

I have to say, UCC students are my new favourite! I got some really good, fascinating questions from the audience, and everyone made me feel so welcome and at home. Kathy from the Economics Society and Katie, UCC's Student Welfare Officer, are a couple of legends for showing me around and talking to me about the projects and programmes the college has implemented surrounding consent and sexual assault. Colour me impressed!

The rest of the week, I found myself preparing for bootcamp for the Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur competition, organised by the Local Enterprise Offices. There are 4 LEO catchments in Dublin with 15 businesses competing from each catchment. The bootcamp took place on Sunday and Monday to help us learn how to pitch our business in the competition and to future investors. 

Whatever about the competition, the most wonderful part of the two days was meeting and talking with the other business owners. Some of them had incredible stories about how they came to be business owners. I met one kid who just finished his leaving cert and this was his first time running a business. There were a few people in the children's education industry who had the most positive, warm personalities; and all the folks in the food industry who have so much passion and drive despite being in a really tough, crowded marketplace. You guys were my heroes this week!

It was such a relief to hear that so many young business owners have the same concerns and challenges in their work. I was surprised that most of them, like myself, didn't come from a business background. We saw problems that needed fixing, and by working to fix them, we carved out niches for ourselves and made a living from it. 

I'm so proud and honoured to have been given the opportunity to take part and meet so many fabulous people. If my pitch on Thursday is successful, I will move onto regionals next month. Wish me luck!