Better Business Spring 2024

EVERY IRISH SME

Whether you’re already part of our community or new to the scene, join our mission to empower and support small businesses nationwide. Together, we will strengthen and uplift small business owners across the nation. Join our free community today. Get in touch: backingbusiness@virginmedia.ie

In this edition, we showcase the winners of the National Small Business Awards. Dundalk-based company ‘Leinster Environmentals’ was named the Overall Winner, while it also received the Manufacturing Award. e award ceremony took place in the RDS which showcased the very best that small rms have to o er to their respective communities and the wider economy.

In February, over 400 delegates braved the adverse weather to attend the annual Small Firm Associations’ ‘Business Connect’ event at Killashee Hotel in Naas, Co Kildare. e event is a unique opportunity for CEOs of small businesses to engage, discuss and forge meaningful connections with industry peers and leading business experts. e event was hosted by journalist Richard Curran and economist David McWilliams was the keynote speaker.

In this issue, the HR pages deal with the various issues related to remote working, while the health pages deal with workplace wellness. is issue, the entrepreneurs section focuses on recruitment companies, while the sector spotlight takes a look at Ireland’s hospitality sector.

As Ireland and the wider world heads into a year of elections, small businesses have an opportunity to highlight various issues impacting the sector. For the year ahead, small businesses have an opportunity to inform and engage with political stakeholders who are in election mode. e Small Firms Association published its policy priorities document ahead of the local and European elections, which will o er a range of proposals on how to assist small businesses with increasing costs.

In March, the Government published a report on the cumulative cost of Government-imposed labour market reforms. e report con rmed the signi cant increases facing the business community, with small businesses being less likely to absorb the current and incoming labour costs over the next two years. Amid various reports that insolvencies among businesses have increased in the rst quarter, the SFA has called on Government to consider a form of a targeted PRSI rebate to assist businesses with these employment costs.

As always, Better Business contains stories that will both inform and inspire. Many of the businesses featured in this publication are the heartbeat of communities across Ireland. It is a credit to these businesses that they are viable at a time when business costs continue to rise.

Better Business is the magazine of the small business community. We welcome your feedback, suggestions and ideas to info@sfa.ie on X (Twitter) @SFA_Irl

David Broderick Director, Small Firms Association

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40 HR

Zaynab Lawal gives her advice on how to manage remote and flexible working requests

50 Travel

Germany is a tried and trusted export country for Irish businesses looking to expand

FROM TOP LEFT: All the winners from the 2024 Small Firms Association National Small Business Awards, page 10 // Enterprise Ireland’s Michael Carey on his ambitions in his new role, page 26 // Anthony Gray describes the difficulties hospitality businesses are facing, page 18 // Recruiter Cora Barnes on why innovation is the key to longevity and success, page 30

BIG NEWS FOR SMALL BUSINESS

CLIMATE ACTION AND ENERGY SUPPORTS FOR BUSINESS

The Government provides a range of climate action supports and resources to help businesses on their journey to sustainability. Supports are also available to help mitigate the impact of energy price rises.

• Starting your energy efficiency journey

• Planning, preparation and training

• Improving your business with funding

Visit enterprise.gov.ie/en/ what-we-do/supports-forsmes/energy-supports/ energy-supports-forbusiness.html to learn more.

SFA MEMBERS

IF YOUR BUSINESS HAS SOME NEWS TO SHARE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FEATURED IN THE NEXT EDITION OF BETTER BUSINESS, CONTACT

DAVID BRODERICK AT DAVID.BRODERICK@SFA.IE

APPOINTMENT

Driving Positive Change

Emer Redmond has been appointed to the role of Sales and Development Manager at On-site Refueling, while Bartosz Jaworski has been appointed to the role of Operations Manager. As Ireland’s largest independent on-site refueling service, the company is driven by a passion for positive change. Its’ dedication extends beyond the industry as the company actively supports customers nationwide in reducing carbon emissions through innovative fueling solutions like HVO. Join the movement towards sustainability and environmental responsibility. For more information, connect with Emer Redmond at ops@onsiterefueling.com or call 01 459 4356. Together, let’s drive a greener future.

OUT-OF-THE-BOX B2B ECOMMERCE PLATFORM HITS THE MARKET

Monsoon Consulting recently launched Apex, an eCommerce platform for B2B businesses, supported by Enterprise Ireland R&D grants. Grown from over two decades of experience, it is designed to provide the same level of agility, speed to market and cost-effective solutions as platforms like Shopify offer to B2C retailers. Apex aims to empower distributors, manufacturers and suppliers from various sectors to efficiently scale their operations online, offering a seamless integration of complex commerce functionalities with user-friendly management tools. As Monsoon Consulting celebrates the release of Apex, the company is setting its sights beyond Europe, targeting expansion into the burgeoning markets of the Middle East and North America. This move underscores the company’s commitment to facilitating global business growth through advanced, accessible eCommerce solutions.

Pictured (l to r) Bartosz Jaworski, Emer Redmond, Georgia and Ade Ogunsina

John Dolan, Business Development Manager, Thermodial

PROMOTION AT THERMODIAL

John Dolan has been appointed to the role of Business Development Manager at Thermodial. He joins the senior management team with a wealth of experience, having served 19 years with the company. His previous role was as Contracts Manager and prior as a HVAC service engineer. His new role involves executing the business development strategy in supporting customers and in pursuit of new opportunities in commercial HVAC services. John has an electrical background and is a Licentiate of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (LCIBSE) and a Member of Institute of Engineers of Ireland (MIEI).

The Power of Brands

Brand planning and strategic development company, Islandbridge Brand Development, has published a guide by Chartered Accountants Ireland focused on branding for SMEs. ‘Branding for SMEs: A Guide’ is packed with insights, tools and techniques to help small and medium enterprises build robust brand infrastructures and great relationships with customers. The guide is a step-by-step journey to understanding the relationships between buyers and sellers and how brands influence choice. It’s about empowering businesses to become the natural choice of the best customers in their market and helping those customers to make the right decisions when they choose to buy. The guide is available for free to read/download for Better Business Magazine readers. So whether you’re an entrepreneur, a small business owner or just curious about the power of brands for both businesses and customers, make sure you get your copy.

INNOVATION

ELEVATING HEALTH STANDARDS IN IRELAND

Airmid Healthgroup stands out as a beacon of innovation in health and indoor air quality. Conveniently located at Citywest, Co Dublin, Airmid specialises in the research, development and testing of products and services which seek to improve the indoor environment. With a suite of services that include virus and allergen testing, bed bug testing, indoor air quality consultancy and extensive field studies, Airmid is at the forefront of promoting healthier indoor environments.

Download your complimentary copy here: https://www.islandbridge.com/brand-know-how/branding-for-smes-a-guide/

Airmid Healthgroup offers vital services to a wide range of sectors and industries including air purification, textiles and surface technologies and aiding businesses in substantiating product claims. This is helped by leveraging a distinctive mix of expert clinicians and scientists, complemented by Airmid’s advanced testing infrastructure. Airmid Healthgroup’s expertise in aerobiology and biomedical research positions it as a key player in advancing indoor air quality and in turn, contributing to improved health and wellbeing for all.

“MentorsWork plays a vital role in empowering SMEs to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. We are proud to support MentorsWork on its mission of building a pathway to business success.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris, launching the MentorsWork programme

“The evolution of Ireland’s economy was forged in the revolution of our small businesses. Through booms and busts, the one constant feature has been its thriving, small, indigenous enterprises.”

SFA Director David Broderick addressing the SFA Small Business Awards

EMBRACING SUSTAINABILITY IN SAFETY

“I want to pay tribute to our finalists for their tenacity and sacrifice to getting here tonight. You are a credit to your communities and to Ireland’s economic success story.” SFA Chair Geraldine Magnier addressing the SFA Small Business Awards

Ennis Safety Wear is not just about providing top-notch safety gear – the company is committed to revolutionising the industry through sustainable practices. With a deep understanding of its responsibility towards the environment and society, Ennis Safety Wear has embarked on a journey to align its operations with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically focusing on Goals 3, 4, 12, and 13.

1. Environmental Action

From recycling mixed waste to championing a paperless workplace, we’re leaving no stone unturned in reducing our carbon footprint. Looking ahead, we’re implementing sustainable procurement practices, ensuring our products meet rigorous eco-friendly standards and actively engaging in end-of-life gear disposal programs to prevent landfill dumping.

2. Social Responsibility

We prioritise the wellbeing of our employees and clients, fostering a culture of inclusivity and safety. From exploring employee assistance programs to organising community engagement activities, we’re committed to creating a workplace where sustainability is ingrained in every aspect of our operations.

3. Governance

By establishing dedicated ESG teams and undergoing rigorous assessments like the B Impact Assessment, we’re setting new benchmarks for corporate responsibility. Exploring certifications such as B Corp and EcoVadis underscores our commitment to transparency and sustainability.

Ennis Safety Wear invites you to join us on this transformative journey towards a more sustainable future. Together, we can make a difference – one eco-friendly gear at a time.

TOP POSTS

@SFA_Irl

The SFA is actively working on behalf of our members to look for additional, easy to access, supports from government and their local authorities to overcome the barriers that small businesses face - Increase in SMEs’ interest in green supports https://rte.ie/ news/business/2024/ 0216/1432680-moresmes-looking-forgreen-supports/ via @rte

@ibec_irl

MentorsWork 2024 is here! 3,000 SMEs have already benefitted from the tailored, fully-funded mentoring supports. Ready to reach your business goals? Don’t miss your chance, apply below now!

#MentorsWork2024 #BusinessGrowth #IrishSMEs

@ibec_irl

We are delighted to participate in the St. Patrick’s week of engagements in the US. Our CEO, Danny McCoy, was today invited to the ringing of the bell @ NYSE for Ireland Day, to signal the opening of the day’s trading, as part of the Ireland INC Leadership Breakfast.

@ibec_irl

Ahead of #internationalwomens day2024 tomorrow, @FitzgeraldFrncs @marycoughlan @joanburton and Mary Harney joined us for an exclusive member event last week. Watch below as they reflect on the event and call for more participation by women in political life and leadership.

‘A CANARY IN THE COALMINE’ –SFA REACTS TO INSOLVENCY REPORTS

Both Deloitte and PWC have published reports which show that business insolvencies have risen in the first quarter of 2024. The PWC Insolvency Barometer shows a 41% increase in insolvencies, with SMEs accounting for 85% of all business failures. Furthermore, Deloitte Ireland’s Insolvency & Restructuring Statistics show that corporate insolvencies increased by 47% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. According to the PWC report, many restaurants have closed over recent months with hospitality having three times the equivalent business failure rate per 10,000 businesses compared to retail.

Director of the SFA, David Broderick said: “The PWC barometer indicates that the hospitality sector is experiencing severe pressure, serving as a canary in the coalmine for the challenges confronting many small businesses. With 80% of SMEs opting for liquidation rather than examinership, there’s evident weariness amid escalating business costs, suggesting they’ve reached a breaking point.

“The SFA advocates for more direct action to alleviate costs for struggling businesses. This includes proposing a PRSI rebate, structured to provide a rebate for each worker earning below an agreed-upon threshold. Additionally, we suggest implementing more rigorous stress tests on all government legislation through Regulatory Impact Assessments, evaluating how proposed laws will affect the functioning and prosperity of SMEs. Furthermore, to better equip businesses for future skills demands, we propose the introduction of a National Training Voucher Scheme. This scheme aims to enhance in-company training and broaden participation in upskilling and reskilling efforts to encompass all businesses and employers.

“The SFA notes the recent Government report which acknowledges the high employment costs imposed on small businesses. The Harris administration must act now or businesses will close. Small businesses cannot wait for another budget or it will be too late.”

