Irish Business Builders: Recent Episodes
Conor Kearney from Jetbooks.ie
A show about great Irish businesses, and the people who built them. Stay tuned for weekly conversations with an eclectic selection of guests covering their challenges, triumphs, inspirations and more. Hosted by me, Conor Kearney from Jetbooks.ie
John Corley explains why great products still fail, why ambition matters more than most founders realise, and how Spanish Point Technologies became a global software company powering the music industry.
John Corley joins Business Builders to share the story of building Spanish Point Technologies from a small Irish software consultancy into an international technology company employing more than 120 people, generating €27 million in annual revenue, and providing the software behind music royalty systems across the world.
John reflects on the costly lessons learned after investing millions into a product that received a standing ovation from Microsoft but ultimately failed commercially, and explains why distribution, market focus and go-to-market strategy matter just as much as building a great product. He also discusses bootstrapping for nearly two decades, transitioning from services to software products, embracing AI to solve real-world problems, preserving company culture during rapid growth, and why founders shouldn't be afraid to think much bigger than they're comfortable admitting.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, software, AI, leadership, product strategy, scaling, company culture, ambition, bootstrapping, and building a global technology business from Ireland.
"Building a great product isn't enough."
🎧 In this episode, you'll learn:
• How Spanish Point Technologies grew into a €27 million global software business
• Why a standing ovation from Microsoft still wasn't enough to make a product succeed
• The difference between building a great product and building a great business
• Why bootstrapping helped shape the company's long-term success
• How AI is transforming the music industry and royalty payments
• Why founders need the confidence to think and communicate more ambitiously
• How to scale a business without losing its culture
• Why hiring curious people beats hiring experienced people
• How John transitioned from CTO to CEO after twenty years
• Why some of the most valuable business lessons come from failure
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:28 - What is Spanish Point Technologies?
05:03 - Is AI changing software forever?
07:02 - Using AI to transform the music industry
14:12 - How the music software business began
17:11 - Bootstrapping the company from day one
18:50 - Winning Microsoft's Worldwide Partner of the Year
21:42 - Turning down venture capital
22:55 - Building products instead of selling services
24:05 - The €3 million product that failed
26:42 - The lessons that changed the business forever
28:15 - Building software for the global music industry
31:44 - Learning to think bigger as a founder
33:52 - Hiring and developing great people
37:23 - Scaling culture as the company grows
38:49 - Becoming CEO after twenty years as CTO
41:03 - Leadership without changing who you are
43:33 - Learning confidence and public speaking
46:59 - What entrepreneurs have in common
48:28 - Growing the company through ambition
49:29 - Why Spanish Point took private equity investment
52:09 - Starting the business with no investors
55:04 - What's next for Spanish Point Technologies?
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, software, SaaS, AI, artificial intelligence, leadership, scaling, business growth, founders, bootstrapping, software engineering, Microsoft, startups, company culture, hiring, CTO, CEO, product strategy, go-to-market strategy, music industry, music royalties, digital transformation, private equity, Irish business, Spanish Point Technologies.
Dermot O’Shea explains why sales beats fundraising, why America rewards ambitious founders, and how he built Taoglas into a $100 million global technology company.
Dermot O’Shea joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story of building Taoglas from a two-person startup into a global leader in antenna technology, employing more than 350 people across ten international locations and generating over $100 million in annual revenue.
After starting the business with little more than determination, supportive families and a relentless focus on sales and cashflow, Dermot explains why he ignored the startup obsession with fundraising and instead concentrated on winning customers. He reflects on breaking into the American market, why the US business culture helped accelerate Taoglas’ growth, and why resilience has been the defining characteristic of his entrepreneurial journey.
Dermot also discusses building a high-performance culture, hiring people who believe in your vision, dealing with toxic employees, trusting your instincts as a leader, transitioning to private equity ownership, and why purpose - not money - is what continues to drive him more than twenty years into the business.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, sales, resilience, leadership, company culture, global expansion, private equity, purpose, and building a business that lasts.
“We were focused on selling. Everyone else was focused on fundraising.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Dermot built Taoglas into a $100 million global technology business
• Why sales and cashflow mattered more than fundraising in the early years
• How an Irish company successfully expanded into the American market
• The biggest differences between doing business in Europe and the US
• Why resilience is one of an entrepreneur’s greatest competitive advantages
• How to build trust with customers and win long sales cycles
• Why company culture becomes more important as your business grows
• How to identify and deal with toxic employees
• What Dermot learned from partnering with private equity
• Why purpose becomes more important than money over time
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:06 - What is Taoglas?
04:42 - How Taoglas was founded in Taiwan
09:54 - Winning the first customers
14:16 - Starting with no salary and no funding
17:12 - Growing from $1M to $100M
18:21 - When nobody believed the business would succeed
20:52 - Why sales beats fundraising
22:22 - Why great sales is built on trust
25:23 - Expanding into America
28:29 - Europe vs America: two very different business cultures
35:22 - The mindset America taught Dermot
41:41 - Growing from two people to 350 employees
43:47 - Why toxic employees can destroy a company
49:42 - Resilience as a founder’s greatest strength
53:00 - Working less and leading differently
55:09 - Money, purpose and private equity
01:03:00 - Why Dermot may never retire
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, sales, business growth, scaling, leadership, resilience, company culture, startups, founders, cashflow, fundraising, global expansion, American business, European business, private equity, acquisitions, manufacturing, technology, Taoglas, antenna technology, B2B sales, customer trust, CEO mindset, hiring, business strategy, Irish business.
🔔🔔 Brendan McGurgan explains why your business can’t outgrow the leader you’re willing to become; and why scaling starts with self growth first 🔔🔔
Brendan McGurgan joins Business Builders to share the lessons from scaling CDE Global from a 15-person engineering company into a global market leader operating across six continents, before founding Simple Scaling to help ambitious business owners grow with purpose.
After spending nearly two decades leading one of Northern Ireland’s biggest business success stories, Brendan now coaches founders on the mindset, systems and leadership required to build companies that can scale beyond their dependence on the owner. He explains why most founders become the bottleneck in their own business, why delegation is a leadership skill rather than a management tactic, and why your business will only ever grow as far as you do.
Brendan also reflects on navigating the global financial crisis, building a culture that thrives through adversity, creating a compelling vision that people genuinely want to follow, and why success should never come at the expense of your health, relationships or sense of purpose.
This is a conversation about leadership, scaling, mindset, culture, delegation, purpose, and building a business that creates lasting impact.
“Leaders will only ever scale to the ceiling of their own belief system.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Brendan helped scale CDE Global from 15 people to a global business
• The mindset shifts every founder must make to keep growing
• Why founders become trapped working in their business instead of on it
• The power of delegation, systems and eliminating low-value work
• How to build a culture that thrives through uncertainty and change
• What the global financial crisis taught Brendan about leadership
• Why vision is one of a leader’s most important responsibilities
• How to inspire people by connecting business goals to personal goals
• Why every stage of growth creates new challenges
• How to scale without sacrificing your health, relationships or wellbeing
• Why purpose-driven businesses create greater long-term impact
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Cold open
01:57 – What is Simple Scaling?
04:27 – Why founders become trapped in their own business
08:09 – Delegation, systems and your zone of genius
10:25 – The mindset that stops founders scaling
13:13 – Why leadership starts with changing yourself
17:28 – Scaling CDE Global from 15 people to a global business
21:22 – Leading through the global financial crisis
27:08 – The principles behind successful scaling
30:05 – How to inspire people with a compelling vision
36:17 – Creating long-term business vision
44:05 – Where founders get stuck
49:39 – Every level has a new devil
51:33 – Balancing business with family life
01:00:27 – Why Brendan founded Simple Scaling
01:10:02 – Why you have an obligation to scale
01:12:16 – Where to learn more
Topics covered:
Scaling, business growth, leadership, founder mindset, entrepreneurship, SMEs, delegation, business systems, company culture, vision, purpose, leadership development, personal growth, scaling businesses, coaching, change management, resilience, business strategy, founder bottlenecks, Northern Ireland business, CDE Global, Simple Scaling, scale-ups, high-performance teams, business leadership
🔔🔔 Charlie Hamilton explains how he led a business through the financial crash and Covid; and why the best leaders never stop dealing with reality 🔔🔔
Charlie Hamilton joins Business Builders to share the story of Canadia Flooring, one of Ireland’s leading flooring suppliers, and the leadership lessons he’s learned from three decades of building the business.
Starting as an accountant before joining the company in its earliest days, Charlie worked his way from sales to Managing Director before eventually completing a management buyout and becoming owner. Along the way, he led the business through the global financial crisis, expanded into the UK when the Irish market collapsed, and later navigated the uncertainty of Covid.
Charlie explains why he believes the most dangerous thing a leader can do is ignore reality, why surrounding yourself with experienced people matters, and how building the right team has been the foundation of Canadia Flooring’s success.
He also reflects on the management buyout process, the importance of independent boards for SMEs, finding work you genuinely enjoy, and why entrepreneurship is often about spotting opportunities that others don’t see.
This is a conversation about leadership, resilience, long-term thinking, business growth, and building a company that lasts.
“The real danger is that you don’t deal in reality, and you don’t deal with the facts that are in front of you.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Charlie grew from accountant to owner of Canadia Flooring
• The lessons from leading through the financial crisis and Covid
• Why expanding into the UK transformed the business
• The reality of completing a management buyout (MBO)
• Why good advice is worth paying for
• How an independent board helped grow the company
• Why entrepreneurs see opportunities differently
• How to build a resilient leadership team
• Why listening to customers is a competitive advantage
• The importance of planning years ahead, not just months
• Why doing work you genuinely enjoy changes everything
• What the next decade looks like for Canadia Flooring
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:03 - Introducing Charlie Hamilton and Canadia Flooring
02:41 - The story behind Canadia Flooring
09:25 - Building a nationwide business
11:22 - From accountant to flooring
13:16 - Becoming Managing Director before the financial crash
14:35 - Surviving the recession by expanding into the UK
16:09 - Finding work you genuinely love
18:12 - The confidence to lead
22:24 - Leading through crisis
25:06 - Why EO and great advisors matter
27:25 - Why every SME should consider a board
29:39 - Listening to customers
35:30 - Completing the management buyout
42:39 - Becoming an entrepreneur
44:40 - The future of Canadia Flooring
48:46 - 30 years in business
49:41 - Where to learn more
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, leadership, management buyouts, MBO, business growth, SMEs, Irish business, family business, recession, financial crisis, Covid, resilience, leadership mindset, boards, governance, strategy, customer experience, sales, scaling a business, construction, flooring, importing, entrepreneurship in Ireland, Canadia Flooring, business ownership, founder mindset
🔔🔔 Hannah Wrixon explains why the most successful women are often the least supported; and why she’s building a global network to change that 🔔🔔
Hannah Wrixon joins Business Builders to share the story behind Keller and why she believes one of the biggest challenges facing women in leadership is something few people talk about.
After building and exiting multiple businesses, Hannah noticed a surprising pattern. While countless initiatives exist to support startups and emerging leaders, many of the women who had already “made it” were quietly carrying enormous responsibilities with very little support themselves. The executives and founders mentoring everyone else often had nobody to turn to when they faced their own challenges.
That insight led Hannah to launch KELLA, a private global community for senior women leaders and entrepreneurs designed around peer-to-peer support, leadership development, and meaningful connections.
Alongside the story of Keller, Hannah reflects on building and selling Get the Shifts, navigating Covid, understanding her own strengths as an entrepreneur, and why ambition and personal fulfilment are not always the same thing.
She also shares her experiences as a woman entering heavily male-dominated industries in the 1990s, the importance of risk-taking, and why she proudly describes herself as “unapologetically ambitious”.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, leadership, ambition, identity, and what success really means.
“That’s all wonderful. But who’s mentoring you? Silence. Full stop.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why the most successful women are often the least supported
• The story behind founding Keller and its mission to support women leaders
• Why Hannah’s first attempt at building Keller went badly wrong
• The costly mistake she made with Builder.ai
• How she built and exited Get the Shifts
• Why she sold the business after Covid
• The challenges of balancing ambition with family life
• Why knowing your strengths matters as a founder
• How a conversation with her son changed how she thinks about identity
• Why she believes women should be unapologetically ambitious
• What success means to her today
• How Keller plans to become a global network for women leaders
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:03 - Introducing Hannah Wrixon and Keller
02:55 - Why she founded Keller
05:18 - “Who’s mentoring you?”
05:47 - The mistakes she made building Keller
08:38 - Why the original tech platform failed
10:27 - Losing money on Builder.ai
12:08 - How Keller works today
18:47 - Expansion into the UK and global ambitions
22:45 - The story behind Get the Shifts
27:34 - The reality of entrepreneurship and cash flow
29:50 - The bank almost stopped payroll
32:21 - Covid and reinventing the business
36:21 - Why she sold the company
37:37 - “You’re my hardest-working, poorest friend”
38:48 - Why entrepreneurs don’t work normally
39:14 - Work addiction and identity
41:07 - Her relationship with her son Callum
43:02 - Why selling the company felt disappointing
46:22 - Finding purpose through Keller
50:34 - Being told there were no jobs for women in engineering
55:03 - The challenges women leaders still face
58:19 - Becoming an accidental entrepreneur
59:37 - Why she isn’t afraid of failure
01:01:10 - Being “unapologetically ambitious”
01:02:47 - What she wants written on her gravestone
Topics covered:
Women in business, women in leadership, entrepreneurship, startups, founder mindset, leadership, ambition, purpose, identity, work-life balance, business exits, scaling companies, peer networks, executive leadership, female founders, mentoring, gender equality, confidence, family, personal development, business growth, Keller, Get the Shifts, leadership development, founder psychology.
🔔🔔 Danny Buckley shares how grief, purpose, and an ADHD diagnosis at 32 led him to build one of Ireland’s fastest-growing healthcare businesses 🔔🔔
Danny Buckley joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story behind ADHD Now and how a series of deeply personal experiences transformed both his life and his career.
For much of his life, Danny believed there was something wrong with him. Undiagnosed ADHD left him struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, and self-understanding, while family health crises and the devastating loss of his wife forced him to confront some of life’s hardest challenges.
After receiving his own ADHD diagnosis at the age of 32, Danny discovered that understanding himself was only the beginning. Determined to ensure others wouldn’t face the same barriers he had encountered, he set out to build ADHD Now — an online service designed to provide fast access to diagnosis and meaningful support beyond it.
What began with a mission to help others has quickly grown into a thriving healthcare business employing almost 100 people, alongside the launch of Autism Care and a broader vision to improve access to neurodiversity and mental health services across Ireland.
In this episode, Danny reflects on grief, faith, purpose, emotional resilience, and why success means far more than money. He also explains how building a mission-driven business has helped turn pain into something that positively impacts thousands of lives.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, loss, personal transformation, and the power of finding purpose through adversity.
“I thought there was something wrong with me my whole life.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• How Danny’s own ADHD diagnosis at 32 changed his life
• Why diagnosis is only the beginning — and why aftercare matters
• How losing his wife inspired him to pursue entrepreneurship
• Why emotional awareness transformed his mental health
• The story behind founding ADHD Now and Autism Care
• How the business scaled to almost 100 staff in just a few years
• Why purpose matters more than profit
• The importance of structure and discipline for people with ADHD
• How Danny thinks about success, grief, and happiness
• Why Ireland can become a world leader in neurodiversity and mental health support
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
00:40 - Introducing Danny Buckley
01:20 - The vision behind ADHD Now
03:00 - Why diagnosis isn’t enough
07:20 - Growing up undiagnosed
08:30 - Family health struggles and adversity
09:50 - His wife’s illness and cardiac arrest
11:00 - The conversation that changed everything
12:20 - Grief and discovering ADHD
14:00 - Receiving his diagnosis at 32
15:00 - Building ADHD Now
17:30 - The role of faith and purpose
20:20 - Emotional regulation and self-awareness
23:00 - Why children need better support
25:50 - Redefining success
27:00 - Faith, entrepreneurship and the “magic formula”
29:00 - Scaling ADHD Now
35:00 - Leadership and knowing your strengths
37:00 - Why he no longer has bad days
38:30 - Parenting, support and family
41:00 - EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
45:00 - Imposter syndrome and self-belief
48:00 - The future of ADHD Now and mental health in Ireland
49:30 - Final thoughts
Topics covered:
ADHD, entrepreneurship, neurodiversity, autism, mental health, grief, resilience, purpose, leadership, emotional regulation, startups, healthcare, personal development, parenting, faith, business growth, founder mindset, emotional intelligence, Ireland, ADHD diagnosis, Autism Care, entrepreneurship and purpose.
🔔🔔 Emmet O’Neill reveals how StoryToys nearly collapsed after years of venture capital funding, how he cut the business from 45 people to 15, and how that turnaround ultimately led to a €35 million children’s media company with more than 300 million app downloads 🔔🔔
Emmet O’Neill joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story behind StoryToys, one of Ireland’s most successful digital media companies and the creator of educational children’s apps based on brands including Disney, Lego, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, Bluey, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and more.
Starting his career as an illustrator before moving into digital media, Emmet spotted the opportunity created by the arrival of the iPad and helped pioneer a new category of interactive storytelling for children.
But the journey was anything but straightforward.
After raising significant venture capital and scaling rapidly, StoryToys found itself growing too fast in too many directions. Burn rates soared, the business came close to collapse, and difficult decisions had to be made. Emmet shares the painful reality of cutting the team from 45 people to 15, taking over leadership during the company’s darkest period, and rebuilding the business around profitability rather than fundraising.
What followed was a remarkable turnaround.
By refocusing on high-quality licensed content for preschool children, securing partnerships with brands such as Lego and Disney, and maintaining a relentless focus on product quality, StoryToys transformed from a struggling startup into a highly profitable global business generating €35 million in annual revenue.
Along the way, Emmet reflects on working alongside his brother, the challenges of venture capital, product-market fit, acquisitions, leadership during crisis, creativity in business, licensing major intellectual property, and why he believes great businesses are built by enabling talented people to do their best work.
The conversation also explores the future of children’s media, Netflix’s growing games strategy, AI’s impact on creative industries, autism-friendly product design, and why creating products that genuinely improve children’s lives remains at the heart of StoryToys’ mission.
This is a conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, product-market fit, and building a business that survives long enough to become extraordinary.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:
• How StoryToys grew from a small Dublin startup into a €35 million business
• Why Emmet believes many startups become addicted to venture capital
• The mistakes that nearly caused StoryToys to collapse
• How cutting the team from 45 people to 15 saved the company
• Why profitability changed everything for the business
• The story behind securing partnerships with Disney, Lego and Netflix
• How StoryToys creates educational alternatives to addictive mobile games
• Why creativity can be a powerful advantage in business leadership
• The lessons Emmet learned working alongside his brother
• How to identify and nurture talent inside an organisation
• Why product-market fit matters more than growth at any cost
• The realities of scaling a venture-backed business
• How StoryToys was acquired and why Emmet stayed on as CEO
• What makes successful acquisitions work after the deal is signed
• The changing economics of children’s media and entertainment
• Why Netflix is becoming an important gaming platform
• How AI is being used inside StoryToys today
• Why Emmet is less worried about AI than he was five years ago
• How StoryToys designs products for autistic children and families
• Why meaningful impact matters more than download numbers
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:00 - What StoryToys does and the children’s app market
04:00 - Educational games versus addictive mobile apps
10:00 - From illustrator to digital entrepreneur
14:00 - Joining StoryToys and working with family
17:00 - Creativity as a business advantage
20:00 - Building products and securing major licences
26:00 - The Very Hungry Caterpillar and children’s storytelling
31:00 - Venture capital, growth and near-collapse
37:00 - Returning to profitability and saving the business
43:00 - Pandemic growth and finding product-market fit
46:00 - Selling the company and lessons from VC funding
50:00 - Acquisition by Team17 and continued growth
56:00 - The future of children’s media and gaming
59:00 - AI, creativity and the future of software
01:04:00 - The challenges facing children’s content creators
01:08:00 - Building products for autistic children
01:15:00 - Creating meaningful impact through technology
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, startups, venture capital, StoryToys, children’s media, educational technology, mobile apps, app development, product-market fit, Disney, Lego, Netflix, intellectual property, licensing, acquisitions, leadership, business turnaround, scaling companies, profitability, creative entrepreneurship, digital media, gaming industry, children’s entertainment, AI, artificial intelligence, autism, neurodiversity, company culture, product design, business growth, Irish startups, technology business.
🔔🔔 Cathal Friel explains how he built five public companies, turned a $20 million business into a $1.45 billion exit, and why IPOs may be making a comeback for ambitious entrepreneurs 🔔🔔
Cathal Friel joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on entrepreneurship, IPOs, public markets, distressed assets, investing, AI, and building companies across multiple industries.
Cathal is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and company builder who has launched five public companies over the past fourteen years. His ventures have spanned sectors including oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, renewable energy, and biotechnology.
But this conversation is about far more than stock markets and finance.
Cathal explains the repeatable model he has developed for identifying opportunities, acquiring distressed assets, raising capital, and building fast-growing public companies. He shares the story of how a struggling oil and gas company ultimately evolved into Amryt Pharma, which was later sold for $1.45 billion.
Drawing on decades of experience as both an entrepreneur and investor, Cathal breaks down the realities of IPOs, why many founders misunderstand public markets, and why he believes going public can be a powerful alternative to private equity.
Along the way, he reflects on being forced into the family business at sixteen, the lessons learned from rebuilding debt-ridden companies, the importance of rejection, networking, and continuous learning, and why entrepreneurship is a skill that can be developed rather than something people are simply born with.
The conversation also explores AI, the future of work, Europe’s economic outlook, leadership, parenting, and why Cathal remains as excited about building businesses at sixty-one as he was decades ago.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, reinvention, opportunity, resilience, and building businesses that create long-term value.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:
• How Cathal built five public companies in fourteen years
• The story behind a $1.45 billion pharmaceutical exit
• Why IPOs are often misunderstood by entrepreneurs
• The key differences between private equity and public markets
• How distressed assets can become valuable businesses
• Why investors care more about trust than ideas
• The lessons Cathal learned from oil, pharma, biotech and renewables
• How public companies can grow through acquisitions
• Why rejection is a critical entrepreneurial skill
• The importance of networking and building relationships
• Why entrepreneurship is a learnable skill
• The lessons Cathal learned from running his family business at sixteen
• How to think about risk, opportunity and capital allocation
• Why AI will reshape work and entrepreneurship
• The future of IPOs in Ireland and the UK
• Why continuous learning remains one of Cathal’s biggest advantages
• The importance of balancing business success with family life
• Why he believes Europe is entering a major period of opportunity
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:00 - Introducing Cathal Friel
02:00 - Building companies through IPOs
07:00 - How Cathal spots market opportunities
12:00 - The story behind Amryt Pharma
18:00 - Distressed assets and creating value
24:00 - Why IPOs differ from private equity
31:00 - Investing in small-cap companies
37:00 - Building businesses through acquisitions
44:00 - The future of public markets
49:00 - Rejection, confidence and entrepreneurship
58:00 - Running the family business at sixteen
01:05:00 - Networking, business cards and relationships
01:12:00 - AI, learning and the future of work
01:21:00 - Europe, geopolitics and opportunity
01:33:00 - Parenting, success and long-term thinking
01:38:00 - Final reflections and advice
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, IPOs, investing, public companies, private equity, distressed assets, business growth, capital markets, pharmaceuticals, biotech, renewable energy, venture building, acquisitions, leadership, networking, AI, future of work, investing strategy, family business, business resilience, startup funding, innovation, company building, European business, entrepreneurship mindset, scaling businesses.
🔔🔔 Ciarán Mulligan explains how he built and sold Blue Insurance, why crises create opportunities in business, and how becoming a father completely changed his perspective on success 🔔🔔Ciarán Mulligan joins Business Builders for a powerful and deeply personal conversation on entrepreneurship, marketing, scaling businesses, resilience, identity, surrogacy, and what really matters after success.
Ciarán is the founder of Blue Insurance, the business he built into one of Ireland’s best-known insurance brands before selling in a reported multi-million euro deal. Now, he’s building again with YES Insurance - but this conversation goes far beyond insurance.
He explains how Blue Insurance scaled by moving quickly, spotting opportunities during crises, and staying aggressive while competitors pulled back. From exploiting cheap advertising during recessions to building niche insurance products before competitors saw the opportunity, Ciarán shares the mindset that helped grow the company from a small operation into a major international business.
He also reflects on the realities of entrepreneurship: negotiating relentlessly, staying lean, surviving economic crashes, dealing with uncertainty, and knowing when the right time to sell actually is.
But this episode also becomes something much more personal.
Ciarán speaks openly about growing up gay in Ireland, being bullied in school, building confidence over time, and why authenticity mattered to him as a leader. He also shares the emotional story of his surrogacy journey with his husband Brian, including the devastating loss of their first son Connor, the battle to bring him home from Georgia, and how becoming a father ultimately reshaped his priorities and outlook on life.
Along the way, the conversation explores marketing psychology, hiring, scaling teams, founder mentality, innovation, customer care, travel, wealth, ambition, and why business success alone is never the full story.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, family, identity, leadership, and building a meaningful life beyond business.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:
- Why Ciarán kept advertising during economic crashes while competitors stopped
- How Blue Insurance scaled from a small startup into a multi-million euro company
- Why diversification was critical to surviving crises
- The marketing strategies that helped Blue Insurance dominate its niche
- Why being “lean” became a core operating philosophy
- How to negotiate aggressively during downturns
- The importance of spotting opportunities before competitors
- Why founders need to stop micromanaging as companies grow
- The biggest lessons Ciarán learned scaling teams and hiring people
- Why communication skills are essential in business
- How working nightlife jobs helped build his confidence and people skills
- His perspective on leadership, customer care, and company culture
- The realities of selling a business after years of building it
- Why making money didn’t fundamentally change who he was
- The emotional story behind his family’s surrogacy journey
- The devastating loss of his son Connor and the fight to bring him home
- Why becoming a father changed his priorities completely
- What success means to him now after business success and personal loss
- Why YES Insurance is his next big chapter
🔔🔔 Ed Murphy explains why most businesses fail to scale, what franchising taught him about systems and growth, and why founders themselves are often the bottleneck inside their own companies 🔔🔔
Ed Murphy joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on scaling businesses, franchising, entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and the realities of building sustainable companies over decades.
Ed is the founder of GreenTech HQ and one of Ireland’s most experienced franchise operators, having helped scale major businesses including Snap Printing and Home Instead Senior Care across Ireland.
But this conversation is about far more than franchising.
Ed explains why so many SMEs get stuck between €1m and €5m revenue, why great founders often struggle to scale their own companies, and why businesses without proper infrastructure inevitably hit a ceiling.
Drawing on decades of experience building franchise systems, Ed breaks down the hidden mechanics behind scalable companies: systems, structure, operations, incentives, accountability, leadership, and repeatable processes.
He also reflects on the rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com bubble, the lessons he learned from taking VC investment too early, and why today’s AI boom reminds him of the early internet era.
Along the way, Ed shares practical insights on hiring, property, founder psychology, partnerships, incentives, and why sometimes the bravest decision in business is knowing when to stop.
The conversation also explores what success actually means after decades in business, and why helping other people succeed ultimately became more fulfilling than chasing money itself.
This is a conversation about systems, scaling, leadership, long-term thinking, and building businesses that can grow beyond the founder.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:
Why most businesses fail to scale properly
The hidden infrastructure every growing business needs
Why many founders become the bottleneck inside their own company
How franchising taught Ed to build repeatable systems
Why systems matter more than hustle when scaling
The biggest mistakes SMEs make between €1m–€5m revenue
Why some founders had to “sack themselves” as general manager
How to structure a business so it can grow beyond you
The practical lessons Ed learned scaling Snap Printing across Ireland
Why property can become a trap for business owners
The story behind PrintOrigin and the dot-com crash
Why Ed believes founders should approach AI carefully but seriously
His advice for businesses adopting AI today
The importance of partnerships, accountability, and shared decision-making
Why “fail fast” is often the bravest thing an entrepreneur can do
What success actually means after decades in business
Why helping others succeed became his biggest motivation
How GreenTech HQ is helping create jobs and startups in the southeast of Ireland
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:00 - Introducing Ed Murphy and GreenTech HQ
02:00 - Why SMEs struggle to scale
05:00 - Finding the gaps inside growing businesses
09:00 - Why founders sometimes become the bottleneck
13:00 - Discovering franchising in America
16:00 - Building Snap Printing across Ireland
20:00 - The hard realities of scaling franchise businesses
25:00 - What non-franchise businesses can learn from franchising
30:00 - Why systems create scalable companies
35:00 - The rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com era
43:00 - AI, technology bubbles, and founder advice
47:00 - The entrepreneurial “7-year itch”
49:00 - Building Home Instead in Ireland
51:00 - Adapting international franchises for local markets
58:00 - Risk, systems, and healthcare businesses
01:00:00 - Failure, ego, and knowing when to stop
01:02:00 - Goal-setting, partnerships, and accountability
01:09:00 - Why Ed eventually moved on from franchising
01:11:00 - Building GreenTech HQ in Wexford
01:14:00 - What success actually means
01:20:00 - Why helping others succeed matters more than money
01:27:00 - The future of GreenTech HQ and the southeast
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, franchising, business systems, scaling businesses, SME growth, leadership, founder mindset, AI, startups, operational systems, business infrastructure, franchising models, Home Instead, Snap Printing, GreenTech HQ, business partnerships, startup growth, innovation, management, business strategy, founder psychology
🔔🔔 Ed Murphy explains why most businesses fail to scale, what franchising taught him about systems and growth, and why founders themselves are often the bottleneck inside their own companies 🔔🔔
Ed Murphy joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on scaling businesses, franchising, entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and the realities of building sustainable companies over decades.
Ed is the founder of GreenTech HQ and one of Ireland’s most experienced franchise operators, having helped scale major businesses including Snap Printing and Home Instead Senior Care across Ireland.
But this conversation is about far more than franchising.
Ed explains why so many SMEs get stuck between €1m and €5m revenue, why great founders often struggle to scale their own companies, and why businesses without proper infrastructure inevitably hit a ceiling.
Drawing on decades of experience building franchise systems, Ed breaks down the hidden mechanics behind scalable companies: systems, structure, operations, incentives, accountability, leadership, and repeatable processes.
He also reflects on the rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com bubble, the lessons he learned from taking VC investment too early, and why today’s AI boom reminds him of the early internet era.
Along the way, Ed shares practical insights on hiring, property, founder psychology, partnerships, incentives, and why sometimes the bravest decision in business is knowing when to stop.
The conversation also explores what success actually means after decades in business, and why helping other people succeed ultimately became more fulfilling than chasing money itself.
This is a conversation about systems, scaling, leadership, long-term thinking, and building businesses that can grow beyond the founder.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:
Why most businesses fail to scale properly
The hidden infrastructure every growing business needs
Why many founders become the bottleneck inside their own company
How franchising taught Ed to build repeatable systems
Why systems matter more than hustle when scaling
The biggest mistakes SMEs make between €1m–€5m revenue
Why some founders had to “sack themselves” as general manager
How to structure a business so it can grow beyond you
The practical lessons Ed learned scaling Snap Printing across Ireland
Why property can become a trap for business owners
The story behind PrintOrigin and the dot-com crash
Why Ed believes founders should approach AI carefully but seriously
His advice for businesses adopting AI today
The importance of partnerships, accountability, and shared decision-making
Why “fail fast” is often the bravest thing an entrepreneur can do
What success actually means after decades in business
Why helping others succeed became his biggest motivation
How GreenTech HQ is helping create jobs and startups in the southeast of Ireland
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:00 - Introducing Ed Murphy and GreenTech HQ
02:00 - Why SMEs struggle to scale
05:00 - Finding the gaps inside growing businesses
09:00 - Why founders sometimes become the bottleneck
13:00 - Discovering franchising in America
16:00 - Building Snap Printing across Ireland
20:00 - The hard realities of scaling franchise businesses
25:00 - What non-franchise businesses can learn from franchising
30:00 - Why systems create scalable companies
35:00 - The rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com era
43:00 - AI, technology bubbles, and founder advice
47:00 - The entrepreneurial “7-year itch”
49:00 - Building Home Instead in Ireland
51:00 - Adapting international franchises for local markets
58:00 - Risk, systems, and healthcare businesses
01:00:00 - Failure, ego, and knowing when to stop
01:02:00 - Goal-setting, partnerships, and accountability
01:09:00 - Why Ed eventually moved on from franchising
01:11:00 - Building GreenTech HQ in Wexford
01:14:00 - What success actually means
01:20:00 - Why helping others succeed matters more than money
01:27:00 - The future of GreenTech HQ and the southeast
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, franchising, business systems, scaling businesses, SME growth, leadership, founder mindset, AI, startups, operational systems, business infrastructure, franchising models, Home Instead, Snap Printing, GreenTech HQ, business partnerships, startup growth, innovation, management, business strategy, founder psychology
🔔🔔 Troy Armour reveals how he built Junk Kouture from a €1,000 idea into a global movement, and why he believes most entrepreneurs are driven by trauma, creativity, and the need to stand out 🔔🔔
Join the movement to help spread 1 Million good deeds at Mo Chuisle: https://30daysofgooddeeds.com/
Troy Armour joins Business Builders for one of the most wide-ranging and unconventional conversations we’ve ever had, covering entrepreneurship, creativity, trauma, AI, identity, leadership, and the deeper psychology behind building businesses.
What began as a small creative idea with just €1,000 in the bank grew into Junk Kouture: a global platform spanning more than 100,000 young people across 74 nationalities, helping students express themselves through creativity, fashion, storytelling, and performance.
But Troy’s story is about far more than building a successful business.
He explains why he believes most entrepreneurs are “addicts” driven by feelings of not being enough, how childhood experiences shape ambition, and why creativity often emerges from pressure, pain, and constraint.
Along the way, Troy shares the early hustle behind Junk Kouture; writing letters to nearly 1,000 schools because he couldn’t afford marketing, persuading venues to host events for free, and figuring everything out in real time with no roadmap and almost no money.
The conversation also explores Troy’s deeply personal journey of self-discovery: from leadership struggles and burnout, to ayahuasca retreats in Brazil, vulnerability, shame, and learning to accept himself.
He also discusses the future of AI, why he believes we are entering “the age of creativity,” and how artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape business, software, and work itself over the next decade.
This is a conversation about ambition, identity, creativity, healing, and what really drives people to build.
“If you don’t fit in, then maybe you were born to stand out.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:
How Troy built Junk Kouture starting with just €1,000
Why constraints and lack of money can create better businesses
The unconventional early growth story behind Junk Kouture
Why Troy believes most entrepreneurs are driven by trauma and insecurity
The similarities between entrepreneurial obsession and addiction
How creativity and pressure are deeply connected
What Troy learned about leadership after nearly burning out
Why vulnerability and shame shape so much of human behaviour
The personal story behind Troy’s ayahuasca experience in Brazil
Why he believes “most people leave school broken”
How Junk Kouture helps young people build confidence and identity
Why AI will transform business and usher in “the age of creativity”
Troy’s predictions for the future of software, SaaS, and entrepreneurship
Why environment and proximity changed the scale of his ambition
What success, happiness, and fulfillment really mean to him now
🔔🔔 Colin Culliton reveals why you can’t build a successful business without making hard decisions - and the realities of scaling through crisis 🔔🔔
Colin Culliton joins Business Builders to share the story of how he built and scaled a multi-million euro print and communications group, and the hard decisions that defined his journey.
What began as a small “me too” printing company with six people grew into a €20M group of businesses spanning design, marketing, events, and more. But the path from startup to scale was anything but smooth.
Colin explains how he approached growth in a traditional, highly competitive industry, starting with organic growth before using acquisitions to accelerate scale and expand into new areas.
Along the way, he learned that business success isn’t about avoiding problems; it’s about facing them head-on. Nowhere was this clearer than during the 2008 financial crisis, when Colin made the counterintuitive decision to cut headcount while the business was still booming - a move that ultimately saved the company.
In this episode, Colin breaks down what it really takes to build a long-term business: from making tough calls under pressure, to trusting your instincts, to building teams that can solve problems better than you can.
He also reflects on leadership, the realities of managing multiple businesses, and why the fear of failure never truly goes away - no matter how successful you become.
This is a conversation about resilience, decision-making, and the truth behind what it takes to survive and scale a business over decades.
“If you think you can avoid hard decisions and build a business over the long term - you just can’t.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why Colin started his first business - and why the idea itself mattered less than taking action
- How to grow a company in a traditional, competitive industry
- The role of acquisitions in scaling a business faster
- Why making hard decisions quickly is critical to long-term success
- What founders get wrong about growth during good times
- How Colin navigated the 2008 financial crisis and protected his business
- Why trusting your instincts is one of the most important skills in business
- The challenges of managing multiple businesses and leaders
- How to build teams with diverse thinking and strong problem-solving ability
- Why fear of failure never goes away - and how it drives performance
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:00 - Introducing Colin Culliton
02:00 - Starting a “me too” printing business
05:30 - Winning early clients and building trust
10:30 - Dyslexia as a problem-solving advantage
15:00 - Early growth and first acquisition
20:30 - Scaling through acquisitions vs organic growth
25:00 - Spotting risk before the 2008 crash
27:00 - Cutting headcount before the downturn
31:00 - Surviving the financial crisis
34:00 - Lessons from competitors failing
38:00 - Leadership, learning, and self-development
41:00 - How to approach buying a business
47:00 - Managing multiple companies and leaders
53:00 - Why business is always a fight
56:00 - Success, money, and what really matters
59:00 - Sacrifices and work-life balance
01:01:00 - Fear of failure and final advice
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, business growth, leadership, acquisitions, scaling a business, financial crisis, decision-making, founder mindset, SME strategy, resilience, Colin Culliton
🔔🔔 Ciaran Burke, CEO and co-founder of Swoop, shares how he built a global fintech platform helping 300,000+ businesses access over £2BN in funding - and the brutal realities behind scaling a startup 🔔🔔
Ciaran Burke joins Business Builders to share the story behind Swoop and the realities of building and scaling a fintech company in the modern funding landscape.
What started as a simple idea - helping small businesses navigate the complex world of finance - has grown into a global platform operating across multiple countries, connecting businesses with loans, equity, grants, and financial insights.
But the journey from early-stage startup to international scale was anything but smooth.
Ciaran shares the often unseen side of entrepreneurship; from sleepless nights during funding rounds to the pressure of keeping a team motivated while facing uncertainty behind the scenes.
Along the way, he learned one of the most important lessons in business; not all revenue is created equal. Growth can look impressive on the surface, but without understanding margins and key drivers, it can actually hold a business back.
In this episode, Ciaran breaks down what it really takes to scale a company: understanding your numbers, making tough decisions about where to focus, and navigating the emotional and operational challenges that come with growth.
He also explains why many founders misunderstand funding, how businesses limit themselves by relying on a single source of finance, and why being “funding ready” is more important than ever.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, fintech, and the reality of building a business in an increasingly complex and competitive environment.
“Not all revenue is the same… some of it looks good, but you’re actually giving most of it away.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Ciaran co-founded Swoop and the problem it solves for businesses
The hidden realities of fundraising and founder pressure
Why not all revenue is equal - and how to think about margin
How small improvements in key metrics can drive massive growth
What it really means to be “funding ready”
Why many founders give up too early when seeking finance
How to understand and track the most important numbers in your business
The challenges of building a two-sided marketplace
Why having a co-founder can be critical during tough periods
What it takes to scale a business across multiple countries
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
01:00 - Introducing Ciaran Burke and Swoop
03:30 - The problem with business funding
08:00 - How Swoop works and makes money
12:00 - Early days and building the business
15:30 - The challenge of two-sided marketplaces
26:00 - Why not all revenue is equal
30:30 - Being funding ready and understanding your numbers
40:40 - Founder pressure and fundraising stress
42:00 - The importance of co-founders
48:30 - Building a business internationally
55:00 - Lessons from scaling Swoop
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, fintech, Swoop, startup funding, business finance, scaling a business, founders, cashflow, revenue vs profit, two-sided marketplaces, leadership, startup growth.
🔔🔔 Willie McMahon built, scaled, and sold a 45-person engineering business - then walked away to help other founders do it better. 🔔🔔
Willie is giving away 10 copies of the book Traction on a first come first served basis. If you’re running a company with between 10 - 250 employees, contact Willie to get your free copy: willie.mcmahon@eosworldwide.com
Willie McMahon, EOS Implementer and founder of CalX (exited) joins Business Builders to share how he went from a one-man operation to building and exiting a scaling engineering business - and what he learned along the way.
Starting with no plan, no funding, and no support network, Willie built a calibration and instrumentation business from scratch. What began as a solo operation grew into a 45-person company, navigating cash flow pressure, hiring challenges, and the realities of bootstrapping - before eventually merging and exiting.
But the journey wasn’t smooth. Growth nearly broke the business multiple times. Hiring mistakes, cash constraints, and operational complexity forced hard decisions - including turning down major opportunities that could have destroyed everything.
Willie shares how 90-day execution cycles and relentless problem-solving helped them scale - even before formally discovering EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System).
The conversation dives into what actually drives business success: people, structure, and clarity. Willie explains why most problems are not what they seem, why founders are often the bottleneck, and how systems - not effort - create scalable companies.
He also opens up about the emotional side of building and selling a business: risk, fear, responsibility, and the moment you realise you’re responsible for other people’s livelihoods.
Now working with founders through EOS, Willie helps businesses break through growth ceilings, build stronger cultures, and create structure that enables freedom.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, scaling, leadership, and building a business that actually works.
“It's not the person - it's the system around them.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Willie built and scaled a business from 1 to 45 people
Why most businesses hit growth ceilings (and how to break through them)
The reality of bootstrapping and managing cash flow
Why hiring “another you” is a mistake
How to think about risk as a founder
Why short-term (90-day) thinking drives long-term growth
The importance of culture and hiring the right people
How to structure a business for scale
Why most problems are systems problems, not people problems
The emotional reality of selling a business
How EOS helps founders gain clarity, control, and freedom
Why you must grow as a person to grow your business
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
00:55 - Introducing Willie McMahon and EOS
02:00 - What calibration and instrumentation actually is
05:00 - Early career and falling into the industry
08:30 - The moment he decided to start his own business
11:00 - First hires and early hiring mistakes
14:30 - “I didn’t need another me”
16:00 - Bootstrapping and surviving on cash flow
18:00 - 90-day targets and early growth
21:00 - Becoming an employer and responsibility for people
23:00 - Turning down a huge opportunity
26:00 - Fear, risk, and decision-making as a founder
30:00 - Discovering EOS and business frameworks
33:00 - Why founders must grow to scale their business
37:00 - Building culture (and the fictional character hiring test)
42:00 - Merging the business and scaling rapidly
46:00 - Managing operations, hiring, and field teams
53:00 - Marketing tactics that actually worked
57:00 - Growth during COVID and scaling chall
🔔🔔 Gowri Subramanian built a $200M global software company over 25 years - without venture capital 🔔🔔
Gowri Subramanian, CEO of Aspire Systems, joins Business Builders to share how he built and scaled a global technology services company from zero to $200M in revenue; entirely bootstrapped.
What started as a group of seven friends with no clear plan or funding became a 4,500-person software and technology services business working with global enterprises across the US, Europe, and beyond. But the journey was slow and difficult. It took years to find product-market fit, pivot away from a non-scaling business model, and reach profitability.
Gowri explains how Aspire evolved from an industrial engineering consultancy into a software product engineering company, a pivot that unlocked growth. Instead of raising venture capital, the company reinvested profits and used debt funding to scale, taking a long-term approach.
Moving from $10M to $100M required one set of capabilities; but, scaling beyond that meant competing with global firms like Accenture, Capgemini, and Infosys. Gowri shares why every stage requires a different company, strategy, and mindset.
The conversation also explores AI and its impact on the software industry. Gowri explains why AI threatens traditional time-and-materials models, while also creating opportunities in legacy modernisation, enterprise transformation, and custom software.
Beyond strategy, this episode dives into leadership, culture, and long-term thinking. Gowri shares why people and open feedback are critical to scaling, and why he’s focused on building a business for the long term - not for exit - including creating impact through philanthropy in India.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, scaling, AI disruption, and building something that lasts.
“Business is a rat race - there is no finish line.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Gowri built Aspire Systems into a $200M global company
Why the first 7 years of business were the hardest
The importance of pivoting when a business isn’t scaling
How to grow without venture capital
Why scaling from $100M to $200M is so difficult
What changes at each stage of growth
How to compete with global firms like Accenture and Infosys
The real impact of AI on software businesses
Why AI is both a threat and an opportunity
How culture and people drive success
The role of persistence over decades
Why teaching skills creates more impact than charity
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
00:55 - Introducing Gowri Subramanian and Aspire Systems
02:00 - What Aspire Systems does
05:00 - Moving from India to Singapore and Ireland
06:00 - Starting with no plan or funding
09:00 - 7 founders to 3
12:00 - Early business model and pivot
13:30 - Shutting down one business
14:30 - Road to profitability
18:00 - Early ambition
21:30 - Bootstrapping vs VC
22:30 - Growth to $100M
25:30 - Scaling challenges
27:30 - “Business is a rat race”
29:30 - AI and the future
34:30 - Culture and leadership
37:00 - Open feedback
40:00 - Founder mindset
47:30 - Angel investing
50:00 - India’s growth
59:30 - Philanthropy
01:05:00 - Long-term vision
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, scaling a business, bootstrapping, venture capital, AI and business, software industry, technology services, leadership, company culture, global expansion, startups, India economy, product engineering, long-term business building, philanthropy, founders
🔔🔔 Laura Dowling, founder of fabÜ, built a business by talking about topics most people avoid; and it changed everything 🔔🔔
Laura Dowling joins Business Builders to share how she turned women’s health - one of the most overlooked and under-discussed areas in healthcare - into a fast-growing brand, a platform, and a movement.
What started as years of frustration working as a pharmacist and seeing women suffer in silence with issues no one was talking about, evolved into a business, a movement, and a platform for education.
Laura explains how she spent over a decade developing formulations before launching fabÜ from her couch, without retail backing or a traditional business plan. By building an audience on Instagram and speaking openly about topics many considered taboo, she created demand first - and the business followed.
Along the way, she uncovered something deeper: women’s health has been historically misunderstood, under-discussed, and often dismissed. From menopause to intimate health, many women simply aren’t given the language, knowledge, or confidence to understand their own bodies.
In this episode, Laura shares how she turned that insight into a brand, a live show, and a bestselling book - all while staying true to her voice and refusing to sanitise the message.
She also opens up about failure, launching without a plan, living with ADHD as a founder, and why building a business doesn’t always follow a straight line.
This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, identity, and the power of saying the things no one else is willing to say.
“People are embarassed to talk about it - but that’s exactly why it matters.”
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Laura started fabÜ and the problem she saw in women’s health
How she built a business without a traditional plan
The realities of launching a product with no retail backing
Why Instagram played a key role in growing her audience
How taboo topics became her biggest advantage
What women’s health issues are still not being talked about
How to build a brand by being unapologetically yourself
The role of ADHD in her entrepreneurial journey
Why founders should trust instinct over “perfect” market research
How purpose and mission can drive long-term business growth
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Cold open
00:55 - Introducing Laura Dowling and fabÜ
02:10 - Launching the business from her couch
05:30 - Preventative health vs “sick care”
08:45 - Building an audience on Instagram
14:00 - ADHD and the entrepreneurial mind
21:00 - Why we don’t talk about women’s health
24:45 - The talk that changed everything
27:30 - Turning taboo into a business
30:15 - Breaking stigma and building a brand
35:30 - Growing without a traditional plan
39:15 - Ask for forgiveness, not permission
43:15 - Trusting instinct over market research
53:00 - Hiring, team building and culture
01:00:00 - Asking for help and final advice
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, women’s health, fabÜ, supplements, startup founders, personal branding, Instagram marketing, ADHD and business, health education, building a brand, taboo topics, consumer products.
My guest today is Jayne Ronayne, Co-Founder and CEO of OAC Snacks, an e-commerce company focusing on high protein snacks that are simple, delicious and made for real life.
Jayne previously founded employee experience platform Talivest, which raised over €3 million in its lifetime (from some very big named investors) and was acquired by the Australian tech company Go1 in 2022.
In this chat, Jayne talks about:
- Why she’s turning her back on the business “holy grail” of SAAS, and getting into the difficult & competitive food industry
- Starting and Growing Talivest to a successful exit
- Why she views being dyslexic as an advantage in business
- Burnout, fund raising, and the importance of healthy food in our lives.
- Much more
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, SAAS, software companies, raising venture capital, food startups, OAC Snacks, protein snacks, food manufacturing, consumer brands, startup founders, healthy snack industry, product development, building a food brand.
Ann O’Dea joins Business Builders for a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, technology, artificial intelligence, and building a media business at the dawn of the internet.
As co-founder of Silicon Republic, Ann helped launch one of Ireland’s leading technology news platforms at a time when almost nobody was reading news online. Advertisers didn’t believe in digital media, the audience was tiny, and the future of the internet was still uncertain.
Instead of waiting for the market to catch up, she built for where the world was going.
From cycling floppy disks between newsrooms in the early days of digital publishing, to navigating the 2008 financial crash, media disruption, and the rise of AI and the modern tech industry, Ann explains what it takes to build and sustain a niche media company for more than 25 years.
But this episode goes far beyond journalism.
Ann reflects on the emotional reality of founding and running a business - worrying about payroll even decades into entrepreneurship, learning the hard lessons of hiring, and the importance of having a co-founder when building a startup.
She also shares her views on the future of artificial intelligence, technology, and digital media, and why diversity in STEM is essential if we want the best minds solving the world’s biggest problems.
This is a conversation about resilience, curiosity, leadership, and building a business that evolves alongside the technology shaping the modern world.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why Ann launched Silicon Republic when almost nobody was online
- What it was like building a digital media startup in the early internet era
- The realities of entrepreneurship - even after 25 years in business
- Why having a co-founder can make or break a startup
- The difference between chasing clicks and building real audiences
- How the 2008 financial crisis nearly destroyed the business
- Why curiosity is one of the most important traits in journalism and leadership
- The risks and opportunities of AI in media and technology
- Why purpose matters more than money for long-term entrepreneurs
- Why women in STEM are essential for the future of innovation
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - The early days of the internet
01:17 - What Silicon Republic actually does as a business
05:22 - The realities of entrepreneurship
12:16 - Why founders should consider having a co-founder
17:53 - Why niche audiences beat clickbait
25:36 - Lessons from the 2008 financial crash
29:32 - Why purpose matters in business
31:46 - Hiring the right people
42:49 - The future of AI and technology
59:32 - Why women in STEM matters
Topics covered:
Entrepreneurship, startup leadership, Silicon Republic, technology journalism, artificial intelligence, AI and media, digital publishing, founders, building a media company, tech industry trends.
John Teeling joins Business Builders for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about risk, resilience, and the 20-year bet that helped revive Irish whiskey.
When John entered the industry in the 1980s, Irish whiskey had fallen to under 2% of the global market. Consolidated into a struggling monopoly and written off by many, it looked like a declining category.
Instead of walking away, he built.
From buying a shuttered chemical plant in Dundalk and installing second-hand pot stills, to navigating bank loan recalls, political pressure, and years without meaningful profit, John explains what it really took to build Cooley Distillery; and why the payoff took nearly two decades.
But this episode goes far beyond whiskey.
John shares lessons from decades in mining, resources, and investing, where high risk doesn’t mean high reward, but high probability of loss. He breaks down the difference between risk and uncertainty, why “the Euro is an orphan,” and why unsophisticated investors should never be in speculative markets.
This is a conversation about long-term conviction, imposter syndrome, stubborn belief, and building businesses that outlast downturns.
At 80 years old, John reflects on endurance, energy, family, legacy, and what it really means to take responsibility when you persuade others to back your vision.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why Irish whiskey collapsed - and how it came back
- What it takes to break a monopoly
- The difference between risk and uncertainty
- Why high risk usually means high loss
- How to build a distillery from scratch
- What investors get wrong about speculative markets
- The psychological cost of entrepreneurship
- Why you don’t need to love the product to build the business
- How patience compounds over decades
- What most founders misunderstand about conviction
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 - Why banks shouldn’t accept uncertainty
01:23 - Growing up in Dublin and early responsibility
17:06 - The £1 million target by 40
24:18 - “A euro is an orphan”
33:10 - How mining companies are really funded
46:30 - The failed takeover of Irish Distillers
58:15 - Buying a plant “for bottles”
01:00:14 - “I sold women’s knickers…”
01:02:17 - 20 years before real profit
01:08:18 - “The value of a half-built hole is zero”
01:13:16 - Energy, longevity and playing rugby at 60
Evelyn Kelly joins Business Builders for a powerful conversation about rare disease medicine, scaling a global consultancy, and what it really means to build a business with purpose.
From starting at her kitchen table in 2017 with no formal plan, to growing Orphan Drug Consulting from €250,000 to €5 million in just four years, Evelyn shares how she built a specialist pharma consultancy that has helped over 70 companies launch medicines in more than 100 countries.
But this isn’t just a growth story.
Evelyn works in the world of orphan drugs — treatments for rare diseases, many of which affect children. With over 7,000 rare diseases globally and fewer than 10% having approved treatments, she explains the regulatory, commercial and supply chain realities behind getting life-saving medicines to patients.
The conversation explores what most people never see: clinical trial constraints, reimbursement battles across Europe, US pricing pressure, post-Brexit complexity, and the volatility currently hitting the biotech investment market.
Alongside the technical depth, Evelyn reflects on leadership — absorbing hard feedback, building processes that allow scale, being responsible for other people’s livelihoods, and why managing risk isn’t about fear, but about stability.
This episode is a grounded, high-level look at the intersection of purpose and process — and what it takes to build a resilient business in one of the most complex industries in the world.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– What orphan drugs actually are — and why they matter
– How rare disease medicines get from lab to patient
– Why Europe is becoming less viable for pharma launches
– The real commercial realities behind life-saving drugs
– How to scale from €250k to €5m without losing control
– Why process matters more than headcount
– The leadership lessons from absorbing difficult feedback
– How to manage risk without limiting growth
– Why branding and integrity go hand in hand
– What volatility in the US means for global pharma
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – “We got that medicine to a child”
01:07 – What orphan drugs actually are
07:01 – Cystic fibrosis and Ireland’s unique prevalence
18:12 – Starting at the kitchen table in 2017
20:20 – Scaling from €250k to €5m
21:38 – Why process is the key to growth
26:59 – The BBC story that made it real
31:16 – Integrity vs selling what clients ask for
34:36 – Learning leadership the hard way
38:39 – Leadership for Growth and putting a board in place
52:26 – Why pharma investment has slowed
55:07 – Rolling with the curveball
58:07 – Avoiding burnout as an entrepreneur
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Michelle Walsh joins Business Builders for a grounded, honest conversation about scaling a family business, navigating relentless growth, and learning the hard lessons that only come from being in the arena.
From unexpectedly stepping into a food manufacturing business straight off a flight home, to helping grow RibWorld from €7 million to nearly €50 million in turnover, Michelle shares what it really takes to lead through expansion, crisis, and eventual exit. Over nine intense years, she helped build a 250-person operation supplying major supermarkets across Ireland, the UK, and Germany — all while learning first-hand how easy it is to lose control when growth outpaces structure.
Rather than glamorising scale, Michelle reflects on the summer that nearly broke the business — when booming demand exposed weak controls, poor management information, and the cost of avoiding the “hard stuff.” That experience reshaped how she thinks about leadership, information, delegation, and strategic planning.
The conversation moves through succession in family businesses, the emotional complexity of selling a company built over generations, the stress of private equity due diligence during Covid, and the personal toll of running a high-pressure operation in a volatile industry.
Now working with founder-led and family businesses, Michelle brings that lived experience into advisory — helping business owners step out of operational firefighting, build real management teams, and regain control of the numbers that actually drive profit.
This episode is a practical and deeply human look at what scaling really demands — and why facing the hard decisions early can save you years of pain later.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– Why rapid growth can quietly destroy profitability
– The hidden risk of not having real management information
– How founders become the bottleneck in their own business
– Why building a management team is harder than scaling revenue
– The emotional and financial realities of selling a family business
– What private equity due diligence actually looks like
– Why gross margin by customer matters more than revenue
– The danger of overconfidence in leadership
– How to step out of day-to-day firefighting and think strategically
– The importance of facing the “hard stuff” before it becomes a crisis
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – The summer that changed everything
02:10 – Michelle’s advisory work with family businesses
09:30 – Growing RibWorld from €7m to €50m
13:15 – Moving factories and scaling under pressure
29:00 – Losing control during peak demand
31:00 – Installing systems that track profit daily
32:20 – Why founders default to operational firefighting
38:50 – What do you actually want from your business?
46:06 – Why the family decided to sell
49:30 – The emotional aftermath of the sale
52:17 – Private equity, Covid, and extreme due diligence
56:34 – Why meat is a brutally competitive industry
1:14:05 – The two biggest problems in SMEs
1:19:21 – Michelle’s biggest personal leadership lesson
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Philip McKernan joins Business Builders for a powerful conversation about success, identity, money, and the quiet cost of living a life that isn’t fully aligned with who you are.
Rather than framing success as growth, scale, or financial achievement, Philip challenges the idea that more money or momentum will ever resolve a deeper sense of unease. Drawing on his work with entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders around the world — as well as his own experience of losing everything — he explores why so many people reach impressive milestones yet still feel unfulfilled, restless, or disconnected.
The conversation moves through identity, failure, purpose, and self-awareness, examining how entrepreneurs often over-identify with achievement, postpone meaningful work, and build lives around what they want to avoid rather than what they truly want. Philip also reflects on the role of money, environment, and fear in shaping our decisions — and why most people never bring their greatest work into the world.
This episode is a deeply human look at entrepreneurship as a personal journey — not just a commercial one — and an invitation to stop betraying yourself in the pursuit of success.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– Why most people think they want success but actually want meaning
– The hidden cost of not changing when things are “going well”
– How founders over-identify with achievement
– Why money can never fix a misaligned life
– How fear keeps people from their real work
– Why failure can be the doorway to purpose
– The importance of self-relationship for entrepreneurs
– Why environment and place shape creativity and clarity
– How to stop postponing the work that actually matters
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Why entrepreneurs neglect their relationship with themselves
02:00 – Crisis, crossroads, and waking up too late
03:18 – Getting ahead of the conversation before regret sets in
03:35 – Why success isn’t what people actually want
04:54 – Dying with your best work still inside you
05:28 – Losing everything and letting go of chasing money
08:10 – The therapy moment that changed everything
10:14 – Discovering how much emotion we store in the body
14:25 – How our life story quietly shapes our decisions
15:20 – Building a life around what you don’t want
16:47 – The real estate crash and starting again from zero
21:12 – Why busyness can’t outrun truth
25:14 – The cost of not changing
30:31 – Our dysfunctional relationship with money
37:13 – Why protecting lifestyle blocks real purpose
40:48 – The “three mountains” of life and work
43:13 – Burning the ships and committing fully
45:56 – Why everything Philip chased was a chase
50:13 – Success, ego, and the Irish relationship with ambition
55:12 – Why most people never bring their gifts into the world
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Neuroscientist and psychologist Ian Robertson joins Business Builders to unpack what confidence really is, how it shapes success, and why it can quietly turn against the very people it helps elevate.
Ian is Emeritus Professor at Trinity College, Dublin and author of two best-selling books:
How Confidence Works: the new science of self-belief. Penguin
The Winner Effect: the science of success and how to use it. Bloomsbury
Rather than treating confidence as optimism or self-belief, Ian explains it as a brain-based mechanism; one that drives action, motivation, mood, influence, and decision-making. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, sport, leadership, and real-world examples, he shows how confidence compounds through small wins, why it’s essential for navigating uncertainty, and how it can distort judgment as success accumulates.
The conversation also explores the dark side of confidence: how overconfidence becomes addictive, why it mirrors the effects of power on the brain, and how leaders, founders, and public figures can lose self-awareness as dopamine, status, and success reinforce one another. Ian draws a sharp distinction between intrinsic goals, wanting to be good at what you do, and extrinsic goals like money, status, and beating competitors, explaining why one builds resilience while the other undermines judgment and mental health.
This episode is a deep, practical look at confidence as a tool, one that can build extraordinary momentum if used well, and cause serious damage if misunderstood.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– What confidence actually is (and what it isn’t)
– Why confidence drives action despite uncertainty
– How the “winner effect” compounds success
– Why manifesting big goals can backfire
– How intrinsic vs extrinsic goals shape motivation
– Why overconfidence distorts judgment and risk perception
– How power and success affect the brain
– Why failure is a better teacher than success
– How confidence shapes leadership, parenting, and aging
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – What confidence really is
01:30 – Confidence vs self-esteem and optimism
03:50 – Confidence as a self-fulfilling prophecy
05:10 – The winner effect and compounding success
06:40 – Why confidence creates widening gaps over time
07:05 – Why big fantasy goals often fail
08:45 – Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
10:00 – Confidence as the bridge across uncertainty
11:20 – Confidence vs anxiety
12:30 – Confidence as a natural antidepressant
13:55 – Why confidence increases influence and persuasion
15:00 – When confidence becomes dangerous
16:40 – Overconfidence, luck, and distorted self-belief
18:00 – Power, narcissism, and loss of self-awareness
19:30 – Why extrinsic success becomes addictive
20:00 – The limits of “manifesting”
21:00 – Olympic failure and rebuilding confidence through process
23:20 – Why Ian became fascinated by confidence
24:30 – Why confidence matters so much in childhood
26:00 – Anxiety, avoidance, and learning
27:40 – Parenting, risk, and emotional robustness
29:40 – Why failure builds better founders
31:00 – Experience, learning, and explaining complex ideas
32:45 – Self-awa
Sam Moffett, founder of Moffett Automation, shares what it really takes to build a world-class, high-stakes business where failure simply isn’t an option . From growing up inside a family manufacturing company in rural Ireland to delivering fully automated warehouse systems for some of the world’s biggest operators.
Sam explains the fundamental shift from selling products to selling outcomes, and why, in his world, customers don’t care about features - they care about certainty. When a warehouse goes down, the cost can be millions per day, and that reality shapes everything from how Moffett Automation sells, builds, installs, and supports its systems.
The conversation explores the pressures of scaling a complex technology business, the early pain of winning trust as a young founder, and the responsibility that comes with having your name above the door. Sam talks candidly about projects that didn’t go to plan, why honesty matters more than short-term wins, and how standing by customers, especially when things go wrong, became a defining principle of the company.
We also dig into the human side of growth: balancing a global business with family life, the personal cost of constant travel, and why Sam is determined to scale without losing control, quality, or values.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– Why selling solutions beats selling products
– What it means to build systems where failure isn’t an option
– How trust and responsibility shape long-term customer relationships
– The challenges of scaling complex technology from a rural base
– Why honesty can cost you in the short term — but pays off over time
– How Sam balances global growth with family life and personal values
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 — Introduction
02:10 — What Moffett Automation actually does
05:00 — Selling outcomes, not products
11:00 — The pressure of building systems that can’t fail
14:30 — Early mistakes, hard lessons & earning trust
21:00 — Scaling without losing control or quality
27:45 — Honesty, integrity & walking away from bad deals
33:00 — Leadership, competitiveness & decision-making
40:00 — Motorsport, mindset & performance under pressure
48:15 — Recognition, credibility & Entrepreneur of the Year
55:45 — Family, balance & the personal cost of growth
Whether you’re building a technology company, scaling a high-risk operation, or leading a business where trust is everything, this episode offers grounded, hard-earned insight into what sustainable growth really demands.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Tim Sparsis, founder of The Attic Company, shares an honest account of what it really takes to grow a trade business from the ground up — from arriving in Ireland with an old van and borrowed money to building a company that now delivers hundreds of projects every year.
Tim talks openly about the early days of doing everything himself, the fear of hiring when cash was tight, and the moment he realised that staying “on the tools” was holding the business back. He explains why scaling meant going backwards to go forwards, how systems and people unlocked growth, and why letting go was the hardest — but most important — leadership shift he made.
The conversation also explores the human side of building a business: mental health, burnout, and the role running and fitness play in helping Tim switch off, think clearly, and build something sustainable over the long term.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– How Tim moved from doing everything himself to leading a scalable business
– Why most founders think they can’t afford their next hire — and why that mindset holds them back
– What “going backwards to go forwards” really looks like in practice
– How systems and operations enable growth in a trade business
– Why stepping away from the tools was the turning point
– The importance of balance, mental health, and sustainability as a founder
Whether you’re building a trade business, scaling a service company, or navigating the transition from operator to leader, this episode offers practical, hard-earned insights into what sustainable growth really requires.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Business leader and entrepreneur Pádraig O’Céidigh shares a deeply reflective conversation on success, stress, and the question most people never stop to ask: what is enough?
Drawing on decades of experience in business and life, Pádraig speaks candidly about decision-making under pressure, the hidden cost of ambition, and why many of the richest people he knows are not happy. He introduces the idea of a personal “safe harbour” — a way of making life and business decisions that prioritise perspective, values, and long-term wellbeing over constant growth.
This is not a hustle story. It’s a conversation about wisdom, restraint, and learning to recognise when more is no longer better.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– Why financial success doesn’t guarantee happiness
– What Pádraig means by asking “what is enough?”
– How stress and ambition can quietly take over your life
– A practical framework for making difficult decisions
– Why perspective matters more than momentum
– How life experience reshapes how you define success
Whether you’re a business builder, leader, or simply someone questioning the pace and pressure of modern work, this episode offers a rare, grounded perspective on success — and what it should actually serve.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Mail Metrics co-founder Nick Keegan shares a raw and revealing account of what it really takes to survive the early years of a startup — from three years with no customers to building one of Ireland’s largest customer communications businesses through bold pivots and high-risk acquisitions.
Nick speaks candidly about the naïve mistakes made at the start, burning through investor capital, letting staff go, and being months from running out of cash — before a single RFP became the lifeline that changed everything. He also explains how stumbling into a regulated, enterprise-grade business model unlocked long-term growth, and why learning by doing was the only way forward.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– What it’s like to build a startup with zero customers for years
– Why building before talking to customers nearly killed the business
– How one tender became a turning point
– The reality of enterprise sales and long growth cycles
– Why Nick used acquisitions to scale faster than organic growth
– The personal and psychological toll of the early survival years
Whether you’re a founder, operator, or investor, this episode offers a rare, honest look at the gap between startup mythology and startup reality — and what it really takes to get through it.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
👇 Full episode link in the comments.
Tom Rowan, founder of Rowan Engineering, shares a grounded and refreshingly honest account of how he built a forensic engineering and environmental consultancy from one customer and no grand plan into a 30-person business working with insurers, public bodies, and major Irish organisations.
Rather than chasing hype or overnight success, Tom explains how his ambition evolved gradually — from simply replacing his salary, to hitting €250k, then €1 million, and beyond. Along the way, he reflects on leadership, culture, setbacks, and why values like integrity, professionalism, and balance matter more as a business grows.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– How Rowan Engineering grew one step at a time
– Why ambition changes as a business scales
– The reality of hiring when there’s no money in the bank
– How to build a values-led culture without ego
– Why slow, deliberate growth often wins
Whether you’re running a small business, thinking about scaling, or questioning what growth should actually look like, this episode offers a calm, thoughtful perspective from someone who’s lived it.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
After losing his engineering job during the 2008 crash, Daniel Plewman found himself unemployed, on the dole, and unsure what came next. A chance moment — his wife struggling to source quality scrubs from the US — sparked the idea that would eventually become Happythreads, an e-commerce scrubs and healthcare uniform business now operating across Ireland, the UK, France, Spain, Germany and beyond.
In this episode, Danny shares how he built Happy Threads from a spare room in Stoneybatter, going door-to-door with samples, and why launching an e-commerce scrubs business long before it was obvious became his unfair advantage. He opens up about the early years of survival, cashflow tricks, moments of being “technically bankrupt,” and the burnout and hospitalisation that forced him to rethink how he worked and led.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– Spotting overlooked opportunities and creating a new market
– How e-commerce cashflow helped the business survive
– Building a 25-person team across Europe
– Burnout, lifestyle choices, and the high-dependency hospital wake-up call
– Leadership, culture, and moving towards a business that can run without you
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube
Former Paddy Power co-founder Stewart Kenny shares a brutally honest account of how he built — and then left — the world’s biggest betting company.
From his father’s influence and early fascination with risk to the creation of Paddy Power’s fearless marketing, Stewart speaks candidly about success, addiction, ethics, and why he ultimately left the industry he helped define.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– How Paddy Power became a cultural phenomenon
– The marketing mindset that reshaped betting in Ireland
– What Stewart learned about leadership, ego, and risk
– His reflections on ADHD and entrepreneurship
– Why he left the gambling industry — and what he’d change today
Whether you’re a business builder or just fascinated by the psychology of success, this episode offers one of the most disarmingly honest conversations we’ve ever had.
Niall Jones, co-owner of Anglo Irish Refrigeration, joins host Conor Kearney to share his journey from redundancy to running a €30M+ business. In this episode, Niall gets candid about the personal risks of buying a company, the adrenaline of nonstop growth, and how culture—not spreadsheets—has become his most powerful business tool. If you’re interested in acquisitions, scaling SMEs, or what it really takes to grow a service-heavy business, this is an essential listen.
What can a magician teach us about leadership, resilience, and growth?
In this episode of Business Builders Podcast, Ciaran McCormack shares how his early lessons in crowd control and stage presence became the foundations for running one of Ireland and the UK’s most successful retail groups. From balloon animals to Apple, to steering a company through examinership and rebirth, this is a story about creativity, grit, and believing in possibility — even when everything’s on the line.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
– How a magician’s stagecraft became the foundation for leadership and communication
– What Ciaran learned moving from film school to Apple to the boardroom
– Why naivety can be a strength when stepping into your first CEO role
– How he led a company through examinership and came out stronger
– What it takes to scale from £17M to £210M without losing culture or drive
Whether you’re building a business, leading a team, or redefining what success means, this episode is packed with grounded, human insight on confidence, growth, and resilience.
🎙️ Host: Conor Kearney
👇 Listen & Subscribe
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In Series 10, Episode #94, I interview Sean Mac Fhearraigh, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Assay Genie. Sean shares his journey from academic cancer researcher to successful entrepreneur. We delve into the challenges of transitioning from science to business, raising funds, and growing Assay Genie into a multimillion-euro enterprise. The conversation spans topics like the importance of credibility in the scientific market, the impact of AI on science, and personal sacrifices made along the way.
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CONNECT WITH SEAN:
Assay Genie
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #93, I interview Laura Dillon, head of Waterland Private Equity. She elaborates on Waterland's investment strategy, focusing on mature companies with high growth potential, and highlights the importance of aligned values and ambition in partnerships. Laura also shares her diverse career trajectory from McKinsey to an MBA at Harvard, running a family-owned business, and returning to private equity. She emphasises the significance of hard work, learning from real-world experiences, and the impact of maintaining a balanced personal and professional life. The conversation delves into how private equity can help businesses scale, manage risks, and achieve significant growth through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH LAURA:
Waterland
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #92, I sit down with Ross Keating, founder of The Lennox Academy, a sales training business that has achieved six-figure monthly revenues within two and a half years. Ross shares his journey from door-to-door sales to founding The Lennox Academy, detailing his strategies for building an effective sales team and marketing via LinkedIn. He emphasises the importance of a repeatable and scalable business model, offers insights into his content distribution strategy, and outlines his plans for launching two new ventures: The Arena, a community for sales leaders, and Overpath AI, an AI agent service for sales teams.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH ROSS:
The Lennox Academy
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #91, I interview Laura McDermott, Founder and CEO of Colectivo, a sustainability consultancy. The discussion covers various aspects of Colectivo's services, including advancing sustainability strategies, implementing change programs, and redesigning products and services. Laura shares her journey from living in Spain to establishing Colectivo in Ireland, the benefits of the adjunct consultancy model, and her passion for design innovation in sustainability. We also explore the challenges Laura faced in rebuilding her local business network after returning to Ireland and the importance of mindfulness and journaling in maintaining focus and calm under pressure.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH LAURA:
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Series 10, Episode #90, I sit down with Ciaran Marron, founder and CEO of Activ8 Solar Energies. Ciaran shares his incredible journey of starting from a makeshift office in a rented house's back bedroom to building a large-scale solar energy business with over 300 staff and a turnover of 70 million euros. He discusses overcoming early challenges like cash flow issues, adapting to market changes, and scaling operations across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. Ciaran also touches on his risky yet successful ventures, including landing a crucial deal with SSE Arena and forging a strategic partnership with SSE Airtricity.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH CIARAN:
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #89, I interview Michael Flynn, famously known as Mattress Mick. Michael shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Dublin's Pearse Street, working in a bank, and taking over the family business, to experiencing significant business failures and ultimate success. After his furniture business crashed during the 2009 recession, Michael invented the Mattress Mick persona, which propelled him to become Ireland’s leading mattress retailer through innovative marketing strategies. Michael discusses the importance of resilience, believing in oneself, and leveraging social media for business growth. He also touches on personal experiences, humanitarian efforts, and the role of faith and community support in his ventures.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH MATTRESS MICK:
TikTok
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #88, I interview Fionn Barron, co-founder and Chief Customer Officer at Tracworx. Fionn shares his experiences from starting a business as a college project to creating a successful company that tracks returnable transport items like kegs, pallets, and cylinders. The discussion covers the challenges of finding and keeping world-class talent, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of customer commitment and market pivots. Additionally, the conversation delves into the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship, including imposter syndrome and the importance of maintaining a balance between business goals and integrity.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH FIONN:
Tracworx
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #87, I talk to Stuart McCaul, founder of Ishikawa Technologies. Stuart shares his journey from working in software sales to acquiring and scaling software businesses through Ishikawa Technologies. We discuss the importance of founder-led businesses, the process of acquiring such companies, Stuart’s hands-on approach to leadership, and his healthy level of imposter syndrome. Stuart also highlights the importance of remote working, the potential of AI in SaaS, and his involvement with the charity An Taisce.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH STUART:
Ishikawa Technologies
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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In Series 10, Episode #86, I interview Greg Clarke, founder and CEO of Digicom, a company specialising in high-end video conferencing and AV technology. Greg shares his entrepreneurial journey, starting from his career as a sales executive in Los Angeles to founding Digicom 28 years ago. Greg discusses challenges such as managing ADHD, the importance of networking through the Chamber of Commerce, and the benefits of mindfulness and Buddhism in his personal and professional growth. He also highlights pivotal moments, including the impact of his brother's death on his decision to start his own business and lessons learned from the Leadership for Growth program. The conversation delves into Greg's leadership style and his continuous efforts to balance client satisfaction, shareholder returns, and employee well-being.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH GREG:
Digicom
Dublin Chamber
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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Welcome to Series 10, Episode #85, where I chat to Rachel Bright, a celebrated children's book author and illustrator of such titles as:
- The Lion Inside
- The Koala Who Could
- The Stompysaurus
And many more!
To date, Rachel has sold over 6 million copies of her books. They’ve been translated into 50+ languages and have been adapted for both television and live-theatre. Her self-illustrated, Love Monster, is a major animated series for the BBC and currently has over 20 million downloads.
The film rights to Rachel’s famous title The Lion Inside have been acquired by a BAFTA winning production company and the project is currently in development.
If that wasn’t enough, Rachel also has an award-winning gifts and stationery business, The Bright Side, selling over 18 million greeting cards and over 6 million gifts on 5 continents.
I came across Rachel’s books while reading to my son and was blown away by her wisdom and the lessons that she’s so kindly passing on to the younger generation.
The story of Rachel’s success is one of passion, grit and trusting that you’re on the right path even when all the signs are pointing in the opposite direction.
If you’re a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur or just someone with a dream, get ready to be inspired by the wonderful, Rachel Bright.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH RACHEL:
Rachel Bright Books
The Bright Side - Gifts & Stationery
Superman (David Corenswet) reads Rachel's first ever published book, "What Does Daddy Do?" on CBeebies Bedtime stories
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in April 2022
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This week I caught up with Brian Keegan. Brian was founder and CEO of a global outsourced payroll company called 360 Group which he started from his one bed flat in London, and grew it to 6 offices in the UK and Ireland, a data-processing centre in India and a £60 million annual revenues.
Brian sold 360 Group in 2018, and has started business coaching, helping entrepreneurs through the journey from the scale-up to stage, to ultimately selling their business.
Brian has embraced the Scaling Up methodology, created by Verne Harnish and the Entrepreneurs Organisation, having used it so successfully in growing and selling the 360 Group.
More about Scaling Up https://www.scalingupglobal.com/
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Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in June 2021
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Welcome back to another exciting chat, this time with Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources PLC, a global talent and recruitment company that she started in 1989.
Anne took CPL public 10 years later, and has since grown the company to 570 million euro in annual revenues.
In this conversation, Anne talks about starting a business in a recession, the positives and negatives of focusing on a niche, and the importance of making the customer of your business, as successful as they can be.
Anne also talks about the recent sale of CPL, to the Japanese group, Outsourcing, for 318 million euro!
Find out more about Anne and CPL Resources here: https://www.cpl.com/ie
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Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in November 2021
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I'm thrilled to welcome Dan Hobbs this week, Co-Founder and CEO of Protex, a software company using artificial intelligence to track safety for industrial employees.
Dan and his Co-Founder Ciarán are recent graduates of Y-Combinator, a start-up incubator based in San Francisco, boasting an enviable track record of finding the next big companies in tech.
Other notable alumni include Airbnb, Dropbox, Reddit, and Stripe!
In this conversation, we cover a host of topics, from Dan’s experience applying to and going through the Y-Combinator programme, raising money from some of the world’s most successful and best-known entrepreneurs, to Dan’s first start-up, which he started at the tender age of 22, and sold a few years later in 2019!
Find out more about Protex: https://www.protex.ai/
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in May 2021
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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This week I caught up with Pat Caslin. Pat is currently CFO of Exit/Entry and serves as Chairman of Capventus.
In this conversation, we do talk about Pat’s career in business, but I think more importantly, Pat tells us about how a devastating diagnosis led him to discovering Stoic Philosophy and how this diagnosis has ultimately been a gift that has changed his values.
Pat talks about dealing with adversity in life and how to use it to your advantage, and the big question of what is actually important in the end?
Find out more and connect with Pat here: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/1patcaslin
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in May 2021
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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Welcome back to Season 4 of Irish Business Builders! I'm excited to be back, and share more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs, creators and thinkers this season.
Kicking things off is this wonderful conversation I had with Suzie McAdam.
In this conversation, Suzie talks about failing as an architect before discovering her true passion - Interior Design.
We also talk about Suzie’s journey from start-up designer to managing director of a now, much larger business, and the impact of appearing on Home of the Year and becoming a household name in Irish design.
Find out more about Suzie McAdam Design here: https://www.suziemcadam.com/
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in February 2021
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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This week I chatted to Niall Wall, Executive Chairman of Enva – a leading provider of waste management and recycling solutions, operating across 30 facilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland, employing over 15 hundred people.
Between 2006 to 2016, Niall was the CEO of the The Ardagh Group, an Irish packaging PLC listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Over that ten year period as CEO, Niall and the team grew the business from €650 million to €8 billion in annual revenues.
In this conversation, Niall talks about investing in large public companies, what the key strategies were when growing Ardagh, and the learnings he gained running his very first start-up – a quail farm, in his early 20’s.
Find out more about Enva here: https://enva.com/
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Series 9, Episode #84, I talk to Shay Lally, the man behind the successful social media channel 'Houses to Restore.' Starting the channel during the pandemic, Shay has amassed over 67,000 followers by sharing insights into home renovations and property sales in Ireland. Shay's remarkable journey involves founding The Mobile Music School in 2011, which teaches music to students across 150 primary schools in Ireland, and rebranding his contracting business to 'Renew,' focusing on house renovations and commercial refurbishments. Shay's diverse career spans from playing percussion with the RTE Concert Orchestra to working as a qualified quantity surveyor and managing family businesses. This wide-ranging conversation explores Shay's early start, the challenges of running multiple businesses, and his ultimate aim of moving into property development.
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CONNECT WITH SHAY:
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Series 9, Episode #83, I interview Sean Moran, CEO of the Home Project Centre Group. Sean shares the story of his career, from growing up in Crumlin, Dublin, to becoming a successful entrepreneur and business leader. He discusses the challenges of navigating the recession, dealing with NAMA, and executing a management buyout to save and grow the business. Sean also talks about his business philosophy, the importance of doing the right thing, and how he plans to step into a chairman role to focus on strategy and future growth.
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CONNECT WITH SEAN:
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Series 9, Episode #82, I talk to Will Meara, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Bingo Loco. Will shares the journey of how Bingo Loco transformed from a spontaneous event in Dublin to a global phenomenon with over 200 sold-out shows weekly across multiple countries. The discussion delves into the challenges of scaling a business, creating a unique competitive advantage, and the importance of investing in talent and operations. Will also offers insights into the dynamics of working with co-founders, the lessons learned from his family, and the future growth plans for Bingo Loco.
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CONNECT WITH WILL:
Bingo Loco
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 9, Episode #81, I speak with Harry Girvan, the founder and CEO of the Simplicity Group and MANTIS, about his journey from salesman to successful entrepreneur. Harry discusses the challenges and learnings he faced while bootstrapping his business, emphasising the importance of culture and loyalty within his team. He also introduces his new venture, MANTIS, which aims to solve the problem of high commercial fleet insurance costs through advanced smart camera systems. The episode delves into Harry's decision to seek external investment for the first time to scale MANTIS and expands on the role of the Entrepreneurs Organisation in his journey.
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CONNECT WITH HARRY:
MANTIS
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 9, Episode #80, I talk with Brian Honan, founder and executive chair of Fortus Group. We discuss the challenges and strategies involved in growing a business, focusing on acquiring and integrating companies across the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Brian shares his unique journey from an accidental entrepreneur with Osmosis Technologies to leading Fortus, highlighting critical aspects of leadership, culture, and resilience in the face of significant health issues, including a recent ADHD diagnosis. This episode provides valuable insights on scaling operations, maintaining a family-oriented culture, and navigating the complexities of a buy-and-build strategy with a mix of equity and debt financing.
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CONNECT WITH BRIAN:
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 9, Episode #79, I introduce Rani Dabrai, an executive coach and Ireland's only certified implementer of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Rani discusses her journey from founding MissMoneypenny, a virtual assistance business, to becoming a pivotal figure in EOS implementation. She shares key concepts of EOS including vision, traction, and healthy business practices, and emphasises the critical roles of visionaries and integrators within entrepreneurial teams. Rani also reflects on the personal challenges she faced while scaling her business and offers valuable advice for entrepreneurs seeking both financial growth and personal fulfilment.
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CONNECT WITH RANI:
EOS Profile
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 9, Episode #78, I chat with Stephen Shortt, the managing director of ETC Consult. Stephen shares his extensive experience growing up in family businesses, specifically focusing on career guidance, selection services, and psychometric assessments at ETC Consult. Stephen's personal journey, including his strategic involvement in the Entrepreneurs Organisation and his life-changing diagnosis of diabetes, underscores the significance of aligning business practices with personal fulfilment. The conversation also delves into the Happy People Project, a new initiative aimed at fostering happiness and providing practical tools to improve work-life balance through measurable action plans.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH STEPHEN:
ETC Consult
Happy People Project
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 9, Episode #77, I interview Paul Ryan, CEO of Temple, about his journey in building an IT distribution business that generates eight-figure annual revenues while Paul works just one hour a week. Paul shares his experiences and insights about overcoming stress, finding personal fulfilment, and the importance of focusing on both professional success and personal well-being. He discusses the significance of creating a strong company culture, the challenges of making courageous decisions, and his passion for personal development. Paul also talks about his podcast, The Inner Entrepreneur, and his approach to balancing various aspects of life, including family, personal growth, and wealth.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH PAUL:
The One Hour CEO
The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast
Apple Podcasts
YouTube
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 9, Episode #76, I interview Barry Shevlin, Managing Director at Global Home Improvements. Barry discusses his journey from avoiding his family's business to transforming it into a customer-centric powerhouse. Key topics include the importance of respect and honesty in business and the role of vision and culture in sustained business success. Barry also shares insights on balancing work and personal life, the value of learning from industry leaders like Feargal Quinn, and strategies for fostering a positive company culture.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH BARRY:
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
Welcome to Series 9, Episode #75, where I interview Jerry Kennelly, founder and CEO of Tweak, a productivity platform for marketers. Jerry shares his journey from growing up in County Kerry and dropping out of school to work in the family newspaper business, to his success as a photojournalist, and eventually creating the multimillion-dollar business Stockbyte, which he sold to Getty Images for $135 million. He discusses the challenges he faced, the relentless pursuit of business innovation, and his efforts to foster entrepreneurship in Ireland, including the establishment of the Junior Entrepreneur Program. Jerry also shares insights on the balance of work and life, the importance of community, and the motivational aspects of entrepreneurship.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH JERRY:
Website
Discover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in May 2021
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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Today's episode is very special, because I caught up with Brian and Rachel from Nobó, an Irish food company creating delicious treats such as dairy-free ice cream and chocolate, with as little as 5 ingredients.
The couple started the business in 2012 and have since grown Nobó into an international brand, with even bigger future ambitions!
Rachel and Brian talk to me about what it was like to leave their secure jobs in New York to come back home to Ireland and sell ice-cream at farmers markets.
We chat about the ups, the downs, and the many challenges they’ve encountered along their journey.
Find out more about Nobó here: https://www.nobo.ie/
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Episode #74 of Series 8, I speak with Dairine Kennedy, co-founder of Neurodiversity Ireland, and Emma Maye, CEO of Ardale Property Group and Core Building Providers. Both accomplished businesswomen and winners of prestigious awards, Dairine and Emma share their personal experiences with dyslexia, the challenges they faced in school, and how embracing neurodiversity has shaped their careers. They emphasise the importance of self-kindness, tailored support systems in schools, and the role of advocacy in promoting acceptance of neurodiverse conditions. The discussion also highlights Neurodiversity Ireland's mission to create a more inclusive environment for neurodivergent individuals through community support and educational initiatives.
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CONNECT WITH DAIRINE & EMMA:
Website
Dairine LinkedIn
Emma LinkedIn
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #73 of Series 8, I interview Jerome O'Drisceoil, owner of the Green On Red Gallery in Dublin. Jerome shares his journey from training to be a priest to becoming an art gallerist, highlighting the challenges he faced along the way. He discusses the evolving nature of the art industry, the highs and lows of running a gallery, the complexities of art interpretation, the role of private collectors, and the financial difficulties of sustaining an art business in Ireland.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH JEROME:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Episode #72 of Series 8, I talk with Alan Merriman, founder of Elkstone, Ireland's leading alternative investment firm. The episode delves into Alan's career transitions, from being a partner at PWC to founding Elkstone, his approach to venture investment, the need for diversified portfolios, and the opportunities in the Irish economy. Alan shares personal insights on leadership, the significance of grit and resilience, building a strong team, and the role of failure and risk in achieving success. The conversation also touches upon the challenges in the Irish housing market and Elkstone's efforts to address these through strategic investments and collaborations.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH ALAN:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #71 of Series 8, I interview Lorraine Corcoran, Co-founder and CEO of Nyrah Beauty. Lorraine shares her journey from a chartered engineer to an entrepreneur in the beauty industry, highlighting the challenges and successes she faced while launching and scaling Nyrah Beauty. The discussion covers her transition from B2B to B2C, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on her business, and how she leveraged her technical background to create a skincare brand focused on plant-based, active ingredients.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH LORRAINE:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #70 of Series 8, I interview Philip Gardiner, an investment director at Foresight Group. They discuss Philip's journey from banking into private equity, emphasising the crucial role of sustainability in business growth. Philip explains Foresight's investment strategies, highlighting their regional focus and support for SMEs in Ireland and the UK. The conversation covers the challenges of transitioning from founder-led businesses to scalable operations, the importance of hiring the right people, and the value of experience and strategic support in driving company success.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH PHILIP:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #69 of Series 8, I interview John Cunningham, founder and managing director of Complex Nutrition and Epicom. John shares his extensive experience in scaling successful businesses, navigating through crises, and the pivotal moments that shaped his career. The discussion covers topics including cultural shifts within businesses, the importance of family, and dealing with financial challenges.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH JOHN:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #68 of Series 8, I talk with Dave McCormack, co-founder of the video production agency Fluent. Dave shares his journey in the media industry, from his beginnings with City Channel in Dublin, to launching local TV stations across the UK, and finally transitioning into corporate video production. Dave reflects on the challenges he faced, the valuable lessons learned in his operational roles, the evolution of his career, and the significant opportunities he sees in video storytelling for businesses.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH DAVE:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #67 of Series 8, I speak with Johnny Campbell, founder and CEO of SocialTalent. Johnny shares insights into the challenges and successes of building SocialTalent, a recruitment training platform that teaches large enterprises how to hire effectively using social media tools. He discusses the origins of the business, the accidental pivot to online training, the impact of the global financial crisis, and the continuous journey of learning to be a better CEO. He also highlights the importance of having a clear customer profile, the strategic use of AI in recruitment, and the future vision for SocialTalent.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH JOHNNY:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #66 of Series 8, I speak with Tom Keogh, founder and managing director at Keogh's Farm. Tom shares insights on the evolution of his family business from a modest potato farm to Ireland's largest homegrown potato crisps brand, exporting to over 20 countries. Listeners learn about the key challenges and successes faced by Keogh's, including an in-depth discussion on their focus on quality, strategic branding, and overcoming industry difficulties. Tom also touches on the significance of sustainable practices and global philanthropic efforts, alongside his long-term vision of making Keogh's a globally recognised brand on par with icons such as Guinness and Kerrygold.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH TOM:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Episode #65 of Series 8, I chat with Ross Culliton, founder and CEO of Roody, a promotional products company. Ross discusses his transition from a Big Four accounting firm to creating custom Hawaiian shirts and Christmas jumpers. He shares his entrepreneurial highs and lows, including the learnings from a failed venture and how it fuelled the creation of Roody. Ross also explains Roody's commitment to sustainability, planting a tree for every item produced, and his ambition to plant a billion trees. The conversation touches on the importance of company culture, lessons from hiring practices, and the value of networks like the Entrepreneur's Organisation.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH ROSS:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.
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In Episode #64 of Series 8, I sit down with Aine Kilkenny, founder of Riley, an eco-friendly period products company. Aine shares how a personal inconvenience during a night with friends sparked the inception of Riley in 2021. She discusses the company's rapid growth, their mission-driven approach focusing on female health and sustainability, and the challenges they've faced along the way. Highlights include insights into their successful crowdfunding campaigns, the importance of maintaining core values in business, and the benefits of having a supportive co-founder team. Aine also opens up about the emotional journey of entrepreneurship, the critical role of customer feedback, and their ambitions for global expansion. Tune in to hear the inspiring story of Riley and how they're transforming the landscape of period products.
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CONNECT WITH AINE:
Website
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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We're back with Series 8, Episode #63. I talk with Ted Wright, CEO of Writech, about his extensive journey in the family-owned engineering business specialising in fire safety systems. Ted shares insights from joining the company in his early years, scaling the business through financial crises, and eventually leading it to an annual turnover of €140 million with operations across eight European countries.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
CONNECT WITH TED:
Support Neurodiversity Ireland—an organisation committed to promoting understanding and advocacy for individuals with neurodiverse conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Neurodiversity Ireland works to create a more inclusive society through community support and educational programs. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at neurodiversityireland.com. Together, we can make a difference!
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
This episode was originally aired in April 2022
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
This week I spoke to JD Buckley, CEO at Sky Ireland.
Sky, as most of you will know, is a global broadcasting and telecommunications company.
Since joining Sky in 2012, JD has overseen the growth of the Irish business from just 30 people to over one-thousand today.
In this very enjoyable conversation, JD talks about what he learned while working for Digicel in the Caribbean, along with an early opportunity that came from failing an exam in UCD, and he gives some really clear and honest advice for anyone who aspires to one day, becoming a CEO.
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
LinkedIn
This episode was originally aired in June 2020
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
Junior’s Deli & Cafe. Paulie’s Pizza. Lotts & Co. Can you see a pattern?
Barry McNerney and his brother Paul have built all of these iconic Irish businesses, and I loved hearing Barry’s tales of determination and passion in this interview.
Starting out as an equity trader, lured to the profession by the slick Wall Street types you'd see in films, Barry soon realised this world wasn't what he'd imagined. His brother Paul being a chef, they decided to try their luck in the restaurant business and opened Junior's. It wasn’t easy, but Junior’s became a hit with the community, with its authentic, honest, affordable food.
What's amazing is what Barry and Paul did next. They went on to open Paulie's Pizza and boutique grocer Lotts & Co (all with big challenges along the way which you'll hear about).
Still, Barry and Paul kept innovating, and seeing the headaches that ordering produce for restaurants presented, created UnifyOrdering. Starting out as a simple app to connect restaurateurs with suppliers, Unify is now available for everyone as a free app to get fresh, local Irish produce delivered to their homes.
Find out more about UnifyOrdering here: https://www.unifyordering.com/
Connect with Barry on Instagram @barrymcn81
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
LinkedIn
This episode was originally aired in July 2020
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
This week I spoke to Will Sparks, whose journey towards becoming a successful financial planner contained big hurdles.
While at college in UCD, Will overcame immense challenges posed by Dyslexia. Having previously been an admittedly average student, Will knuckled down, worked hard and got into a routine. He surprised even himself when he came first in his class in final year.
The second hurdle came much later, when Will was working at a top finance firm. The GFC hit and Will was suddenly let go, and out on his own. Determination prevailed once again and he began building his own client list and eventually starting SparksWealth in 2019.
Stay tuned for some inspiring stories of self-discipline and optimism, with a few practical investment gems thrown in too!
Will mentions his favourite finance books:
The Education of a Value Investor by Guy Spier
The Dhandho Investor by Mohnish Pabrai
Find out more about Will and SparksWealth at https://sparkswealth.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
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This episode was originally aired in November 2020
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
Maurice Pratt's life in business is exactly the conversation I'd wanted for the finale of Irish Business Builders Season 2!
He has been at the head of 10 companies, including Quinnsworth, Tesco Ireland and C&C. More recently, Maurice acts as Chairman of Uniphar Group, as well as holding numerous positions as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman for organisations across tourism, non-profit and healthcare sectors.
Maurice also shares his views on managing ones time as a public company CEO and the best advice he ever received, from none other than Gary Weston.
Find out more about Maurice Pratt here:
https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/1876971
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening and see you all for Season 3 soon!
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
This episode was originally aired in November 2020
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
This week I sat down with Brian Crowley and talked about all things entrepreneurship, challenges and growth.
Brian is a former international Irish boxer, who now has a played a part in the forming and managing of several companies. He founded TTM group, a specialist healthcare and recruitment company in 2002. After receiving an investment from Broadlake, Brian felt the need for a change and became a partner at Broadlake.
Brian's story is one of resilience. He nearly went bust in 2008, but bounced back and is experiencing strong revenue growth with Broadlake.
Connect with Brian Crowley here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crowleybrian/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
This episode was originally aired in November 2020
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
This week I caught up with Norman Crowley, a successful serial entrepreneur who is doing remarkable things in business and in environmental awareness.
Norman Crowley founded and sold 3 businesses with a total worth of $750million before the age of 40. Norman actually retired at the age of 28, but as you'll hear in our conversation, that was short lived. Under the Cool Planet Group, Norman has several businesses that all share the goal of creating a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future. We talk about why having a mission in business is so important and Norman's drive to do good for the planet.
Find out more about Norman Crowley and The Cool Planet Group here:
https://www.coolplanetgroup.ie/about
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
This episode was originally aired in September 2020
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
Welcome to Season 2 of Irish Business Builders!
On today's episode I chat with Mick Kearney, whose life in business has taken him down many paths since he started out in the early 1980's.
Mick brought Snap Printing to Ireland in 1984, which quickly grew to be the largest Print and Design group in the country. A position it still holds today.
Then in 2005, Mick and his business partner Ed Murphy, launched another Franchise in
Ireland – Home Instead Senior Care. Their philosophy is to provide a trusted service to older people, allowing them to stay independent and to continue to live in their homes for longer. Over the following 12 years, Mick and Ed grew Home Instead to €70 Million
euros in revenues before selling a majority stake in 2017.
Mick also managed to find time to become Manager for the Irish Rugby team,
a position he held passionately and successfully for for 5 years, alongside colleagues Declan Kidney and later Joe Schmidt.
Mick is open and generous with the lessons he has learnt, his business philosophies and insights. Enjoy!
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
Series 7, Episode #62 features a bonus conversation with Dr. Jack Skeen, a psychologist and executive coach. Skeen discusses his process of helping successful individuals find meaning and fulfilment beyond material success. He emphasises the importance of self-discovery, aligning with one's true self, and using personal superpowers for global benefit. Skeen shares anecdotes from his work, including helping people like Mohnish Pabrai and refers to figures like Genghis Khan, Elon Musk, and Steve Jobs to illustrate alignment with one's purpose.
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CONNECT WITH JACK:
Website
X (Twitter)
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
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Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 7, Episode #061 host Conor Kearney talks with renowned sports broadcaster Brent Pope. Brent opens up about his battle with anxiety and depression and introduces his inspiring initiative, 'The Elephant in the Room'. This movement uses symbolic elephant sculptures to foster open discussions about mental health within organisations. Brent underlines the significance of addressing mental health issues, sharing personal stories to highlight the role of vulnerability, kindness, and support in recovery. The conversation also touches upon the global impact of the movement and encourages collective participation in promoting mental well-being.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
Series 7, Episode #060 features in-depth insights from Tommy Breen, former CEO of DCC, as he discusses his career journey, the significance of cultural values, and overcoming challenges such as the 2008 financial crisis. Tommy also reflects on the sacrifices made by his family, particularly his wife Fiona, due to his career demands and shares his philosophy on continuous improvement and looking forward.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.
In Series 7, Episode #059 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, host Conor Kearney sits down with Neil Skeffington, founder and CEO of Novelplast, a pioneering recycling company in Ireland. Neil shares his journey from studying polymer engineering to building a multimillion-euro business that tackles plastic waste by converting post-industrial and post-consumer materials into reusable pellets. He discusses the challenges of raising capital, the reality of plastic recycling, and the motivations behind his commitment to sustainable practices. This conversation delves into the complexities of the recycling industry, the importance of resilience and innovation in business, and Neil's vision for a future where waste is seen as a valuable resource.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
NOVELPLAST:
Website
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
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In Series 7, Episode #058 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, host Conor Kearney interviews Lulu O'Sullivan, the founder of successful e-commerce brands GiftsDirect.com and TheIrishStore.com. Lulu shares insights from her entrepreneurial journey, starting with a small budget and pioneering one of Ireland's first e-commerce websites. She discusses the importance of customer service, the impact of culture over strategy, and lessons learned from challenges faced while scaling her business. O'Sullivan recounts her experience with the Leadership for Growth program at Stanford, which led to the creation of The Irish Store and further growth strategies.
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LULU'S LINKS:
Gifts Direct
The Irish Store
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
In Series 7, Episode #057 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, Conor Kearney interviews Charles Cosgrave, owner and CEO of Village Vets, the largest independent vet practice group in Ireland. Charles shares his journey from a practising vet to a successful entrepreneur, detailing his early inspirations from his veterinary roots, his transformative experience in the UK, and the ambitious growth of Village Vets from just two locations to a thriving network of 20 clinics. He also discusses the challenges of balancing veterinary practice with business management, the importance of professionalising operations, and his vision for the future, including technological advancements and nationwide expansion.
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VILLAGE VETS:
Website
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
In Series 7, Episode #056 of Irish Business Builders, host Conor Kearney speaks with Laura Weldon, owner of Honey Honey Cafes, now with three locations in Dublin. Laura discusses her entrepreneurial journey, from her initial foray into business in 2018 to overcoming various challenges, including the impact of COVID-19. She elaborates on the importance of learning by doing, allowing customers to shape the brand, and the necessity of loving what you do. Additionally, Laura shares insights on scaling a business, the value of investing in technology and people, and balancing hard work with smart decision-making.
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HONEY HONEY CAFE:
Website
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
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Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
In Series 7, Episode #055 of Irish Business Builders, Conor Kearney interviews Barry Drennan about his extraordinary journey from mechanic to entrepreneur. Barry discusses transitioning from selling and servicing golf course machinery to founding his own business and how he successfully navigated the 2008 financial crisis by pivoting to a leasing model. Barry also delves into managing staff, creating a sustainable retirement plan through pensions and property investments, and balancing his professional life and personal passions such as running ultramarathons. Highlighting the mental and physical challenges of ultra running, the camaraderie among runners, and the profound life lessons he's learned along the way, Barry’s story is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and finding passion in every aspect of life.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
LinkedIn
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Send us a Text Message.
Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
In Series 7, Episode #054 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, Conor Kearney interviews Mary McKenna, founder and CEO of Tour America and The Travel Suite. Mary shares her entrepreneurial journey, influenced by her father's passion and values, highlighting her resilience through challenges like September 11th, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a near-fatal accident in 2004. She discusses maintaining work-life balance and fostering a culture of empathy. Mary also delves into her methods for creating a customer-focused company culture, emphasizing respect, communication, and addressing customer concerns promptly, ensuring zero complaints.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
TOUR AMERICA:
Website
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Send us a Text Message.
Produced by Jetbooks
In Series 7, Episode #053 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, host Conor Kearney speaks with renowned entrepreneur and adventurer Enda O'Coineen. The conversation delves into Enda's early fascination with the ocean, his competitive nature, and his journey from being expelled from school to becoming the CEO of the Business Post Group. The episode covers topics such as risk management, the fundamentals of business, strategic thinking, and the importance of focusing on the customer. Listeners will learn about Enda's ventures in Central Europe, his acquisition of the Business Post, and his views on technology's role in advancing society.
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CONNECT WITH ENDA:
Business Post
Kilcullen Kapital
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Produced by Jetbooks
In Series 7, Episode #052 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, Conor Kearney interviews Lorraine Heskin, founder and CEO of Gourmet Food Parlour, about her entrepreneurial journey. Lorraine discusses her early influences from American culture, the importance of a slow and steady growth strategy, and her experiences navigating the challenges of the Irish economic landscape. She shares insights into the art of building a strong brand, the value of adaptability, and the critical role of a supportive team. Lorraine also talks about balancing family life with entrepreneurial demands, the significance of good financial management, and the transformative experience of being an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
GOURMET FOOD PARLOUR:
Website
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Produced by Jetbooks
In Series 7, Episode #051 of the Irish Business Builders podcast, host Conor Kearney interviews Sir Michael Smurfit. Sir Michael recounts his journey from joining his father's cardboard box company at 16 to transforming it into Ireland's first multinational corporation, Smurfit Westrock. Highlighting key moments and tough decisions, Sir Michael shares valuable insights on integrity, intuition in business, and the importance of understanding operations from the ground up.
CONNECT WITH CONOR:
Support mental health awareness with Brent Pope’s “Elephant in the Room” initiative. Join the movement to de-stigmatise mental health conversations in the workplace and beyond. Adopt an elephant sculpture and show your commitment to creating a supportive environment for everyone. Visit www.elephantintheroom.ie to learn more and get involved.
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I had a chat with Barry Wallace, Managing Director of Dash Burger, a fast casual restaurant that specialises in something called a smash burger.
Barry opened the first location on Kevin St just 18 months ago, and the concept has taken off like a rocket. There is already a second location on Capel St with imminent plans to expand nationwide.
In this chat, we talk about Barry’s creative passion for food and his eagerness to constantly improve on his ideas… through what he calls, marginal gains.
We also talk about Barry’s journey in business, from humble beginnings in food trucks, to franchising in Europe and finally creating Dash Burger, his proverbial secret sauce.
Find out more about Dash Burger here: https://www.dashburger.ie/
Join Barry for an ‘eat and meet’ with the burger legend himself; George Motz, on Thursday 19th May: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/dash-burger-presents-the-george-motz-pop-up-world-tour-tickets-327968401317
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I caught up with Jim Breen, Founder and Executive Chairman of Pulse Learning.
Jim set up the business in 1999, with start up capital of just 10 pounds. It’s now a global organisation with an enviable list of clients and revenues in the tens of the millions!
In this interview, Jim talks about his early days as a civil engineer, the steps he took to start Pulse Learning, and how becoming RTE's Secret Millionaire led to Jim Founding the Cycle Against Suicide an organisation set up to raise awareness of the supports available for anyone battling depression or self-harm.
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I chatted to Phillip McGlade, CEO at Thérapie Clinic, with over 65 locations in Ireland, UK and India. Thérapie Clinic was founded in 2002 by his father and Phillip joined the clinic in his 20's and became CEO in 6 months. In this conversation Phillip talks about what he learnt growing up in the family business and how they've grown Thérapie Clinic from a single location to a multi-national business with even bigger ambitions.
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I caught up with Brian Keegan. Brian was founder and CEO of a global outsourced payroll company called 360 Group which he started from his one bed flat in London, and grew it to 6 offices in the UK and Ireland, a data-processing centre in India and a £60 million annual revenues.
Brian sold 360 Group in 2018, and has started business coaching, helping entrepreneurs through the journey from the scale-up to stage, to ultimately selling their business.
Brian has embraced the Scaling Up methodology, created by Verne Harnish and the Entrepreneurs Organisation, having used it so successfully in growing and selling the 360 Group.
Attend the Harvard Business School and Scaling Up joint event: https://scalingupglobal.com/scaling-up-2022/
More about Scaling Up https://www.scalingupglobal.com/
2 day Scaling Up Masterclass May 11th 2022 , Shannon Chamber event https://www.shannonchamber.ie/events/scaling-up-the-business-2-day-interactive-workshop-with-verne-harnish/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I spoke to JD Buckley, CEO at Sky Ireland.
Sky, as most of you will know, is a global broadcasting and telecommunications company.
Since joining Sky in 2012, JD has overseen the growth of the Irish business from just 30 people to over one-thousand today.
In this very enjoyable conversation, JD talks about what he learned while working for Digicel in the Caribbean, along with an early opportunity that came from failing an exam in UCD, and he gives some really clear and honest advice for anyone who aspires to one day, becoming a CEO.
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I had a great talk with Conall Ó'Móráin, founder and Managing Director of Corporate PR firm, The Media Group and host of Ireland’s (second best) business podcast, That Great Business Show!
In this conversation we go right back to his days at UCD, where Conall started his very first media venture, a student magazine called Gob Shout.
Since then, Conall has had a very successful business career across media, stock-broking, and public relations. We cover all of this, as well as drawing some interesting contrasts between Conall, and Richard Branson.
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I talked to Sarah Oullette, founder and CEO of Kindora, an online marketplace for buying, selling and renting premium children's goods. After failing to liquidate some expensive baby equipment online, Sarah realised that there was no secure online retail space for secondhand baby goods. So, Sarah launched the startup and two years later she has a co-founder, angel investment and has just finished the Techstars Accelerator program in London.
Sarah talks about how she founded the business, her passion for supporting women in business and how to start and scale a global company.
Visit Kindora: https://kindora.shop/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week we hear from James McElroy, Co-Founder of multiple businesses in the Pet Care Technology space, and along with his brother Timothy, finalists for EY’s 'Entrepreneur of the Year' programme in 2019.
James’s most recent venture is the newly launched Oscars Farm, which delivers fresh pressed dog food to your door in a monthly subscription.
James is also co-founder of Gudog, Europe’s largest peer-to-peer marketplace and mobile app for dog owners in need of local vetted dog sitters and walkers.
Gudog operates in over 75 cities, and has over 30,000 sitters and walkers earning a living on the platform.
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
I'm thrilled to welcome Dan Hobbs this week, Co-Founder and CEO of Protex, a software company using artificial intelligence to track safety for industrial employees.
Dan and his Co-Founder Ciarán are recent graduates of Y-Combinator, a start-up incubator based in San Francisco, boasting an enviable track record of finding the next big companies in tech.
Other notable alumni include Airbnb, Dropbox, Reddit, and Stripe!
In this conversation, we cover a host of topics, from Dan’s experience applying to and going through the Y-Combinator programme, raising money from some of the world’s most successful and best-known entrepreneurs, to Dan’s first start-up, which he started at the tender age of 22, and sold a few years later in 2019!
Find out more about Protex: https://www.protex.ai/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I caught up with Mark Flood, Director at Renatus Capital Partners, a private equity fund manager focused on investing in Irish SMEs.
In this conversation, we cover a wide range of topics from the early days of the business and how they raised their first fund, to their investment process at Renatus and what they look for when buying a business.
Mark also brings me through an example of an investment they made in the burrito chain Boojum – and his thoughts on why the CEO is the most important factor in determining the value of any business.
Every Sunday, Renatus issue a newsletter synopsising the latest deal activity, company performance and people moves.
They also include their top macroeconomic-related tweets, thought for the week and other topics of interest to our stakeholders.
Sign up to the Renatus weekly newsletter here: https://renatus.ie/newsletter/
Renatus also have an excellent podcast showcasing some of Ireland’s best SMEs which you can listen to here: https://renatus.ie/newsletter/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Season 5 is kicking off on Monday 15/11!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
Make sure you subscribe to hear the first episode as soon as it's published!
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
Hey guys, this is just a quick heart to heart to say thank you for continuing to tune in to the show, and also for getting in touch and reviewing the podcast.
I really appreciate all of your feedback, so please, if you haven’t already, feel free to email me with any suggestions or queries that you may have.
For those of you who need it, my email address is conor@jetbooks.ie
We’re going to take a short break to line up more great conversations with Irish entrepreneurs and business builders!
Make sure you’ve hit ‘Subscribe’ wherever you’re listening to this and I’ll be back soon!
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
For the grand finale of Season 4 of Irish Business Builders, I chatted to Hugh O’Morain, Founder and CEO of Flowte, a ticketing software company for Sports Stadiums around the globe.
Hugh started out in business at the tender age of 21, his first venture was Ireland’s first Ice Skating rink in the IFSC back in 2002.
In this conversation, Hugh talks about how he gained credibility as a young entrepreneur, using the Sunday Times Rich List as a way to raising money, pivoting to ticketing software from Ice Skating and of course the 18 year journey with Flowte.
Find out more about Flowte here: https://flowtesport.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Well today, we have a slightly different episode of the podcast! Brenton Ward, who was interviewed in episode 2, becomes the host of Irish Business Builders, and interviews me!
We talk about how the podcast came about and the lessons I’ve learned interviewing some of Ireland’s most successful business people over the past year.
We also talk about my own business journey with Jetbooks, alongside topics such as bootstrapping, strengths, weaknesses, books and bits of advice I’ve picked up along the way.
Find out more about Jetbooks here: www.jetbooks.ie
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week we're hearing from Elaine Carroll, co-founder of the All Ireland Business Foundation.
The AIBF is the organisation behind the Business All-Star award, a coveted accreditation given only to Best-In-Class Irish businesses.
The Foundation also hosts the annual All-Ireland Business Summit and monthly gatherings to promote collaboration among its members
In this conversation, Elaine talks about studying neuro linguistic programming in Las Vegas and why she decided to never-again pursue something, for the sake money alone.
Find out more about Elaine and the AIBF here: https://aibf.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Welcome back to another exciting chat, this time with Anne Heraty, CEO of CPL Resources PLC, a global talent and recruitment company that she started in 1989.
Anne took CPL public 10 years later, and has since grown the company to 570 million euro in annual revenues.
In this conversation, Anne talks about starting a business in a recession, the positives and negatives of focusing on a niche, and the importance of making the customer of your business, as successful as they can be.
Anne also talks about the recent sale of CPL, to the Japanese group, Outsourcing, for 318 million euro!
Find out more about Anne and CPL Resources here: https://www.cpl.com/ie
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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On this episode, I chat with Pat Moran, Partner, and Head of Cyber Crime and IT Forensics at PwC.
Pat started his career at AIB, before moving to Arthur Anderson, where he was a Director of IT Risk and Security, right up until the global collapse of the firm, subsequent to the Enron scandal.
Pat found himself in a new home over at EY, where he became a partner and eventually moved to PwC in 2016.
This interview will be particularly interesting to anyone who owns their own business, as Pat talks us through what it’s like, running a large client-services business, as part of a global organisation.
We also talk about IT Security and the steps that business owners can take to protect themselves against cyber attacks.
Pat was asked to speak at the international Ted conference in Monte Carlo, and you can watch his talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbF-z7btahg
Connect with Pat via LinkedIn here: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/patmoran2
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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In this episode, I chat with Helen Normoyle, co-founder of My Menopause Centre.
My Menopause Centre is an online clinic with a mission is to empower women to take control of their menopause and thrive.
Helen previously held coveted positions as Director of Marketing for the BBC, CMO at DFS and most recently, Chief Marketing Officer at Boots.
In this conversation, we talk about Helen’s journey from an uncertain student in UL, to C-Suite Executive.
We also talk about what it was like leaving a behind a successful corporate career and steady salary to start an online business, and why they are giving away most of the intellectual property of My Menopause Centre free of charge!!
Find out more about My Menopause Centre here: https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Today's episode is very special, because I caught up with Brian and Rachel from Nobó, an Irish food company creating delicious treats such as dairy-free ice cream and chocolate, with as little as 5 ingredients.
The couple started the business in 2012 and have since grown Nobó into an international brand, with even bigger future ambitions!
Rachel and Brian talk to me about what it was like to leave their secure jobs in New York to come back home to Ireland and sell ice-cream at farmers markets.
We chat about the ups, the downs, and the many challenges they’ve encountered along their journey.
Find out more about Nobó here: https://www.nobo.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I caught up with Pat Caslin. Pat is currently CFO of Exit/Entry and serves as Chairman of Capventus.
In this conversation, we do talk about Pat’s career in business, but I think more importantly, Pat tells us about how a devastating diagnosis led him to discovering Stoic Philosophy and how this diagnosis has ultimately been a gift that has changed his values.
Pat talks about dealing with adversity in life and how to use it to your advantage, and the big question of what is actually important in the end?
Find out more and connect with Pat here: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/1patcaslin
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I had a chat to Gary Purcell, founder of Allgo. Allgo is an employee incentives and rewards platform, serving some of the best known and largest companies globally.
In this conversation, Gary talks about Getting his hands dirty and how this can be an advantage against larger competitors, working other jobs to support the business in the early days and how to use incentives to scale a business.
Find out more about Allgo here: https://www.allgo.ie/
Reach out to Gary via LinkedIn or email:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garypurcell/
Email: gary@allgo.ie
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Welcome back to Season 4 of Irish Business Builders! I'm excited to be back, and share more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs, creators and thinkers this season.
Kicking things off is this wonderful conversation I had with Suzie McAdam.
In this conversation, Suzie talks about failing as an architect before discovering her true passion - Interior Design.
We also talk about Suzie’s journey from start-up designer to managing director of a now, much larger business, and the impact of appearing on Home of the Year and becoming a household name in Irish design.
Find out more about Suzie McAdam Design here: https://www.suziemcadam.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Hey listeners,
Firstly I hope everyone listening locally in Ireland is safe and managing okay with further lockdowns.
Thank you for continuing to tune in to the podcast and get in touch. Your support really means the world to an independent podcaster like me!
I hope you have enjoyed Season Three of Irish Business Builders. We’ve had some amazing guests on the show this season.
I’m going to take a couple of weeks off to line up more great conversations with Irish entrepreneurs and business builders, so if you haven’t subscribed yet, please make sure you do, to avoid missing the first episode of Season 4!
This podcast is produced by Jetbooks, an online bookkeeping service dedicated to giving you real-time financial information at the click of a button. Head to https://www.jetbooks.ie/resources to pick up your free step-by-step guide to automate your bookkeeping.
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I caught up with Jake Browne, Founder and CEO of The Go House.
Jake and his business partner Tom, opened Ireland’s first and only TikTok house only a few short months ago.
They gathered Ireland’s top social media influencers and gave them a place to live, and produce video content which is then published Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and many other platforms.
In this conversation, Jake covers a wide range of topics from the lightning-fast rise of TikTok, the highly profitable online media industry (and how we can exploit it), and some fascinating thoughts on wealth, happiness, success, work and life.
Find out more about The Go House here: https://www.instagram.com/thegohouse
And check out Jake's podcast Move Fast & Break Things!
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I had a chat to Rónán Ó Dálaigh, Founder and CEO of Thriftify, a social enterprise on a mission to bring the world’s charity shops online.
Thriftify’s software platform enables charity shops to accurately value the donations they receive such as books, clothing, jewellery and everything in between.
Charity shops can then use Thriftify to sell these goods online; thereby increasing their sales volumes and ultimately, the return to the causes that they support.
In this conversation, Rónán talks about starting a business straight out of college, how he went about raising €500 thousand in seed funding and the huge opportunity that Thriftify is pursuing, across charity retailing, sustainable fashion and climate change.
Find out more about Thriftify here: https://partners.thriftify.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I interview Paul McClatchie, Founder of Engage People, a specialist recruitment firm, aligning Businesses in Ireland with Financial Talent.
Paul was a director in CPL recruitment up until 2016, when he left to set up his own firm.
In the short period since starting Engage People, Paul has built the business to a team of 8 and over €1 million in annual revenue.
In this conversation, Paul talks about why he left a leadership role in a well established company to start his own business, the books he’s read that have shortened his path to success and Engage People’s ambitions for international expansion.
Find out more about Engage People here: https://engagepeople.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I chatted to Niall Wall, Executive Chairman of Enva – a leading provider of waste management and recycling solutions, operating across 30 facilities in the United Kingdom and Ireland, employing over 15 hundred people.
Between 2006 to 2016, Niall was the CEO of the The Ardagh Group, an Irish packaging PLC listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Over that ten year period as CEO, Niall and the team grew the business from €650 million to €8 billion in annual revenues.
In this conversation, Niall talks about investing in large public companies, what the key strategies were when growing Ardagh, and the learnings he gained running his very first start-up – a quail farm, in his early 20’s.
Find out more about Enva here: https://enva.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I had a chat to Brian Hogan, owner and former CEO of Kylemore Services Group, a restaurant and hospitality business operating in over 100 locations nation-wide in both retail and commercial catering.
Brian’s grand parents opened the very first Kylemore Bakery in Dublin in 1920 which eventually became the largest fresh bakery in Ireland under Brian’s management.
In this conversation, Brian talks about starting out in the family business at age 17, learning from their very best, multinational suppliers and why partnering with DCC was the best deal he’s ever done in his life!
Find out more about KSG here: https://www.ksg.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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FleishmanHillard, if you haven't heard of it, is one of the world's largest PR & communications agencies. This week I talked to Rhona Blake, Managing Director of FleishmanHillard, who works with clients from large multinational corporations to start ups.
In this conversation, Rhona talks about her early days in Public Relations, what it takes to build a successful PR agency and how an early opportunity led to gaining a crucial mentor and eventually a career long business partnership.
Find out more about FleishmanHillard here: https://fleishmanhillard.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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For our second episode of 2021, I had a chat with Bart Kane, who is the Regional Director of The FD Centre, a provider of part-time CFOs and Financial Directors with a passion for growing businesses.
With over 25 years experience as a key Finance Executive, Bart has a strong understanding of how to manage a growing business to ensure success. Surprisingly, this isn't always a straightforward strategy and growth can sometimes hurt a business more than it can help.
Bart talks to me about the key things we must think about when scaling a business, how this exponential growth can actually kill an organisation and why the financial director is an entrepreneur's secret weapon!
Find out more about The FD Centre here: https://www.thefdcentre.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I had a chat to Andrea Reynolds, whose time spent in the finance industry allowed her to start Swoop Funding, which provides assistance to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to be linked with funding providers.
Starting her career at KPMG, Andrea later became a corporate finance advisor to smaller businesses in the UK, which is where she saw how difficult it was for these SMEs to navigate the funding world themselves.
We talk about how Andrea grew Swoop from 1 to 50 employees in 3 years, how she became a non-executive director at Berkshire Hathaway European Insurance and what it's like to have Warren Buffett as your boss!
Find out more about Swoop Funding here: https://swoopfunding.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I had a chat to Chris Burge, founder and CEO of Spark Crowdfunding, a platform that allows companies to raise new funds from accredited investors who are interested in growing businesses with high potential.
Chris's journey from engineer to entrepreneur is very interesting, and he shares the challenges of growing a marketplace platform and what is daily life as a startup CEO looks like.
Find out more about Spark Crowdfunding here: https://www.sparkcrowdfunding.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
You'll notice that I've talked to a lot of entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry. That's mainly because I love food, but it's also a fascinating area of business with people doing exciting things. Peaches Kemp is no exception.
Peaches and her sister Domini started Itsa Bagel in 1999, and haven't slowed down since then, as you can tell by the impressive list in the title of this episode.
Peaches talks to me about the highs and lows of her entrepreneurial life, and shares advice she's learnt along the way. No matter what industry your business is in, you'll get something from this episode.
Find out more about Itsa Bagel here: https://www.itsa.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
A big heartfelt thank-you to all of the listeners who have tuned in this year.
It's been a tough one for many businesses, but having conversations about highs and lows with all of my guests on the podcast has definitely helped me to get through.
Enjoy these highlights from this season's conversations and join me for the first episode of Season 3, coming next week!
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening and see you all for Season 3!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
Maurice Pratt's life in business is exactly the conversation I'd wanted for the finale of Irish Business Builders Season 2!
He has been at the head of 10 companies, including Quinnsworth, Tesco Ireland and C&C. More recently, Maurice acts as Chairman of Uniphar Group, as well as holding numerous positions as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman for organisations across tourism, non-profit and healthcare sectors.
Maurice also shares his views on managing ones time as a public company CEO and the best advice he ever received, from none other than Gary Weston.
Find out more about Maurice Pratt here:
https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/1876971
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening and see you all for Season 3 soon!
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This week I sat down with Brian Crowley and talked about all things entrepreneurship, challenges and growth.
Brian is a former international Irish boxer, who now has a played a part in the forming and managing of several companies. He founded TTM group, a specialist healthcare and recruitment company in 2002. After receiving an investment from Broadlake, Brian felt the need for a change and became a partner at Broadlake.
Brian's story is one of resilience. He nearly went bust in 2008, but bounced back and is experiencing strong revenue growth with Broadlake.
Connect with Brian Crowley here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crowleybrian/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
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I had a great chat with former professional rugby player and now general manager of Zambrero, Darragh Fanning.
Zambrero is a Mexican food franchise which started in Australia, with a focus on healthy and affordable food, which also helps to save world hunger. Every burrito or bowl purchased means a meal donated to someone in need with Plate 4 Plate, a charity partnering with Rise Against Hunger. To date they've donated over 40 million meals!
Darragh talks about how he discovered Zambrero whilst in Australia in his mid-twenties, how his life changed afterwards and his professional rugby journey.
Find out more about Darragh Fanning and Zambrero here:
https://www.zambrero.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I caught up with Norman Crowley, a successful serial entrepreneur who is doing remarkable things in business and in environmental awareness.
Norman Crowley founded and sold 3 businesses with a total worth of $750million before the age of 40. Norman actually retired at the age of 28, but as you'll hear in our conversation, that was short lived. Under the Cool Planet Group, Norman has several businesses that all share the goal of creating a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future. We talk about why having a mission in business is so important and Norman's drive to do good for the planet.
Find out more about Norman Crowley and The Cool Planet Group here:
https://www.coolplanetgroup.ie/about
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Lory Kehoe is an adjunct associate professor at Trinity College Dublin and Founder of BlockChain Ireland.
Being an accountant, I thought I knew a little about blockchain and cryptocurrency before my chat with Lory, but as you’ll hear for yourself, his depth of knowledge about the subject is fantastic. He is also very excited about the possibilities of this emerging tool.
We talk about Blockchain and its real-world application, why Lory left a global consultancy partnership to start his own business, and how teaching has helped develop his leadership skills.
Find out more and connect with Lory Kehoe here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lory-kehoe/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I had an inspiring chat with Barbara Turley, Founder and CEO at The Virtual Hub. The Virtual Hub provides virtual, remote assistants to businesses all over the world.
Barbara has an astounding work ethic and draws a hard line between work and life. She doesn’t let work get in the way of being a fantastic mother to her children and living the lifestyle she wants.
Having started the business 5 years ago, she has scaled it to 150 staff. Delegation is key for Barbara, and she gives us some very useful insights into avoiding being consumed by your business.
Find out more about Barbara Turley here: https://www.thevirtualhub.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
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Vincent Carton’s story reaches back into the 18th Century, where the Carton family began a poultry business involving breeding, feeding and selling in the Dublin area. This is one of Ireland’s oldest surviving companies!
With so much experience and wisdom to share, we’ve brought this conversation to you in two parts. Following on from Part One, where you heard how Vincent came to own the business and how he nearly lost it, in Part Two you'll find out how Vincent and his team got the business back on track and the strategy they used to grow profits from 500 thousand to 13 million in just 7 years!
Check out these videos I mentioned in the episode:
The Whirl Wind
The concept that top management can’t focus on growing and scaling the business if they are caught up in the day-to-day work of the business. Getting out of the Whirl Wind was critical for Manor Farm implementing their strategic plan.
https://youtu.be/ahH2WdrovPg?list=PL7B1E1664C5352A7
First Follower
In order get all employees rowing in the same direction, the board needed to communicate the strategy of the business to everyone in the organisation. To do this, they appointed 23 “first followers” to champion the strategy in their own divisions. It only took 23 people to change a company of circa 830 people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ&list=LL4t6dGleRcIkHHwCqBARENQ&index=73
The Five Monkeys
This was the main problem that Vincent and the board came up against when they tried to create change in a 230 year old business. People will always follow “the way we’ve always done it” rather than embrace change. Vincent and his first followers showed this video to their staff who quickly understood the concept and bought-in to the idea of going back to the facts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZeiSKnhOBc
Find out more about Vincent Carton and Manor Farm here:
https://chicken.ie/about-us
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
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Vincent Carton’s story reaches back into the 18th Century, where the Carton family began a poultry business involving breeding, feeding and selling in the Dublin area. This is one of Ireland’s oldest surviving companies!
Family businesses can be slow to evolve, as decision making can span several generations. Vincent and his brother Justin saw this and bought out all of the shareholders. They focused on understanding new customer needs, streamlining the organisation and selling off underperforming divisions.
With so much experience and wisdom to share, we’ve brought this conversation to you in two parts. In Part One, you’ll hear about the history of Manor Farm, how Vincent almost lost the business and how an old college friend helped him turn things around.
Find out more about Vincent Carton and Manor Farm here:
https://chicken.ie/about-us
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
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Jack Pierse is the co-founder and CFO of Wayflyer, a revenue-based financing service for ecommerce companies.
Wayflyer’s business is a simple one, they lend money to businesses, so that they can buy more online advertising to grow their sales
In under 24 hours, businesses can connect with Wayflyer, connect their online marketing platforms and receive funds towards their online marketing campaigns.
Unlike a bank who would review a customers’ ability to pay back a loan, based on standard accounting and cashflow reporting, Wayflyer plug in seamlessly to their customers online marketing platforms such as Facebook, Google, Instagram etc, to assess which specific advertising campaigns are performing well.
Dive in to hear about Jack’s revolutionary business model, how he raised venture capital in the US and the importance of thinking big!
Find out more about Wayflyer here:
https://www.wayflyer.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Welcome to Season 2 of Irish Business Builders!
On today's episode I chat with Mick Kearney, whose life in business has taken him down many paths since he started out in the early 1980's.
Mick brought Snap Printing to Ireland in 1984, which quickly grew to be the largest Print and Design group in the country. A position it still holds today.
Then in 2005, Mick and his business partner Ed Murphy, launched another Franchise in
Ireland – Home Instead Senior Care. Their philosophy is to provide a trusted service to older people, allowing them to stay independent and to continue to live in their homes for longer. Over the following 12 years, Mick and Ed grew Home Instead to €70 Million
euros in revenues before selling a majority stake in 2017.
Mick also managed to find time to become Manager for the Irish Rugby team,
a position he held passionately and successfully for for 5 years, alongside colleagues Declan Kidney and later Joe Schmidt.
Mick is open and generous with the lessons he has learnt, his business philosophies and insights. Enjoy!
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Hello dear listeners,
Thank you for tuning in to Season One of Irish Business Builders.
I'm very excited to return with Season Two on Monday the 21st of September!
You can use this time to catch up on any episodes you've missed, and if you know an Irish Business Builder you'd like to hear from on the show, email me at conor@jetbooks.ieIf you’re spending too much time on your business bookkeeping, Jetbooks can help. For a free, instant quote visit www.jetbooks.ie.
My deepest thanks once again to everyone who has tuned in.
See you all on Monday 21st of September!
Conor
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This week I sat down with Mick Dawson, ex-stockbroker with Davy and Chief Executive of Leinster Rugby since 2001.
I've never been a huge rugby fan and so in this chat, I was interested to hear what goes on behind the scenes at a world-class sports franchise; What are the main revenue drivers? How do they think about marketing? Does the executive HQ influence the outcomes on the pitch and what are the key dynamics that drive the business side of the game?
Mick gives us an interesting look at how a professional club operates; coach selection, player satisfaction, sponsorships and fan engagement.
Covid has hit the sporting world hard. Mick can’t see into the future, but this conversation filled me with nostalgia about rugby matches past, and hope about the future of the sport post-Covid.
Find out more about Leinster Rugby here: https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Peter Burke is the kind of person who sees challenges as opportunities. His first business venture was a small gym called Crossfit 353, as an affiliate of the well-known fitness brand. Starting an affiliate business is a great way to get a head-start on building a business from the ground up.
Peter Burke is also the founder of Hush Restaurant in Rathmines, a new spot for mouthwatering burgers, sandwiches and coffee. Covid-19 hasn’t made things easy for Peter, but with his optimistic attitude and motivated mindset, he shares with us his tips for a balanced lifestyle with work and family, and curbing bad social-media habits.
I really enjoyed this honest and inspiring chat with Peter, and I think you will too.
Find out more about Crossfit 353 and Hush here:
https://www.crossfit353.com/
https://hushrestaurant.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I sat down with Xavier Vidal, somewhat of a retail genius, which is probably why he is involved now in something that makes so many people happy - ice cream.
We haven’t spoken about franchises in the show yet, and I think it’s important to discuss because it’s a bit different than building a new business from the ground up.
After several impressive corporate retail positions, Xavier was looking for a change. While on a trip overseas looking for a coffee, he found himself in a store called Amorino. Soon after his coffee he was enjoying their world famous ice cream. Not long after that, he met with the founders, put plans in place for a store in Dublin, and it’s been a hit ever since.
Having worked in an industry so focused on people, for such a long time, Xavier’s insights can be applied to any business, and his franchise story will surely inspire anyone who’s interested in taking that path to their own business.
Find out more about Amorino here: https://www.amorino.com/en/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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This week I caught up with Conor Hanratty, whose story is a little different than our other business builders so far. Conor was the managing director of Extraspace Solutions, a leading specialist in construction of modular buildings, which he sold in 2016. Originally working at Cambridge Finance, a public leasing company that owned Extraspace, Conor bought the business out of receivership and grew the company in Ireland and then expanded into the UK.
As I found out in this chat, construction and manufacturing is a fascinating business. Conor has been in the industry for decades and generously shares his knowledge.
Find out more about Extraspace here: https://www.essmodular.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
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Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I had a great chat to Gary Fox, founder of Host Butlers, which is a property concierge service for short-term lettings. What is that, you might ask? Well, picture comprehensive, professional management of your property through Airbnb, offering everything from check-in, all the way to cleaning.
Gary is a passionate believer in doing things well, striving for quality and excellent service in whatever it is you’re doing. His success to date is reflective of this mindset, and he offers advice and insights that any business builder can take on board.
Gary’s enthusiasm for learning, and much like myself, eagerness to highlight the incredible entrepreneurs and business builders in Ireland, led him to start ‘The Entrepreneur Experiment’ podcast.
I left feeling very inspired after this conversation with Gary, and I think you will too!
Find out more about Gary and his podcast ‘The Entrepreneur Experiment’ at https://www.mrgaryfox.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I spoke to Will Sparks, whose journey towards becoming a successful financial planner contained big hurdles.
While at college in UCD, Will overcame immense challenges posed by Dyslexia. Having previously been an admittedly average student, Will knuckled down, worked hard and got into a routine. He surprised even himself when he came first in his class in final year.
The second hurdle came much later, when Will was working at a top finance firm. The GFC hit and Will was suddenly let go, and out on his own. Determination prevailed once again and he began building his own client list and eventually starting SparksWealth in 2019.
Stay tuned for some inspiring stories of self-discipline and optimism, with a few practical investment gems thrown in too!
Will mentions his favourite finance books:
The Education of a Value Investor by Guy Spier
The Dhandho Investor by Mohnish Pabrai
Find out more about Will and SparksWealth at https://sparkswealth.ie/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
This week I chatted to Tom Fox from Fifty-Three Six, a digital strategy agency for sport, with a focus on video.
Tom shares his career story from working with Twitter, all the way to learning how to run campaigns on Facebook for his clients when Fifty-Three Six first started.
A common trait of business builders is having the determination to say ‘we’ll figure it out’, having a desire to make things happen, even if it’s not something they’ve really done before.
We also talk about the importance of hiring the right people once you’re able to, and creating a positive and inspiring culture in your business.
There are some great technical tips in the episode too, like the importance of creating a database of factors from your industry and using it to analyse your growth strategy.
Find out more about Tom and Fifty-Three Six at https://www.fiftythreesix.com/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
Attention: There’s a twist at the end of this episode, so stay tuned!
This week I spoke to Molly McKeever, yoga teacher and founder of Sweaty Soul Studio, a slice of calm in Dublin’s busy IFSC.
Throughout our conversation, Molly generously shares her personal experiences in business.
Molly is the kind of person who thrives off challenges and working hard. But this high-adrenaline ‘fight or flight’ mode is not a sustainable way to live. It’s a common trait of business builders, but Molly states the importance of holding space for yourself. Ultimately, if you are thriving personally, it will be reflected in your business.
Oh, and the big twist. Find out how Molly is future-proofing her business, whilst also staying true to what is important to her.
This is the podcast Molly refers to in our chat: https://apple.co/3gqKbhr
Find out more about Molly and Sweaty Soul here: https://sweatysoulstudio.com/
Connect with Molly on Instagram @mollymckeeveryoga
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
Junior’s Deli & Cafe. Paulie’s Pizza. Lotts & Co. Can you see a pattern?
Barry McNerney and his brother Paul have built all of these iconic Irish businesses, and I loved hearing Barry’s tales of determination and passion in this interview.
Starting out as an equity trader, lured to the profession by the slick Wall Street types you'd see in films, Barry soon realised this world wasn't what he'd imagined. His brother Paul being a chef, they decided to try their luck in the restaurant business and opened Junior's. It wasn’t easy, but Junior’s became a hit with the community, with its authentic, honest, affordable food.
What's amazing is what Barry and Paul did next. They went on to open Paulie's Pizza and boutique grocer Lotts & Co (all with big challenges along the way which you'll hear about).
Still, Barry and Paul kept innovating, and seeing the headaches that ordering produce for restaurants presented, created UnifyOrdering. Starting out as a simple app to connect restaurateurs with suppliers, Unify is now available for everyone as a free app to get fresh, local Irish produce delivered to their homes.
Find out more about UnifyOrdering here: https://www.unifyordering.com/
Connect with Barry on Instagram @barrymcn81
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Free for all listeners: The Ultimate Guide to Automatic Bookkeeping
Brenton is a young entrepreneur and founder of WIZE Mentoring, an online business coaching platform. Initially intended for accounting firms only, Brenton tells me how his model revealed strategies that all business owners can find useful. That’s probably why he’s achieved a substantial, international list of clients in such a short amount of time.
Brenton and I have been friends for years and we were able to talk openly about the challenges in starting and growing our own businesses.
We talk about the fact that whether you’re years down the track or just starting out, owning a business is a constant learning experience. Brenton talks about a few books which have helped him along his journey, including:
Losing my Virginity by Richard Branson
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Find out more about WIZE Mentoring here: https://www.wizementoring.com/
Connect with Brenton here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentonward/
Irish Business Builders is brought to you by Jetbooks. Jetbooks provides online bookkeeping services for Irish Businesses. For a free 15 minute online consultation, visit www.jetbooks.ie
Thanks for listening!
Welcome to Irish Business Builders!
I'm Conor Kearney, the one in the picture, and also the founder of Jetbooks, an online accounting firm for Irish businesses. In this show, I'll be chatting with the people who built Ireland's most loved businesses, from CEO's to restauranteurs, small businesses, big businesses and everything in between.
You'll hear from a new guest each week, so make sure to subscribe to avoid missing out!
Do you know an Irish Business Builder? Send guest recommendations to conor@jetbooks.com.