Another Young Irish Entrepreneur to Crush On

We’re big Shawna Scott fans. Not only is this Seattle native a great person, but she’s also the brains behind Sex Siopa, ?Ireland’s first health and design focused sex shop?, and was shortlisted for Best Business Blog at our Blog Awards last year. Shawna even sat down with us for tea to discuss where to start with sex toys, so if you’re feeling in the mood for Valentine’s check out her suggestions here. And now comes the news that Ms Scott just won an award for her online shop.

The Minister for Communications, Energy, and Natural Resources, Alex White presented Shawna with an award from the IE Domain Registry after her completion of the 2014 IEDR Optimise Programme. This programme seeks to shine a spotlight on small businesses around the country and help them reach their potential in the digital world. At a ceremony at the Shelbourne in Dublin,?15 businesses were honoured with each receiving €10,000 worth of consultancy to help them identify areas of their websites and social media presence that they could improve. As 99% of all Irish business are SMEs, it’s important that digital outlets get the attention they deserve.

Shawna worked with Elucidate Digital Marketing and found the partnership ?incredibly valuable?. Drew Shiel and Catarina Moreira of Elucidate helped draw up a strategic plan for Sex Siopa’s Google rankings and social media – it has great Instagram game in particular, with all vibrators getting the cute wrapping paper treatment.

Wrapping today’s orders in beautiful, golden, hexagonal honeycombs.#sexsiopa

A photo posted by Shawna Scott (@sexsiopa) on Jan 12, 2015 at 7:46am PST

Not only is this award another boon for Sex Siopa, also a 2013 Realex Fire Web Award winner, but it indicates that Irish society is growing up and ready to treat the adult industry as, well, an adult endeavour. The best majorly enlightened part? This marks the first time in the history of the State that a sex shop has been presented with an award by a government official.

As Shawna herself says, ?Boom!?

We love hearing about Irish female entrepreneurs. Get in touch with us at jeanne.sutton@image.ie if you know someone who deserves some time in the spotlight.

Follow Jeanne Sutton on Twitter @jeannedesutun

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