UPDATE ON EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DRAFT REPORT

There has been a significant development concerning the draft report ‘Combating late payment in commercial transactions’ at the European Parliament. The parliament’s IMCO Committee voted in favour of an amendment (CA2) to Article 3 of the report which deals with payment periods. The amendment states that all payments would have to be made in 30 days, with limited exceptions. This applies to all G2B transactions and by default to B2B transactions. The IMCO Committee is responsible for the legislative oversight and scrutiny of EU rules on the single market including the digital single market, customs and consumer protection.

The other provisions in the amendment (CA2) include:

n In B2B transactions, where expressly agreed in the contract, the payment period may be extended up to 60 calendar days

n By way of derogation, in B2B transactions for the purchase of slow moving and seasonal goods, the payment period may be extended up to 120 calendar days

n A procedure of acceptance or verification, by which the conformity of the goods or services with the contract is to be ascertained, may be provided for in national law.

An alternative amendment (CA2A), which called for more favourable business-to-business transactions allowing for flexibility to go beyond the 30-day payment cap, was rejected by the IMCO. Irish MEP Deirdre Clune and her European Peoples’ Party colleagues voted for the alternative amendment (CA2A) but was rejected by the committee. The alternative amendment was supported by BusinessEurope and the Small Firms Association. BusinessEurope reacted with a tweet emphasising that the amendment (CA2) on Article 3 seriously limits freedom of contract in B2B transactions. BusinessEurope stated that the article now puts businesses at a competitive disadvantage and that the proposed derogations and different payment terms (30, 60, 120 days) will bring complexity and bureaucracy for companies. The draft report will now be put to a vote at the April plenary session of the European Parliament on the 23rd of April.

Food waste firm raises €900k to fuel expansion

West Cork based company MyGug Ltd has announced a successful round of fundraising, securing more than €900,000 in capital. The investment was led by BVP, with participation from Enterprise Ireland. MyGug Ltd, trading since early 2022, is at the forefront of innovation in food waste management with its pioneering food waste system which creates a circular economy for the user, with the conversion of food waste into a clean renewable source of cooking energy and plant nutrient. This latest seed round of funding will enable the company to further expand its market reach both domestically and internationally. “This investment will greatly support our efforts to deliver this innovative food waste solution to customers and create greater positive impact in the fight against climate change,” said Fiona Kelleher, CEO, MyGug.

NOVAUCD ANNOUNCES INNOVATION AWARDS WINNERS

The 2024 NovaUCD Innovation Award, which recognises excellence in innovation or of successes achieved in the commercialisation of UCD research or other intellectual activity over a number of years, has been awarded to Professor Therese Kinsella, CEO and founder of ATXA Therapeutics. ATXA Therapeutics is a clinicalstage pharmaceutical company committed to the advancement of innovative, life-changing treatments for cardiopulmonary diseases. Among the other Award recipients are Associate Professor Nan Zhang, recipient of the 2024 NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award and Professor Fiona Timmins, UCD Dean of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, recipient of the 2024 NovaUCD Consultancy of the Year Award. The recipient of the 2024 NovaUCD Invention of the Year Award is Associate Professor Nan Zhang, UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. He received this Award in recognition of a patented microfluidic system and process for the formulation of nanomedicines, which was developed by him and his research team.

THE OTHER FOUR RECIPIENTS OF

2024 NOVAUCD INNOVATION AWARDS ARE:

2024 NovaUCD Spin-out of the Year Award: EpiCapture

2024 NovaUCD Licence of the Year Award: Go Eve

2024 NovaUCD Founder of the Year Award: John Byrne, CEO and Founder, Corlytics

2024 NovaUCD Innovation Champion of the Year Award: Professor Nick Holden UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering

Fiona Kelleher, CEO, MyGug

Green skills micro qualifications are designed to help your company transition to a green economy.

THE BEST OF SMALL BUSINESS

LEINSTER ENVIRONMENTALS NAMED OVERALL WINNER AT THE SMALL FIRMS ASSOCIATION NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS 2024

The winners of the Small Firms Association (SFA) National Small Business Awards 2024 have been announced. The Awards celebrate the achievements of small businesses in Ireland and recognise the important and vital contributions of this sector to the Irish economy. Forty-five finalists and five Emerging New Businesses were selected from hundreds of applications received for the 2024 programme.

Leinster Environmentals Limited was named the overall National SFA Small Business Winner 2024. The company recycles waste plastic into low carbon, high quality raw materials, preventing this waste from entering our oceans or landfills. This raw material is used to make sustainable, lightweight and efficient parts for world-leading automotive and aerospace brands. By recycling enough waste plastic to fill almost 1000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, the company is saving 80,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Located in Dundalk, Co Louth with a team of 41, Leinster Environmentals was founded by James Loughran. Raised on a seaside farm, James developed a profound love of the natural world, which serves as the cornerstone of his company’s ethos. This passion fuels Leinster Environmentals’ commitment to excellence, driving continuous enhancement across its products, personnel, infrastructure and operations, all while prioritising environmental sustainability.

Announcing the winner, Geraldine Magnier, SFA Chair said: “Leinster Environmentals must be commended for its exemplary environmental credentials and remarkable accomplishments in business expansion and management. The company’s success is attributed to its well-defined objectives, a thriving research and development initiative, remarkable innovation and significant strides in both local and international markets.”

SFA Director, David Broderick added: “As we celebrate 20 years of the SFA Awards, we continue to grow a programme that positions the small business brand as the backbone of the Irish economy. Congratulations to all the finalists, each of whom represent the very best in small business - all are winners. Small businesses are present in every village, town and city and contribute enormously to economic activity and community engagement.”

Geraldine Magnier, SFA Chair, David Broderick, SFA Director and James Loughran, Leinster Environmentals

FOOD & DRINK

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

“AS

WE CELEBRATE 20 YEARS OF THE SFA AWARDS, WE CONTINUE TO GROW A PROGRAMME THAT POSITIONS THE SMALL BUSINESS BRAND AS THE BACKBONE OF THE IRISH ECONOMY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS, EACH OF WHOM REPRESENT THE VERY BEST IN SMALL BUSINESS - ALL ARE WINNERS.”

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Frank Collins, NSAI; David O’Reilly and Damian Young, Zeus Scooters; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Una Fitzgibbon, Director of Marketing, Bord Bia; Ciara Troy and Ciaran O’Neill, Oishii Foods; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

CATEGORY WINNERS

This is the 20th year of the SFA National Small Business Awards, an initiative of the Small Firms Association. The Awards prize package for ALL finalists included a strategic management masterclass, participation in the SFA Business Connect event in February last and media exposure in a special supplement published with the Irish Independent. The total prize for finalists is valued at €50,000 each. The category winners were also presented with a trophy and free membership of the Small Firms Association for one year. Skillnet Ireland is management training sponsor of the awards, while our media partner is the Irish Independent

> MANUFACTURING (Sponsored by PTSB) Leinster Environmentals, Co Louth

> FOOD AND DRINK (Sponsored by Bord Bia) Oishii Foods, Dublin 8

Highly Commended: Burren Smokehouse, Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare

> SERVICES (Sponsored by Sage) OSENG, Claremorris, Co Mayo

Highly Commended: Climeaction, Co Cork

> OUTSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS (Sponsored by Elavon)

Drink Botanicals Ireland, Dublin 6

> RETAIL (Sponsored by One4all Rewards) JJ Burke Car Sales, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo

> INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

(Sponsored by National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI))

Zeus Scooters, Co Carlow

> EXPORTER OF THE YEAR (Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland) Klearcom, Co Waterford

Highly Commended HYDE Irish Whiskey

> SUSTAINABILITY

(Sponsored by Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI))

OB-1 Hair, Co Kildare

Highly Commended: Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway, Co Leitrim

> WORKPLACE WELLBEING (Sponsored by DeCare) Hills Fine Art & Craft Materials, Dublin 22

EMERGING NEW BUSINESSES

OVERALL WINNER

David Broderick, SFA with Emerging New Business winners - Ecco Spray, Weighless Wonders, JustTip, Little Learning Steps and Colectivo

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Elaine Rice, Louise Finnegan, Ray Duignan and James Loughran, Leinster Environmentals; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

The Emerging New Business award, sponsored by Microfinance Ireland, is a category to encourage emerging entrepreneurs to promote and grow their business. Entrants in this category are under two years in business and the winners were identified by the judging panel as companies that will grow into successful organisations.

THE WINNERS ARE:

> Colectivo, Dublin

> Ecco Spray, Co Galway

> JustTip Technologies, Co Dublin

> Little Learning Steps, Co Wexford

> Weighless Wonders, Co Dublin

OUTSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS

“LEINSTER ENVIRONMENTALS MUST BE COMMENDED FOR ITS EXEMPLARY ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS AND REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN BUSINESS EXPANSION AND MANAGEMENT. THE COMPANY’S SUCCESS IS ATTRIBUTED TO ITS WELL-DEFINED OBJECTIVES, A THRIVING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, REMARKABLE INNOVATION AND SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.”

SERVICES WINNER

EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

MANUFACTURING

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Enda McDonnell, Enterprise Ireland; Tomas Placek, Mark Rohan, Klearcom; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Sean Farrell - Head of Business Banking, PTSB; James Loughran and Mark Byrne, Leinster Environmentals; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Paul Dunne, Country Manager Ireland, Elavon Europe; Laura McCarthy, Drink Botanicals Ireland; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

David Broderick, Director, SFA; Paula Egan, SAGE; Michelle and Gary O’Sullivan, OSENG; Geraldine Magnier, Chair, SFA

CONNECTING BUSINESS

THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL BUSINESSES TO THE ECONOMY WAS ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES AT BUSINESS CONNECT

OnSFA EVENTS

If you did not get the chance to attend Business Connect this year, we have plenty of upcoming virtual and in-person events that you can register for now at sfa.ie/ events. If there are any events that you would be interested in either attending or hosting alongside the SFA, please contact info@sfa.ie

8 February, the Small Firms Association (SFA) was joined by over 400 small and large businesses at our flagship event Business Connect at Killashee Hotel, Naas. This marketplace event is aimed at small businesses looking to supply to large indigenous and multinational firms and bigger businesses interested in diversifying their supply chains.

Business Connect was officially opened by Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare North, James Lawless, who addressed delegates on the importance of small businesses to the economy. SFA Chair and Co-Founder and Director of Idiro Analytics, Geraldine Magnier, welcomed delegates to the event with a passionate speech about the tenacity and resilience of the small business community in Ireland.

Returning MC RTE’s Richard Curran introduced the three sessions and facilitated Q&A’s with panelists. In the first session, “Supply chain responsibility - why small firms can’t ignore cybersecurity as a supplier”, we were joined by David McNamara, Managing Director of CommSec, Rohit Thakral, CEO of Target Integration and Jacqui McNabb, Head of Enterprise at LEO Kildare Co Council. We then heard from keynote speaker David

“THIS MARKETPLACE EVENT IS AIMED AT SMALL BUSINESSES LOOKING TO SUPPLY TO LARGE INDIGENOUS AND MULTINATIONAL FIRMS AND BIGGER BUSINESSES INTERESTED IN DIVERSIFYING THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS.”

20 YEARS OF THE SFA NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS

McWilliams, economist, writer, journalist and podcaster, who spoke about the profound similarities between the entrepreneurial and artistic brains and how we can create a country of innovators by adopting “cathedral thinking” – building for future generations.

In our second session, “Modern Money - On Being Financial Flow Savvy”, Neil Hughes, CEO of Azets Ireland, Catherine Collins, Head of Credit Review at the Credit Review Office and Gary Duffy, Head of Customer Policy for the Irish Culture Board, discussed how businesses can avoid financial pitfalls. Finally, we were joined by Neil Dover, Country Manager of HP Ireland Inc and Nick Bennett, Agile Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations Executive and Expert Tender Writer at The Agile Executive for the third session on procurement entitled “Getting in the door of big business – the how to’s for small business”.

Delegates also had the chance to visit the exhibition area of the SFA National Small Business Awards, meeting finalists displaying their businesses and showing why they were in the running to be named the next best small business in Ireland. Thank you to all the awards sponsors and event exhibitors – Bord Bia, DeCare, Elavon, Enterprise Ireland, Microfinance Ireland, NSAI, One4All, PTSB, Sage, SBCI, Skillnet, as well as MentorsWork and Ibec.

As part of the SFA National Small Business Awards finalist package, the 2024 finalists were immersed in entrepreneurial environments to stimulate new ideas for growth through our Awards events. These small business owners were able to share experiences, learn from the successes and mistakes of others and build working relations with the other finalists and sponsors. In the Management Masterclass Weekend in Athlone, business experts from the 50 companies in the awards learned from Barry McLoughlin from The Communications Clinic, Catherine McGovern and David Lukas from PKF, David Casey from DeCare and had an employment law update from SFA HR Executive Zaynab Lawal. All companies in the 20th edition of the National Small Business Awards also had the opportunity to showcase their business at Business Connect. The winners for the 2024 edition were officially announced at the SFA Awards Gala & Ceremony at the RDS on the 7th of March. Learn more about the winners and the SFA National Small Business Awards at www.SFAAwards.ie

If you would like the opportunity to learn from other industry experts and build connections with other small businesses, be sure to apply to the SFA National Small Business Awards 2025 –applications will open in September 2024.

Visit www.sfa.ie/events to register for our upcoming events. If you would like to suggest any event topics that you would be interested in, please contact info@sfa.ie

Supporting and building trust Banking on it

MAINTAINING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BANK MAKES ACCESSING THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT BIT EASIER. GARY DUFFY, HEAD OF CUSTOMER POLICY AT THE IRISH BANKING CULTURE BOARD (IBCB), EXPLORES SOME OF THE WAYS SMES CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR BUSINESS BANKING

between the SME sector and the retail banks (AIB, Bank of Ireland and PTSB) is a key priority for the Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB). The IBCB assesses the trust levels of SMEs in their bank on an ongoing basis via its ‘éist Public Trust in Banking’ surveys. The most recent survey conducted in 2023 found that SME’s trust levels had increased marginally over the period 2022-23, primarily driven by customer service and reliability. Sue O’Neill, former Chair

of the Small Firms Association (SFA) and a Board member of the IBCB, has stated that “for SMEs, the top drivers of trust centre on ability and areas such as handling customers safely and competently, understanding their needs, high quality staff and delivering high quality service and products.”

The retail banks need to meet this expectation by consistently demonstrating, via resourcing and accessibility, that they are committed to supporting the SME sector. The IBCB will continue to focus on these issues with its member banks and to assess the views of SMEs through ongoing éist surveys.

There are also a number of proactive steps that SMEs can take to enhance their relationship with their bank in order to ensure that they are best placed to avail of the products and services available. Some of those issues are explored below, particularly from the perspective of an SME facing challenges, whether driven by costs pressures or expansion plans.

SMEs operate in an ever-changing marketplace where income volatility continues to be a feature. Rising costs, including salary increase demands and wider inflationary pressures impacting on margins, are resulting in cost pressures that may require support from your bank. During difficult periods, it’s vital that SMEs have ongoing contact with their banks and the advice would be, the earlier the better if support is needed.

Banks can support SMEs with issues such as cashflow challenges or repayment difficulties, but sometimes customers can underestimate the time required to put new banking arrangements in place. Having an early discussion with your bank will help establish plans and timelines to help support your business. It is also important to be aware that there are a number of other independent supports available to businesses seeking assistance including the Credit Review Office, Money Advice and Budgeting Service and the Insolvency Service of Ireland.

Building a positive working relationship with your bank can be key to building a successful business. Building a strong relationship often comes from the ongoing effective management of your current account, which is the foundation of your banking service with your bank and is

one of the key indicators of your business’ financial performance. The current account of a business is a good indicator of how cashflow is doing and how liquidity is holding up. It is essential to have the appropriate level of overdraft or working capital facilities in place to work in tandem with your current account.

SMEs should prepare a simple cashflow planner which will help identify the level of working capital required for your business. The cashflow planner will also help identify the root cause of any cashflow difficulties and allow your bank to put the appropriate working capital in place to support you and your business.

SME owners may face other issues with their current account and the strategy around cashflow management. A new contract can be attractive for additional revenues however the investment into raw materials, additional staff costs, premises/ fit-outs and if additional machinery is required, can all pose challenges to cashflow if exclusively funded by the current account. Growing turnover at rapid levels can give rise to overtrading risks and should only be undertaken after a robust

risk management review. Embarking on growth is often an appropriate time to have a discussion with your bank to ensure they are aware of your plans in a timely manner, which helps the discussion if additional working capital is required.

It is important to manage within the agreed limits on an overdraft on your current account, as breaches of these limits can be shown on your Central Credit Register credit report and could impact on future lending requests. The Central Credit Register (CCR) allows banks and customers access to detailed information on borrowings from active and closed credit facilities. Generating a credit report is free of charge and available online at www.centralcreditregister.ie.

When accessing additional credit facilities, you may be asked to provide security for the loan. Security required is assessed on a case-by-case basis across all financial institutions. It is important to be aware that if a customer needs to restructure a loan, assets held as security on other loans are generally not going to be considered available for these lines of credit.

In the event that your business experiences difficulties, I would urge early engagement with your bank, talk through any difficulties and your bank can then work with you on how best to support you.

While most SMEs surveyed by the IBCB are regular users of digital banking services, it is clear that direct access to expert staff (whether in person or by phone) is essential at times and it is important that banks are resourced appropriately to provide this service. IBCB member banks have committed to servicing this need of their SME customers and the IBCB will continually seek to measure customers views of this via our éist surveys.

www.irishbankingcultureboard.ie

Gary Duffy, Head of Customer Policy, Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB)

st RM

WITH INCREASINGLY RISING COSTS AND RAZOR-TIGHT MARGINS, BUSINESSES OPERATING IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO SURVIVE, WRITES DEANNA O’CONNOR

At the end of last year,

a blistering headline prophesied the Irish hospitality industry was heading into “a perfect storm” in 2024, with wage increases in the sector set to cripple the industry. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a case of media hyperbole, with over 280 restaurants closing their doors in the last six months of 2023 and more following in their wake this year.

The restaurant industry is unique in that it incurs high costs for very low profit margins, generally in the order of 4% to 8%, with the highest profits in the fast-food sector diminishing as you go up the food chain to fine dining levels.

With a recent Government report suggesting hospitality businesses will see increased costs of 7% in 2024 and 19% by 2026 compared to 2023, it’s hard to see how the industry can cope with any more pressure on already razor-tight margins. On top of this, finding staff has become increasingly difficult since many retrained and left the industry during the pandemic. It’s not an easy job, as anyone who has ever worked in a kitchen will attest. The tense working environment and frazzled staff portrayed in the recent critically acclaimed TV series The Bear and Boiling Point paint a sometimes painfully accurate picture.

A hotel and catering salary guide published by Excel Recruitment noted that due to demands for chefs, they can now command significantly increased salaries, with the average salaries up by 12-14%.

While restaurateurs and hotel owners certainly don’t deny their staff deserve decent compensation for their work, the increase in the minimum wage from €11.30 to €12.70, coupled with rising energy costs and VAT rates, is making it increasingly difficult to operate within the sector and bordering on insanity to launch a new opening.

Paul Lenehan, President of the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI), underlines that ultimately it would benefit the Government to reduce the VAT rate and keep businesses open: “They say that the exchequer cannot afford it, but what I can’t understand is how they can afford not to. Surely the cost of thousands of staff joining the live register and the immense loss of tax intake and of commercial rates will end up a much larger sum than what the VAT rate reduction would cost the State.”

He also notes that 35% of the money spent by tourists in Ireland is on food – something that should be encouraged, rather than creating an environment where restaurants and hotels constantly have to hike up prices to stay viable.

BETTER BUSINESS S SPOKE TO TWO RESTAURATEURS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE COUNTRY, ONE IN DUBLIN AND ONE IN SLIGO, TO SEE WHERE THEIR PAIN POINTS ARE AND HOW THEY ARE COPING WITH THE CURRENT CHALLENGES.

GRAHAM RYAN, YAMAMORI DUBLIN

Graham Ryan, Managing Director of Yamamori Dublin, grew up around the iconic Japanese restaurants, the first of which was opened in 1995 by his late father Derek. After making his own way to Japan, firstly through the Jameson graduate programme and then gaining extensive experience marketing major ABInBev beer brands (Budweiser, Stella Artois & Hoegaarden), Graham now runs the Yamamori group of three restaurants in Dublin. This comprises the original Yamamori and Izakaya Japas & Sake, both on South Great Georges Street and Yamamori North City on Ormond Quay.

The pandemic was a difficult time both personally and professionally. After losing their father, Graham and his sister Julie were left to deal with their grief and rebuild the business, which had lost 140 employees when the doors were closed during lockdown. A bare bones takeaway operation had run with 10-12 staff.

The business’s reputation stood it in good stead. “Yamamori has always done well with staff retention. It’s a fun business with a nice family atmosphere.”

Reopening meant going “from zero to fifth gear pretty quickly,” he recalls. “At that time, the Government did really well to put safety nets behind local businesses. It gave people the chance to get going and we definitely benefitted from that.”

The cost of equipment upgrades, fitouts and maintenance to get everything ready for business again was also high after two years of no investment. “It was a million different things at once.”

“BUSINESS IS NOT EASY, BUT I LIKE TO STAY POSITIVE.”

For Graham, it has been the last year which has been “incredibly intense”, in large part due to wildly fluctuating costs. “In hospitality, inflation was different every month. So, one month it could have been vegetables, the next month it could have been meat, the following month it was wages. It was relentless.”

Rising to the challenge and doubling down their focus on purchasing, they managed to grow their gross profit margin. Part of this strategy included only dealing with companies who really wanted to work with them. “Although we have a lot of niche product requirements, we also have a good volume, being one of the biggest Japanese restaurants in Dublin.” Although they didn’t manage to escape increasing their prices, they did manage to stave it off longer than some industry peers.

He has noticed a drop in footfall and table reservations across Dublin compared to the year before. “I think people still want to go out; it’s just very expensive. We still hear the economy is doing well but the cost of living is high.”

The riots also had an effect, particularly on their North City location. “That was a massive blow, but in a lot of ways, I believe that it’s made the South side of the city busier. In my opinion, the streets – in particular places like Temple Bar – are not great at night-time. There’s a lot of work that could be done to improve the feeling of safety in the city centre.”

Looking forwards, Graham is invested in bolstering the business for the future, maybe to pass on to his own son Masa someday. “Business is not easy, but I like to stay positive.”

A recently hired marketing manager is working on their online footprint, developing leads and exploring new avenues with hotels, expos and food festivals.

“We’re also working on new sales training and just constantly examining what it takes to run the business.”

Graham Ryan, Managing Director, Yamamori Dublin and his late father, Derek Ryan

ANTHONY GRAY, EALA BHAN AND HOOKED

A former PGA pro golfer, Anthony Gray credits the foodie influence in his life to his father, a butcher. After the crash, when demand for golf lessons was slowing down, Anthony decided to “take a calculated risk” and opened his first restaurant, Eala Bhan, 13 years ago. It was followed by Hooked, a more casual eatery, six years ago. Now with his two businesses firmly established in the Sligo restaurant scene, he feels lucky to be embedded enough to keep them going. “Thanks be to God, we’re very busy in both places, but it is certainly challenging times for us at the moment.”

Since jumping into the world of hospitality, he has fully embraced the industry, including a stint as President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland and taking on the role of Director of Taste of Sligo. He’s passionate about the quality of the produce available locally, which inspired Eala Bhan. “We have such amazing producers and I knew if I showcased that with an artistic flair, it would be a winner. I knew there was a gap in the market and I went for it.”

“WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS HIT THE INDUSTRY WITH, IT’S SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AT THE MOMENT AND IT’S A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT PLACE TO BE.”

Anthony Gray

While conditions were more favourable to taking a punt on an opening after the last recession, it’s certainly not a favourable environment now to start a restaurant business.

“I wouldn’t be encouraging anyone to get into it now,” he says. “With everything that the Government has hit the industry with, it’s survival of the fittest at the moment and it’s a very, very difficult place to be.”

Over the last five years, he has had to play more roles in the business than ever before, even rolling up his sleeves and mucking in as a chef when they are short staffed. This insight into the daily workings of the business always provides valuable lessons for managers. “My staff appreciate the fact that I actually get stuck in with them and help them out. And vice versa; I respect their jobs, what they do – I wasn’t long finding out how difficult it was.”

In terms of the VAT rate increase, Anthony feels that restaurants would benefit from being seen separately from hotels, some of whom are guilty of price gouging. “We are all tarred with one brush and that’s why I think it’s important that the Government takes heed of that and reduces the VAT rate for foodled businesses only. If they do that, we might have some chance of survival.”

He is also loath to pass on price increases to customers. “There’s only so much we can charge for an Eggs Benedict! What we’ve done is look at cheaper cuts and cheaper dishes and tried to come up with a menu that is priced correctly for the consumer.”

With around 400 restaurant closures already this year, he predicts the figure will be close to 1,000 before Budget Day. “It’s not the fast-food restaurants, it’s not the chains. These are small family run, independent businesses. Small businesses are hanging on by their fingernails and it’s devastating to see.”

www.cea.gov.ie

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WISE GUYS

SIX INDUSTRY EXPERTS SHARE ONE PERSONAL NUGGET OF ADVICE FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS.

Vintners

Laura Moriarty Chair, Licensed Vintners Association (LVA), Group Operations Director, Moriarty Group

Hospitality

Madeline Riley CEO, Luxor Leisure Ltd

No matter what industry you are in, people always appreciate when you deliver on what you have promised. Take time to build relationships with your customers and clients and they will build the foundation of your business. Building and supporting a core team is also important and nurturing new ideas and ways of thinking will help take your small business to the next level. 1 2 3

Know your figures inside out. Understand your margins. You have to be able to react to fluctuations in the market with a solid view on how they will apply to your day to day business. That allows you to adapt faster, so if the Government imposes additional taxation or suppliers increase their costs, you’ll quickly know what that means for your customers and your bottom line.

Driving At Work

Ron McNamara CEO, Driverfocus

A must have trait for entrepreneurs, us humans tend to have an optimism bias which can also lead to excessive risk-taking, like poor driving. So far, 2024 is the worst year on Irish roads since 2009 and while none of us can predict catastrophe, SMEs can prepare for and prevent collisions. Think what 20-60% fewer crashes would mean to you, your business and staff and act now.

There are many definitions, but there’s one thing that all great business leaders agree on, and that’s how success can only come by persevering despite failure.

I never dreamed about success. I worked for it.

Skincare

4 5 6

Dara Scott Founder, Nuasan

I’m part of a small group of business owners who meet regularly to discuss different aspects of running a small business. I find these meetings invaluable. We share practical information amongst ourselves, but it’s also like therapy when you’re going through stressful situations! I wish I had joined something like this sooner – I would advise anyone in business to try to find something similar.

Cleaning and Restoration

Peter MacNamara

Managing

Director, PMAC Ltd

Our success over the last 25 years is down to the development of staff and how they have bought into the values of the company. It’s challenging to manage numerous sites while handling so many tasks. This is achieved through staff buy-in and engagement. All staff are empowered to make decisions on site to ensure the best results for the finishes and surfaces they work on.

Restaurants

Adrian Cummins

CEO,

Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI)

My advice is to focus on looking after the costs and variables under your direct control by shopping around to secure the best value. Your SME representative bodies will continue to fight your corner at Government level while you look after energy, insurance, merchant service and other direct business costs. The RAI is partnered with several brokers that can help get the best deals for your business.

Celebrating and recognising excellence in the Irish investor market, the inaugural IRISH INVESTOR AWARDS in association with Mazars will take place this summer

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

Taking place on the 17th of May at Dublin’s iconic Mansion House, the inaugural Irish Investor Awards in association with Mazars will recognise and honour the outstanding achievements, innovation and dedication of individuals and organisations in the nancial industry. With 16 distinct categories, the awards present companies within this sector the opportunity to showcase their expertise and commitment. Whether you’re a rising star or an industry

veteran, we encourage you to enter one or more of our categories and let your accomplishments shine. e closing date for entries is the 23rd of February.

As you embark on this journey, you’ll have the chance to connect with some of the foremost gures in the business world. Being named a nalist means you’ll join other thought leaders, forging valuable connections and inspiring each other to reach new heights. e gala dinner, hosted at the historic Mansion House, will provide an exceptional backdrop for networking, celebration, and well-deserved recognition.

BECOME A SPONSOR

Engaging in the Irish Investor Awards will help businesses enhance their presence and reputation within the industry. Industry awards events provide an excellent platform to connect with key players in the investment sectors; they also attract a diverse range of professionals, including investors, entrepreneurs, advisors and other service providers.

Go to www.irishinvestorawards.ie for more information on sponsoring a category at the Irish Investor Awards.

IRISH INVESTOR AWARDSCATEGORIES

Corporate Finance Advisory

Firm of the Year

Corporate Law

Firm of the Year

Deal of the Year (€2.5m - €10m)

Deal of the Year (Sub €2.5m)

Deal of the Year > €10m

Debt Funding

Deal of the Year > 10m

Debt Funding

Deal of the Year <10m

Due Diligence

Team of the Year

Environmental, Social, and Governance Deal of the Year

International PE investment in Irish company Deal of the Year

International VC investment in Irish company

Deal of the Year

Irish Private Equity House of the Year

Irish VC House of the Year

Lifetime Achievement

Portfolio Deal of the Year

Rising Star Under 30

OUR HEADLINE PARTNER

Mazars is the headline partner for the 2024 Irish Investor Awards. A leading international audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm, Mazars works as one integrated team, leveraging expertise, scale and cultural understanding to deliver cutting edge services in audit, assurance, tax, consulting, financial advisory, corporate finance and financial outsourcing.

With over 700 staff across offices in Dublin, Galway and Limerick, the Irish firm draws on the expertise of more than 47,000 professionals in over 95 countries to assist major international corporates, SMEs, financial institutions and public bodies achieve their strategic and business goals.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Gala Event in the Mansion House, Dublin 2

Go to www.irishinvestorawards.ie for more information

TICKETS ON SALE NOW 17TH MAY

THE NEW CHAIRMAN AT ENTERPRISE IRELAND, MICHAEL CAREY, CHATS TO DEANNA O’CONNOR ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING COMPANIES ON THEIR EXPORT JOURNEY AND HIS AMBITIONS IN HIS NEW ROLE

Michael Carey, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland

“SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF BILLION-EURO IRISH BUSINESSES WITH GLOBAL SCALE IS A KEY GOAL IN MY FIVE-YEAR TERM AS EI CHAIRMAN.”

Perspectives New As the first

client to be appointed to the role of Chairman of Enterprise Ireland (EI), Michael Carey, one of the founders of East Coast Bakehouse, brings to the role years of rst-hand experience of the needs of Irish exporters.

Mr Carey was appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment as Chairman of Enterprise Ireland (the state agency focused on helping Irishfounded businesses start, scale and grow internationally) in November last year following a Public Appointments Service selection process.

Carey now splits his time between private business interests (he is Executive Chair of East Coast Bakehouse and Chairman of specialist investment rm e Company of Food) and public service as a member of State boards (he is also current Chairman of the Housing Agency and former Chairman of An Bord Bia). “It’s a really exciting opportunity to take up this position of Chairman of EI, following on from Terence O’Rourke. Terence made a huge contribution to the organisation and was a great asset to the board, he leaves very large shoes to ll.” (O’Rourke, the former Managing Partner of KPMG in Ireland has moved on to bring his talents to the board of RTE as its new Chairman, adding to his other role as Chairman at ESB, a er spending the maximum tenure of two ve-year terms as the Enterprise Ireland Chairman).

Carey has been a client of Enterprise Ireland through every Irish-based business he has been involved with, bringing what he calls “positive baggage” with him to the role. “As a client of EI, I bring a unique perspective, a di erent set of experiences and understanding to the role,” he says. “East Coast Bakehouse wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Enterprise Ireland. Having Enterprise Ireland’s support, in particular during the start-up phase, was crucial. e agency supported us right from the start in

Maxwells Photography

establishing the business, both in terms of sources of funding for the start-up, but also advice, guidance, interaction, encouragement, networking – the sort of supports that you can’t buy.”

He cites his main priority as ensuring that everything Enterprise Ireland does is driven by the needs of its client companies. “If what we’re doing at Enterprise Ireland doesn’t have a positive impact on the client company, then why are we doing it? That’s why the agency exists, that’s our reason for being.” Scaling is also a key priority: “Supporting the creation of billion-euro Irish businesses with global scale is a key goal in my five-year term as EI Chairman”, he says.

Since taking on the role of Chair last November he has already participated in several ministerial trade missions, which never fail to astound him with their packed schedules and the impact of the Team Ireland machine, which he says is the envy of other countries. “The whole process of trade missions is something Team Ireland does exceptionally well. The access to both business and political connections is unique,” he says. “Businesses in other countries look in awe at the power of Team Ireland and how it operates on those trips. I’ve been on numerous ministerial trade missions in the past as a business owner and they’ve always been hugely valuable.”

EAST SIDE STORY

The East Coast Bakehouse story is a great example of how Enterprise Ireland worked with the dynamic entrepreneurial duo of Carey and his partner (in both personal life and business) Alison Cowzer. When they went to Enterprise Ireland with a vision for East Coast Bakehouse, their USP was that they wanted to play big, to establish a ‘largescale’ start-up in the food sector.

Having worked in the biscuit business throughout his career heading up Jacob Fruitfield, Kellogg’s UK & Ireland and Fox’s Biscuits in succession, he knew a gap in the market when he saw one. With a market in the UK worth about £2 billion, the opportunity seemed like low hanging fruit.

“There was no large-scale mass production of biscuits in Ireland. As a country we import about €5 million worth of biscuits every week,” he says. “The export opportunity for biscuits from an Irish base is huge and back then our biscuit exports were at zero.”

Michael Carey, Chairman, Enterprise Ireland

He’s the first to admit their food start-up story was unusual. There was no kitchen table production or market stalls. “We started in 2016 as a large-scale start-up, with a large manufacturing facility, a full management team and innovation centre, all pre-revenue, and we’ve grown into it.

Today the facility is operating at about 50-60% capacity and is continuing to grow very rapidly. Revenues are running at 3x compared to the same period last year and the Bakehouse is extending to night shifts in June, employing 130 people.”

East Coast Bakehouse’s state-of-the-art plant in Drogheda comprises a 400m-long fully integrated production line with capacity to produce 20,000 tonnes of biscuits per annum for the brand, as well as contract

manufacturing and private label.

The lesson he wants to pass on to potential and current client companies of Enterprise Ireland is this: “There are huge opportunities in very large markets, in food and in many other sectors, whereby doing something better, more innovatively and with a better cost or better quality, gains you more traction. Customers need new players to go into the market to shake things up.”

MEETING START-UP NEEDS

With experience as an angel investor, through The Company of Food, which has invested in a dozen or so start-ups, he also has a perspective on how to meet start-up needs for entrepreneurs who are starting small.

“I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR A BIG ORGANISATION LIKE ENTERPRISE IRELAND, A LARGE STATE AGENCY, IS HOW IT MANAGES ITS TRANSFORMATION WHILE STAYING AGILE AND RELEVANT.”

“There’s no right answer, just different solutions to meet different needs. As an agency, Enterprise Ireland needs to recognise the different types of start-up businesses and the different stages businesses are at. We need to understand that different industries are faced with different challenges. We need to be responsive enough, flexible enough and agile enough to respond to those needs to support them.”

Despite coming from the food sector, Carey is enthused about the prospect of supporting all sorts of high potential businesses. He has been a judge on the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for the past decade and has seen hundreds of entrepreneurially driven high performance Irish businesses.

“The biggest opportunities are being driven by outstanding entrepreneurs, often leading strong diverse teams, who come with a set of knowledge and experiences clearly identifying the opportunities. I think Enterprise Ireland is well placed to support these entrepreneurs across a whole range of sectors.”

CHALLENGES FOR BUSINESS

“I’m very conscious that our business isn’t the same as every business, so I need to keep an open mind,” he notes. “But having said that, I think the biggest single challenge for SMEs and high growth businesses that are scaling is the issue of funding.

“As we’ve recovered from the banking crisis, the funding solutions are very different than what they used to be. There

are limitations to funding for many really ambitious scaling businesses and finding your way through the complexity of that journey is a real challenge.”

He sees a role for Enterprise Ireland in assisting not just the provision of funding, but also advising on the process and wider ecosystem of funding options. With thousands of investees in its portfolio, Enterprise Ireland is the most active investor in European venture deals according to data captured by financial data and research firm PitchBook. Playing a meaningful role in assisting client businesses on their funding challenges is a key role for EI and a high priority for Carey.

CHANGING WORLD

As a client of Enterprise Ireland, Carey has seen the offering and supports from Enterprise Ireland evolve to suit the changing needs of business as it addresses issues such as sustainability, digitalisation, competitiveness and leadership development. “I think the challenge for a big organisation like Enterprise Ireland, a large state agency, is how it manages its own transformation, staying agile and staying relevant.”

Due to be published later this year, a new five-year strategy is being created with intense engagement with stakeholders and client companies; it will be the blueprint for the remainder of Carey’s five-year term as Chairman. “It will continue the evolution of Enterprise Ireland and reshape what it looks like.”

Steps have already been taken to ensure that EI is truly client centric, with a newly established series of four client advisory panels which Carey describes as “a sounding board to sense check our activities and to challenge our thinking”. The advisory panels met for the first time in February, bringing together entrepreneurs and senior business leaders to advise on Enterprise Ireland strategy and service delivery across four key themes – Scaling, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability & ESG and Local Enterprise. “Listening to the views and concerns of Irish business and incorporating that vital feedback into both strategy and service delivery is important,” he says.

“The purpose of these panels is to ensure that the agency understands the issues impacting the client base today and the new challenges emerging so that we can scope out practical responses and deliver the best possible service to Irish companies.”

Maxwells Photography

Just the

job

FOUR RECRUITERS CHAT TO BETTER BUSINESS ABOUT COMPANY GROWTH, RESILIENCE AND WHY INNOVATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

JOHN MACKLIN

John Macklin and his business partner

Patricia McCarthy founded Prospects in 2021. A specialist recruitment consultancy, Prospects offers its services to the accountancy, finance and legal & compliance markets to large multinationals, SMEs, law firms and start-ups. The decision to set up a new business right in the middle of Covid was, says John, considered unusual by many.

“I was a Director at Lincoln Recruitment for a number of years and felt like the time was right to strike out on my own again. Prospects is my second recruitment company; I sold my first to Lincoln Recruitment. In 2021, rents were low and we managed to get a great office on Leeson

Street in Dublin. From the off, business was buoyant. In May 2023, we added an accountancy division and hired qualified accountant Matthew Roberts. That side of the business is also performing well,” says John. Prospects’ USP is that each member of the team is qualified in the sector they lead. John is a qualified lawyer, Patricia holds an Employment Law Diploma and a BBS (Hons) Degree and Matthew holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy & Finance. “I think we know a little more than the average recruiter. In this market, age is also an advantage. Large law firms are quite conservative and they like to know that the people representing them have a bit of grey hair, either literally or figuratively!”

Business is good, says John. The compliance market is strong, as is accountancy, particularly among small businesses. Are there any plans to add a new arm to the firm? “I want the business to bed in for another year or so before we add anyone else. I would imagine the next hire would be around expanding the accountancy and finance division, rather than trying to break into something new. If we do recruit a new member to the team, it will be an experienced senior hire as opposed to a junior staff member. That would be another way of differentiating ourselves from the larger recruitment companies that have big teams but perhaps not many experienced recruiters.”

John is cautious when it comes to expanding the business. “I’ve done this before so I’ve seen what happens when companies expand too quickly. I think it’s important to grow steadily and ensure you’ve got enough money in the bank to expand.” For 2024, the strategy is for each recruiter at Prospects to increase revenue by 20-25%. “With the pipeline of work we have, I’m confident that will happen. We had an extremely strong first quarter and I expect that to continue into 2024 and beyond.”

“I’VE DONE THIS BEFORE SO I’VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN COMPANIES EXPAND TOO QUICKLY. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO GROW STEADILY AND ENSURE YOU’VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BANK TO EXPAND.”

“ON THEIR PART, SMALL FIRMS ARE NOW ABLE TO ACCESS THIS PREVIOUSLY UNTAPPED RESOURCE; STUDENTS ARE FLEXIBLE, THEY’RE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND THEY CAN HELP A SMALL BUSINESS WITH ITS E-COMMERCE OR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE OR WITH INTEGRATING AI, FOR EXAMPLE.”

JOHN BRADY

Inspiration for

Bowsy struck John Brady when he was helping his daughter and son find work experience. Throughout the process, he found that there was an inequality of access opportunities for students who wanted to work and gain valuable work experience. After some research, he also found that small businesses looking to take on students had no way of reaching out to them. “Small firms were finding it difficult to connect with talent on their doorstep. Our platform brings these two groups together by connecting final year and post graduate university students with businesses through paid, remote, part-time project work,” says John.

From a survey conducted a couple of years ago, Bowsy found that 89% of students weren’t happy with the current recruitment graduate process and wanted increased access to relevant work experience while they were still at college, something the platform facilitates. John is also finding that students are recognising the potential that small businesses can offer. “They can see that there’s scope to grow and succeed in these companies. On their part, small firms are now able to access this previously untapped resource; students are flexible, they’re knowledgeable and they can help a small business with its e-commerce or social media presence or with integrating AI, for example,” says John.

It’s not just small businesses that are recognising the potential of the platform to bridge skills gaps. Multinationals are using it as part of their graduate recruitment process, while John is also working with the Government around apprenticeships.

Larger employers in traditional industries are also using Bowsy as a way of engaging young people. “Students are recognising the opportunities that exist in sectors that they might not have previously considered. We’re also running a pilot project in the UK and Ireland where we’re recruiting students for an international engineering company. The company is presenting the students with a real business challenge and the students in turn will get paid do carry out the work, while gaining valuable work experience. The successful students will then move onto the company’s graduate programme.”

Bowsy has made its way to the UK and the plan, says John, is to expand into Europe. “We have a huge amount of student participation; now, the ambition is to grow awareness among small businesses and promote the platform as a flexible resource.

Multinationals in the UK and Ireland are recognising its potential so we want to drive the platform forward as a new innovative path to graduate recruitment. In 2024, we aim to grow our revenue threefold and we’re well on course for that already.”

CORA BARNES At just 21 and fresh out of college,

Cora Barnes decided to set up her own specialist recruitment company. At the time, she had been working in a generalist agency and along with two of her colleagues, she saw a gap in the market for a recruiter that would offer its services to the catering and hospitality industries. “Specifically, we saw a gap in the catering in healthcare sector, so we decided to focus on that. We founded 3Q Recruitment in 1999, at the start of the Celtic Tiger. We hit the ground running and business was good, but the economic downturn and various ensuing crises impacted the company,” says Cora. 3Q Recruitment lost a million in turnover in six months.

“We downsized offices, made two voluntary redundancies and the directors at the time, including myself, took a 50% salary cut. The adjustment worked and those who needed our services continued to use us. We’ve always operated within our means and I think that’s why, 25 years later, we continue to operate.” When Covid hit and services to hospitals came to a stop, 3Q Recruitment supplied carpark attendants to testing centres. “I take pride in the fact that we’ve always been able to adapt. I’m also really proud of how our staff conducted themselves during these crisis periods. Our teams that worked in nursing homes through Covid became not just food servers, they were like family to people that were unable to see their actual family and friends.”

Over the past 25 years, the boom bust cycle at 3Q Recruitment has mirrored developments in the Irish economy. “During Covid, one in three recruitment agencies closed. We pivoted and today, we’re nearly a six million turnover company. There are a few things that differentiate us from other recruitment firms and they’re reflected in our name. The three Q’s stand for a Quality service, with Qualified candidates in the Quantity required. That’s what we always deliver.”

Cora stresses that for people joining the agency, there’s nothing temporary about their employment. “We sometimes work against the bias that temp agencies are shoddy. That couldn’t be further from the truth. In 2024, we were a finalist in the ‘Workplace Wellbeing’ category at the SFA National Small Business Awards. We’ve also been recognised for our DE&I policies. Personally, I’m proud of the fact that we give semi-retired or retired people a second career, a sense of purpose and value.”

In September, the business turns 25. “The plan is to celebrate! We’re also going to continue to be a market responsive, contingency workforce supplier and an agency that delivers for our loyal customers.”

“PERSONALLY, I’M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE GIVE SEMI-RETIRED OR RETIRED PEOPLE A SECOND CAREER, A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND VALUE.”

BARRY PROST

Set up by Barry Prost and Jamie Groom in 2018, Rent a Recruiter provides high-quality recruitment and management consultancy services to prospective clients across all industries in Ireland. Business is buoyant says Barry and the plan now is to take the company to the next level. “We’re well established in Ireland so the next phase is to establish an international footprint. We already have a presence in the Middle East; in 2009, we set up Propel Consult, now the largest recruitment company in Bahrain. As an Enterprise Ireland client, we’re now establishing a physical residency in Australia, the US and an offshore operation in India,” says Barry.

To drive that growth, the business has shifted to a multi subscription model. “Most agencies work on a success only basis. If you don’t make a placement, you don’t get paid. That’s an unsustainable model, both for the agency and the client. We felt there was no value in that relationship and so we decided to go with a more partnership-style approach.” That change has resulted in a model with predictable revenue streams. “We have also built technology into our offering, which has helped to differentiate us from other recruitment firms. Clients are increasingly data hungry. They want information about where in the world they can look for a particular skills set or they’ll want to know the best time of day or week to contact certain candidates. Relationships with clients have changed, they’re much closer than they used to be and that’s something we’re very cognisant of.”

Traditionally, recruitment firms have a high turnover of staff. That’s not the case at Rent a Recruiter. “Our culture is characterised by very limited turnover. I think that’s down to the fact that we haven’t instilled a micro management approach, we’ve gone down the opposite route. As a result, our staff have stayed with us. We’ve also embraced a four-day week model, along with a remote first policy. We found that over six months, our productivity increased and revenue went up. We offer the fourday week as a benefit as opposed to a right. It’s something that has to be earned.”

Barry would advise firms looking to recruit to shift to a skills-based hiring approach. “Focusing on what skills a candidate has can help increase your talent pool by up to 10 times. It can also positively impact diversity. Small firms don’t take the time to sit down and properly devise jobs specifications but if they looked at the skills profile of the individual they need, they’d have more success.”

“RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLIENTS HAVE CHANGED, THEY’RE MUCH CLOSER THAN THEY USED TO BE AND THAT’S SOMETHING WE’RE VERY COGNISANT OF.”

*Figure of €1,313.54 is based on giving €1,000 net

REASONS TO REWARD YOUR STAFF

THERE’S A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITIES YEAR-ROUND TO CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEMONSTRATE APPRECIATION TO YOUR STAFF

While many companies traditionally reserve recognition for the end of the year, it’s essential to broaden our perspective on when and how to acknowledge employees. “While festive seasons undoubtedly carry a special charm, there’s a wealth of opportunities year-round to celebrate achievements and demonstrate appreciation”, says Nicola Roche, Senior Sales Development Representative at One4all Rewards. Under the Government’s Small Benefits tax exemption policy, businesses can reward their sta up to €1,000 per year, completely free of tax, PRSI and USC. With One4all Rewards, you can o er your sta tax-free gi t cards on an ongoing or annual basis, saving up to €1,313.54* per employee. The maximum reward of €1,000 can be split across two payments in one financial year.

Occasions worth acknowledging

• Employee Milestones: Celebrate years of dedicated service and achievements

• Meeting or Surpassing Targets: Acknowledge individual and team accomplishments

• Team Motivation or General Recognition: Inspire collaboration and camaraderie

• Birthdays: Make individuals feel valued and appreciated on their special day.

• Maternity/Paternity Leave: Show support for life-changing events

• Long-Service: Honor dedication and loyalty

• Retirement: Bid farewell with gratitude and appreciation

These occasions serve as fantastic opportunities to upli t and recognise the e orts of colleagues, boosting workplace morale and camaraderie, which are crucial for employee motivation and retention.

“RECOGNISING COLLEAGUES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS CRUCIAL FOR CREATING A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.”

For more information on employee rewards and incentives, contact the experts at One4all Rewards on (01) 870 8181 or email rewards@one4all.ie.

TRANSITION TO SUSTAINABILITY

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, COMPANIES NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES HAVE THE SKILLS TO COMPETE IN A LOW CARBON, RESOURCE EFFICIENT AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Climate change and sustainable development are a key focus for Further Education and Training (FET) to make a strong contribution to the Government’s call to action and assist companies to make that transition to sustainability.

Responding to the critical challenges that businesses are facing, SOLAS has recently launched FET MicroQualifications – a new FET offering to address the skills needs of the Irish workforce. These include several sustainability programmes in collaboration with Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and strategic partners such as Enterprise Ireland, IDA, EPA, SEAI, Uisce Eireann and Regional Skills Fora.

Micro-Qualifications are a new route

to futureproofing Now, more than ever, companies need to ensure that their employees have the skills to compete in a low carbon, resource efficient and circular economy

SUSTAINABILITY

TRANSITION to businesses, upskilling staff in line with future business needs and flexibly delivered to fit busy work schedules. Areas cover Environmental Sustainability, Lean Practice, Resource Efficiency, the Circular Economy and Sustainable Supply Chain Procurement. All Micro-Qualifications are QQI accredited and are little or no cost to employees and employers.

For further information on what’s available in your locality, contact your local ETB or visit www.skillstoadvance.ie

“COMPANIES NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES HAVE THE SKILLS TO COMPETE IN A LOW CARBON, RESOURCE EFFICIENT AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY”

Tobba Vigfusdottir, CEO and Founder, Kara Connect

Cultivating Trust

GEN Z IS OFTEN PERCEIVED AS ENTITLED AND DIFFICULT, WITH MANY MANAGERS PREFERRING TO HIRE OLDER CANDIDATES. TOBBA VIGFUSDOTTIR OUTLINES HOW TO CULTIVATE TRUST WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING THIS LARGELY MISUNDERSTOOD GENERATION OF WORKERS

DIVERSE

VALUES AND BELIEFS:

Gen Z is the most proudly diverse generation to enter the workforce yet. Topics such as race, ethnicity, gender and identity can all be culturally sensitive topics for young workers, so it should come as no surprise that the pursuit of inclusivity not only shapes their perspectives, but influences their contributions in the workplace. That’s also why Gen Z are prone to value systems over individuals. Recognise this and aim to create an environment that celebrates differences and prioritises collaborative systems that align with Gen Z’s preferences, fostering a more dynamic and inclusive professional atmosphere.

PURPOSE-

DRIVEN WORK AND VALUES-FIRST

MENTALITY:

Gen Z is purposedriven; hence, companies should align tasks with the organisation’s mission. Clearly communicate why each task holds significance in the grand scheme. Ensure that the company’s overarching goals extend beyond financial success, illustrating a meaningful impact on the world. This approach resonates with Gen Z’s values, fostering purpose and connection to the larger workplace mission.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND SUPPORT:

Given the alarming rates of declining mental health among Gen Z, creating individualised and confidential wellbeing support systems, offering cultural coaching and promoting empathy, are vital steps. Managers should be open about sharing their emotional state, worries and coping strategies to help build this trust further.

PRAGMATIC MINDSET AND FINANCIAL PRIORITIES:

Understand how financial concerns and instability have shaped the pragmatic mindset of Gen Z, particularly in light of the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic. Recognise Gen Z’s priorities –job security, clear advancement pathways and transparent communication on pay equity, PTO and wellbeing support. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z are not shy about approaching these topics with management. Providing clear role expectations and outlining learning opportunities for advancement will align with these anticipations. Anticipate discussions on pay equity and wellbeing support, as Gen Z actively seek clarity and open dialogue on these crucial aspects. Encouraging such discussions fosters a workplace culture valuing transparency and addressing specific concerns.

ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP AND TRUST BUILDING:

Recognise the need for adaptive leadership in the face of immense change in the workplace. Foster trust by actively involving Gen Z in digital transformations. Implement networking training to educate Gen Z on its value in the workplace. Ultimately, trust is something that must be earned and by understanding and embracing the unique qualities of Gen Z, employers can cultivate a more inclusive, supportive and productive work environment.

DIGITAL PROFICIENCY AND REAL-TIME FEEDBACK EXPECTATIONS:

Acknowledge Gen Z as digital natives and adjust to their preferences at work. Effectively managing and empowering Gen Z hinges on recognising and harnessing their technical proficiency. Seek feedback on roles and communication preferences, remaining open to adapting workflows in alignment with their expectations. This could include a preference for collaborative project management tools or messaging platforms for real-time communication. Increase transparency and go from a ‘need-to-know’ to ‘openaccess’. This approach not only enhances workplace efficiency, but also demonstrates a commitment to meeting Gen Z’s preferences in the digital realm.

GETTING TO KNOW… The GPSR

THE EU’S GENERAL PRODUCT SAFETY DIRECTIVE IS DUE TO GO LIVE THIS YEAR

WHAT ARE GPSR’S MAIN OBJECTIVES?

To ensuring the safety of all products, including those linked to new technologies

To address challenges posed by the growth of online sales and via online marketplaces

Ensure a better enforcement of the rules and more e cient and even market surveillance

Improve the e ectiveness of recalls of dangerous products in the hands of consumers.

e EU’s General Product Safety Directive (GPSR) comes into force on the 13th of December this year. e GPSR is a new key instrument in the EU product safety legal framework, replacing the current General Product Safety Directive and the Food Imitating Product Directive. It essentially modernises the product safety framework to address the new product safety challenges, such as digitalisation of our economies.

e GPSR requires that all consumer products on the EU markets are safe and it establishes speci c obligations for businesses to ensure this. It applies to non-food products and to all sales channels. Online sales have increased steadily in the last 20 years. Statistics from the Safety Gate showed that 31% of alerts concern dangerous products sold online. e new General Product Safety Regulation addresses these digitalisation challenges and also risks related to new technology products.

SO WHAT'S NEW WITH THE GPSR?

Precautionary principle shall be widely applied by all stakeholders for product safety

Specific product safety obligations for both economic operators and providers of online marketplaces

Reinforced product traceability requirements

List of aspects to be taken into account when assessing the safety of products, including for new technologies

Accident reporting to authorities by businesses

Reinforced market surveillance rules

Specific rules on how to handle product safety recalls, including a mandatory recall notice template and right to remedy for consumers.

e critical issue is that from December 2024, manufacturers must adhere to some labelling requirements on products or product packaging arising from the GPSR. Arising from this, manufacturers must adhere to the following:

Manufacturers shall ensure that their products bear a type, batch or serial number or other element enabling the identi cation of the product and which is easily visible and legible for consumers or, where the size or nature of the product does not allow it, that the required information is provided on the packaging or in a document accompanying the product

Manufacturers shall indicate their name, their registered trade name or registered trademark, their postal and electronic address and where di erent, the postal or electronic address of the single contact point at which they can be contacted. at information shall be placed on the product or, where that is not possible, on its packaging or in a document accompanying the product

Manufacturers shall ensure that their product is accompanied by clear instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers, as determined by the member state in which the product is made available on the market. at requirement shall not apply where the product can be used safely and as intended by the manufacturer without such instructions and safety information

Any warning or safety information to be a xed to the product or to the packaging or included in an accompanying document in accordance with this Regulation or the applicable Union harmonisation legislation in a language which can be easily understood by consumers, as determined by the member state in which the product is made available on the market.

Tackling costs for small business IN

early March, the Government published its long-awaited analysis of its own labour cost policies. This report examines the scale of the competitiveness challenge facing Irish firms and looks at recent labour market developments in terms of employment and earnings trends.

The report aligned with industry concerns by acknowledging the cumulative e ects of its market policy decisions that have significantly increased costs for vulnerable companies and sectors. Some sectors, as noted in the report, are projected to experience nearly a 20% rise in labour costs over the next two years, even before factoring in subsequent pay pressures or standard wage growth. While it is encouraging that the Government is recognising the problem, it must now act to stem the rising tide of business costs by putting in place e ective measures to help small firms stay afloat.

Upon the release of the report, SFA Director, David Broderick said: “Arising from the publication of this report, the Small Firms Association are demanding swift and decisive action to assist small businesses with increased labour costs. As it stands, many viable small businesses are barely able to keep their heads above water due to these costs. This may result in redundancies or worse still, certain businesses closing down.”

One solution that the SFA supports is tackling employment costs through the PRSI system. It is the most administratively straightforward and targeted way to address the problem. The SFA, in its general election policy priorities document, has stated that the Government must introduce a PRSI rebate for the most exposed companies in line with their exposure to rising costs, along with increasing the top-rate employer PRSI threshold above the minimum wage. Government must also commit to a new ‘Competitiveness Charter’ which sets an annual ceiling on the total amount of additional labour market costs which will be imposed on business in any single year.

The SFA is proposing a range of measures that are designed to achieve the Government’s overall ambition to make Ireland the best small country in the world to do business in. Tackling rising labour costs is vital to the viability of the sector but there are other measures that can help small businesses thrive, such as reducing the general Capital Gains Tax rate from 33% to 20% and allowing the EIIS tax relief to apply the relief to PRSI and USC also. The SFA is also proposing a National Training Voucher scheme to boost in-company training and widen participation in upskilling and reskilling sta .

The cumulative e ects of Government policy coupled with unprecedented events such as Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and high inflation, have posed a unique challenge for Ireland’s small firms. The upcoming local/European and general elections provide an opportunity for the sector to engage with political stakeholders. The SFA will embark on an active campaign of engagement following the launch of its policy priorities document this spring.

GET THE

Balance Right

SFA HR EXECUTIVE

ZAYNAB LAWAL GIVES

HER

ADVICE ON HOW BEST TO MANAGE REMOTE AND FLEXIBLE WORKING REQUESTS

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2023 (the "2023 Act") was signed into law on the 4th of April 2023. The Code of Practice (the "Code") on the Right to Request Flexible Working and the Right to Request Remote Working was published by the Workplace Relations Commission ("WRC") on 7 March 2024. The Code provides guidance to employers and employees on how requests for remote and flexible working arrangements are made and managed in the workplace. Employers will be required in accordance with the act to have regard to the best practice guidance set out in the Code of Practice.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REMOTE AND FLEXIBLE WORKING?

The Code establishes some similarities and differences for handling remote and flexible working requests. It is therefore necessary to understand how remote and hybrid working may differ. Considering the Parental Leave Acts, 1998-2023, flexible working is a working style where an employee's working hours or patterns are adapted through flexible schedules and reduced working hours. Flexible working arrangements can also be made through remote working.

For the purpose of the 2023 Act, remote working refers to an arrangement where a proportion or all of the work normally carried out by an employee at the employer's place of business is provided at a location other than the employer's place of business, without change to the employee’s duties or normal working hours.

Zaynab Lawal, HR Executive, SFA

Q: Who has the right to request remote working?

A: All employees.

Q: What is the service requirement for making a remote working request?

A: Although the arrangement cannot commence before the employee has six months of service, the employee can submit a remote working request on the first day of working with their employer.

Q: Who does the right to request flexible working apply to?

A: a) To parents with children under 12 or 16 if their child has a disability

b) Employees who are providing personal care or support to a civil partner, co-habitant, parent, grandparent, brother or sister, or a person who resides in the same household of the employee.

Q: When does the employee need to submit their request for remote/flexible working?

A: The employee must submit their application in writing to the employer eight weeks before their proposed commencement.

Q: When must employers respond to remote/flexible working requests?

A: Within four weeks of receiving the request. This can be extended for no further than eight weeks.

Q: What if an employer seeks to terminate a remote/ flexible working arrangement?

A: An employer can terminate a remote or flexible working arrangement due to certain circumstances such as:

Seasonal variations and volume of work

The unavailability of a person to carry out duties

Any other factors that may have a substantial adverse effect on the operation of the business.

Q: What role does the Code play under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023?

A: Code must be considered in four more areas of remote working Code must be considered when employers are considering the termination of a flexible working arrangement

Employers are advised to consider the Code of practice as section 31(9) of the 2023 Act which states that the Code shall be admissible in evidence in proceedings before the Labour Court or the WRC.

Q: What information should an employee provide in a request to work remotely?

A: Employee should specify the: Details of the arrangement

Proposed date

Proposed remote working location

As regards to the Code, the details of the suitability of the proposed location.

Q: How should employers consider remote working requests?

A: The Code states that employers should consider request in an objective, fair and reasonable manner

Employers should consider the suitability of the role for remote working but also the suitability of the employee to work remotely

The Code sets out non-exhaustive list of considerations regarding suitability of the role and suitability of an employee for remote working.

Q: What is the best guidance for employers refusing a remote working request?

A: Where an employer cannot approve a remote working request, the parties should consider an alternative arrangement where this is feasible, considering the specific circumstances of each specific case.

Q: How should an employer consider a flexible working request?

A: Employer must consider the request for flexible working having regard to the employee's needs and the business needs

Unlike requests for remote working arrangements, there is no requirement under the 2023 Act for an employer to have regard to the code in the consideration of a flexible working request.

Employers are required to give consideration to the Code when terminating a flexible working arrangement.

Q: What is best practice for the termination of both a remote and flexible working request?

A: The Code states that employers should consider the following:

Whether terminations are objective, fair, and reasonable.

Reasons for terminations should be set out in a clear manner in the notice.

Parties should consider whether any alternative arrangements can be made. HERE

ACCESS TO CREDIT FOR VIABLE BORROWERS

CREDIT REVIEW – ENSURING VIABLE SMES AND FARMS HAVE ACCESS TO BANK CREDIT, WITH INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO APPEAL LOAN REFUSALS

At Credit Review, we provide an appeals mechanism for borrowers who have had their credit applications rejected by an Irish bank (AIB, BOI and PTSB); 8 out of 10 businesses we support get a credit solution from their bank.

Our appeal process is informal, affordable, and available to all Irish SME and farm businesses. We can review requests for credit facilities such as overdrafts, term loans, invoice or asset finance up to a value of €3 million. Restructuring proposals for credit facilities of up to €3 million can also be appealed.

Refinance and restructuring requests are increasingly important at present as businesses continue to deal with changing

economic circumstances, including increased business costs, rising interest rates and the repayment of tax debts warehoused by Revenue during Covid.

How does it work?

When a business applies to us for a review, one of our experienced reviewers is assigned to assess the business, looking at its track record, existing debts, future potential, management and markets, as well as the reason for the new credit application or restructuring request. The bank is also asked to provide detailed information to Credit Review on how it views the business and specifically why it has refused to lend.

Credit where it’s due.

In most cases we review, we can support the borrower by recommending a credit solution that works for both the business and the bank. However, where the reviewer is unable to recommend the credit facility requested, we will suggest a roadmap to make future bank applications more likely to succeed; and will signpost SMEs towards other government supports that can help them to grow and develop their businesses.

For more information on our independent appeals process and information services, visit creditreview.ie where you can request a call back, or call the helpline directly on 0818 211789

Having difficulty getting a new business loan or restructuring your existing debt with your bank?

Established by the Minister for Finance, Credit Review is here to help.

Talk to the credit experts today on 0818 211 789 or visit creditreview.ie

Get creative around well being

FITVISION MARKETING MANAGER AND SENIOR WELLNESS COACH KELLY MANGAN GIVES HER TAKE ON HOW FIRMS CAN IMPLEMENT A WELLBEING INITIATIVE THIS WORKPLACE WELLBEING DAY

AtFitvision, we view and strategise all our wellbeing initiatives through the lens of how they make employees feel, so we were delighted to support IBEC with this year’s National Workplace Wellbeing Day celebrations on April 26th. Before implementing a wellbeing initiative, it’s paramount to research what gaps lie within your company’s culture and analyse what it is the humans behind the “machine” need to operate at their best. We recommend leading your wellbeing strategy and initiatives forward with purpose, so what can you do this Workplace Wellbeing Day to…

1. Foster Connection:

Human beings have an innate need to feel connected to those around us and with many of us spending so much time with our colleagues, it is crucial for our feelings of engagement and job satisfaction.

- Group Charity Event: Get your team together to clean up a local beach or raise money for a charity of your choice.

- Team Fitness Challenge: Organise a fun challenge, such as allocating teams and aiming to get the most combined steps/kilometres/workouts in a day/week.

- Game Day or Lunch: Organise a game day that employees can pop down to or have a game lunch, pairing healthy food with giant Connect 4 or classic old school sport’s day competitions.

2.Boost Morale:

We all want high morale within our workplaces, but what can we actually do to achieve this?

- Employee Gifting or Competitions: ere are some incredible Irish brands taking over this space, such as Sisú who o er health juice hampers and We Are Ethos, whose new Resilience product is targeted towards helping working professionals take care of their wellbeing.

- Recognition and Appreciation Awards: Organise award categories (both serious and fun!) and encourage all employees to nominate their colleagues and host an awards show at lunch time with prizes.

3.Get Moving:

It’s no secret the power that exercise has on our feelings of wellbeing and there is no better way to get endorphins owing than an o ce tness initiative.

- Book a Class: Bring wellbeing to your o ce with an on-site tness, yoga or mobility class.

- Organise a Team Hike: In your local area or further a eld.

4.Manage Stress:

While there are things you can do to mitigate stress in the short term, we are big advocates for providing individuals with the tools to manage their stress in the long run.

- Stress Management Workshop: is is where we educate employees about emotional resilience, stress management, mental skills and personal development.

- Breathwork & Meditation Session: e breath is a powerful tool to regulate the stress response of our nervous system and meditation allows us to view things through a broader lens and gain clarity.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BELONGING

A DIVERSE, EQUAL AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE RESULTS IN SOCIAL BELONGING, WRITES DAVID CASEY

Social belonging is an inherent and the most basic human need, deeply ingrained in our neurobiological makeup. However, a significant proportion of individuals (up to 40%), express a sense of isolation inside their workplace, leading to a decline in organisational commitment and engagement. The cost linked to this lack of workplace belonging is noteworthy. Exclusion is detrimental as it elicits physical discomfort, causing harm. It is a hurt that we have all encountered at some point in our careers. The experience

societies. Embracing diversity entails recognising that every individual contributes a valuable viewpoint and personal background.

Thus, if diversity Is a fact, equity Is a choice, inclusion is an action, then belonging Is an outcome. In order to gain a deeper comprehension of the fundamental necessity for belonging, diversity and inclusion must include this important pillar. Belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are. Dr Brené Brown has a lot to say about belonging. She defines belonging as “being part of something bigger but also having the courage to stand alone and to belong to yourself above all else. The ultimate result of a diverse, equal and inclusive workplace is the experience of belonging. The sensation of belonging is characterised by a profound sense of connection and acceptance among individuals within their communities, organisations or social circles. It refers to the sensation of being acknowledged, listened to and appreciated for one’s true self, without the need to comply or compromise one’s individuality.

David Casey, Wellness Health Promotion Manager, Decare

of feeling excluded is a profoundly human issue, which is why its repercussions are significant and its origins are challenging to identify even in the most conducive work environments.

Diversity is a fact of life. It comprises a diverse range of human characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, abilities and socioeconomic origins, in addition to other factors. The acknowledgment and commemoration of these distinctive characteristics are crucial in enhancing the resilience and liveliness of our

Belonging cultivates a feeling of confidence, cooperation and mental security, which subsequently promotes originality, ingenuity and individual development.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are intricately linked and exert significant influence on various aspects of our society, workplaces and individual experiences. By acknowledging and appreciating the variety present within our communities, making deliberate decisions to advance fairness, implementing practical measures to cultivate inclusivity and establishing settings that engender a profound sense of belonging for all individuals, we can strive towards a more equitable, inclusive and harmonious workplace and global society for all.

David Casey is DeCare’s Head of Health Promotion and a Doctorate Candidate of Trinity College Dublin

Find out more about our dental, vision and wellness programs at decare.ie

integration Making strides in

WHAT STARTED OUT AS A WELL-MEANING COMMUNITY INITIATIVE BY GRAHAM CLIFFORD QUICKLY GREW INTO SOMETHING FAR MORE IMPACTFUL. JOSEPH O’CONNOR CAUGHT UP WITH THE SANCTUARY RUNNERS FOUNDER TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BREAKING BARRIERS BY PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Graham Cli ord returned from a trip to Eswatini in Southern Africa with a nagging feeling.

His work as a journalist reporting in countries where people were forced to leave made him re ect on how disconnected many of these migrants living in Ireland were from the community.

While running a road race in Dungarvan, it struck him that there might be a simpler way to bridge that gap. “I looked around and thought, ‘Running might actually bring people together shoulder to shoulder in a relaxed, positive environment’,” says Cli ord. “It’s a really egalitarian thing. It’s one foot in front of the other no matter where you come from.”

Cli ord was so excited at the prospect that he shared the idea with his wife right at the nish line. at was Sunday and by the following Tuesday, he was in the Cork City Council o ces pitching the idea of setting up a group to get Irish residents running and walking alongside refugees, asylum seekers and migrants for the 2018 Cork City Marathon, seeking funding for running tops and marathon places for those in direct provision.

Participants at the Sanctuary Run 2023, which took place at the Sport Ireland Campus in Abbotstown

participants taking part in weekly runs and around 20 other running events, including one of its own sponsored by PTSB.

Countless inspiring stories have emerged from the initiative, like Omar, a schoolteacher from Somalia who rst got involved while living in a tent at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum and who has recently received legal status. He’s helped bring in and support others, some of whom have vision impairments and walking disabilities, encouraging them to get out and participate in whatever way they can.

“COUNTLESS INSPIRING STORIES HAVE EMERGED FROM THE INITIATIVE, LIKE OMAR, A SCHOOLTEACHER FROM SOMALIA WHO FIRST GOT INVOLVED WHILE LIVING IN A TENT.”

Integration

makes business sense for small business

Cli ord believes the opportunities that integration brings for small businesses aren’t highlighted enough and that many politicians are afraid to address the issue. He says we all think of labour markets but not necessarily about the small shop, pub or cafe in a small town getting people through the door. “The publican doesn’t necessarily have to be a leader in community integration, but if they’re involved in hosting a local club or activity group, then suddenly community integration happens and everyone benefits.”

“I reckoned I could get 150 people in these blue T-shirts running in the marathon,” he says. “It ticked an awful lot of boxes for the Council, as they were trying to come up with ways of enhancing community integration. So they supported us from the get-go and we had over 200 people in that rst marathon.”

A SCALEABLE INITIATIVE

While the initial plan was to make it an annual initiative coinciding with the marathon, it became clear very quickly that it was scalable. Cli ord isn’t one to sit around and talk himself out of a good idea. He pictured what success looked like and worked back from there. Of course, drawing on his media experience helped too.

“At that time, when the media reported on people in direct provision, for example, it was always from a point of pity,” says Cli ord. “Focusing on pitiful characters, like the way some major charities do fundraising. ey play on pity to encourage people to donate. I didn’t want to do any of that. I wanted to empower people. I wanted to show people in a di erent light – as equals.”

Cli ord went about organising running groups under the Sanctuary Runners banner, initially close to direct provision centres and o en piggybacking on the weekly 5km free park runs that take place across the country. Branded t-shirts followed, along with brand ambassadors, new running groups, backers, volunteers and a tagline – solidarity, friendship, respect. Six years on, Sanctuary Runners has approximately 2,500 active

en there’s a young woman from Zimbabwe, whom Cli ord described as a forlorn gure when they rst met while she was in direct provision, but who today has turned her life around, running marathons and recently graduating from university with a degree in international security.

BOTH SIDES OF THE COMMUNITY

While there are many more stories of how the initiative helped migrants integrate and support their mental health during challenging times, one key element of Sanctuary Runners’ success has been its focus on both sides of the community.

Cli ord travelled extensively, so he understands the commonalities that people across di erent cultures share, but he knows not every Irish person takes the same view. As he sees it, focusing on the farmer leaning on the gate in West Cork is just as important as focusing on the person who’s just arrived from Somalia.

“For sustainable community integration to exist, that’s the way you need to look at it,” he says. “You can’t ignore the Irish people who never le home, who never knowingly had a conversation with somebody seeking international protection and who don’t know the answer to questions they have in their head about integration and immigration. But I see it – they join, they make friends and realise it’s no big mystery. It’s just people being people and people being sound. It can have a really transformative impact on their lives as well.”

However, in the six years since Sanctuary Runners’ foundation, we’ve witnessed some darker days in Ireland when it comes to attitudes to immigration, particularly with the Dublin riots of November ‘23. So how does Cli ord view the current landscape for running an integration programme?

“I think in Ireland, once you bring people together, they’re quite loyal,” he says. “ e problem is there’s a shortage of bridges bringing people together, at least in places like the UK, the US and France. We really need to understand that without the creation of these bridges to bring people together so they can have shared experiences, it’s a recipe for disaster, confusion and fear. Even if you couldn’t give a damn about community integration, it’s really da to have

Irish Olympian Kellie Harrington pictured at the Sanctuary Run 2023

a divided society, it bene ts nobody.” Cli ord is keen to stress that the organisation is not political. Nor is it advocating for anything. “We’re bringing people together to run in solidarity, friendship and respect. It works both ways. And I think most people understand what we’re doing. So we haven’t had too much trouble and hopefully that continues.”

However, more action at government level is needed. According to Cli ord, we ‘talk the talk’ too much as a country. For example, there is no community integration initiative in Ireland. While the government does have a migrant integration plan, it has no focus on community involvement. “Unless it is focused on all communities, you don’t get integration or you get it by luck rather than by design,” he says. “So there should be loads of initiatives like Sanctuary Runners, really.”

CHARITY STATUS

In March 2024, Sanctuary Runners became a registered charity, a signi cant milestone that will help the organisation access more funding, follow the necessary governance standards and ultimately have a greater impact. Plans are already in place to work closely with national sporting bodies to develop more integration programmes and with the Department of Foreign A airs to expand the initiative abroad. Cli ord has spoken at the UN in New York and Geneva about the concept, so it has attracted plenty of international interest.

at newfound interest comes as Cli ord steps down as CEO to take on a new Head of International Development role. “My contract was to be renewed last December and it made me consider my position,”

he says. “ ey always say if you’re an entrepreneur, you shouldn’t really go more than six years on a contract because that’s when your arc starts to come down. So I thought, no, it’s getting bigger. It needs somebody with more expertise and experience to take it to the next step.”

For Cli ord, what’s been achieved so far is really satisfying, but the future is far more exciting. “I’d love to see more groups in Ireland, especially in the north, and abroad,” he says. “But also the possibility of having a Sanctuary Sports umbrella and having more than just Sanctuary Runners under it, such as the Sanctuary Swimmers group we already have.”

Whatever the future holds for Sanctuary Runners and whatever role he lls, Cli ord has found his true vocation in supporting and promoting better community integration. Indeed, he’s also the founder of the ‘One Town One Voice’ initiative, which has a similar goal of bringing di erent communities together through local singing groups.

“I think as well as learning as a writer or a broadcaster on those work trips abroad, I found that I learned an awful lot about myself,” he says. “I used to come back and say, ‘Oh, c’mon, you can do more than this. Particularly with the news cycle being so ravenous, the stories you’d write about would come and go and you wouldn’t have the impact you’d like to.”

“ ere’s no better feeling than coming together to run, having a laugh and not taking yourself too seriously,” he adds. “Knowing the positive moments in time that you’re creating are helping somebody in a tricky patch makes it all worthwhile. Yes, it’s all-consuming, but if I hadn’t done this, I would have probably done something else very similar.”

Participants at the Sanctuary Run 2023, which took place at the Sport Ireland Campus in Abbotstown

WITH IRISH FIRMS EMPLOYING AROUND 30,000 PEOPLE IN THE REGION, GERMANY IS A TRIED AND TRUSTED EXPORT COUNTRY FOR IRISH BUSINESSES LOOKING TO EXPAND

Doing business in… Germany

Things have changed a lot since Corás Tráchtála (Enterprise Ireland’s predecessor) opened an office in the German city of Düsseldorf in 1962. Although it’s not the biggest city in Germany, it is the historic electoral capital and centre of the German fashion industry. At the time, live cattle and sewing machines were Ireland’s main exports to Germany, with total exports amounting to £5 million in Irish punts (around €6.35 million). Fast forward a few decades and in 2020, Germany made up Enterprise Ireland’s fourth largest export market with €1.29 billion exports headed in the direction of Deutschland. Germany is now the third largest export market for indigenous Irish goods.

The German economy is famously strong in manufacturing and this has fostered a tech sector which includes many companies creating leadingedge technologies for industrial use. The State offers substantial subsidies and supports for R&D.

The automotive industry remains the backbone of German economy, responsible for as much as 24% of Germany’s total industry and directly employing almost 800,000 people.

Berlin

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Germany is the largest economy in Europe and ranks as the fourth-largest global economy

Germany has a population of approximately 82.4 million Germany is among the top 10 most innovative countries globally

INNOVATION FOCUS

The German market is large, stable and resilient and highly prizes innovation. Recent figures from Enterprise Ireland showed Irish firms employing approximately 30,000 people in Germany. With the largest consumer market within the EU, reliable infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce, it is a stable economy in which to do business. It is, however, highly bureaucratic compared to the Irish environment which is extremely nurturing to new business in comparison. Among the Irish firms who have succeeded in growing thriving businesses in the market are specialty pharmaceutical company Aerogen, connected vehicle solutions provider Cubic Telecom and takeaway ordering software company Flipdish.

Renewables and green energy is another growth area, with Germany’s massive manufacturing sector looking to onshore and offshore windfarms for electricity. Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt AB recently launched the construction of a gigafactory in Heide, northern Germany, where it plans to produce up to 60 GWh of batteries per year – enough to power about one million EVs. Germany supported the build to the tune of €902 million in State aid, in order to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. Also, this year Munich-based energy storage developer Kyon has confirmed the planned realisation of new storage projects with a combined capacity of 237.5 MW/507 MWh.

Power plant at Höllenstein

TECH CONFERENCE

Enterprise Ireland has previously supported clients to attend the Data Centre World conference and exhibition in Frankfurt. It is the world’s largest gathering of data centre professionals and end-users and this year takes place from 22-23 May 2024 at Messe Frankfurt. It is part of the Tech Show Frankfurt event, which brings together four leading technology events, along with Cloud Expo Europe, Cloud & Cyber Security Expo and Big Data & AI World.

DATA CENTRE CONSTRUCTION

The expertise of Irish high-tech construction companies is already well-known in Germany, with many home-grown contractors, subcontractors and suppliers already active in the market there, including Mercury, Winthrop and Collen.There is great opportunity for Irish firms to get involved in German construction projects, particularly data centre design and building. After the US, Germany is the second largest data centre market in the world.

Germany is the second-largest importer of consumer-oriented agricultural products worldwide

Germany is the third-largest exporter of consumer-oriented agricultural products worldwide

GREEN TRANSITION

The data centre industry in Germany is making efforts to become more sustainable in order to reach the aims of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact, under which the industry across Europe committed to become climate neutral by 2030. Design and construction are important factors in reaching these goals, which presents an opportunity for Irish companies.

AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY

Even throughout the pandemic, Irish companies’ business with Germany continued to grow, in particular high-tech construction, ICT, life sciences and industrial products and services. According to Enterprise Ireland, other areas which offer key growth opportunities in Germany are in the following sectors –electronics; consumer retail; automotive manufacturing and related technologies; Internet of Things; agritech; cleantech; fintech; and mechanical and plant engineering.

Germany has the largest semiconductor industry in Europe and the third largest online retail market in Europe

Germany is first in Europe and fifth in the world for dairy production

Berlin

what’s on your

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You’re not alone when it ComeS to CopinG www.turn2me.org

AND ANOTHER THING…

LUKE DEASY OUTLINES THE STEPS COMPANIES CAN TAKE TO ACHIEVE NET ZERO EMISSIONS

Inthe next six years, Ireland aims to meet its 2030 targets and achieve its 2050 goal of net zero carbon emissions. Every business in the country plays a crucial role in driving towards this objective. However, many businesses struggle to understand how to embark on this journey. The below is a clear roadmap for businesses to follow:

1.

Assess Your Current Status: The first step is to understand where your business stands in terms of carbon emissions. An effective way to do this is by conducting an energy audit carried out by a SEAI qualified energy auditor. This audit analyses energy bills for gas, water, electricity, etc., providing insights into your current carbon score and suggesting improvements along with budget estimates. The audit gives you a current score and a predicted score if you do the measures in the report. It also evaluates you current bills and tells you if you are on the right tarrif and for the vast majority of businesses, the €2,000 grant covers the costs of the audit.

2.

Gather Data: Begin gathering data on your energy usage across all aspects of your operations. This includes tracking mileage, fuel use and carbon emissions for company vehicles and staff travelling for business as well as installing energy monitors for oil, gas, electricity and water. Identifying where energy is being used helps in pinpointing inefficiencies and areas for improvement.

3. Implement Solutions: Take action by implementing energy-saving solutions identified during the assessment phase. This could involve upgrading equipment, optimizing processes or investing in renewable energy sources.

4. Track, Monitor and Report: Establish a system for tracking and monitoring your carbon emissions regularly. