Published: Monday, 16th January, 2012 12:30pm

Birr means

A Twitter topic that caught the imagination of small businesses eight months ago has led to a real life conference for Birr later this month. Birr native Debbie Harper (nee Vaugh) spoke to Focus SME magazine about the need for support for small businesses on the social networking website last June after setting up her own business. Within 24 hours of setting up a hashtag (#SMEcommunity) it began to trend, and those who joined the conversation kept up their new online links. Now they're about to all meet up in real life in Birr's County Arms on January 27.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week Debbie said the online community has about 1,150 small business members, most of whom speak everyday on Twitter using the #SMEcommunity hashtag. "It's like a big town, but all the people in this town are businesses," she said of the online community. "A lot of businesses will be on their own. It's nice to meet and talk to other people. They all know each other, and all get to recommend each other."

Debbie said the main purposes of the group are advice and recommendations. "One young man wanted to export his crafts to America, but found when it came to posting them it was going to cost him more than it did to make them," she said. "People started sending names of couriers and people who might help him. Now he's set up a co-op for small businesses and they can get cheaper exporting."

Debbie said she never expected her idea to take off as it has done, but now that it has she's "going with the flow".

She's the organiser behind the meet-up in Birr planned for later this month. Never necessarily planned for Birr, Debbie said hotelier Peter Loughnane from the County Arms Hotel in the town responded to a tweet with an offer to host the meeting.

"We're not having big speakers," Debbie said. "It's going to be very informal. You can come and go as you please. It's all about networking. The hard work is down to all the small businesses there."

Everyone from a small business background is welcome to join the event on January 27 that will kick off at approximately 11m. Spaces can be booked by going to http://www.eventbrite.ie/event/2713358729.