It doesn’t.

ON Episode 286 of That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin sits down with Caroline Kirrane, CFA, former Central Bank economist, and the person Irish executives call when they realise they’ve been nodding at spreadsheets they don’t understand.

This episode explains, in plain English:

• Why profit is not cash

• How fast growth can bankrupt you

• The silent danger of “bad revenue”

• Why Ryanair’s ruthless simplicity is a masterclass in strategy

• The real reason businesses run out of money while sales are booming

If you run a business in Ireland, the UK or anywhere with invoices and overdrafts, this episode could save you.

Sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, sold to the world.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Many people think rural Ireland is at a disadvantage.

Tomás Ó Síocháin says the opposite.

On Episode 285 of That Great Business Show, we uncover the Gaeltacht Advantage — a combination of green energy surplus, digital hubs, global connectivity and a quality of life that multinational executives quietly crave.

We talk about:

• Why the West Coast may become an energy superpower

• Free green electricity — yes, free

• Digital hubs where good coffee builds global companies

• AI in Irish and the race to make Gaeilge future-proof

• Why data centres belong in the West

• The diaspora effect: how culture closes global deals

• Housing, infrastructure and the fight to keep communities alive

If you think Dublin is the only game in town, think again.

Brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, sold worldwide. They back us. You back them. DeFactoShave.com.

Subscribe. Build the tribe.

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Sinéad Doherty, CEO & Founder of Fenero, explains the realities she sees every day supporting independent earners:

“Going solo doesn’t mean going alone” — the ecosystem you must build

Why revenue is not your income

The simplest habit to avoid tax shock: separate the tax money

Cashflow discipline, invoicing speed, and the small expenses people forget to claim

The networks and programmes that actually help you get traction

If you’re self-employed, this is the episode that stops the panic and replaces it with a system.

Sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil. DeFactoShave.com.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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We normally do a 25 minute record. We thought this was sooo good that it's 47 minutes. Because who wants to spoil a great party. We didn't want to stop Mary.

Mary Sadlier, CEO of Coole Swan — the Irish cream liqueur brand that decided it wasn’t enough to be “nice”. It had to be better. And not better in a marketing-deck way. Better in taste tests. Better in ingredients. Better in margins. Better in resilience.

Coole Swan uses single malt Irish whiskey and Belgian white chocolate. That matters. Because when you go up against Baileys, you are not nibbling around the edges. You are walking into a category owned by a global giant.

This episode is about:

• What it really takes to build an Irish FMCG brand internationally

• Why distribution is harder than the product

• What happens when tariffs land out of nowhere

• Retail shelf power — and how fast you can disappear from it

• The brutal difference between cashflow and profit

Mary has been through the mill. Expansion. Contraction. Currency swings. US volatility. Decisions made without guarantees.

Things have gone very right.

Things have gone very wrong.

And the gap between the two is thinner than most founders think.

This is real business. Not pitch-deck business.

Brought to you by our long-standing sponsor, De Facto Shaving Oil. The world’s best shaving oil. Not a beard oil. For shaving any and all of your bits. They back us, you back them. DeFactoShave.com.

Our Gentleman’s (and Ladies’) Agreement is simple: we do the work, you hit subscribe. Fair exchange.

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Everyone is shouting about AI.

Very few people are paying attention to what comes next.

Quantum computing is not about doing things faster.

It is about doing things that were previously impossible.

Finding new drugs in days, not decades.

Optimising energy grids, logistics, traffic and supply chains that defeat today’s supercomputers.

Re-engineering AI itself so it stops burning the planet for compute.

On Episode 282 of That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin sits down with Jason Lynch, CEO of Equal1 — the Irish quantum computing company that has just raised $60 million, led by Ireland’s sovereign wealth fund, to build enterprise-grade quantum computers using standard silicon chip fabs.

No sci-fi. No hype.

Just real hardware, real money, real timelines.

We talk:

• Why quantum makes AI look like the warm-up act

• Why 50 qubits beats every computer on Earth combined

• Why data centres won’t need to melt rivers to run quantum

• Why pharma, banking, energy and defence are already preparing

• Why Ireland has a once-only window to lead — and could miss it

This is a five-years-out story hiding in plain sight.

Brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, no foam, no nonsense, no landfill-bound cans.

They back us. You back them. DeFactoShave.com.

Our Gentleman’s (and ladies’) Agreement is simple:

We do the work. You hit subscribe. Fair exchange.

Listen on Acast, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.

Build the Tribe.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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So why does the business still feel… tight?

On Episode 281 of That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin is joined by accountant and business adviser Sharon Kearns, the woman who spots the leaks most business owners never see.

This is not theory.

This is what actually drains cash, time and energy from otherwise successful businesses.

We talk:

• The “leaky bucket” problem most owners don’t want to face
• Profitable businesses quietly losing money on certain products or services
• Hidden time leaks, stock traps and invoicing sins
• Why “busy” does not equal profitable
• The simple fixes that free up cash fast
• And the “hire in a heartbeat” answer you won’t forget

Recommended by Tom Murphy, founder of De Facto Shaving Oil — and when Tom recommends someone, you listen.

Brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil, handmade in Mayo.

No foam. No nonsense. No landfill-bound cans.

👉 defactoshave.com

Our Gentleman’s (and ladies’) Agreement is simple: we do the work, you hit subscribe. Fair exchange. Subscribe on Acast, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

Build the tribe. We do the work — you get the value.

Irish business podcast, SME cashflow, business profits Ireland, accountant advice Ireland, scaling a business, working capital, Irish entrepreneurs

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Confession time:

I love local newspapers.

And I cannot go past the small ads without reading every last one of them.

While national newspapers are having a torrid time — and some may not even survive this decade in their current form — one part of print is quietly going against the tide.

The local free newspaper.

On Episode 280 of That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin is joined by Catherine Madden, Managing Director of the Dublin Gazette Newspaper — Dublin’s number one free weekly, reaching over 300,000 readers every week.

We talk about:

• Why local papers are surviving while nationals struggle
• Why small ads still work for real businesses - and that's important for your business
• Who is actually keeping an eye on councils, planning and courts
• Why “free” doesn’t mean low quality
• And why local journalism matters more than ever

If you care about your area, your business, or who’s minding the shop locally — this one matters.

🎙 Sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil — all-natural, made in Mayo, no foam, no nonsense, and none of those pressurised cans quietly (and unneccesarily) heading for landfill.

👉 Listen now. Share it with someone who still picks up the local paper.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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A lot of Irish businesses quietly turned their backs on the UK after Brexit — paperwork, friction, hassle.

But here’s the thing:

The UK never stopped being one of Ireland’s biggest trading partners.

In Episode 279 of That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin talks to Billy Griffin, Vice President of BITA, about why now may be the time for Irish businesses to take a fresh look at Britain — and where the real opportunities (and blockages) lie.

We cover:

• Why Brexit is still costing UK growth — and what that means for Ireland
• How red tape, permits and skills recognition are quietly choking trade
• Why services travel better than goods post-Brexit
• The surprising truth about doing business in Manchester vs London
• What BITA actually delivers beyond business cards and bad coffee

As always, we bring you insight, not hype.

Thanks to our sponsor De Facto Shaving Oil — all-natural, made in Mayo, sold worldwide. No foam. No nonsense. Available at defactoshave.com

Listen, subscribe, and share with anyone thinking about exporting — or re-exporting — to the UK.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Markets have rallied.

Investors have relaxed.

But a simple question sits underneath it all:

What happens when companies start lending money to their own customers just to keep the story going?

In this episode, Aidan explains:

• why AI is transformative — but valuations still matter
• how today’s AI boom is being funded
• why debt is quietly replacing equity
• what happens when sellers subsidise buyers
• and why “everyone cheering” is not an investment strategy

No jargon. No hype.

Just a calm explanation of where risk may be building — and what investors should really be watching.

Powered by De Facto Shaving Oil — the all-Irish, all-natural shave, made in Mayo and sold worldwide.

If you found this useful, share it with one other business owner or investor.

That’s how we grow our tribe.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Most SMEs know they should post.

Most don’t have time.

Most can’t justify agency fees.

Coso.ai solves that problem by automatically writing, scheduling and publishing social media content — without needing a full-time marketer or a €2,000-a-month retainer.

In this episode, James explains:

• why 90 percent of SMEs don’t have a social media manager
• how Coso.ai actually works in practice
• why AI failed before ChatGPT — and why it works now
• how Coso.ai is raising €5 million to scale internationally
• why AI isn’t replacing marketers, but rescuing business owners
• 
  

This is AI doing something useful — reducing cost, saving time, and fixing a real business problem.

Powered by De Facto Shaving Oil — the all-Irish, all-natural shave, made in Mayo and sold worldwide.

If you enjoy this episode, share it with one other business owner.

That’s how we grow our tribe.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Their story is business at its rawest.

They arrived in Ireland for love.

They stayed for negative equity.

They helped kick-start the Irish craft beer movement.

They created 88 unique beers, won global awards, sold the business to Irish Distillers… and then, when most people would have gone to the beach, they bought the brewery back again.

On this episode, they talk honestly about:

• how hard early-stage business really is
• being pushed off supermarket shelves
• financing massive infrastructure with no outside investors
• shipping a brewery from Mauritius to Mitchelstown
• selling out, buying back, and starting again
• and why reinvention is not optional in tough markets

This is a masterclass in graft, resilience, and staying in the game when the odds are stacked.

Powered by De Facto Shaving Oil – the all-Irish, all-natural shave, made in Mayo and sold worldwide.

Listen now.

And if you like it, share it with one other business owner – that’s how we grow the tribe.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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On Episode 275 of That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin meets Fiona Parfrey, co-founder of Riley — the Irish B Corp that’s ripping the plastic out of period care and building a business that’s already in 35 countries and 350 corporate bathrooms.

From a glass-of-wine idea to €1.5 million in funding, Fiona explains how smart branding, ruthless focus and a taboo-busting mission are turning Riley into one of Ireland’s fastest-scaling exports.

Fiona would love to 'hire in a heartbeat' Dr Hazel Wallace.

Brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil – the all-Irish, all-natural way to stay nick-free. Try it at defactoshave.com.

Listen now on Acast, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

#IrishStartups #BCorp #FemaleFounders #Sustainability #Riley #ThatGreatBusinessShow

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Hosted by Conall Ó Móráin on That Great Business Show — powered by De Facto Shaving Oil.

#Ireland business, #SME growth, #data accuracy, #Sunstone Technologies, Roger Courtney, That Great Business Show, #Irish #economy, #B2B sales AI, Conall O Morain, #podcast Ireland

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*Episode 273 | That Great Business Show | Hosted by Conall Ó Móráin | Sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil

Every year, 60–65 thousand Irish students sit the Leaving Cert — but 1 in 8 never make it past first year in college. That’s 5 thousand young people – at a cost of a very conservative €45 million in lost fees and accommodation every year.

Former nurse and educator Joan Broderick saw this firsthand and founded Pathways.ie, a social enterprise helping parents and students bridge the gap between school and real college life.

She joins Conall Ó Móráin to talk about:

• Ireland’s hidden dropout crisis and the €100 million blind spot and why it's really bad news for businesses

• Why parents, not points, hold the key to student success

• How Springboard and UCD Innovation Academy inspired her to start again

• The business of social purpose — and why doing good can still pay the bills

Proudly sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Ireland, sold worldwide.

Pathways.ie | Irish Education | Student Dropout | College Retention | UCD Innovation Academy | Social Entrepreneurs Ireland | Leaving Cert | Irish SMEs | Irish Women in Business | Education Startups Ireland | That Great Business Show | Conall Ó Móráin | De Facto Shaving Oil | Irish Podcast | Business Podcast Ireland

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Etienne Louvet, Founder & CEO of IONA Drones

We’re taking Irish innovation sky-high. In this week’s That Great Business Show, Conall Ó Móráin grills – politely – French founder Etienne Louvet of IONA Drones, the Galway-based start-up building autonomous aircraft to deliver parcels, medicine, even blood supplies.

Forget food-drop gimmicks – these drones will fly 200 km with 20 kg payloads and could make the Irish logistics industry airborne again.

Is Ireland about to lead the EU in drone logistics? Can startups like IONA compete with Amazon Prime Air and Google Wing? How will the HSE, An Post and Irish Aviation Authority plug into this new economy?

🎧 Listen to find out how Galway might become Europe’s Drone Capital.

Brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil – made in Mayo, sold worldwide.

Ireland Business Podcast, Irish Startups, Galway Innovation, Drone Technology Ireland, Logistics Startups, E-commerce Ireland, Irish Entrepreneurs, HSE Innovation, Sustainability Tech, Aviation Startups

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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The hilarious story how a Dubliner became a US Bar King: The Wild, True Story of Shane Carty and the Trinity Bar, Connecticut”

What does it really take to succeed in the cut-throat US hospitality business?

Forget the glossy Instagram stories and the “living the dream” nonsense — this is the true, outrageous, impossible-to-make-up journey of Dublin man Shane Carty, now co-founder of one of New Haven’s most successful Irish bars: The Trinity Bar & Restaurant.

Fires. Covid shutdowns. Insurance battles. 70-hour weeks. Local politics. Massive US taxes.

And somehow… a thriving business, a packed bar, a community of veterans, and a Guinness volume that is...impressive!

On this VERY different episode Shane reveals:

– How a Morrison Visa changed everything

– Why his first days as a US bar owner involved a bomb-site renovation and a 400-person event with no warning

– The real cost of doing business in America (spoiler: EVERYTHING is taxed)

– How feeding US veterans built a following no marketing budget could buy

– Why Yale students, Liverpool fans, and random Irish blow-ins all treat the bar like home

– Covid horror stories you will not hear anywhere else

– What it actually takes to run a bar in the US: graft, grit, Guinness, and gallons of coffee

– The secret to creating a true Irish bar atmosphere — and why most Irish bars don’t do it

– Why he still loves America… and will never move home

– And why his daughter’s US college fees may kill him before the hospitality industry does

This is not a standard business episode.

It’s a raw, hilarious, unvarnished masterclass in survival, luck, stamina — and pure Irish stubbornness.

That Great Business Show — Episode 271.

You’ve never heard a story like this.

Powered by De Facto Shaving Oil — ditch the foam, switch to De Facto.

Irish business abroad, US hospitality, Trinity Bar New Haven, Morrison Visa story, Irish entrepreneurs America, running a bar in the US, veterans support, Yale New Haven, Covid hospitality survival, Irish pubs USA.

New Haven CT, Connecticut, Yale University, Dublin Ireland,Dublin Ireland, Manhattan, Boston, Hamden CT.

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'.

When couriers crumble and tolls soar, two very different innovators are keeping Ireland moving.

John Tuohy, the man behind Parcel Motel and now OOHpod, tells host Conall Ó Móráin how a national locker network could rescue Irish e-commerce after Fastway’s meltdown.

And Phil Barnes of Geotab reveals the data driving the trucks — 5 million vehicles, 100 billion data points a day, and the truth about Ireland’s €25 k toll shock.

Business, logistics, and hard numbers — all in one fast-moving episode.

Brought to you thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the world's finest shaving oil.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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🎧 “From Graveyards to Getaways – How Click & Go Built Ireland’s Smartest Holiday Business”

If you’ve ever booked a holiday online, cursed the “hidden fees”, or wondered who still uses a travel agent… this episode will make you think again.

Guest Paul Hackett, is the straight-talking CEO of Click & Go Holidays — the Irish travel company that’s taken on the global giants and won. He’s built a business that survived recessions, Brexit, and a pandemic, and is now setting sail (literally) into Europe with booming cruise and city-break markets.

In true That Great Business Show style, we cover it all — the highs, the near-crashes, the clever pivots, and even the day Paul’s other half sold four cruise cabins… in a graveyard.

Expect:

🧳 Smart travel hacks for your next holiday.

🛳 Why Irish people are missing out on the biggest travel trend in the world — cruises.

🌍 How Click & Go is quietly expanding across Europe (and why Central Europe is the next big thing).

📈 What the Irish travel industry gets right — and what still drives Paul up the wall.

And yes — there’s the usual dash of mischief and Mayo magic from our sponsor, De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, sold worldwide. Smoother, smarter, no matter what (or where) you shave.

So tune in for the business, stay for the craic, and maybe pick up a travel tip or two before your next break.

🎥 Watch us in glorious Technicolor on YouTube

🎧 Or listen wherever you get your podcasts — Spotify, Apple, Acast

That Great Business Show — where business is fun.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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This is a special re-release of That Great Business Show, Episode 79 (March 2022), in tribute to the late David Horgan, Chairman of Petrel Resources — a man of rare clarity, courage and intellect.

Recorded in the early days of the war in Ukraine, this conversation captures David at his most incisive: explaining Europe’s dependency on Russian energy, Ireland’s stalled exploration policy, and the hard economics that shape geopolitics. Some facts have since moved on. David’s insight has not.

He warned of blackouts and energy shocks. He spoke about Ireland’s potential — and frustration — with a mix of authority and candour few could match.

The final minutes of this interview reveal the man behind the analysis: principled, humorous, and forever hopeful about young Irish talent. His last line, about hiring “a youngster with fire in their belly,” says everything about how he saw life and leadership.

🎧 Listen back and remember a thoughtful Irish business voice, a generous contributor, and a true gentleman.

Originally recorded: March 2022

David Horgan, Petrel Resources, Irish energy policy, oil and gas Ireland, LNG Ireland, Conall Ó Móráin, That Great Business Show, UCD Smurfit Business School Podcast of the Year, Irish business leaders, tribute episode, energy security, Russia Ukraine war, Ireland geopolitics, De Facto Shaving Oil.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Once upon a time, the packaging just sat there. Now it talks back.

On Episode 268 of That Great Business Show — officially UCD Smurfit Business School Podcast of the Year —

I meet:

• Donald Douglas of Scanfinity / Return2Sender, turning butter wrappers and Guinness cans into interactive billboards,

• Graham Byrne & David Crimmins of Global Health Capital, the fintech that pays doctors before the paperwork clears.

Donald’s wow line still rings:

“The barcode is dead.”

Turns out your fridge door may soon be your media plan.

Brought to you by the world’s smoothest sponsor, De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, sold to the world.

If you like podcasts that shave away the fluff, please REPOST on LinkedIn — that’s the real algorithmic love.

#IrishBusiness #MarketingInnovation #Fintech #Packaging #DigitalTransformation #PodcastOfTheYear #DeFactoShavingOil #ThatGreatBusinessShow #UCDSmurfit

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Oil prices are heading down. Electricity prices are heading up.

Wait… what?

In this episode of That Great Business Show with Conall O Móráin, Phil Byrne, Chief Investment Officer at Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management, explains why — even if gas prices fall to zero — our power bills will still rise. From grid build-out costs to data-centre demand, Phil unpacks the new economics of energy and what it means for businesses, households, and investors.

Then, Carmyn Del Rosso joins Conall to talk about her AI-powered career app, Beyond Borders, and why Irish professionals need to get better at selling themselves — especially when the competition is global.

Hosted by Conall O’Morain, That Great Business Show — officially Ireland’s Business Podcast of the Year (UCD Smurfit Business School).

Sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, sold worldwide.

Smooth faces. Smoother podcasts.

🎥 Also watch in full colour on YouTube.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

Can a thumbs-up cost you thousands? It can.

Partner Wendy Hederman (Mason Hayes & Curran) lays out, in plain English, how a quick WhatsApp, email or text can lock in a binding contract, why “subject to contract” won’t always save your skin, and how your employee’s casual message can bind the whole business.

Fast fixes for SMEs: approvals, authority, and the one line to add before you hit send.

Sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Part 1:Brendan Kavanagh (Grinds360) explains how a hybrid learning model can undercut traditional grinds: where €2,000 per subject becomes ~€1,000 for all 20 subjects, with live nightly classes, a huge on-demand library and student tracking. He shares year-one results (€1.8m) and how revenues hit €2.4m in just late summer, plus expansion to NI/UK and how SAT could bring them a million more students annually from Asia.

Part 2:Brendan Colbert (Poachers Drinks) on fighting global incumbents: shelf tactics, re-engineering the supply chain to reach 55–60% margins, landing premium accounts and pushing into Dunnes (≈45 stores)—with a Poachers Cola coming. And why they'll keep Gaeilge on their bottles when heading into the UK market.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil—made in Mayo, sold worldwide.

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Now on video — watch this episode on YouTube.

Invest like the pros: JoinShuttle.com founders Rob Halligan & Scott Ashmore say they only list deals where a top fund is also investing — and they run their own multi-stage checks before anything goes live. A €250-a-year subscription opens the door. They’ve already backed six deals alongside around 20 funds, with more in the pipeline. They explain why founders welcome their community for more than just the cheque (though that helps!).

Why Pittsburgh, why now: Matt Smith of the Allegheny Conference makes a great case for Irish SMEs to test the US via The Steel City, Pittsburgh. Check out State corporate tax phasing from 9.9% toward 4.9%, some new incentives, and a playbook that connects you straight to CMU/Pitt talent (aka Big Brains particularly in AI and Robotics). Plus: it’s a logistics sweet spot — half a day’s drive to circa 40% of the US market — as well as a lower cost base than the US coasts.

This show is powered by De Facto Shaving Oil — made in Mayo, sold worldwide.

Follow us on LinkedIn for clips, extras and guest call-outs. And don’t miss the video version on YouTube (search That Great Business Show).

Nothing in this show is investment advice. Always do your own research and speak to a professional advisor.

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Why Everyone Wants In to TCD - '...because there's no future for libraries in Florida'.

TCD Provost, Linda Doyle, on 'huge' U.S. Student Surge, Global Competition & The Future of Higher Ed

That Great Business Show — winner of the UCD Smurfit Business School ‘Podcast of the Year’ — takes a masterclass with Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity College Dublin, for a wide-ranging and insightful conversation about the present and future of one of Europe’s most storied universities

With 4,500 staff and a student body that’s becoming more international every year, Doyle shares her vision for Trinity’s next chapter. She talks candidly about the challenges of running a world-class university, the need to compete globally for talent and resources, and the opportunities created by the big jump in American students applying to study at Trinity and the threat to academic freedom in the US. It's all a sign of how Dublin and Ireland are becoming more attractive in the global education marketplace.

This conversation is essential listening across faculties, research groups, professional services and others in 3rd Level education.

Proudly sponsored by De Facto Shaving Oil.

Listen now—and share with your Trinity (and other!) colleagues.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil

Pubs are closing at record rates (150 a year since Covid), but Feargal Chambers of the Four Provinces Pub & Brewery is doing the opposite — expanding.

From zoology teacher to publican and brewer, his story is a masterclass in resilience, local loyalty, and turning community into a business superpower. Backed by GAA stars and iconic Dublin pub families, Feargal proves that with grit, vision, and hyper-local focus, you can not only survive in hospitality but thrive. Expect talk of salmonids, Irish language, the pub as community hub, and why resilience may be the most valuable pint you can pour.

The big takeaway? The pub is not finished! Keyword? Hyper-local.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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Every weekend in Ireland, players are getting knocked about—whether it’s the crunch of a rugby scrum, the thump of a GAA tackle, or a soccer header that rattles the skull. Concussions happen. Too many go unseen, unreported, untreated—and the damage can last a lifetime.

Enter Sports Impact Technologies, a young Irish start-up straight out of UCD Nova, with a world-first solution: a sensor, no bigger than a €1 coin, that tucks in behind the ear and flags head impacts as they happen. Instant alerts, right there on the pitch. That’s player welfare, redefined.

They’ve just raised €650,000 to take it global. We’ve got founder Eóin Tuohy in studio—the man on a mission to make undetected concussions history.

Want to hear how Ireland’s next sports tech game-changer is born? Hit the play button now. Encourage others by sharing.

Economists talk about cycles—booms, busts, peaks, troughs. But my 2nd guest is Jennie Haire,. She's talking about a cycle that’s a whole lot more personal. Jennie’s the founder of Gigi Supplements, the brand turning monthly cycles into big business with a smart, science-backed blend that women swear by.

She’s on her own growth curve too—fresh off the Going for Growth programme, with new funding in the bank, a brand on the rise, and a mission to prove that women’s health is good business.

Want to hear how she’s changing the game, cycle by cycle? Push the play button, baby.

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

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UCD Smurfit 'Podcast of the Year'

Brian Kenny, CEO, Momntum

Laila is her name. She is 'owned' by very early stage startup Momntum. She's an AI chatbot. She remembers you, your foibles and your troubles. She brings chatbots to an absolutely different level. Clever lady she is, she even remembers that you may have mentioned your dog was sick the last time you called her number. When you ring back she's likely to ask after the dog. Bow WOW! Who'll use it? You will, because she makes it sound like your business cares. She'll save you money too and Momntum co-founder Brian Kenny goes through a real-life case study involving Sisu Clinic, where the savings are quite considerable. Laila can also do her business in 700 languages (including Gaeilge - we checked). The business is backed by ACT and Suir Valley Ventures.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', John Collison of Stripe. AND Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia.

Damien O’Brien, Managing Partner, SME Matters

Do you want to grow your business by 42% at a cost of just €275 a month? Of you course you do…you’d be mad not to.

Damien O’Brien, boss at SME Matters got on to us to tell us about a recent success where one of his NAMED clients said the peer to peer learning programme they run had yielded one company 42% growth in just months…so we had to know more.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Paudi Roche and Geraldine Lavin (it's a bit of a cheat, 'cos they already work with him...)

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The newspaper industry is 'existentially challenged'. So says Alan English, former editor of the Sunday Independent, Ireland's biggest selling newspaper.

Though he says that 'end of print is some way off', he does hint that newspaper may end up as a weekend leisure read. That could imply no weekdays editions. It could start with a 'shakeout' of the Irish market and Alan points the finger at UK tabloids in Ireland as being the weakest players in the market, faced with what terms 'the survival of the fittest'. He's not too hopeful about 'a lot of local titles' as well. Part of the problem is that 'it's extremely difficult to make digital pay at the local level'. Add to this the recent calamitous collapse in 'Google referrals' following Google's algorithmic change that has seen people just accepting Google's own answer to a search question.

The worst deal ever done globally in the newspaper industry? Alan says it was the 2005 purchase of the Leinster Leader Group by Johnston Press for €138.6 million (titles included Leinster Leader, Limerick Leader, Offaly Express, Dundalk Democrat, Express and others). By April 2014, Johnston sold its 14 regional newspapers in the Republic of Ireland to Iconic Newspapers Limited, led by Malcolm Denmark, for around €8.5 million. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

Distribution is a major problem. Newspapers are competing with chocolate bars etc for selling space. Innovation in this area appears to have failed. Alan tells a great story about two ninety-year-olds when he was looking for a copy of the Napa Register newspaper while on holidays in California.

Alan, who only recently retired, says 'he has another gig in him'

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Vincent Browne!!! ('the best journalist Ireland has produced in my lifetime' says Alan)

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UCD Smurfit, 'Podcast of the Year'.

David Malone, CEO, Irish League of Credit Unions, new SME loans from your Credit Union.

New rules mean Credit Unions can treble the amount they lend to businesses.

You could end up lending money to yourself, as every borrower must become a CU member (but David is very, very keen to bust the myth that you can only borrow if you have money already on deposit. ( Not True!). Average lending to business is €35,000 but can rise to €500,000.

You can say 'no' to computer as they want to see you, if it suits, in person, in their branches. They say their USP is being local and wanting to understand your business.

From October you'll have instant payments from your CU account, worldwide.

They have a very successful lending initiative with the agricultural sector and they want to replicate that with other sectors now.

He wants to hire John Hume, Derry Credit Union founder and Nobel Prize winner (RIP) as his 'hire in a heartbeat'.

Feargal O'Sullivan, The Morrison Legacy Foundation

Around 45,000 Irish people got 'Morrison Visas' back in the early 1990's thanks to US Congressman Bruce Morrison. This was a lifeline for many. Now, some of those recipients want to say 'Thanks' to Bruce Morrison at a Big Bash at the spectacular Rainbow Rooms at the Top of the Rock in Manhattan. They want to collect the stories of those who came to the States on those unique visas, to tell their story. If you are one of them, you can write your personal story on their website Morrison Legacy dot com. However, if you are one of those who 'done good' from your time now or previously in the US, on the back of a Morrison visa, you can say a bigger thank you by buying a ticket to the event. If you've done really, really well from your time in the States, or what you learnt during your time in the States, you can break out the wallet and take a Top Table for Ten, for $50,000. It promises to be one hell of a night.

Feargal's 'hire in a heartbeat'? Barrack Obama. (Feargal was quite coy about who might rock up on the night. Barrack???)

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

'Moving away from media'

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Irish Management Institute, the IMI, annual conference was THE BIG business event in Ireland. Think Tech Summit, before tech. Held in Killarney every year it would attract 800 top executives who strutted their brilliance there. If you were invited to speak at the IMI conference, you HAD ARRIVED.

However, the Financial Crisis along with Covid, did for the Big Conference, when 800 attendees became more like 80. Things were financially tight, accumulating losses in the order of €5million. Owned by University College Dublin, it was sold not so long ago to the Business Post Group, owner of the eponymous newspaper, as well as a polling company and an events company.

There are plenty of options for business education, anywhere from UCD Smurfit (our favourite since they gave us that award!) to 'in person' or online at world renowned business schools like Harvard or INSEAD. So, why the Business Post, and why the IMI? 

Who better to answer than Colm O’Reilly, COO of the Business Post, and Shane O’Sullivan, CEO of the IMI.

Regular listeners know what we think of bankers. If you haven't heard us on the subject, do listen back to Episode 254 when we had a chat with Mary O’Dea of the IOB, formerly the Institute of Bankers. Spoiler alert. At least we kept it civil!

Our 2nd guest is Gary Grimes doesn’t run a bank — and that’s the point. He’s founder of Simplí Finance.

In a world where SMEs are ghosted by the pillar banks, where it’s too often ‘computer says no’,  Gary and his team can step in with non-bank finance — stock loans, working capital, the lot — particularly when you don’t even know such options exist. However, that finance can come at a price.

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Everything you ever wanted to know about a coffee business but were afraid to ask, including how to sell a cup of coffee for €20.

Alan Andrews, Founder, Old Barracks Coffee Company explains all.

This is absolute essential listening for anyone going into any kind of business, but particularly if you see yourself, or a son or daughter, making a living from coffee. Alan gives it BIG thumbs up...

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? His soon-to-be wife, Siobhan Cronin.

When things go wrong in business it can be absolutely brutal. Brutal is the word used by HealthBeacon co-founder Kieran Daly to describe the time (not so long ago) his business went into examinership. Bought by US giant Hamilton Beach, toaster and kettle makers, the Irish manufacturer has doubled revenue and halved costs. Ironically, skinny jabs are making HealthBeacon fat. Bust businesses can survive and thrive.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' (and that of many Dublin GAA supporters), Jim Gavin.

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Longford based Butler Manufacturing Services serves customers in 60plus countries across the world. They manufacture clever sewage systems that has won them business across the world, in Iraq during war, Alaska and most recently in Monserrat. And how do they do it? By being the best. Seamus Butler who runs the business talks about seriously tough times that he and his fellow director, is wife, have gone through, including a bank demanding that his wife sign away her rights under the Family Home Protection Act, to access a loan. That was then, this is now. Seamus shares a simple idea (all the best ones are!) that could free up land for housing immediately - while we wait for Uisce Éireann and others to service sites. Naturally, with a world winning product he wonders why Uisce Éireann won't specify their product for use in Ireland. Real business stories on Ireland's best business podcast.

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Eugene Garrihy spent more than a quarter of a century in construction, but the Great Crash saw that come to an end. He took to the sea, as founder of Dublin Bay Cruises, a business that brings tens of thousands of visitors around Dublin Bay. You can also commute from Dun Laoghaire to downtown Dublin, if you have the time.

Eugene believes that there are many more opportunities for new ocean based businesses waiting to be exploited. Having collected his own pension he hints that his own business could be for sale...but then he mentions and new one that has taken his fancy.

He has three 'hires in a heartbeat', Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, Michael McGrath TD and Paschal Donohoe TD.

Despite being down to just two and a half banks the numbers working in the country's financial services industry continues to grow. And with changes in technology, like the rise and rise of AI, means what those people do, day to day, keeps changing. To keep up with those changes people have to be upskilled and reskilled. That's what the one time Institute of Bankers, now the IOB, does. Mary O'Dea is CEO of IOB.ie and she gives a perfect pitch for her services. She says there are probably 6,000 vacancies in the industry at the moment. Her team can train people to fill those vacancies. They can give you micro credential training, confirmed on blockchain. She explains, including how much this training will cost. You could get up to 95% funding to educate yourself. You can send them an email and they promise they'll answer.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', her husband who works for the World Bank, Tony Tyrrell (he's also a singer)

It started with horses. Janni Sjostrand came for a horse riding holiday...and stayed. In 2010 Swede Janni started her first horse business buying and selling horses. That was until 2018, the year of the hot summer. There was no fodder made and that put and end to Janni and her horse business. She went from 160 horses down to 5. With no warning. It just stopped. The reality of business. Lessons have been learnt. And there was a big silver lining to her dark cloud. She went from horses to soap. Soap for humans...but also soap for horses, and dogs. Her soap formulation is very, very good for your skin. And for curly hair. She is very interesting about the hassle of trying to do sell into and import from the UK. She's found a workaround. And she never stops doing her market research. She has been working with Longford LEO to grow her business. She's taken five days off in the last couple of years. Business is tough.

Her hire in a heartbeat, Angela Woodard.

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What makes a CEO? Vision, charisma, brilliance… or just a thick skin and a knack for corporate politics?

On That Great Business Show, Episode 253, Conall O Móráin sits down with the authors of The CEO: The Rise and Fall of Britain’s Captains of Industry to dissect decades of boardroom drama, dodgy decisions, and the oversized egos that have shaped British business.

Expect boardroom bloodsports, industrial hubris, and one rival CEO who famously branded his competitor “an odious little shit” (and no, we’re not making that up). And there's more...

It’s a hilarious, sobering (the average FTSE 100 CEO earns the average UK wage by the 4th of January of any particular year), and brutally honest look at the people running the show—and what happens when they run it into the ground. If you're female and want to be a CEO, this is essential listening.

BTW, after this, it might be worth having a look at your LinkedIn profile and maybe editing it!

Their 'hires in a heartbeat'...

Michael Aldous would like - Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever

John D. Turner's choice - Thomas Lipton, a merchant who created the Liptons brand.

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Brought to you by De Facto Shaving Oil – the world’s best shaving oil (and we’ve tried them all).

On this episode;

Victor Finn, CEO of IMRO, wants Ireland to give musicians a break – tax breaks, grants, the lot. He’s got a new report and a big ask for government to back the people who make the music we all live our lives to. Should they get it? We find out.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Jarlath Byrne, the GAA boss.

Then, Darren Costello says Irish businesses are still leaving money on the table. He’s urging SMEs to grab their digital grants and put their businesses properly online. Are you missing out? You could be. His new business is called Sort My Business...and he's trying to get businesses to take up their 'Grow Digital' grant, where the take up so far is very poor.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Aaron Mooney of Action24

Two great guests. One unmissable listen.

And as ever, powered by De Facto Shaving Oil – the small bottle with the big reputation.

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We do business differently. UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'.

Ruairi McLoughlin, Anaula, raising cash to replace carbon fuels.

He's on Twitter first name terms with Elon, that he met when he was pitching his project at Space X. 'An awkward person'.

Ruairi says that we could replace ALL diesel with micro algae made fuel.

It’s a remarkable story of how green chemistry and robotics are cleaning up heavy industry — and how a small Irish team is creating global impact.

Anaula.eco is where you can send the cheque, if you want in to what could be a massive business.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' Adrian Newey, former chief technology officer of the Red Bull Racing, Partially, because he likes a pen and paper.

An 'all-round antidote to sales bullshit' is what ChatGPT called Alan Whelan. So that was a very good start.

Alan Whelan has written 'the book', 'The Sales Professional's Handbook' - everything you wanted to know about selling and had asked.

Alan's own friends hate sales people. Or do they?

He gives loads and loads and loads of selling tips. Spoiler alert, get rid of the phone.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', his brother Ian Whelan. Find out why.

Dale Carnegie, Auxilia Group, Rory Gillen, Strengths Deployment Inventory - cruciallearning.com all get a mention.

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UCD Smurfit Business School Podcast of the Year

Aine Kennedy and Billy Kennedy, of the Smooth Company. Aine is a Tik Tok queen, with millions and millions of views, with help from GRANDAD Billy.

Aine doesn't hold back, she discusses her business journey, warts and all on her journey to 'world domination'.

She's stocked in Brown Thomas having entered a competition with the store, but she lost. But won. She explains.

Oh, she's looking for money, but only smart money...like Emma Grede, co-founder of wonderbrand, Skims

Billy wants to hire Marc Rieu, son of Andre Rieu, who between them have built a music empire.

Working from home. Or not. It could be argued that law is about an interpretation of the rules, with the addition of precedent.

COVID sent us all office workers home from where many still continue to work and wish to work. But once we saw the Biggies like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan telling their staff to get back to the office we knew the jig was up...it was going to be 'back to the office' for the rest. But is it? Peter Leonard is a barrister and co-presenter of The Fifth Court and he joins us to explain the very latest from the courts and more particularly the WRC, the Workplace Relations Commission, where these issues are thrashed out on a regular basis.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', HouseMartin's Paul Heaton

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Bad news. Thousands of ordinary businesses are being hit for small, but significant ransoms, via online hackers. Yes, they're targetting your small business. Every invoice, every payment, every piece of your business information is now in the hands of the Bad Actors. Once they have your invoices, they're out to commit invoice fraud. It can even happen to staff payment, where the staff bank details is compromised. We explain how it's done and it is ...BAD.

Ian Power, wannabe Waterford rocker with 'Sleeze and Cheese' ('we're all failed musicians',),' but also CEO of Unitec tries to make the end of Windows 10 (still used by over 45% of SMEs) as sexy as possible. But did he succeed??

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Steve Jobs because of his innovative mind. Which brought us to Steve's pal, Johnny Ive and his new product that may replace the smartphone.

Emma Maye, CEO, Ardale.

EX Salesforce she's now building houses. Lots of houses. She's also a Image magazine PWC Business Woman of the Year.

Her Salesforce ambitions fell apart (she wanted to head to the top) with the sudden and unexpected death of her dad, Liam Maye, the well know developer. His death coincided with The Property Crash and Emma took it upon herself to try to help her mum sort out her dad's international estate that involved 32 co-owners.

She had '3 NAMA babies'...wait till you hear about the stress.

Planning, planning and planning is her biggest bugbear.

Storage is her next big business.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', Richard Branson (like Emma, another dyslexic)

There's a maths teacher called Mr. Brennan, who was in a grind school in Dundrum, Dublin, who changed Emma's life, it could be said.

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David Dowling, Cronin Group & Eilis Quinlan, Eilis Quinlan Accountants

Quadrupling' of Americans leaving Trump's USA for Ireland - according to David Dowling, Commercial Director at The Cronin Group, one of Ireland's largest moving specialists. One of a number of subsidiaries specialises in moving employees to Ireland. He has seen a very large increase in 'others', not directly employed by US firms, moving from the US to Ireland in recent times.

The Cronin Group has a fascinating history, with Michael Collin's lover, Kitty Kiernan (we cover all bases on TGBS!).

If you want a museum, or four hospitals moved, you phone David. No matter what the size, the object or the location, he says they can do it, and probably have done it all before. He also explains why the Depart of Agriculture (!) has to get involved in moving machinery (no, not plants or animals) abroad. There's also a great story about a Hewlett Packard employee who didn't know (until now) his car was left at Dublin Airport for almost three years. Cronin's paid the parking charges! And, they moved Francis Bacon. Well not the artist himself, who is unfortunately no longer with us, but his entire studio, to the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, from London.

His hire in a heartbeat? Dave Shannon of Grow Sales who has been tasked with growing the Cronin business threefold. No pressure then.

Eilis Quinlan, Naas Accountant that has just merged with AVID accountants.

Eilis has served on the ISME Board and is one of Ireland's finest 'listening posts' for SME businesses in Ireland. What she doesn't know about what is ailing Irish business isn't worth knowing. And, she also knows how to fix many of our economies problems. The says it is a 'really scary place' out there for SMEs, and she has seen every up and down in the economy over the last third of a century. She suggests that the government should 'lure' foreign banks to Ireland to increase competition.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat' is her new merger partner, Jamie O'Hanlon of Avid Partners - who is himself, according to Eilis, a BS free zone.

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John's business is an overnight success after five years. He has raised €2 million raised and he says a further €2m could be on the way. He has a team of 31, and that will grow to 40-50 by the end of the year. He's targeting, amongst many/any other clubs, organisations, societies the GAA 2,500 clubs worldwide. He's also targetting High School sports teams in the US and and he's heading to Oz to see what sports clubs he could snag down there.

He explains how he uses the Young Big Brains at UCD Smurfit Business School for research.

Terry Clune is his 'hire in a heartbeat' AND if GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) NFL quarterback, Tom Brady, is listening he'd like a word with him - his family is from Cavan after all (and seemingly very proud of it)

Also mentioned are Cathriona Hallahan, Irish Hereford Association, Cavan GAA (plus eight other County Boards), UCD Sports Management Course, Vodafone, Dermot Desmond and Tony Smurfit

Also on Episode 247 is Dr. Maria Gallo, author of 'The Alumni Way' who gives NOT her two cents rule, but her two sentence rule on how to effectively (but not cynically) use your alumni connections, not just from your school or college, but from your badminton society or your horticultural society. It may sound uncomfortable to Irish people, but not if you abide by her 5:1 rule (you'll have to listen to learn it).

How you connect with your fellow alumni, is NOT about looking for something, it is about helping others. She explains that you have to get your niche or pitch down to just two sentences so that everyone you'll meet will know who or what you'd like to be connected with...'working with Diarmuid Gavin', if you dig gardening.

Make sure to ask curious questions and broaden your network.

Maria's 'hire in a heartbeat', her brother Marco Gallo, who works with Henry's Camera in Canada (Marco, we'd like to have you on the podcast when you're next in Ireland)

And Maria wants to 'hire' Lorraine Tansey, of Student Volunteer Ireland

And speaking of alums...this chat started randomly at a Trinity (College Dublin) Business Alumni Association annual dinner.

All our tips, insights, opportunities and inspiration are brought to you thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil. The world's best. Fact.

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Take a seat. Here's Ciaran Finane, one half of the Finline Furniture team. They are one of Ireland's finest furniture manufacturers, shipping to 65 countries worldwide, including diplomatic residences. That's not straightforward. Every piece of furniture has to be vetted for listening devices and other James Bond like issues. Fun fact - you can ship a sofa from Emo, Co. Laois to Mexico City in 28 days.

Their big pivot was to start selling to the public direct. They've bought a 25,000 sq ft salesroom on the Longmile Road in Dublin that has recently been opened to the public. (They also have showrooms on Cork, Galway and Laois - they have 85 employees now, but they have plans to grow again. That growth may come from bedding, or is that what he hinted at??). They also 'grow their own' employees, via long term training. However, finding employees is a challenge.

Every piece of furniture is checked before leaving the factory. That's 250 pieces and they have a bounty or bonus if their operatives find a flaw. Ciaran explains why it makes sense. They ship to China, where there's plenty of competition, but Finline wins business by pitching at the high end.

He's a big fan of trade shows to find customers in the UK and beyond.

The company is great on recirculating their old furniture. They'll buy their old furniture from you and have it refurbished.

Mark Cuban is his 'hire in a heartbeat'.

Do you experience that Monday Morning Dread? Particularly when your team doesn't turn up for work?? Mary Finn, is founder of Connect4Work, based in Galway. She weans people who may be burnout, back to work. She has worked with people who have been absent from work for longer than four weeks, and up to a whopping five years. She explains how best to reintroduce people back to work following a lengthy absence. Mental health in business is a huge issue and That Great Business Show wants to smash that taboo of people avoiding saying 'I have a mental health problem'. Curiously, some physical illnesses can lead to mental health issues too.

'Who's at my desk?', can be a huge problem for people coming back to work, having been out for a while.

Going back to work does NOT mean you have to be 100% fit to get back to work. Mary recommends a slow return, reintegrating only when someone is ready - and maybe for one or two days at a time, to start with - for example, for people who have been hit with cancer.

Mary Finn's 'hires in a heartbeat' is Alex Polizzi, The Hotel Inspector, (TV), Richard Branson (his organisation does wellness 'very well'), Biddy O'Neill (Healthy Ireland Programme, HSE), Sinead Burke (Tilting the Lens), Sinead Kane (lawyer)

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, not a beard oil, it's a shaving oil, for anyone who shaves.

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Police drummer, Stewart Copeland on the need for creative industries to embrace AI. His 'Secret Mission' project, his new book on how to be a rockstar, when he realised he would be famous, working again with Sting, hiring David Grohl as well as Paul McGuinness, the vain futility of awards, how to spot a musical prodigy in your family, opportunities in the creative industries to make mi$$ions...and one to keep an eye on. Arthur Guinness. Oh, and his appearance at the Dublin Tech Summit.

Fan-tas-tic.

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UCD Smurfit Business School 'Podcast of the Year'

Jason McLaughlin. TPS Plastics. Based in Drumcollegher, Limerick, TPS is one of those fascinating companies we love to feature. Hidden in plain sight, they are producing high-precision components for the medical, automotive, and aerospace sectors AND they’re pioneering digital twin technologies – something you need to know about. They're also working on plastic that eats itself!

Sam Moorhead and Mikey Fleming as Co-Creative Directors

We love a good ad. Like they had in the 'good old days', Ones like radio ads, run at breakfast time, for Nilverm, 10/10/20 and Cheno Unction ‘a quare name, but great stuff, mostly chemicals for the agricultural sector, many of which are either banned or heavily reformulated since then. And of course the tractor ads, like 'Zetor, that’s better’ - nothing but quality all the way. And a sign of how dependent the Irish economy was on ag 'back then'. We like to think that ads should be part of the entertainment of radio and TV but the view at Business Show HQ is that nowadays too many ads are spelt C. R. A. P. That's why we've asked in two top advertising heavyweights, Sam Moorehead and Mikey Fleming, Co-Creative Directors at Connelly Partners, to see if we can fix that problem.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Shaving Oil. Don't forget to bring the 25ml bottle on holidays with you. Made to get through airport security.

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The role of delivery in the food business - "I like horses but I'm not going to ride a horse to work every day" - that's Sean Murray, founder of Hosted Kitchens, explaining that he loves food, but he doesn't love cooking for himself. He says his 'dark kitchen' business is only going one way - up, up and up. When he has conquered Dublin he's then heading to Galway, Limerick and Cork as well as Belfast and Derry, so if you're dreaming of having a food business in any of those locations, keep listening.

And, it's not just about cooking. He's big in delivery too - which is his original business.

Hosted Kitchens can reach 250,000 people from their new 8,000 sq. ft. Glasnevin premises.

He already has Allbar Chicken ("best chicken wings in Dublin") and he's very keen to attract Chick-Fil-A (already in Northern Ireland) to work from his kitchens.

He's a big believer in drone deliveries - they serve him dinner regularly.

They have already funded, with a seed round of €1.25 and an A round of €2.4 and they'll be going again.

There are over 1,000 'dark kitchens' in London, so that's not a target. He's sticking with Ireland for the next 3-5 years.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Rory McIlroy, for his resilience. (Sean advises to keep thinking of the 'good days' during the 'bad days')

ECO Powered Cabinets

Darren Forde, CEO, a design engineer with Mayo Co. Council, has a side business designing, creating and placing medical cabinets to save lives in remote places. They're on top of Croagh Patrick, they'll be on the side of the road on motorways, the first one has been placed in an Applegreen M4 motorway service station. There are 10 units in Australia that hold snake bite medicine. He has his cabinets patented. He needs a Dragon's backing (Peter Jones or Debra Meaden) from the Dragon's Den. Timmy Mallett, the UK TV personality, has been in touch and he has been posting about it to 500,000 followers.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Sean Canny TD for his contacts.

With thanks to De Facto Shave dot com.

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We bring you the 'Absolute Truth', as Florida HQ'd Partsol announce they've moved their operational HQ to Ireland. John Callahan, CTO Partsol has just landed in Ireland with a very, very interesting twist on AI - they search for information in a very different way, hoping to expunge mistakes (some error rates with other AI systems can be as high as 25% according to John). Their product is aimed particularly at sectors that really, really need absolutely accuracy in its information (banks, insurance companies, government). They've had interest from Hollywood. And, even the simplest businesses can benefit from Partsol knowledge as well, like bread making. He explains. And, they're looking for businesses to partner with.

Partsol has already raised $17.5 million already and they're going again to raise up to $50 million to make a land grab. He's hiring and just four days in Ireland he has already hired his first hire. They need up to maybe 100 more people...and that's just in Ireland. They'll be hiring across Europe.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Chris Baker, a rollercoaster thinker.

Mark John, founder of Tramshed Tech. Thanks to the Welsh Government office at the British Embassy in Ireland, we will be running a series of chats highlighting the opportunities for Irish businesses using Wales as a stepping stone to the UK market, that is six times the size of the Irish market. They have many incentives to entice companies to base themselves in Wales, including introductory offers on office space, they have a couple of investment funds (you need to register as a UK company to benefit), as well as family offices etc, and a networking system not unlike Ireland. The Welsh know every other Welsh person, anywhere. The creative sector is very strong and Mark says there are many opportunities for Irish creative companies, including access to the UK broadcast market.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' David Stevens, of The Admiral Group

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Too much juicy 3D data, not enough ways to actually use it? Soarvo has fixed that. Think less head-scratching, more wow-factor maps.

KOREC Group’s New BFF, they've teamed up to spread their geospatial gospel across the #UK and #Ireland.

Construction? Check. Agriculture? Yup. Telecoms? Absolutely. You can check every motorway for wear and tear from the comfort of your laptop...it means the end of the little man, with is measuring wheel, dicing with death on the hard shoulder of motorways.

And you'll be amazed what needs mapping, like (sshhh, we're not allowed to mention) Formula 1 tracks (safety first, no debris), horse racing tracks (which has a knock on to Paddy Power betting, for example) - they can even tell you if your house roof needs fixing...the applications are near endless.

Alan's 'hire in a heartbeat', Michael O'Leary, 'possibly Ireland's best CEO ever!'

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil - NOT a beard oil, the all natural oil for anyone who shaves.

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Geoff Allen, co-founder Mersus Technologies - a VR company (not a training company!) that is changing how we do business in so many sectors. What they do is truly amazing. We know. We've seen their work. Having recently won a place on the Meta app store they're only one click away from 24,000,000 headsets (a number that is about to explode in size). They use gaming software to digitise training. They create a 'virtual twin' of a workplace, a virtual factory. They're passing tacit knowledge (knowledge gained through experience) to incoming staff. They're world leaders in the sector. Their big problem is funding, funding and funding. They're looking for a High Net Worth Individual who knows the bio/pharma space, to join as an investor.

His 'hire in a heartbeats' are Pat McDonagh of SuperMacs and Stephen Grant of Grant Boilers.

Improve your businesses' operational efficiency by 40%. Helen Burke, lead-founder Teambase Ireland, joins That Great Business Show to explain how she does it for the insurance industry and how other industries can learn from her. She has her eye on Ireland and the UK right now, having served her time as a kindergarten teacher (teaching the letter A for three weeks solid wasn't for her) in the Middle East where she came across Teambase. She says the insurance industry is still using Excel, hand written or copy and pasted, taking hours and hours to find insurance solutions. She's taking the donkey work out of this process. Networks are golden she says and she loves her insurance networks around the world.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat' is Jim Campion, that we had on a previous episode of the podcast.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the world's best shaving oil (not a beard oil, it's for anyone who shaves).

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Laurent Germain, CEO, Egis Worldwide

Steven Preece, CEO, Egis Ireland.

Egis, the engineering company, the largest engineering company in Ireland, and they gave you The Port Tunnel, the Jack Lynch Tunnel, the Limerick Tunnel...and so, so much more. They're also making sure the Adare bypass happens before the Ryder Cup comes to Limerick.

We have two bosses in studio with us, the Irish boss and the Big Big boss, of a company employing 20,000 people worldwide. They have €1billion to double the size of the company...and they're looking for acquisitions in Ireland as well as worldwide.

• They tell us why Cork, Limerick or Galway won’t be having a high speed train anytime soon.
• Why the government should follow the French model and hire the best engineers to project manage big infrastructure projects to keep them somewhere near budget. (In an earlier 13-year long career Laurent worked at the top end of government in France)
• And why Ireland needs another 6,000 engineers – right now. (Egis is hiring too).

Their 'hires in a heartbeat'

The French boss opted for French star, Antoine Dupont

The English born, Irish boss, opted for Ireland and Lions coach, Englishman Andy Farrell

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Thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil

Lithuanians William and Anthony explain how they ended up in Longford, set up a business called Tolvita together, importing and selling coated steel cladding that is ideal for home construction. Originally they came to 'collect a few bob' but a chat with MicroFinance Ireland led them to the Longford LEO who helped them create their enterprise. They're now looking for others in the domestic construction business to use their products that they (naturally) say is better than the rest. They have big ambitions to break into the Northern Ireland and British markets. There's a business opportunity here.

Their 'hire in heartbeat'? Richard Branson and Elon Musk (added reluctantly)

Michael Mi-Xuan borrowed time from C&D Petfoods when he worked their as a general operative to research his business. He had been into break dancing and ballet and had a yearning for bodybuilding. He knew nothing about the gym business, but that did not hold this born entrepreneur back. He borrowed money for 'his wedding' from Ulster Bank to set up his gym business in Longford. He then bought 2nd hand equipment from N. Ireland. But disaster. He had nowhere to put the equipment. A local businessman stepped in and Michael now has a thriving gym business, with ambitions to keep growing beyond Longford. And as an Irish body building champion he also has world ambitions win big internationally. This is a fun interview with business insights that include his views on nutrition. Spoiler alert. Don't eat junk near him!

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? International business coach Dan Pena - the one trillion man.

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UCD Smurfit School, 'Podcast of the Year'

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the world's best shaving oil.

Alex Harris, co-founder, CogniStream

Turning market research on its head, using AI bots that sound more human than humans, creating campaigns in hours not weeks or months, cutting the cost by 90%, affordable for businesses of all sizes that are launching a number of products or services every year - and soon available in multi-languages.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', Dr. Deirdre Robertson. They want her brains to make sense of what CogniStream is finding out.

Avril Power, co-founder, Giyst

Another AI plus marketing driven company that can take hundreds of hours of video, chop it, dice it and make it into something that people might actually watch. Your annual conference, shrunk to minutes. Your two hour webinar, delivered to you in a two minutes, salient points added. And all done in almost instantly. They've got patents. The may have a world business. They just need to raise €250k. Well worth a listen.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Canva founder Melanie Perkins and Sonru founder (and seller) Ed Hendrick

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UCD Smurfit Business School 'Podcast of the Year'

Jacqueline and Bernie Ffrench

Investing in employee wellness isn’t just a trend—it’s a business advantage. A healthier, more engaged workforce drives productivity, innovation, and success. Here’s why:

When employees feel physically and mentally well, they bring higher energy levels, sharper focus, and better problem-solving skills to work. Studies show that companies with strong wellness programs see a 20%+ boost in productivity.

Workplace wellness initiatives lower stress, prevent burnout, and reduce sick leave. Businesses that prioritise wellness report fewer absences and lower long-term healthcare expenses, benefiting both employees and employers.

Employees value workplaces that care about their well-being. A well-designed wellness program boosts job satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty, helping businesses attract and retain top talent.

Wellness isn’t just a perk—it’s a strategy for success.

#WorkplaceWellness #BusinessGrowth #HealthyEmployees #CorporateCulture #EmployeeEngagement #Leadership #WellbeingAtWork #MentalHealthMatters #FutureOfWork

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

An investment company that says they’re aiming to defy the "accepted norm", by flipping 70% failure, to a 70% success rate

MARTIN DUFFY is General Partner with Hibernia-Lab, at Dublin based early stage venture labs ecosystem that, inter alia, conducts 'thorough market research' develops ‘a unique value proposition’, identifies growth opportunities for almost any business, 'differentiates your brand', and maximises your businesses' market potential. Its investments appears positively eclectic with a portfolio of more than ten investments that includes a company that advises rugby teams, and another, called Team Taca (backed by dad and daughter team of Niall and Aisling Quinn) that has created a platform for youth soccer clubs. Hibernia-Lab has also worked with Leinster Rugby at Syracuse University.

Martin covers an awful, awful lot about business on this episode.

His 'hires in a heartbeat'? The late Nicola Tesla or the very much alive (and That Great Business Tip for the Top) Emma Meehan of Precision Sports Technology

Margaret Dineen - Food Whisperer

We like feature so many early stage food companies on the podcast as they make business accessible and understandable, whether we’re talking about buying, selling, marketing or doing deliveries. Lessons learnt from making bread, no matter what your industry, can make you bread.

Accountant Margaret Dineen is a food business whisperer. Her business Blue Sky Food Consulting, is a supply chain and commercial finance advisory service. Her other business, The Irish Food Trade Connect Forum is a Food and Drinks nationwide platform for trade development for the Irish Food and Drinks industry.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Niamh Lenehan, CEO, Agri-Food Regulator

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

A special episode recorded in Longford, thanks to the Longford Local Enterprise Office that is keen to highlight the international diversity of businesses being set up in Longford, with budding entrepreneurs from all over the world being drawn to the county.

On this episode we have two women entrepreneurs from very different parts of the world and both with unbridled ambition for their businesses.

Jenna Farrell, co-founder of Scopey, explains what Scope Creep is and how to cure it. Essential listening for anyone selling a service where clients demand more for less.

Uche Chiemeka is founder of UC Nuts. Covid almost did for her fledgling nuts business, but then she saw an ad for Supervalu's Food Academy. She says it was 'life changing'.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil www.DeFactoShave.com

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A banker who wanted to run a car sharing business but turned to lens making instead. Simon Forsyth is part of the Lir Optic team at UCD Nova, the UCD spin out lab. They've come up with a 'world beating lens' they believe. It shifts shape by applying an electric current to it. That means no little motors to drive lenses in and out. That means thinner, cheaper phones and laptops, and...well anything that uses cameras, which is quite a lot. They're raising €3 million to bring it to the world. The market is so big we don't have enough zeroes on the keyboard to type it out...and they're in talks with A Big Company. Could be huge.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Steve Jobs, who had the greatest team of optical engineers ever.

SaaS Apocalypse is something new to us at That Great Business Show. It’s a term used by Niall O’Gorman, founder of MarketSizer, a competitive intelligence platform that helps SaaS companies find the right customers, optimize growth, and stay ahead of the competition. Wait until you hear how detailed they can be. They say they can know more about a company than the company owners may do. And other analyses they can do is pretty mind blowing. They track 60 million SaaS subscriptions at the moment. And growing. Very fast. Next may be an 'always on' analysis of what big companies are using, and telling the procurement what is being spent, on what etc.

They're raising €1.5m. to head to North America.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Matt Damon, because he was once 'stranded on Mars'.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the world's best.

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Ireland’s Best Business Podcast - UCD Smurfit Business School 'Podcast of the Year' brings you two incredible stories of entrepreneurship and innovation!

💼 From Milan’s Theatres to Dublin’s Boardrooms

Meet Ilaria Eugenia Ferri, the ‘Mary Poppins’ of business—a Virtual Assistant who helps companies scale, streamline, and stay organised. After swapping Milan’s top theatres for Dublin, she turned her passion for organisation into profit, helping small businesses structure their operations for success.

🍓 Revolutionising Jam with Mór Taste

Felix Oster is leading the jam revolution, crafting Europe’s fruitiest jams with 85% real fruit and zero concentrates. His journey—from food manufacturing to judging at the World Cheese Awards—led him to create a healthier, tastier jam inspired by an unexpected moment in the Swiss mountains.

• Tune in for inspiring business insights and don’t forget to REPOST & SHARE!
• What’s your biggest takeaway from this episode? Let us know in the comments!
• 
  

#ThatGreatBusinessShow #IrishEntrepreneurs #VirtualAssistant #FoodInnovation #SmallBusiness #Podcast

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Michael Guerin, founder Imvizar, making tourist attractions eh, more attractive. And, his second business, Lureo, will make anyone a Hollywood director. It's Canva for 3D videos.

He travels. A lot. But that's business. And he expects his team to rock up to the office. Even the ones who live in Lisbon and Marseille.

And, there's a land grab going on in the sector, so having raised €1.5m he's going to raise more funds by the end of this year to bring the business big in the US.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Walt Disney.

Ciaran Doherty, founder of Loadar, cutting costs in a very significant way for big businesses that ship products - by land, sea or air. The biggest problem they're solving is pricing - the number of variables is huge, but Loadar automates the process. He's looking for the world's biggest shippers, a couple of thousand businesses only, but if he secures them that would make Loadar very, very successful indeed. Invest NI and Catalyst sent Ciaran to MIT in the US for a week. It transformed him and his business. In a week.

It took him just eight weeks to raise €4m from Frontline Ventures amongst others.

He talks us through on how to win business. Step by step.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Adam Blake of MIT. We want Adam for the for the podcast. Please.

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UCD Smurfit 'Podcast of the Year'

IKEA? Check. Jysk? Check. AJ Products. ??? Yes, it's another hugely successful Nordic brand, available across 19 countries, including Ireland. Tanya Cawley is the Ireland country boss and she tells us what's in the secret sauce. Not surprisingly, attention to detail is very, very important. Oh, and she likes a clean desk. Very, very clean. And shut that drawer!

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Sharon Carey who works at Dunnes Stores.

How to make smarter decisions in a noisy world. Nuala Walsh is an extraordinarily well qualified woman who has written a book - 'Tune In' (Harriman House) - about decision making. It's a practical resource for making better choices. Now, what business would not want that? She says the book will show how to make fewer errors.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Bill Clinton

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil. For everyone who shaves.

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

A 'handy number'? Some Non-Executive Directors, NED, can earn €80k for a monthly board meeting...some can earn twice that. Carol Bolger, formerly senior executive at Ulster Bank and Faculty member at Institute of Directors Ireland, teaches how to become a director at the Institute of Directors (IoD). You may be able to become a NED. Carol tells you how. At 10.00" she explains how tough it was being a senior banker in 2008, during the Financial Crisis.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Mairead McGuinness, former EU Commissioner.

Rebecca Markey is CEO of IFP Media and, of course, she 'gives back' by being Chair of the Enterprise Committee of the RDS. Once upon a time the RDS was the 'go to' place for agricultural training. That's mostly in the past. Now the RDS is promoting the 'circular economy' (using, reusing, replacing, substituting) that one report from InterTrade Ireland says there's €3 billion a year going abegging. The RDS is running a programme to promote the 'circular economy' and they want your company to apply. Like now. There's a cash prize along with some invaluable publicity.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Don Draper for Marketing as well as Blake from Glengarry Glen Ross

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, for anyone who shaves. De Facto Shave dot com.

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Economist Alan McQuaid sees the end of the EU...and what's happening to the UK economy???

He wants our Government to spend some of the Apple billions on a massive airlift of SMEs on trade missions worldwide.

He says SMEs should get more grants, rent rebates and insurance subsidies.

'No Dáil politician should be a a multiple home owner'

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? All of the SMEs that have feature on That Great Business Show (he's a big fan) OR Nigel Owens (hear him on Episode 212).

Crossbar.

Willo King has run bars, off licenses, created a party app, manufactured party goods...and now runs a recycle bicycle business.

She's a classic SME entrepreneur and she's an inspiration to anyone thinking of starting their own business.

If you're in the bike business she'd like a word.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', Edie King (aka her daughter). Find out why.

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

We know about XXX businesses, the ones that sell the dodgy stuff, but how about 50X businesses???

The 50X Programme from SME Matters connects you and your business with like-minded business owners in a peer-to-peer learning environment that’s transformative. Damien O'Brien is CEO of SME Matters and he says he doesn't offer just support— he calls it empowerment. And, he wants you to step into a new way of leading and succeeding. Listen to get a free masterclass.

Every business owner, or wannabe entrepreneur, is full of good intentions…to do more R&D, find cleverer ways of making things, and of course finding anything, anything to remove costs from the business. But of course, REAL LIFE gets in the way. The boiler needs fixing and your favourite person in accounts has headed for Australia and needs replacing. But fear not. That Great Business Show is here to help.  Research Ireland wants to help with whatever it takes to make Irish businesses more dynamic, more innovative…indeed anything that makes our economy more competitive on the world stage. It is NOT just for big companies. Your business – no matter what size – can benefit. Ciaran Seoighe is Deputy CEO at Research Ireland tells us what’s available, who can get their goodies, and how to go about it…

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

Jim Campion, the man who didn't pivot, but who made a fortune (allegedly) by selling his eponymous insurance business to UK insurance consolidator PIB.

Jim served a very, very short time in the Civil Service, but then got into the insurance business - a business from which he has never pivoted. He now has 22 offices across the State. His first expansionary step was in buying Phil Hogan's (later EU Commissioner) insurance brokerage. And he wants to do more, buying as many smaller insurance brokers' offices as possible. He has 525 people working for him and and he's hiring another ten a month. He does get cheesed off though when people he hires don't turn up for work from Day One. He says 'if you want bodies go to the morgue', he's very interesting about retaining staff.

Then there was a cyber hack that shut down his business. Very serious. Interestingly, this experience made him think of selling.

Hire in a heartbeat? Brian Cody

Shemaine Doyle, founder Brave Marketing, who went to Dubai for two years and came back after eleven years - bringing with her a husband and two young kids. She was once big in marketing with Aryzta but she got the itch...the itch to set up on her own. Despite being very senior in business she still felt she needed networking. So she joined the Back for Business programme - for returning emigres who want to get back into business.

Shemaine explains how her small consultancy punches above their weight - even making camel milk (yes, it's a thing) popular.

Her hires in a heartbeat (plural) are mum, Joyce Doyle, Dragon's Den Steve Bartlett and singing star, Pink.

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UCD Smurfit Business School 'Podcast of the Year'.

Ronan Dunne, former boss of Verizon in the US, current board member Marks and Spencer (who he says are in the 'experience business'), Chair of Six Nations Rugby (and much, much more), on $10,000 sports tickets, introducing Irish businesses to his network, being a mentor to women entrepreneurs in Ireland, the difference between the male and female business ego, being paid to tell what you 'screwed up' in business... and then there's the LEO space company he's involved with...why he told Dómhnal Slattery, former CEO of Avalon, that he's not his 'rent a rolodex'...

Hire in a heartbeat? Nuala Fennell.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the SHAVING oil for sports winners.

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Ireland's TOP Business Podcast, winner UCD Smurfit's Podcast of the Year

How to get the top job in corporate USA. Ronan Dunne on how and why he moved from head of O2 in the UK, to head of Verizon Wireless in the US, heading a team of 120,000 people. Plenty of candid insights on the big differences between US and European corporate cultures, business values and strategies for success.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Arsene Wenger

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UCD Smurfit Business School, 'Podcast of the Year'

Top Tip. Use Reddit...yes, Reddit. It has helped What's Exposed grow. Learn how.

'You're hacked'. It's happening all the time. It's happening to business big and small. It happened to a recent guest on the show and it cost that business many, many thousands of Euro. Worse still, the 'bad guys' can come back and back and back...What can you do? And how can you know if the 'good guys' aren't working for 'the bad guys'?

Elena Donea is Co-Founder, What’s Exposed https://www.whats.exposed/ based in Castlebar, County Mayo, an emerging cybersecurity business. They are experts in penetration testing / identifying cyber vulnerabilities.

Hire in a heartbeat - Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran & Pat O'Callaghan, Ecko

Need to go to a tradeshow, but can't afford it? Talk to LEO.

John Magee, Head of Enterprise at Mayo Local Enterprise Office and Chair of Network of Local Enterprise Offices

It’s no secret. We love LEO. Or more correctly LEOs, your Local Enterprise Offices. That is where your entrepreneur journey should start…from the very, very, very beginning. You have an idea. A better bucket. A shinier mirror. A yummier sandwich. Whatever. Next stop is to go and have a chat with your LEO.

Now…it’s not all milk and honey. Sometimes they’ll say no. Some other times it may be no but maybe…

Hire in a heartbeat, - Tom Murphy, Pamex and LEO mentor.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil, the world's best all-natural oil, for anyone who shaves.

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UCD Smurfit 'Business Podcast of the Year'

Cheesy, yet true.

That’s what Noel Rowland Founder & Managing Director, wrote on the company website, ‘When we founded Churchfield, we wanted to create a company and service that our parents, friends and local community could be proud of.’ Churchfield is a full-service energy retrofitting business based in Crossmolina, employing almost 100 people. And they have big plans to conquer the UK from Mayo, though he may start with Belgium. Did you know that unoccupied homes, brought back into use, aren't counted in official figures?? And he has a partial solution for the pyrite affected houses.

You'll also learn how to save a fortune on your heating bills.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Michael O'Leary

Solving the housing crisis.

When James McConville, Director of ACT, Architects and Urbanists, he - naturally - wanted to tell us about something very important that's going to affect every business, big or small. Every company will eventually have to have a sustainability report. To that end James & Co have developed a tool to help companies to prepare for that sustainability reporting – part of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – a report that will become mandatory in the very near future. A top young and highly creative architect, we also took the opportunity to ask him a simple [not] question. How do you solve a massive housing shortage.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Gráinne Mullins, founder Grá Chocolates

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

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Nigel O'Reilly is without a doubt one of the finest jewellery makers in the world. A one time precision tool maker making mouldings his future wife told him to follow his dreams and become a master craftsman. Luckily for the world, he listened. His works of art (we'll never refer to them as mere 'products') are now selling worldwide for sky high prices. You can see his rings, necklaces and bracelets on nigeloreilly.com but you can see them PLUS prices on Sothebys.com

His jewellery is collected by the very rich and worn by the very famous. And the twist? They're not made in London, New York or Paris...but in Castlebar, County Mayo. And sold worldwide from there to end users, with the exception of Bergdorf Goodman. He tells the secret of how he made contact with the world's most prestigious jewellery store.

He has a book. It's called 'Evolution of a Goldsmith'. Check it out.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'...Iris van Herpen that he says is the most exciting fashion designers in the world.

Clodagh McGovern of eyeworld.ie is building an empire, one optician shop at a time. But curiously, she's not building a brand. Her business model is that she buys existing opticians where the owner may be retiring or the unit is underperforming. Some or all of the existing staff may stay on, but Clodagh's team goes in, changes the processes, gleaned from her many years in the trade. Specsavers have 2,300 units. Clodagh has 8, and growing. But she's not interested in ever taking on the behemoths. She's on her own path to business success.

She wants to grow women led Mastermind Groups. She explains.

Her hire in a heartbeat? Barbara Corcoran of the US's Dragon's Den or Shark Tank as it's known over there.

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We have found a lovely growing business called Tranzaura, born in 2010 and based in Limerick, that has developed fleet management software that is keeping transport fleets in Ireland, the UK and Australia on the road...including two thirds of London's red buses, 3,500 HGV's belonging to the UK's largest truck company, Travis Perkins. How did they win these companies? Trade shows. Keep that in mind. CEO Shane Mann explains how they keep winning customers. Another great insight was how they 'converse' with maintenance staff, no matter what their languages. This is thanks to Tranzaura partner, Microsoft, using some magical AI translation tools. Shane also recommends Hub Spot based marketing. He has some interesting views on opportunities thrown up via the British Commonwealth. Next? Maybe, just maybe, a funding in the coming years.

That Great Business Show has also found you a Queen. Well that’s what Caraldine Nolan is called, when it comes to finding and securing grants for her businesses, called Weighless Wonders and Nutraverse. Grants trump loans of equity as they normally don’t have to be paid back. Since the aim of this podcast is to back your business, we had to ask the First Lady of Grants on to the podcast….to reveal how she does it. We bet you haven't heard of many of these grants, grants that your business might be entitled to. Caraldine also have a brilliant business proposition for her favourite retailer, Lidl.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

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VisionR (fka Glimpse) is a business that counts. That's what it does. It counts millions and millions of people every month. It tells retailers where their customers are spending their time, where they're not spending time, where browsing is converting into sales, what different ages and genders are doing on the shop floor...all with one aim. Drive sales. Co-founder Oran Mulvey explains where they went wrong, and wrong...and then how they found their sweet spot. If you want advice on how long a 'begging' email should be, he's on it. BTW, don't bother with the handwritten letter. They've raised over €3m to date and they're going again. This time heading for the States. Oran's chat should be mandatory listening for every MBA student. It's a masterclass in creating a business, then finding something to do with it. Share it.

When women founders go to raise cash they're asked about 'risk'. When men founders are in front of the same funders they're asked about 'potential for growth'. The language is very interesting. There's a conscious or unconscious bias in there. That's why women founders have to do it differently. And that's why Lorraine Curham of Dogpatch has created Fierce - an exclusive 'women founders in tech' initiative. Lorraine runs it differently. This is no talking shop. She's very blunt This a 'no BS, no nonsense, no excuses' forum to help drive women led businesses. It's Fierce. This is essential listening for all women in business or aspiring to be in business.

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President elect Donald Trump says that tariffs 'is the best word in the English language', as he threatens to apply a 10% tariff (customs tax) on all imports into the US. Ireland is the biggest European exporter to the US on a per capita basis. "This is a very serious moment" - Dan O'Brien, Chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs.

Dan also gives his views on what the next Irish government will face in economic terms.

If you're looking for something positive...it could be nuclear energy.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' - David O'Sullivan, former Secretary-General of the European Commission

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Release Date: November 7, 2024

Host: Conall O'Morain

Welcome to That Great Business Show, the podcast where we bring you tips, insights, and opportunities to fuel your business journey. Each episode, we feature high-flying entrepreneurs and industry leaders, and today is no exception.

In this episode, we’re diving into the power of communication, as well as the cutting-edge world of functional foods. But first, a big thank you to all our listeners and to our partners at Aer Lingus, where we proudly feature on their long-haul flights. If you’re flying to or from Ireland, be sure to tune in!

And, of course, a shout-out to our sponsors, De Facto Shaving Oil, the world’s best shaving oil, now used by top athletes looking to shave precious seconds off their race times. Find out more at DeFactoShave.com.

On This Episode, We’ve Got:

Alan Shortt – Communications Masterclass

Good communication is essential for business success – whether you're pitching to investors, managing a team, or delivering tough news. Alan Shortt, motivational speaker, comedian, and MC, is one of the country’s top communications experts. He’s delivered powerful talks to thousands, including a 3,000-person audience at the Pendulum Summit. And now, he’s sharing his valuable communication tips with you – absolutely free!

Stay tuned as Alan walks us through the science of great communication and shares how you can immediately apply these skills to enhance your business and personal interactions.

Functional Foods with Tony Callaghan (SomaTech) & David Hartigan (Blink Drinks)

If you’ve ever wanted food that does more than just fill you up, you’re in for a treat. We're exploring the innovative world of functional foods – food products that offer added health benefits beyond basic nutrition.

Tony Callaghan, founder of SomaTech, is revolutionizing the food industry using solid-state fermentation technology and fungi to create sustainable, high-value ingredients. He’s on a mission to change the future of food.

David Hartigan, founder of Blink Drinks, is bringing mushrooms into the drinks industry to boost health and wellness. While they aren’t yet using SomaTech’s fungi, we wouldn’t be surprised if that changes soon!

Tony and David are also part of the Food Works Programme, a fantastic initiative supporting innovative food entrepreneurs. Join us as they tell us about the programme and the future of functional food.

That Great Business Show is all about delivering high-quality advice and insights from industry leaders and we’re proud to bring you all of this knowledge for FREE. So, if you’ve got business questions or topics you'd love us to cover, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on LinkedIn. We love engaging with our loyal followers!

As always, thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to never miss an episode.

Show Links:

LinkedIn – Get in Touch with Us

De Facto Shave

SomaTech

Blink Drinks

Don’t forget to hit subscribe and leave us a review on your podcast platform!

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Sharon Yourell Lawlor has mayonnaise degree - or at least she wrote a dissertation on the marketing of mayonnaise. She wasn't so much interested in the taste or formula of it, but in what made shoppers choose Hellman's over Goodalls. She's now a world expert in how and why people shop, covering every type of shop. On this episode Sharon tells us what's hot and what's not in shops and shopping. What new ways have shop owners find to make you part with your money and what the shop of the future will look like.

Sharon has just been selected as one of 50 retail thought leaders globally by the National Retail Federation in the United States - and she'll be speaking at the NRF January conference, one of the biggest (if not the biggest) annual retail gatherings globally - with over 1,000 exhibitors and 40k attendees! 

She also gives away her Big Thoughts for free. She wants you all to sign up for her 'What's In Store' newsletter.

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Featuring Ubotica - aiming big to own Space AI and The Good Dairy Company also aiming big, with world markets in their sights.

#ThatGreatBusinessShow #Innovation #FoodIndustry

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Brendan Fitzpatrick RESTART JOURNEY – If you've had enough of your job, or your business is getting you down and you crave a change, then Brendan is the man for you. In 20 minutes he'll explain what you should and could do to make change happen. It could be life changing. Literally.

His hire in a heartbeat? Sports mad Brendan would love to work with Bill Shankley RIP (and he wanted to play for Liverpool as well)

Emma & Éabha Duffy, My Forever Tooth Fairy - Founder Emma has spent two years researching her new business, just launched, that is upping the 'tooth fairy' tradition, something along the lines of Elf on a Shelf. Already available in Arnotts, the next challenge is to produce enough of the gift-sets to meet demand. For that the fairies may need a cash injection of around €500k.

Her hire in a heartbeat? Jamie Kern Lima - who has a fascinating backstory of her own.

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A daring raid by Italy's UniCredit bank has seen them take a 21% stake in Germany's Commerzbank - a pillar support of the Mittelstand (Germany's big SME's) - and German politicians aren't happy. This could be the start of a period of consolidation in European banking and though Ireland is tiny in European terms, there could be value for a predator bank in banks like PTSB and could attract overseas buyers.

Financial analysts John Cronin gives his thoughts on what he thinks might happen. He also (you can hear the frustration in his voice) asks why Irish depositors don't switch their billions of Euro into accounts that could earn them five, six or seven times higher returns. He also discusses Revolut's future in the Irish market. And then, there's JP Morgan and how they are already changing the savings market in the UK.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'. Andea Orsell of UniCredit (he's a very, very clever guy). He also wants friend and sales and marketing genius, Laura Dowling to promote his newsletter - Financials Unshackled - that's FREE on SubStack. He wants senior bankers to be better paid and he even gives his email for the expected hate mail!

Not everyone wants to grow, grow, grow their businesses, some are just happy in their nappy. But Claire Colvin of Simple Scaling has top tips on how 'scale it up'. Some business leaders have a burning ambition to grow. Those people need to hear Claire's Ten Top Tips. It seems to kick in at when a business has revenues of c. €1m with ten employees. At this point, it needs something extra. However, only 2% of SMEs actually manage to scale. Why? Because they may not have found their purpose.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'. Claire wants to have with Will Smith, but her actual 'hire' is Brene Brown who has a Ted Talk about the 'Power of Vulnerability'.

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Nigel Owens, legendary rugby referee, on his life and times and why you should base your business in Wales. He's searingly honest about his own near brush with death, by suicide and his continuing battle with bulimia. This episode is essential listening for any person, of any age, going through tough times. Nigel is simply inspirational. Please share it.

And of course, as one of the greatest after-dinner speakers, he tells side splitting stories about Peter Stringer and Leo Cullen, Alan Quinlan's mother and he gives a candid review of Johnny Sexton. There are so many sides to the now retired referee turned cattle farmer, including that the fear of TB in his cattle keeps him wide awake at night.

And why did Nigel join Team TGBS? To tell listeners about the benefits of basing a UK focussed business in Wales - just a 9 hour swim (!), or a one hour flight - from Ireland.

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Want to start your own food company, then this is the episode for you. You could be the next worldwide food brand, or you may have more limited aspirations, to keep it simple and local. Either way, author and food industry expert Oonagh Monahan, author of 'More Money for Jam', joins That Great Business Show with a checklist of ingredients to make sure your business is properly baked from the start. She also gives one really, really great business idea that she hasn't had time to finish herself...so if you know something about software, have a listen.

Barry Lunn, founder of Shannon based Provizio, says that the EU will switch on the speed limiters on cars across Europe possibly in two year's time, a move he says that could cut road deaths by 20%. The technology could well be supplied by the 30 strong team at Provizio, a veritable brains trust of PhD's who know everything you need to know about very, very advanced radars. He claims the operate in the 5th Dimension, 5D, which he admits is 'pure marketing'. Provizio has already raised $12m but it sounds like they could be gearing up to go again...and he mentions an IPO. He has also found a new pitch for the IDA - selling Ireland's 'four seasons in a day' weather to companies who need to properly need to test their products in all weather environments!

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A biking business that has taken some years to flourish. GoBike.io founder, Ronan Whelan, has spent a couple of years refining his cycling holiday booking platform and now is looking for cycling tour providers to contact him, to check out his site and, ideally, to post holidays on the platform. A bit like mountain cycling, the road to success has been a bit bumpy. Learn from him about hiring a team, maxing available State funding - he also queries whether he needs his business to be global (his target Irish market is 50,000). He announces a new deal with Sunway Holidays.

He'd love Taylor Swift as his 'hire in a heartbeat', as his brand ambassador (and his daughter would be MOST impressed), but failing that he has a soft spot for the lads at Fontaine DC.

We last spoke to Aaron Hannon, co-founder of Luminate Medical, three years ago. His worldbeating product looks like a bicycle helmet, but it's stuffed with medtech inside - making it a boon for the millions who undergo chemotherapy every year, and who lose their hair because of it. Galway based Aaron re-joined TeamGBS on That Great Business Show to announce a $15 million funding, to bring Lily to the world. Lilac is following and then there's Lotus.

He hasn't changed his mind about his 'hire in a heartbeat' since he was last on That Great Business Show. He's plumped for David Hannon aka his dad, again. (And again, and again...)

A week is a long time in AI. On the last episode we were discussing what AI could do to help forecast sales for SMEs. Then we got a call from Mark Kelly, co-funder of Alldus, to tell us that it's all changed. Strawberry has been launched. That's the latest iteration of ChatGPT , the one that 'deliberately' pauses to think of an answer...to make it seem more 'reflective' (they couldn't be that cynical, could they?). As ChatGPT and all of its cousins are going to change your world, you'll just have to listen.

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Peter Davitt, CEO, FIT. (spoiler alert, nothing to do with fitness).

No matter what your age or qualifications, you can switch to tech, thanks to FIT - fast track to information technology - basically a tech internship - earn while you learn. There are many, many vacancies, there are many, many opportunities. If you've passed a Leaving Cert equivalent (and even on that they're flexible) and you and have the aptitude and attitude, then you could be in...on the road to a well paid career, either as employee, or self-employed. This could be your liberation. Have a listen.

Also, John Clancy, CEO Galvia, everything you ever wanted to know about AI (machine learning for SMEs), he can forecast what's going to happen to your business in the next six months. He wants to talk to companies with lots of data, but who don't can't see into the future (i.e. most or all?). He gives SME case studies that explains now Galvia can be so good for your business - and we ask the questions you want. Yes, it's affordable - it's a license model, paid by the month.

This should make your business more profitable.

Mentioned - Microsoft nuclear power

Mentioned - digital death of 1,500 languages, including Irish or Gaeilge

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Denis O'Brien.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil - the world's greatest shaving oil

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Government backed MicroFinance Ireland, the micro business specialist lender, has doubled its lending limits and businesses can now apply for loans of up to €50,000. MFI CEO Des McCarthy joins us on That Great Business Show to explain who can get this cash, and how best to go about getting it -but not if you're in sex, drugs or 'rock and roll' aka distilling (but brewing is OK?!). But if you're in food for example, and your business is under the cosh, they're more than happy to hear from you. One of their biggest 'wins' so far is Zeus scooters that started with an MFI loan.

The Lonely Planet and Condé Nast Traveler travel guides highlight Kerry’s Gap of Dunloe as one of the top natural wonders in Ireland. National Geographic says it’s one of the most scenic drives in the world. But to Dennis Pio Moriarty it’s just called ‘home’, home to his family top end souvenir business for the past sixty years, originally set up by Dennis’ mum and dad. However, during Covid, it all came to a shuddering halt and there was nothing pretty about the Gap or the business. He talks about the process, and how they made the business survive and thrive. And, we find out that there's a world shortage of blackthorn sticks for shillelaghs.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Michael O'Leary

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We reveal a great Northern Ireland secret. OS Kitchens started 35 years ago on a kitchen table. Now they have a 450,000 sq ft plant, employing 360 skilled workers. Having conquered the UK and Ireland they have started to export to Chicago partially thanks to That Great Business Show. Listen to learn how. The business is backed by a UK funder called Rubicon, a specialist manufacturing investor. Tim Dillon explains why they're focussed on the US (he once worked for Aer Lingus in New York). Kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms are now a fashion item he says. He's looking for US connections so make sure to give him a call.

He was inspired by the 'John Larkin' episode - the man who makes black soap.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Johnny Sexton.

Being able to call yourself a 'published author' is a pretty cool thing to be able to drop at the dinner party table. Our second guest, publisher Orla Kelly, makes a business from teaching people how to write and publish their own books. Having your own self penned book is the ultimate calling card. You can hand it out as you would a business card, except that it'll truly stand out. If you're an expert in your field, she wants to hear from you.

And, if you have a big business ego, what could be better than telling the world about how you could fix the world?

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', the Tweeting Goddess, Samantha Kelly.

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'Highly Commended', Irish Podcast Award Winner

Conor O'Donovan, Head of the National Enterprise Hub. Why do 100,000 SMEs not avail of government business supports? Too complicated, too much paperwork, too busy??? Not so says Conor, where they're working to simplify application processes and they've brought all supports under one National Enterprise Hub roof. You asked, they delivered, they say. Best of all, according to us, you can talk to a human, person-to-person, about your issues (though only 9-5pm as we find out). Still, progress.

Irish people can open doors brilliantly but are cr*p at closing sales. Self-proclaimed failure and Aussie, Steve Donnellan, founder of the SME focussed Soaring Sales Academy, gives us a taster of his 90 day programme that he says can change your selling success. How? Well you'll just have to listen. We love his no-nonsense Australian approach.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

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Irish Podcast Awards 'Highly Commended' Winner

Tipple is shaking up the alcohol distribution business. Headed by Eoin Bara, based in Tullamore Co. Offaly, they have a growing number of warehouses to supply drink directly to the consumer - D2C. It's a very interesting business model, mixing Amazon know-how with a distillers insights.

We spotted an ad for RedZinc, a company we've had on the podcast before, in the Business Post newspaper. RedZinc is raising money to bring their 'hospital at home' tech to the world. We asked RedZinc boss Donal Morris do newspaper ads work?

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

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Irish Podcast Awards, 'Highly Commended' Winner

According to Revenue Commissioner figures customs' declarations jumped from 1.7 million in 2020 to 55 million to 2023. No wonder the process needs to be automated. That's what Customs Window Technologies does. Learn how they keep ahead of their competitors. Customs declarations are the law and if you don't fill out your declarations correctly you are breaking the law. Not good. And Ireland's Revenue Commissioner and HMRC do follow up. Beware.

At the end of September the Windsor Framework (fka the Northern Ireland protocol) kicks in and throws up some very curious anomalies that could prove very valuable to the Northern Ireland economy. The company has just closed a short €1million funding round with the support of Enterprise Ireland to expand into the UK.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Nick Clegg, of Meta and former UK politician.

Customer indecision has created a business. Skippio, founded by Dan Coen, has just raised €540k in seed funding to help you and your pals skip the queues at any of our large events venues - wherever a thirsty and hungry crowd gathers. Like the best ideas, it's simplicity in itself. Use the Skippio app. Order your food and drink. Wait until you're called. Go directly to the head of the 'no-queue' and collect your order. Yes, that simple. But wait, there's more. Much more. Skippio will make your business so much more efficient, lowering costs and increasing margins (15%-30% anyone?). So, who doesn't want that? Next he might be standing in women's toilet queues. He says there's also a business in that.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Peter McKenna of Croke Park (3rd largest venue in Europe) and David French at the Aviva Stadium.

With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

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Emma Meehan, founder of Precision Sports Technology, is about to revolutionise sports physiotherapy globally. She's put in the hard yards to create an incredible bit of tech. We've seen it in action. REAL TIME feedback on how you are moving, all from an iPad.

Uses? Physios, sports clubs, gyms, anybody with any mobility problems, anybody who moves (it'll help you move better). The market is worth half a trillion dollars (so that's $500 billion, BIG!). She has funded. She has built a ten person team. She'll be funding again soon, this time to crack the US. She'd love to chat to clever money in the massive US sports market - maybe starting with some of the soccer clubs, but she's happy to have the chats with the NFL, NBA, WBA....they'll all be using her tech in a year or two (it's available right now), so think first mover advantage (see what we did there?).

Why didn't I think of that? That was our team's response when they saw what the business called LifeSize Plans was doing. It's a franchise from Australia that allows anyone building or extending a home or laying out an office, to see what it would look, in full size, before a brick is laid, or a wall is built or a door is hung. For just short of €700 for a two hour visit you can 'see' how your new abode is going to work. It gives you the chance to make changes before the expensive tradespeople hit the turf...saving you possible thousands of Euro. It's a lovely business run by husband and wife team John Foley and Emma O'Donoghue who want to hire TV's Dermot Bannon, Hugh Wallace and Sara Cosgrove - all in a heartbeat.

With thanks to Maxol.

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Big news from Waterford company PlayerStat Data who have just cracked the North American market, with two deals they couldn't tell us about. But we asked enough questions so that you may be able to find out who the deals are with. Founder Colin Brett says that after seven long years (he almost had his CV on Indeed.com) the company that deliberately specialises in Youth soccer (as opposed to others who concentrate on elite teams around the world) has turned a big corner and he's hiring.

Insights include choosing a different market to the mainstream, and how to find the tenacity to hold on when you truly believe you're on a to A Big Thing.

Colin's choices of 'hires in a heartbeat' include former rugby international Andrew Trimble who has recently managed to sell his company. Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenny, William Spearman, numbers wizard at Liverpool AFC and Devin Pleuler of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, another genius of data.

We haven't stopped talking about wunderkind woman Ashley McDonnell who joined us on Episode 181 of That Great Business Show. She's the woman who told she was rejected for a job by Spanish fragrance company PUIG. She rang them up, told them they had made a mistake, and is now heading their global digital marketing operation. One of Ashley's 'hires in a heartbeat' was Laoise O'Connell and we said we had to have her on. But we had to wait for the 22 year old to finish her internship with Chanel in Paris. We got her into studio shortly after her plane landed in Dublin where she told us all she knows about AR, augmented reality. (She's a bit of a whizz about it). The mall is not dead she says. As a GenZ'er she says her pals all want to 'experience luxury shopping'. Her best tip for retail? She says you can still create a buzz and make the tills ring with an old-fashioned pop-up store.

Her hire in a heartbeat. Another young Irish woman, Aoife Barrett, who she says knows everything about selling in China.

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Lorcan Healy, goalkeeper with Shelbourne AFC and founder of Eos Elite sportswear. A professional athlete in the morning, a startup dynamo in the afternoon, and beyond.

His secret sauce starts, he says, with his first hire, Simon Feeney, marketing and events manager. He explains how he has built a community of over 17,000 to date - he says that community is the way to cut through to your customers. He sells socks. But he makes them a little differently from others. It's all about performance. And comfort. He says his customers say they're the most comfy socks they've ever worn. He's selling them to Premier League and Irish rugby players.

He has plans. The business is heading for the US...and he's heading into bricks and mortar.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'. Niall Quinn.

Brian Ledwith, CEO, Aveta Medical, tackling the worldwide problem of vaginal atrophy, a condition that affects over 1 billion postmenopausal women.

Brian, a mechatronic engineer, started with Boston Scientific, then moved to other big name medtech companies in the West of Ireland cluster before deciding he wanted to do his own thing, to be in charge of his own fate. Medtech can be a difficult business sector given that (thankfully) it's so heavily regulated by the FDA in the US and the EMA in Europe but if you can overcome these obstacles, the markets can be huge. Aveta Medical is raising money on the Spark Crowdfunding platform to fund its growth, with ambitions to raise the value of the company by up to 10X.

Brian's 'hire in a heartbeat'? Sebastian Guth, CEO of Bayer (they're already in this space).

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Key Patent Innovations MD Angela Quinlan - incredible young (2020) Irish business, founded by Angela Quinlan, that bought 33,000 Blackberry patents for $170m. They now have to 'sweat' those patents. Think of buying a Prince or David Bowie back catalogue and finding new (and existing ways) of making the music sing (financially of course).

Damien McConville, Project Manager InterTradeIreland and Stephen Barry-Hannon Project Manager at Circular Bioeconomy Cluster about €280,000 in cash available for early stage companies (just like yours!) - there's a deadline, listen carefully - and clustering, where sector related business come together to make more business. The clusters are looking for more businesses to join.

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Commercial litigation can cost an absolute fortune. That's why more and more businesses are opting for mediation to settle disputes. Peter Leonard BL is a barrister, co-presenter of The Fifth Court legal podcast and he's a certified mediator. He joins That Great Business Show to explain how mediation works, what the process is, how much it costs, what it's good for and when it doesn't work. And he says, if it doesn't work, you can always go back to court. 80% plus of disputes that go down the mediation route are successfully resolved. And, if the dispute is contentious, and if you can avoid the courts and head for mediation, the financial savings can be 'massive'.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Ciaran Cuffe, former Euro MEP.

Billy Griffin, of signage company Artisan, is also Dublin Chair of BITA, the British Irish Trade Alliance, a not-for-profit that helps Irish businesses do business in the UK. Founded by Paul Whitnell, BITA International President, the organisation claims to 'fuel the growth of UK, Irish, and international businesses'. Billy explains what it has done for his business and what it could do for yours. He explains some of the many issues that have hit his business due to Brexit.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' - Bill Gates.

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We may have confused Kilgarvan and Glencar in County Kerry, but we certainly didn't mess up a great business story - that of Glencar - a leading construction company, growing to become one of the UK’s most successful privately-owned contractors having been founded only in 2016 (revenues of over half a billion Pounds Sterling). The twist in the tail is that Glencar, founded by an Irish family in Britain, is bringing it all back home, to Kerry as their base for their Irish expansion. Rory McGillycuddy, country director Ireland, joins us to tell us of their worldwide ambition.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? NFL legend, Tom Brady

Warburton Technology is an Irish SME, engaged in the development and licencing of injectable trace mineral formulations, in the large animal veterinary arena, under the Multimin trademark. They're based at the RDI Hub in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, where they formulate their products and ship them to the world. Eithne O'Leary, MD at Warburton, is the brains behind the business.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Dr. Tony Holohan (she debated against him while at school).

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Paddy Meade, former Dep. Chair and CEO of worldwide auction house Bonhams, is probably the world's best known seller of dinosauria. Paddy was asked to sell a dinosaur that had been pledged by a Creationist property developer (they believe the world is just 6,000 years old) as collateral in a failed property deal. When things went bust the dinosaur headed for the salesroom.

This dinosaur, had spent five years being reconstructed, but still wasn't all there and needed some more bits to make him whole. And if your dino isn't whole, where do you go to buy bare bones? At the dinomarket of course (we kid you not!). What you learn on That Great Business Show.

And there was the red copper Chinese dish, used for serving crab legs, owned by the family that started the Pony Express, that was so valuable that it had to have its own seat in Business Class on an airline to London. Wait'll you hear what happened to it.

And then there was the original Lion's costume from the iconic movie 'The Wizard of Oz' that finally sold for..?

There's another fascinating story about Muhamad Ali's robe, worn for the George Foreman fight, and what the auctioneers found stitched into that robe...

And John Travolta's suit from 'Saturday Night Fever'...

What happens when you buy very expensive wine that has gone off..?

His third choice for his 'hire in a heartbeat' is Cassandra Hatton, currently working in Sotheby's.

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Paddy starts by explaining how to make money at auctions and explains that's there a question of time - how long can you 'sit' on your investment?

Then there's a question of fashion - objects, furniture, art all go in and out of fashion. Paddy sold a lot of 'nostalgia'. If you're 40-60, you're their target market. But, what's going to be the Next Big Thing.

Paddy worked in eBay (they bought the US's oldest auctioneers Butterfield & Butterfield) when it was a teeny weeny little company (in involved 12 interviews!) and the story involves the Ireland V Italy match in 1990. His fascinating story involves Carly Fiorina, Meg Whitman, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel (if you're too young, look them up)...who collectively now probably are wealthier than a combination of big European countries.

Then the Great Tech Bubble burst.

When Butterfields was sold by eBay to Bonhams, Paddy joined the smaller of the Big Three US auctions houses (Sotheby's & Christies being the biggies)

Paddy advises on what to buy and not to buy if you want to make your fortune and he tells us what auctioneering platforms he uses to find the items he likes to collect including work by a most curious individual Matthias or Matthew Buchinger, a circus performer who had no hands or legs who lived in Ireland. Matthew, with no hands, was a calligrapher. Mad.

His 2nd choice for a 'hire in a heartbeat'...Morgan O'Driscoll and George Mealy auctioneers.

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Paddy Meade is former Deputy Chair and CEO at Bonham Auctioneers, one of the most prestigious sales houses in the world. A born storyteller if you don't laugh out loud we guarantee your money back.

We love a good backstory on TGBS and Paddy has a terrific one, starting with how studying Welsh in University College Dublin (UCD) led him to the top of a worldwide business. He explains how he came first and last in Welsh in UCD. And, he says that one's first choices (including studying Welsh) need have no bearing on future career choices.

An obsessive collector, one of the early items he collected were small Tetra Pak type cream sachets from Aer Lingus flights (no, really).

Later he studied fine arts in Southampton where he came first in the UK in his exams.

Later still, when trying to convince a potential client to sell his goods, he drank the man's teeth. Well, in business, a man's got to do what a man's got to do...

1990 comes and he loses his job. Thanks to a Donnelly visa, the last one ever he says, he headed for the US without a job. Hustling for a job he got frozen to a public phone box.

He then hits a job dilemna. He got a job in Chicago, was there a week, when Christies, the auction house, called with a job offer. Did he jump?

Learn about 'auction school' where you have to learn a secret code. Why he had to be trained by RADA and how he saved a client $700,000 when selling the famous 'Maltese Falcon' cross from the movie of the same name, that starred Humphrey Bogart as investigator Sam Spade.

Paddy's 'hire in a heartbeat is Malcolm Barber of Bonhams.

With thanks to Maxol, a family firm, backing Irish businesses.

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The Republic of Ireland (pop. 5m) has 2.7 million Revolut users. Percentage wise Ireland is the biggest adopter of neobanks across the EU. Head of Revolut EU is Joe Heneghan who talks to us about what the future of banking looks like. Will we ever darken a banking hall again? Also biting the heels of the so-called 'pilar banks' are SME funders like Grid Finance whose founder, Derek Butler, also joins us to see what the sees now and what he sees looking into the future. Then, there's Financial Services Ireland that is hell-bent on making Ireland a fintech capital (as are the UK, France, Lithuania, Estonia...). Patricia Callan, FSI Director, gives us an overview of that the challenges and opportunities are for new and established fintech startups here.

As always we ask all our guests for their 'hire in a heartbeat' recommendation and here's this episode's line-up.

Lobbyist Patricia would like to hire Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's PR when UK PM, for his lobbying prowess (and for his podcast 'The Rest is Politics')

Derek would like to have Mairead McGuinness, EU Commissioner for Financial Services on his team, for obvious reasons as he explains the surreal amount of regulation the industry is currently facing

Joe is an admirer of the Wayflyer model (a very clever Irish fintech unicorn) and he'd like if Aidan Corbett, founder, would drop into his office for a 'chat'.

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David Broderick, Director of the SFA (part of IBEC), discusses the organisation's 'Four Just Demands'. David knows business as he was sent both to deliver cakes from his family business, and then also as a young boy, sent to collect the cash. Business in its rawest from an early age. He was also made redundant during Covid, that turned him to self-employment, as a consultant/mentor. He advises about not having the 'wrong' mentor, such as a friend, rather than someone who will tell you the unvarnished truth. Unofficially (not SFA policy he underlines), he wants an X and Y axis for high-speed trains to cross the country and go from top to bottom.

David discusses the real life cases he gets on the phone of businesses that are really, really struggling. He talks about energy, insurance, tax, labour (the living wage etc) and other costs. And, bad news, he says in some cases there's a further 30% rise to come.

The most immediate thing he wants is a targeted PRSI rebate for smaller businesses. He thinks MicroFinance Ireland are doing a great job, but like them to be allowed to lend larger amounts to businesses. He also wants more training vouchers to cover the costs to employers of having their employees taking time out for upskilling

His 'hire in a heartbeat' - his mother who is still out in Dublin Airport handing out samples of her own Broderick's cakes.

Barry Guiney, Headhunter, Odgers Berndtson who is also a Secretary of UCC Rugby Club - and also is a Certified Scrum Master - which has nothing to do with rugby, but lots to do with Toyota. They have launched the ScaleUp Collective - aimed at scaling (not start-up) companies. He sees a demand for executives who can build revenue growth as well as those who can bring a company to 'payday' - a successful exit. He references Scale Ireland and Endeavour Ireland networks, hoping to replicate the likes of Stripe etc. He discusses MBA differences between the US and the EU as well as the difference between the originating entrepreneur versus the commercial executive in salaries and other words. Irish tax rates he says can be a disincentive for attracting top talent to Ireland. He talks about ghosting in the industry - when a job is offered, the process is gone through...and then nothing. Why?

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? (He has hired 50 plus over his career so far). James Clear author of Atomic Habits.

With thanks to Maxol - check out their fuel cards for your business.

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Serial investor (but don't call him an angel!) Gianna Matera has backed some of Ireland's best known unicorns (value >$1bn) including Glofox and Flipdish.

On this episode we have a rare one-on-one with Gianni, a man with many strong views, but ones he normally keeps to himself. A former Italian army lieutenant he made his money initially via a digital marketing company he founded and IPO'd. He explains why he left the heat of his native Milan for life in Dublin where he has so far backed 28 tech companies (he only back tech companies). He's literally a one-man band so he does have time nor the resources for full due-diligence, relying on a combination of gut and sleep to make his decisions (he explains his modus operandi). His long term ambition is to make 3X his money but 'it's not easy' he says.

Most recently he has been appointed VC in Residence at UCD’s incubator, Nova UCD

This is essential listening for anyone raising money or wishing to learn how best to invest in very early stage companies.

With thanks to Maxol Fuel Card

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We headed to the Fexco backed RDI Hub in Killorglin, Co. Kerry where we recorded one of the most curious people and business we have ever encountered.

Rarely on a podcast can you have a cast bigger of A-listers bigger than Glastonbury. But how about...Joe Strummer (The Clash), Neville Staple (The Specials/Fun Boy Three), Dave Wakeling & Ranking Roger (English Beat/General Public), Tracii Guns (LA Guns/Guns n Roses), Stephanie Rainey, Andy Summers (The Police), Donovan, John Ford Coley, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Peter Gabriel, No Doubt, Ice Cube, Mack 10, Korn, Ben Folds, Bob Geldof, Green Day, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Pennywise, The Vandals, Ky-Mani Marley, Flea, John Frusciante, Rami Jaffee, The Blindboys of Alabama, Carmen Rizzo, Maroon 5, Steve Vai, Ozomatli, Moby, Spencer Davis, Quincy Jones, Incubus, The Waterboys, Peter Asher, Nancy Sinatra, Prague Philharmonic Orchestra...

OK, so they weren't all in studio but Jason P Rothberg was. Jason who? Well, wait'll you hear his back story. It's MAD. And no, we didn't understand half of what he's up to with his RDI Hub based business Xavatar, based in the Metaverse (as we say, don't ask us, ask Dr. Google). But if you understand it, we're told it's the future and there's clearly a business in it. As always, we've made it accessible, so do listen to learn.

Also on the cast of E191 are Bertie Murphy ('hire in a heartbeat'? Steve 'Fexco'), Chief Strategy Officer of Fexco and Kerry McConnell ('hire in a heartbeat'? - Sadia Nowshin), who markets the RDI Hub to the world (virtual membership available globally). Jason's 'hire in a heartbeat'? Hugh Reynolds, entrepreneur in chief at RDI.

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Barry McNerney, CEO of UnifyOrdering, doesn't want to be a 'busy fool' so he has co-created a new ordering platform for the wider food industry. He has a solid backkground in business, a former Davy stockbroker he's now CEO of Lotts & CO, co-founder of Pauli's pizza and Junior's Cafe and he was once involved with two renowned Dublin pubs, The Old Spot and the Bath. But now, it's all eyes on brining UnifyOrdering to the world, and to raising money on Spark Crowdfunding to make that happen. Barry says he's onto a 'world first' and dreams of a €200m plus exit.

On the wider food sector he says he's never seen a more difficult time for smaller businesses in the sector.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Michael O'Leary and Paul McNerney (nee James! - listen to understand)

Mary McKenna, Denise McQuaid are part of the founding team at AwakenAngels - funding women led businesses and raising awareness and knowledge of investing in businesses. They guide investors who can invest from €2,000 and when they commit that amount (or more!) investors join the community and get free training in angel investing. It's an ideal course as well for those who want to go on to be a founder, seeing it from the 'other side', for the investor's side.

Mary McKenna's 'hire in a heartbeat' is Olivia McVeigh, social influencer.

Denise McQuaid's 'hire in a heartbeat' is Serena Williams

On Business 101, our mini-series on setting up and growing your own business, supported by Big Red Cloud software, Tena Sheil, founder The Bookeeping Academy, is joined by Ian Hobbs, Sales Mangager at Big Red Cloud. Tena has some clever solutions for solving some of the 'difficult to fill' work vacancies in the economy. It's about upskilling and re-skilling and it's Tena's business. Worried about losing the staff you train? Richard Branson says 'look after your staff so they don't want to leave'. Tena's training courses are paid for by the State. Tena herself trained herself through an ISME Skillnet course that sent her on to further education. Her introductory course can be done in just eight weeks, part-time (2-3 hours a week). BigRedCloud.com/training will find the courses.

With thanks to MentorsWork.ie

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Paul Connell, co-founder and CEO of Pure Telecom explains how his business model has changed over the years. He talks about Eir, the National Broadband Plan, SIRO and others in his sector. A lack of vision or ambition seems to be the message. Ireland is stuck at sub-IGB in most cases where broadband can be accessed. He says other countries are already at 5GB - essential when virtual reality and AI get a bigger hold on our digital lives. Not everybody may agree with what Paul has to say, but he'll certainly put a smile on every listeners' face.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Steve Bartlett (Diary of a CEO). He may even pay to have lunch with him.

Jennifer Muldowney has been buried in business for fifteen years. Or more accurately, she's been in the broader burial business. A Dublin, she's known as the Glam Reaper and she organises some of New York's most prestigious remembrance services. Don't think your usual solemn church service. Think more a theatre turned into a forest. In fact, if you can think it (and afford it) she can do it for you (she works in Ireland as well). Hugely discreet we did find out that she organised a service for the late Jack Welch, Chair and CEO of General Electric, and an industry titan in his time. Let's say this is a very different business story.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? The entire Aldi Ireland marketing team because of what they did with the carrot.

With thanks to MentorsWork.ie

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The Business Post (previously known as the Sunday Business Post) has changed its model to attract those elusive readers. Once a weekly print publication nowadays it's a daily digital bulletin with a slimmed-down Sunday print version. Colm O'Reilly, COO of The Business Post Group, (the newspaper, an events business, a market research company) explains what the current strategy is and what the plans are for the future.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Ryanair's Michael O'Leary (possibly top of the Great Business Show's 'hire in a heartbeat' charts), for his no-nonsense approach to business.

Skillnet Innovation Exchange matches larger Irish corporates with specific business problems with innovative SMEs with solutions. It's heavily government subsidised and it's a programme that gives smaller companies a real chance of grabbing business from larger corporates who ordinarily might give them the time of day. Conor Carmody, Director at SIE explains how it works, why it works and what types of companies he wants to get involved. Some of his case studies are very impressive indeed.

Conor's 'hire in a heartbeat'? US politician George Mitchell. If was able to help 'fix' the Northern Ireland issue who wouldn't want him aboard?

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Tony Dignam, founder Agile Executives, bringing affordable C-Suite executives from top-end companies to your SME. He must be doing something right because he grew from five consultants to 80 (!) in just one month, He's now at 120 consultants. Previously he worked as a consultant to Bank of Ireland in 2008 trying to solve the massive problems of 1,000 SMEs following the financial collapse. Tony launched his search platform earlier this year that means you can put in a detailed search to find the perfect match (or close) to your exact skills requirements. He also has consultants on his books that will help bring your business globally, be that Malta, Pakistan, S. Africa and of course the UK and the US. He has big expansion plans and is already looking at funding options to pay for that growth. SBCI may help with their growth.

Tony's 'hire in a heartbeat' would have been his late mother, 'the best salesperson he ever came across' her word of wisdom 'always take tea or coffee if offered'. Another that he would like to join his team is Brian Buffini, a hugely successful Irish business person in the US..

Ray Ryan is founder of the Noledge Group, a merger of two companies, OSSM (pronounced awesome!) and Envisage. Ray is mad for sports and for walking. In fact, it was walking the Camino Way that may have changed his business life, due to very, very sore feet. Walking the Camino for your business is one of those things not taught in Harvard Business School. His father-in-law told him two things could put you out of business, cashflow and enthusiasm. Galway company, Corrib Oil, was key to changing Ray's business. He is now employing over 40 people, with ambitions to have 70 employees, and what he has learnt about why he 'has to' hire, is very, very interesting.

But, it could have all been so much more Hollywood. Ray comes from a strong acting background, palling around with Bafta nominee Andrew Scott when he was a kid...His dad was having none of it but did it cost him an Oscar?

Ray's 'hire in a heartbeat' is Gemma Webb. Who? Only probably one of the most successful Irish business woman. And you've never heard her? We hope to have her on That Great Business Show very soon. He also wants Ashley McDonnell as a mentor.

With thanks to Mentorswork.ie

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With thanks to Mentorswork.ie - a free government funded mentoring initiative. Check in out.

On this episode, 186, Dan Nugent of Amber Eyewear on why his company is now called EverAmbr. He explains why you should avoid selling 'vertically' where you can run out of headroom. His company was growing at 500% but then he hit the ceiling and sales dropped by 90%. What did he do? He went back into the ring again, but this time selling 'wide', finding sectors that he can keep adding products to sell to. Clever. If you have ambitions to sell Direct to Consumer (DTC) online, you have got to listen to Dan, who tells it 'warts and all'.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Jake Browne formerly of Peblo.

Stephen O'Dwyer was born and raised in the leafy suburbs of South County Dublin where there's ne'er a sign of a horse, let along a thoroughbred. However, eating chips with his grandad at Fairyhouse, as a five year old, left its mark and biomedical engineer Stephen has launched Trojan Track, a data driven system using an ordinary mobile phone, that will tell trainers, owners and vets if a horse is injured, even when not seen by the naked eye. His target market is the 800,000 thoroughbred horses in the US (as well as the 16,000 in Ireland, of course) and that's why he's raising €600,000 to bring his company on a worldwide gallop.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? It must be a bro-love thing as he's chosen PJ Maguire of Moonsyst who was on the same Agcelerator as Stephen at Nova UCD. And, PJ it was who recommended Stephen to us - the definition of a circular economy?

On our Business 101, supported by Big Red Cloud financial software, BRC sales manager Ian Hobbs and Sisgate Pro owner, Liz Lavin, have some great tips about 'taking away the pain' for SMEs, including one we hadn't heard before. Liz explains how she very, very cleverly checks out potential acquisitions that she's looking at. All legal of course. But very interesting. Your company will benefit from these 'hands-on' tips. Ian also says that if you ring Big Red Cloud for advice he'll answer the phone to you. That's service.

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Roseanne Longmore, CEO and co-founder, Coro - the world's first baby milk flow monitor. Founded seven years ago the company has recently become an 'overnight success' completing another successful funding around, bringing to over €6m funding the company has gathered to bring its unique product to the world's weaning mothers. The size of the market is vast. The work that it has taken to get to this stage is staggering, but as Roseanne says, when you're developing physical product it can up to ten years. This can make getting investment difficult, but the team has overcome this, investors tempted no doubt by the multi-billion Euro market possibility. The product, a flow meter that sits on a silicon nipple barrier, is patented and is being assembled in different locations to keep the IP away from prying eyes. Next stop for the company's growth is that Roseanne may have to head to the US for at least six months, to launch the product direct to the consumer there. They've brought Mary Harney, former Minister for Health, onto the board and she has already made introductions in the US, including to Hilary Clinton.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', the Collison brothers. However, we recommended their mom, Lily Collison.

TJ Hegarty was half through tell That Great Business Show about his business, Breakthrough Maths, when he opened up about how anxiety had affected his business. It caused him to have a blackout as he drove his car. Never say business isn't tough. Fortunately nothing bad happened that allowed over-achiever (600 point Leaving Cert, 1st Class Honours Ag Science degree) TJ to continue his dream of establishing his business. At school he hated maths and was determined to 'fix the problem'. This week he'll be teaching maths to 4,000 school pupils. His two year old boot-strapped business is turning over €1.5 million already and he hopes to bring that to €5m by next year, at which point he wants VC funding to bring him to the vast US market.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Michael O'Leary.

With thanks to MentorsWork.ie

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Creganna is an outstanding Irish success story that not too many have heard of. Founded in 1980 by the late Ian Quinn, he started by making metal boxes that housed early desktop computers. With a couple of 'necessary pivots' along with way, Ian created what was one of the world’s largest maker of heart stents, eventually sold in 2016 for €820 million. Creganna's success was the seed that set Galway as Ireland's medtech capital.

PumpInHeart is the latest heart-related medtech company that's about to fund so it can 'go for growth' in Galway. This 2 year old company has world domination in mind for its tiny pump that fits in the human heart. But to get there they need funds and unusually they're starting to raise cash via the crowdfunding platform Spark Crowdfunding.

Donald Hickey is one of PumpInHeart's founders and he joins That Great Business Show to explain how this now tiny company is raising €3million, hoping to be bought out at €400m...Of course it won't be easy. Like life, there are no guarantees, but for a minimum investment of €100, it could be fun. DO TAKE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.

Donald's 'hire in a heartbeat' is Galway girl Ellen Roche, a world heart pump expert, now based at MIT. Donald wants to bring Ellen home!

On That Great Business Show we know listener like ‘soft skills’ items like when we interviewed Dr. Brian Pennie about why just moving can change your mood. Brian McGeough took the bull out of team building for us while Dermot Whelan literally stopped us breathing to calm us down. And then the fabulous Dr. Jolanta Burke from the Royal College of Surgeons, had so simple advice (all scientifically verified) about putting a photo of loved ones on your desk to bring you blood pressure down.

On this episode Shane Cradock, one-time Bio-Chemical Engineer who worked with Bord na Mona and Pepisco International, says his subtractive methodology as opposed to the widely advocated ‘additive’ approach can help you take back control, boost your mood and confidence, and ultimately help achieve your full potential. Give him 20 minutes of your time. It could change your life.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Paul Cadden, MD of Saba Restaurants

With thanks to MentorsWork.ie

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Emily Brick, founder, Athena Analytics wants to unlock the potential of every student in every classroom. Using machine learning they say they can help schools understand a student’s unique, individual potential and ensure that no student gets missed within the school system. It's a monitoring tool that creates a student’s baseline potential in each subject and highlights when a student falls below this potential, when they may need further support. This baseline is based on a statistical model built using the exam results of all of the previous results of students on the software. The software is already being used in 400 of the country's 700 second level schools.

Adrian Reynolds, founder, The Lemon Crepe and Coffee Company and Ian Hobbs, Sales Manager, Big Red Cloud

Regular listeners know that Big Red Cloud -Ireland's #1 Cloud accounting software for small business owners, are BIG supporters of That Great Business Show.

With their further support we bring you ‘Take The Pain Away’, a mini-series on how accounting software can transform your business, making it more profitable and giving you back time to grow your business. And the pain for Adrian's small business is altogether too real.

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Marion Cantillon, founder Pitseal, makers of a silage pit top-secret sealant (partly seaweed but ssshhh!) that stops the use of plastic. When the cattle eat the seaweed/silage mix so far there's a sizeable cut in the cattle methane's output. She's studying for a PhD in aspects of methane emissions. You can guess which ones.

And, PJ Maguire of Moonsyst, a company that has created a Fitbit for cattle. It sits in the beast's reticulum, a 25 litre sac in the cow's innards, that gathers lots and lots of strange stuff. And he's trialling his bolus on cattle on a 6,000 cow farm in Rwanda. Where else but on That Great Business Show?

And, Gary Ryan, director of AgtechUCD (part of NovaUCD at University College Dublin) explains the challenges of the farming calendar. Another factoid you'll learn is that the Lyons Estate where AgtechUCD is based, is home to Europe's largest man-made (hand dug!) lake. Next up is a programme aimed at 'mid-career' individuals who may have the itch to do something for themselves.

Hire in a heartbeats include Ned Harty, Sam Shine, Denis Brosnan, Conor Petersen and Bill Gates.

With thanks to @mentorworks.ie

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Marketing Director of PUIG (they own many of the world's biggest perfume brands), Ashley McDonnell on getting a 'no' from PUIG HR ten minutes after submitting her job application. Find out how she got hired five days later.

If you work in TV, wait'll you hear what's happening in China. TV in China is dead. Livestreaming 24 hours a day is the future. And if you're an out-of-work actor, good news. You'll now be working in sales. You'll be expected to sell one product every 90 seconds though. BTW, Influencers remain really, really important. So become an Influencer. The good news, your gifts from the brands will never run out. She's uses Workplace, powered by Facebook, to keep track of her five hundred plus marketers.

Her advice for best platform? The one you hate least! (She does recommend Instagram and the app CapCut)

And, if you're still with us, she says that Blockchain is the next big thing for the luxury industry. It proves your Chanel bag is a real Chanel bag.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'(s) are @Laoise O Connell and @Amy Jafari , two of her former interns. Hire them now.

We love accessible businesses. We're joined by founders of one such business. Pizza da Piero bases makers Piero (!) and Clíona join Team GBS to explain how they've managed to build a recognised Irish food brand and how difficult it was. Piero has been a baker since 15, he worked in London where he met Cliona 22 years ago, heading for Galway. He worked there for Jimmy Griffin, a man Piero still loves. Piero had the itch though, and had to, had to set up on his own, encouraged by his friends telling him his dough was exceptional. They were first with fresh pizza bases in the chilled cabinet but are now faced with copycat pizza makers. Cliona is a teacher, useful to keep the early stage business afloat, who have been hugely supportive by her school, St. Andrew's College in Dublin. The talked and talked to as many people who they could find. Tip: business people will always help, so long as you're not eating their lunch (or pizza in this case).

They want to get into all @Supervalu (they're already in all Tesco stores). Piero admits he's very conservative, but they are looking at exports. They are already into Indie Foods in Northern Ireland. They have ordered a bread oven, as focaccia making is on their horizon.

Cliona's 'hire in a heartbeat' is Síle Walsh, an 'inclusive leadership' coach

Piero's 'hire in a heartbeat' is his old boss, master baker Jimmy Griffin from Galway.

Kindly supported by @MentorsWork.ie

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John Tuohy of OohPod has just raised a further €5.4 million to expand his parcel locker business across Ireland and next to the UK. He has 120 locations at the moment and he wants to get to 300 in the next 12 months. Next he's going to help return items for online shopping companies.

His solution can help you get around those troublsome Brexit taxes. Buy in the UK. Ship to Jonesboro near Newry, collect and go home. Done. And all legal.

14% of the Republic's population go shopping in Northern Ireland. He's also working closely with Lidl and Tesco for space to place his parcel lockers. He talks PUDO as well. Listen and learn.

The BIG news is that OohPod has landed Philip Reynolds as chair. He's the former boss at C&D Foods, a business he sold to Larry Goodman.

And his 'hire in a heartbeat' is Rafal Brzoska.

Niamh Donnelly is co-founder of robotics company Akara. The lengths she has gone to to see how her robots are used, including spending 3 months in a US nursing home, watching how the residents interacted with her robot, and that included doing what the residents did - dinner at 8pm and off to bed at 10pm!

She's been working on her robot 'Violet' for the last three years, proving how effective 'Violet' is in cleaning medical facility rooms. The business is not about cutting out manual cleaners, but helping to turn around hospital beds much, much more quickly. They've already landed their first sale. Their Irish 'partner' at the moment is Donnybrook Hospital, where Niamh would like to live! There are two robots heading to NHS facilities in the coming weeks. The business is 'as a service', so clients don't buy the robots. After the UK, it's on to the vast US market, and maybe even an IPO. But first they need twenty hospitals to work with them.

Outside of health it seems that cannabis growers need UV cleaning for their products.

They have Enterprise Ireland backing and angel funding from Growing Capital. They're funding again, but not telling TeamGBS how much at the moment.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat', Liam Casey, CEO, PCH International.

Supported by MentorsWork.ie

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Ger Davis, managing director of Irish Life Health

A year and a half ago, on episode 90 of That Great Business Show, we had a special recording with Professor Martin Curley, who at that time was heading the digital transformation of the Irish Health System at the HSE. His insights were truly fascinating. Martin is no longer with the HSE but the problems remain. So, on this episode, we’ve asked Ger Davis, MD of Irish Life Health, how he would fix the Irish Health System...so no pressure then...

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Gary Keegan, IRFU adviser.

Ruth Cosgrave and Breda O’Dwyer, Munster Technological University

If you attend your Local Enterprise Office or LEO, or Enterprise Ireland courses on how to grow your business, you’re often told to get expert help from a Third Level College to help with technical problems you may have. However, we’ve often wondered how that works in practice, is it that easy to find the right people to help you, and if and when you do find them, how much does it all cost??

And, their hire in a heartbeat

Ruth McCarthy, Head of Compliance at Fexco

With thanks to MentorsWork.ie

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CEO Paul Merriman, Fairstone Ireland 

A little over a year ago financial planning firm PAX was bought by UK wealth management company Fairstone, the first move for Fairstone into Ireland. And they have ambitious plans for Ireland. BTW, we believe Paul may have broken the Irish speech speed record during our chat! And if Gary Vaynerchuk is listening, Paul would like to hire you.

Gary O’Sullivan, Managing Partner at Sia Partners

The little known consultancy firms Sia Partners have 80 people working for them in Ireland, and going for growth…hoping to double again in the next two to three years. The Paris HQ’d multinational business claims specialisation including in new areas such as the metaverse and the space sectors. Doctor Drone, Bobby Healy of Manna, is Gary's 'hire in a heartbeat'.

With thanks to DeFactoShave.com - the world's best shaving oil.

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This is simple.

You have to listen to all of the podcast to find out where to go to live, (and live well) and save tax. There are (plural!) answers from Waterford's Stephanie Wickham who knows these things. The answer may surprise you, but it's so good that Stephanie is taking her own advice!

Separately, Natalie Garland Cooke of NCCO.ie (and Waterford) has advised Stephanie about how to properly use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system that allows her to take two MONTHS off in the sun. And the cost starts at a very affordable €40 a month.

That Great Business Show - making your life a bed of roses!

BTW, they want Aisling Bea and Mary Portas to come work with them, to make your dreams come true.

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Luke Mackey is co-founder and CEO of Kota - aiming to be the Stripe of the insurance industry, allowing businesses from 2 to 200 to instantly set up pension, health insurance and life assurance providers globally with real-time enrolment, flexible contributions, and an employee app – all in one place. They've already raised €7.6m, and they're ready to take on the world. First Ireland, then the UK and EU...and then the mighty US. Listen to see if you're company could use his company?

And former Connecticut State senator, Brian McDermott, rounds off our BeachHeadUSA mini-series, with a request to US companies to set up in Ireland, particularly to his family’s hometown of Dundalk. Like Connecticut, situated neatly between New York and Boston, Dundalk he points out is beautifully located between Dublin and Belfast. You get the best of both worlds, all at 'the right price'.

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If you like what you hear, please join the conversation, send your comments and tips, and share with your pals in business.

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Gerard Horn is the third generation of the Horn family that has been making gloves in Dublin. Back in the 1960s they were employing more than a 100 people, making gloves fro Christian Dior, Harrods, Bloomingdales and Saks. They also had a contract to supply 10,000 First Communion gloves. The disaster struck and their factory, along with 80 machines, burnt down. They eventually bought two machines from a UK glove maker that was closing down and they’re still in business making gorgeous gloves.

And Andrew Lynch, CEO Mason Alexander, always, always wanted to be an entrepreneur…so started selling ponchos….a business that didn’t last a wet day…but he’s now running his own international business…and he's part of our #BeachHeadUSA mini-series. Essential listening if the USA is a target market for your business.

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Brian O’ Donoghue, Director - AML, FinCrime, Risk, Governance, Regulatory @ Grant Thornton Ireland

Brian tells us about some brilliant, but well hidden, government funded upskilling programmes particularly in his own fintech area. He found his course by chance but is now spreading the love, and knowledge about them, on That Great Business Show.

Like so many, Brian was not a university graduate and despite his experience he was turned down flat for some jobs. He explains how he navigated his way around that deficit and why employers, should or must, recognise 'on the job training, or apprenticeship training as it used to be called, if those employers want to find the best talent.

Megan Clark Torrey is CEO of The World Affairs Council of Connecticut, a non-profit, nonpartisan organisation that promotes greater awareness and dialogue on important global issues, including business. This model has not been replicated in Ireland, so it might be an opportunity for one of our loyal listeners? 

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Phone maker Apple ($165 billion in cash on balance sheet) and Goldman Sachs are joining forces to take on the US savings market - it's not quite banking, yet, but it does mean savers will have high yield accounts in their pockets, ready for spending. Who gets your spending pattern knowledge? Apple, with 2 billion devices worldwide, does of course. It's the future according to Moodys and Forbes. Independent economist and former banker Alan McQuaid throws a critical eye for us on what's coming down the banking tracks.

ChatGPT can take a lot of the donkey work out of your marketing AND your day-to-day admin. Maryrose Lyons, BrightSpark Consulting, explains how to prompt (it's the word du jour) your ChatGPT account to deliver a whole slew of marketing material. Don't pretend we haven't told you, because it's not going away and the sooner you learn about it and adopt it, the sooner you'll be ahead of the posse.

You can find her AI courses for everyone from beginners to IT professionals here www.instituteofaistudies.com

With thanks to DoneDeal Motors

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And continuing our #BeachHeadUSA mini – series, the ultimate crib sheet for expanding into the US market, a young Cork man, Conor Lyden, an engineer based in New York, who spotted a need for his software when he was buying Liverpool football match tickets.

With thanks to DeFactoShave.com

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Short, simple and to the point. Tony Dunne, Country Manager USA with the Bank of Ireland shares his amazing Rolodex or contacts book with Team GBS, our loyal listeners.

He starts by saving businesses who want to set up business in the US one or two million dollars. Not bad in just 24 minutes.

He can tell you could be good for your business, but he also knows who NOT to do business with - he knows many of the 'tyre kickers'.

And, a banker explains how difficult it is to open a bank account in the US. And it's a problem that not's going to go away soon.

Another great insight is that if your business 'doesn't succeed in New York, it could succeed in the US' (so many diverse markets across the fifty States).

His 'hire in a heartbeat' - Michael O'Leary. Yes, think about it...Michael O'Leary running a bank??? Great.

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This is something very special.

It'll take you a while to find out what guest Ruairi Curtin, New York out of Cork, does. We don't want to spoil the surprise.

He used to work with Enterprise Ireland and maybe, just maybe, he may have done a little bit of double-jobbing there. But, that was a while ago.

Now he, and his fellow Irish co-founders, have built one hell of a NY-based business. That's all we're saying. It's one of the best (and possibly least well-known) Irish success stories we've come across for a long, long time.

And a very special thanks to Tony Dunne of Bank of Ireland in New York who made the introduction.

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Highly Commended Award, Irish Podcast Awards

Conor Kelly has been working, working, working since he was...very young. A milk round made him the wealthiest of his young teen peers. DJ'ing and Ikea sent him through college in Dublin. A natty Covid invention got him to his Masters in London. He created a Gmail extension but (wisely?) cut it when he realised no one would pay for it. A chance meeting with the founder of Humanloop landed him a job in twenty minutes...Meanwhile he has created Taxbot.ie, an AI bot that will help pay your taxes. BTW, Conor is still only 25. What a story!

Maria Dickenson has been boss at 'dedicated' book chain Dubray for seven years. In that time she has doubled the size of her Eason owned business, despite the challenges from Amazon, Kindle, Audiobooks, Covid...(is there anything else out there to throw at her??). She's convinced the Irish love affair with the printed word, on paper, will continue. The enthusiasm of her staff for books is integral to Dubray's books, but it's not always easy to find the right team member.

And continuing are BeachHeadUSA series, the ultimate crib sheet for doing business in the US, Feargal O'Sullivan of USAM advises if you're in fintech or insuretech to use London or Frankfurt as your testing ground before heading to the States. You need to have every wrinkle ironed out before you start selling there. Plus, he gives more great selling tips.

With thanks to Daft.ie

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'Highly Commended Award Winner', Irish Podcast Awards

Ciara Stanley is Powerhouse Female Entrepreneur of the Year. Find out why. Could it be because she's boss at embroidery business Ardattin Embroidery, or that she’s also the boss at Ballybar Ireland, her own clothing line and yet again, it could be because she’s the boss at her farm shop Coppenagh House Farm. She's one busy lady. And she has plans. America, get ready to start wearing Ballybar shirts.

Her 'hires in a heartbeat'? Lisa Hogan, the real boss on Jeremy Clarkson's farm. She'd also like a bit of Oonagh O'Hagan, founder of Meagher's Pharmacy chain, and a TeamGBS favourite

And from Connecticut USA we have Fran Pastore, founder & CEO at Women’s Business Development Council who some great insights about women in business in the US…including, we’ll hear, that up until a couple of decades ago a woman had to have a male co-signee if she wanted to borrow money! Now that we did not know…

We’ll also hear why a lack of financial software is holding back women entrepreneurs... part of our BeachHead USA mini-series, the ultimate crib sheet to setting up your business in the US…essential listening for anyone in business heading stateside…

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Winner Highly Commended Award, Business Podcast, Irish Podcast Awards

Presenter Conall O Morain talks to three more great businesses

Polar Ice Tech - CEO Damien McDonnell and GM Mairead O'Donnell explain all about their business-to-business 'ice' cleaning company. They're hyper efficient, holding their management meetings in the car as they travel. A great tip they have to expand into Northern Ireland was to use Intertrade Ireland for lead generation.

OneSonic - engineer and former professional musician David Cawley is founder of Ireland's only audio tech brand, OneSonic, made in China, sold from Finglas, Ireland. He has big ambitions for his brand, expanding into the US, so he's raising €5m in funds from Crowdcube as well as from VCs and hopes to tap into the Irish diaspora in the US to get traction in that vast market.

Parch, the no-booze booze, based in the US, co-founded by Ila Byrne, former Diageo 'head of ideation', now shipping across the US. She's one the 'Women Running the Liquor World' according to Forbes. She gives us a particularly interesting factoid about the Japanese drinks market where the government is actively trying to grow consumption. She has just closed her 'friends and family' funding around with more to come in 2024.

Unfortunately, she doesn't see a huge opportunity for her brand in her native Ireland.

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Mary Ann Pierce, MAP Digital, explains The New York Minute. It's all about the guilders, the Dough Ray Me....how to do business the All-American way, how to get your kids the best JI visa start in the US, why you have to 'pay it forward', why there's no space for false modesty, why abrupt is actually not abrupt, why favours have a shelf life of six months, how to use a LinkedIn bar-code to make connections, why the follow-up is never fast enough, and then the follow-up to the follow-up, always have an 'ask' and ask how you can help others. Her hire in a heartbeat? - Chuck Feeney

Anne Marie Feighery, Feighery's Farm Beetroot Juice - lowering your blood pressure

Did you know that the VAT rate on beet root juice (good for you) is the same as the VAT on fizzy cola (not good for you)? It drives Anne Marie Feighery mad. Her Offaly made beetroot juice is stocked now in over 80 Supervalu stores. She's been given huge help by Eddie O'Neill, artisan food specialist at Teagasc, and James Burke, a food adviser with the Supervalu Food Academy that she attended. She's looking for more distributors in Ireland.

Her hire in a heartbeat? Bobby Kerr. He might even deliver the juice for her?

With thanks to Daft.ie

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It may sound like something from the old Soviet Union, but the Fractional Marketing Collective is a new business, and it’s going to save your business money. It’s brought to you by the same people who bring you the Indie List – that’s a listing business where a very large number of creatives are available to work on your projects. Co-founder of the Indie List is Peter McPartlin, a legend in the advertising industry.

His 'hire in a heartbeat', Michelle Concannon, ex Cisco and Microsoft - AND, Professor Scott Galloway of NYU Stern

Feargall Kenny, Digital Irish and Glenborn Corporation - ten years in existence in the UK and in the US. This is part of our #BeachHeadUSA mini-series, essential listening if you're thinking of setting up part of your business in the US. Are you ready for the US? Feargall has a checklist for you? Starting with a million dollars a year. And 'don't go cheap'! - And he explains what an 'at will' employment culture is. Digital Irish is about to launch a directory to help you access the vast US market more quickly. Top tip? Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.

And about Glenborn, his company? He details what his recruitment does and how they do it.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? A person with the 'It factor'...including Pat Phelan of SISU, Oisin Hanrahan, Alice Delahunt...

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15.00" What their concerns are if Sinn Féin gets into government.

ISME wants the top rate USC to be applied to all.

Duane Jackson is Marc's 'hire in a heartbeat'. Angela Ahrendts is Neil's 'hire in a heartbeat'.

27.00" Leonie Lynch founder of Juspy, a collagen based drink. She is funding to grow the business using the Seedr platform to raise a minimum of €75,000 - you start small and then can go back to the trough again, later. She explains how (almost) appearing on BBC's Dragon's Den led to her winning business from Supervalu. She goes through a lot of the minutiae involved in getting on and going on Dragon's Den (aka Shark Tank). One of the Dragon's told her that she shouldn't spend another day on her business. Not easy. In fact she suffered 'severe trauma' according to her FitBit / Whoop band.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'. Gary Vee.

47.00" Jim Robinson, President, Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Son of legendary radio DJ, Dick Robinson. The family grew a multi location school of broadcasting that they sold to a hedge fund, bought it back and continue to trade very successfully, even attracting students from Ireland. He started working in the school at 12, he ended up travelling with Pope John Paul II touring the world, he worked with legendary actor Paul Newman who wanted him to go to work in Hollywood, but the family business attracted him more.

His tip is to love your customers.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' - Paul Newman, of course. As well as Messrs Spielberg, Zuckerberg and his dad, Dick Robinson.

Thanks to Daft.ie

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We launch our Beachhead USA series where on this and subsequent episodes we’re going to talk you through how your business should and could enter the US market. We have the ultimate cheat sheet for you to crack the USA…

 And we start with a star. The Governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont, says he’ll personally take your call if you decide to base your scaling business there. Tell him That Great Business Show sent you.

We have an incredible story about Irish Poitín, that involves a nun from Clare, a bootlegger from Aintrim, an Irish American from Connecticut…and, well you’ll to keep listening to hear how it all ends…

And from Kerry, Graphite Note explains how sales people are using AI to win, win, win…

We ran a competition to coincide with the reintroduction of the Aer Lingus service from Dublin to Hartford, Connecticut. This being Episode 164 we decided we’d choose No. 164 of those who signed up for the podcast as our winner of two flights to Connecticut, thanks to lovely Aer Lingus.

And our winner is …Frank Brennan, based at the Republic of Work, in Cork City. Here’s the funny part. We haven’t told him he has won yet, so if you know him, and you hear this before he does, give him a buzz and tell him the good news. He’s got those two return tickets so he might bring one of you along!!

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He has some very interesting observations about energy efficiency.

Does he think we've achieved peak output from solar panels?

And, they've started installing big, big batteries - and he explains how much electricity you get out of a battery.

And why does ESB not want to take electricity generated from Urban Volt's solar panels?

His company offered to put solar panels on every school in the country, within eighteen months, and he says 'no one's interested'.

Looking to the future he answers if he'll flip the business.

Who would he 'hire in a heartbeat'? Stephen Vernon (his Chair)? Johnny Sexton.

Michael Fitzpatrick (26), aka Fitz of Inch, talks about how and why he has re-branded his Stradbally, Laois event venue - a venue that you can rent for 30 people, overnight or for weeks on end (as some do) and it's available 52 weeks a year. He organises everything for his guests, and that can be casinos, Irish dancing, camp fire nights., African drumming...anything (almost!). If you're in hospitality, hear why dog holidays are going through the roof. He talks about what Covid did for them...and the true entrepreneur pivoted and housed doctors and other front line workers, essential to allow them to serve in hospital. It also gave him time to think.

He comes very close to naming some of his very high profile clients (famous musicians, dignitaries from the Middle East...)...see if you can guess who they are.

His venue is different in that they actively want to have hens and stag parties in his venue.

He takes a month long break...in the middle of summer - what is the height of the season. Find out why.

He has plans to double the size of his business in the coming years and he has a new tourism business he's going to launch shortly. But what is it?

A problem that can (it's rare) arise is people trying to add people to the number already booked.

And when things go wrong, he says tell, tell, tell them there and then.

Michael's 'hire in a heartbeat'? Barbara Ann Corcoran, American businesswoman, investor, syndicated columnist, and television personality. One of the show's original "Shark" investors, Corcoran has appeared in all 14 seasons of Shark Tank (the US version of Dragon's Den).

With thanks to Daft.ie

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Ken Fitzpatrick, CEO, Digital Marketing Institute - selling DMI twice, why they were bought by training company BPP (they own a physical university) that is backed by TDR (an investment company), the largest digital marketing training company in the world, the future of digital marketing, why non-marketing departments are being taught digital marketing, 100,000 graduates is their next target and eventually half a million is doable.

'Hire in a heartbeat'? - two people, his wife and an accountant, Annemarie Healy, and Ricardo Semler, Brazilian businessman and author of Maverick

Feargal Brady, founder NoFrixion (a 20 plus person 'techfin' company), changing the way that business pays and transfers money. Sitting in Madrid Feargal wanted to buy a fan, but couldn't. An Irish credit card can't be used on many Spanish eCommerce sites...and this created a business. He explains why 'Pay by Bank' is being promoted by the EU and is fast becoming popular.

'Hire in a heartbeat'? - Robin Williams as Patch Adams

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E161 That Great Business Show - Anneliese Duffy originally joined TeamGBS on Episode 21 (two and a half years ago) told us that she was going to bring clothes manufacturing back to Ireland. Now, she's made a delivery. She has just launched Fashion Connect Ireland, a Specialist Training Centre that is recruiting a 17 week certified course for industrial sewing technicians - based in New Ross, Co. Wexford (and that's only the beginning, she's going nationwide eventually). This could be the beginning of something big. She wants to revive the Made in Ireland label and is looking for people who dream of creating their own clothing brand.

But, she needs backing but the State seems to be a bit slow to pick up the baton. Can you help?

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Laura Lee Strategy & Change Director - Western Europe at Molson Coors explains why the world's 3rd largest brewery, 14 years in Ireland, doesn't want your CV. Of course they are hiring, but they're moving away from CVs in their recruitment process. Find out why. (Spoiler alert. It's got nothing to do with AI or ChatGPT. Phew!)

Given that almost 500 pubs have closed down here in recent years we wanted to know from Laura, brought up in a pub and in the trade for decades, how she would save the Irish pub…She gives loads of proven, real world, examples.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat' is football manager Lisa Fallon

Husband and wife duo Bhagya and Robert Barrett met in a pub and started talking distillery immediately. The now married couple have set up the Rebel City Distillery, makers of the Maharani gin, flavoured with spices from Bhagya's home state of Kerala in India. This Indian/Ireland flavour mix is what makes their gin stand out in a crowded market. They have already launched Ireland's first absinthe. There's a very different vodka on the way and they also talk about an up and coming rum. Next stop, the US where they want any contacts they can get to help spread the Rebel City name.

Robert's 'hire in a heartbeat' is Danish beer pioneer, Mikkel Borg Bjergso. Bhagya wants to hire former Pepsico Chair and CEO, Indra Nooyi.

Please pay it forward and share this podcast far and wide.

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How to get paid in business, Part II - Christine Cullen, MD of CRIF Vision-net

 On E126 we were joined by Sharon Farrell of credit consultancy FACE – when she explained one of the basics of business to us…that’s how to get paid.  

An absolute essential Sharon said, was to do a credit check on your potential customers, no matter how small you, or they are. So how do you do that? By using a credit checking agency. CRIF Vision-net is one of those companies that helps customers manage commercial risk and consumer screening requirements. That’s a nice way of saying, ‘they spot dodgy’ and Head Dodgy Spotter is Christine Cullen MD and co-founder of CRIF Vision.net….

And, we were joined by Geraldine Magnier Idiro Analytics who is also Chair of the SMALL FIRMS ASSOCIATION, the SFA. She's a busy lady as she's also Technology Ireland Person of the Year, co-founder of Idiro Analytics with her husband Aidan Connolly. She’s also an actor, a milliner, … and she has also starred on her own podcast. Busy lady.

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Presenter Conall O Móráin is joined by Bernie Everard, CEO, SPADE, the country's first open plan shared commercial kitchen in Dublin 7 is joined by Brazilian native Adrianna Cocenza Novaes, who along with husband Marcelo, produce Lebanese food under the Zaira brand, to talk about the trials and tribulations of our small business producers. It's tough. 14 hour days are absolutely normal.

We also were joined by Laura McDermott, founder of Colectivo, who started her sustainability journey whilst living with 11 nuns in rural Spain. She's now very big on ESG and her company is advising other companies about their responsibilities, worldwide.

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Conor also tells us about his 3,500 acre sugar cane farm - now the largest specialised, organic, cane sugar farm in the world. He is adamant that re-starting the sugar business in Ireland is an 'absolute waste of time'. He's also in trees as a minority investor, in a wood pulp manufacturer. Forestry will jump 50% in Paraguay in the coming 10 years (toilet tissue is a massive growth area). His first tree project will involve 1 million acres eventually. He's a dragon investor in a separate seedling company that is currently growing 5 million seedling trees.

He's also a partner in a beer business, importing Heineken from the Netherlands, and is in the process of building a brewery for the country.

He's now open to Joint Ventures to be 'the trusted local partners' in some further Paraguayan ventures.

He's also looking to set up funds located in Ireland that invests in Paraguay. The first fund might be $500 million. He explains what you could do with that amount of money in that country.

He details the opportunities for Irish companies in Paraguay. Software, education, hydroelectric power, hotel chain,... and much, much more. Irish whiskey should be marketed 'like crazy' there he says. Anyone in the tree business should 'get their butts down' to Paraguay immediately.

He would hire the late Brian Lenihan junior 'in a heartbeat'.

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Conor first joined TeamGBS on Episode 15 when he described shootings, kidnappings, bombings and how and why he bought his first bank in Paraguay. It's a truly extraordinary story, which is why it remains one of our top podcasts.

Well he's back. This time he's Paraguay's premier banker having bought the No. 3 bank, amalgamated his No. 5 bank to make the No. 1 bank. We have the backstory to the deal in his own words. And, did you know that it can cost up to $1 million to ship $50 million in cash from country to country? Neither did we. But banker Conor explains why and who has to be paid off (like the Rambo figures on board the helicopters bringing bags of cash to a Lufthansa plane). Everybody gets their cut. Fascinating.

He also predicts the end of plastic cards. But he thinks that 'cash, cash' (the crinkly stuff) has a longer lifespan.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Dr Ken Whitaker.

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Marc Cooper, CEO, School of Automation, knows the robots are taking over and he's recruiting people to help them do that! His company has teamed up with the Clare Limerick Education and Training Board (ETB) to run fully remote online courses (so you can learn from anywhere) in Robotics Process Automation (don't worry, all is explained) that can take absolute beginners (no education or age barriers) from zero to a basic understanding in just twelve weeks. After that they're set for a career in robotics that can lead to a €60k plus salary. Demand is big - 200 applicants for a fifteen person course. If you, or someone you know, would like to know more, this episode is a 'must listen'.

Marc's 'hire in heartbeat'? Simon Sinek for his most human values.

David Larkin Founder of DealCoach was once Head of Business Development at Sage and then served time as VP with Salesforce during which time he won the Peak Performers Prize for five years running. He's good. He knows sales and he wants to share his knowledge using his highly affordable sales tool that has come hugely recommended to TeamGBS from two separate users. He says he can absolutely transform the sales process at any sized company. That's why he believes his DealCoach is heading for world domination.

David's 'hire in a heartbeat'? Salesforce founder Marc Benioff, a man he has met on a number occasions and the man who was largely credited with getting all our businesses into the cloud.

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Luke Hanlon is Chief Supply Chain Officer, Musgrave

Musgrave is big. It covers wholesale, retail, food production, food preparation. They cover the island of Ireland plus they have a growing business in Spain.

How do they second guess customers, large and small, and how many units of any product will be needed.

Find out how they keep their finger on the customers' pulse and how they supply what you want to their stores, within 48 hours.

Plus, Northern Ireland could be El Dorado for business and expansion into the UK and growth in the Alicante region of Spain.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Caroline Currid, performance coach and currently sports psychologist for the Limerick hurling team.

Eibhlín Gleeson, CEO Cork Opera House

They were shut down for almost 2 years during COVID but they're now back up and running, and going even faster (though it did take a while).

They're different to many large venues in NOT being owned by Live Nation (though they are a very welcome customer).

She also produced a gig in the White House. She explains how that came about.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat' is Paul Simon, so as he could do an Irish version of the Graceland album. Great idea.

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Brian Donaldson, CEO, Maxol on the future of the forecourt and what they've learnt from their first EV charging stations

Plus why his company is backing HomeGrown at Maxol, encouraging early stage companies to sell in 70 Maxol outlets.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Alan 'Lord' Sugar of 'Apprentice' fame

Jo Davey, founder of Absolute Nutrition and winner of HomeGrown at Maxol on what it means for her business, hiring, growing, servicing and exporting...phew! She'd hire Hannah Tyrrel or Carla Rowe in a heartbeat, to help her expand further.

Keith Loftus, co-founder of All About Kombucha and winner of HomeGrown at Maxol, on why winning a prize was critical in keeping their company dreams alive, and he hints at a new product they're about to launch from their Galway base.

Keith would have liked to have hired Edward Bernays for his company's expansion, but unfortunately Mr. Bernays, a PR guru, is no longer with us.

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Enda Corneille, chair of Arab Irish Chamber of Commerce explains the many, many opportunities available across the Arab world (stretching from Morocco to the Middle East) where 450 million sophisticated and relatively wealthy consumers want your goods and services. Of course there are cultural nuances to be navigated but Enda shares many insights, gleaned from 28 years with Aer Lingus and a further 8 years as Country Head, Ireland with airline Emirates.

He also explains why his 'hire in a heartbeat' choice is Roy Keane

Brian Fitzpatrick is co-founder and CEO of Oriel Marine Extracts, based in Clogherhead, County Louth. Oriel is on a voyage to the bottom of the sea, to bring ashore nutrient rich sea salt that, fortuitously has some other incredible (and patented) minerals that they supply to the food, medical and skincare sectors. They're funding, but wisely they're looking for 'wise money', so if you know these sectors, internationally, and you know of the benefits of magnesium, then have the chat with Brian. He also gives a masterclass in sales on the podcast.

His 'hire in heartbeat' is singer Lewis Capaldi but to get to him he wants to enlist the help of the Midlands Maestro, Niall Horan.

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E151 - Derek Kehoe, CEO BNP-Paribas, Ireland

• Corporate and Institutional banking is their main business in Ireland
• They're not planning on opening branch banking in Ireland
• He talks about issues around mortgages in Ireland - and the fact that some don't have to pay them back.
• He explains how the CEO in Paris 'knocked people's heads together', to get units in different countries to work as one bank
• People have to be judged on their quantitative and qualitative performance as part of the way to 'make' staff work together
• He explains how expensive Paris is compared to Dublin...when all charges are included, it's very, very interesting
• 'We have benefitted from Brexit' - and he talks about the crack in the windscreen eventually shattering...and what that means to London as a financial centre
• Automation means that trading is now handled by computers, rather than noisy traders but he says that there will still room for Arts graduates, not just mathematicians and their algos (algorithms!)
• Sustainable finance could/should be part of the future for growth of financial services in Ireland
• He is very positive on Ireland having a Minister for Financial Services within Government
• Personal taxation and a 'general hostility' towards financial services are impediments to further growth of the sector in Ireland and in attracting international financial services to the country.
• The Financial Regulator is tough but firm and he says the Regulator needs to be tough.
• Hiring people at BNP Paribas is not a problem at the moment (having seen staff churn at 15% in Q2, 2022)
• And who would he 'hire in a heartbeat' - Prof Luke O'Neill

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A fishy tail. Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) CEO Caroline Bocquel has a billion Euro to give to the fishing sector to try to ease some of Brexit's burdens. Of course Ts&Cs apply BUT the money is for waaaaaaaaay more than fish and fishing. There are grants for boat building, sea based skin care products, oyster rotating machines...She wants to grow the 'blue economy'. Listen for some terrifici opportunities.

Anna-Marie Turley is Manager Entrepreneurship and HPSU Operations at Enterprise Ireland (EI). She joins TeamGBS to tell us of an early company pre-seed fund that can be worth €100,000. EI is looking for 60 top-class companies in almost any sector (if you're in gambling or porn don't bother reading on). The fund has no closing date and she says there's a short ten week turnaround for successful applicants. Share this with relevant businesses you know.

With thanks to DoneDeal.ie

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Ivan Wahlrab, co-founder StrongBó, a weighing machine for cattle, 'set to revolutionise the cattle industry', that has been part funded by The European Space Agency. Yes. You read that right. Now listen to find out why.

His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy

Grit Young, Strategy and Transactions Partner, EY wants to Government to update and upgrade the KEEP employee incentive programme to match what is available across the border in Northern Ireland. It's essential to keep great talent working in our small but perfectly formed tech startup community.

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Arnold Schwarzenegger - but you'll have to listen to find out why.

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Chris Deans, newly minted CEO Portakabin, Ireland, former soccer-pro with Derby County AFC, then EMEA sales director with Crane Logistics now swapped to a wholly different sector at Portakabin. Why? To keep himself fresh, a new challenge and recommends it wholly.

Hire in a heartbeat? Phil Giles, director of football at Brentford AFC. Listen to why.

National Jealousy Day is on the 1st of November every year in Finland. That's the day every citizen's pay packet is opened up for public scrutiny and is described by one commentator as being a 'national orgy of financial voyeurism'. But, did you know that pay transparency is heading right across Europe thanks to a very recently passed EU Directive. Mike McDonagh is COO of Sigmar Recruitment and wanted to share all his knowledge and his salary with TeamGBS.

His 'hire in a heartbeat' is Pete Lunn at the ESRI and he sold him so well that now we want Pete to join us on That Great Business Show

With thanks to DoneDeal.ie

Sign up to the podcast at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

Find all episodes at www.ThatGreatBusinessShow.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presented by Conall O Morain

With thanks to Done Deal Motors

Tersha Willis and Ed Hayes, two of three founders of Terrible (it's not them, it's their company name!) talk all things merch (andise) and how bands (including U2) can up their game to make a living. We even get an industry insider review of the best up and coming music talent in the country (CMAT anyone? - "Ireland's greatest pop-star")

It's not just T-Shirts and hoodies. They made a plush-toy coochie from Shygirl's Coochie Call single (over one million Youtube views to date). They have made air-fresheners for a client, however they only make stickers and T-Shirts for the music duo Jockstrap which is ironic as they make Y-fronts for Marika Hackman.

"Artists need to behave like entrepreneurs"

In Ireland they also work with The Murder Capital, For Those I Love, Yune Pinku...but they deny all knowledge of working with Hozier. However, listen to find out if they 'do protest too much'.

"U2 are really underselling their merch", "It's a waste when they're making 60 year old men wear band T-Shirts" (They've worked with Sparks)

Hire in a heartbeat Ivan Hayes (brother of Ed) and Phil Knight, founder of Nike

Gillian Harford, Country Manager The 30% Club, on how women can grab C-Suite seats and board directors' chairs

Her 'hire in a heartbeat'? Rachael Blackmore

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Presented by Conall O Morain

Which would you prefer, ten years in the slammer of a half million Euro fine...or both? Those are the choices facing company directors gone bad. That's what That Great Business Show will try to help you avoid. You're welcome!

David Duffy, founder of the Corporate Governance Institute, says we should be like Singapore and make a corporate governance license 'a thing' for company directors.

New Irish citizens setting up businesses here. Joanna Ceizka came to Galway from Poland for a wedding. She never went home and is now selling her Irish Socksociety socks from there to the world. She encourages more new Irish to set up businesses here. And this Polish lady explains why she uses Gaeilge as a marketing differentiator.

With thanks to Done Deal Motors.

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Mark Tottenham BL is the expert on experts, or expert witnesses at least. He has actually written the book about it. On this episode we take a more light hearted look at some well known, 'not so expert' experts and being a business show, we see if there's a business in being an expert witness.

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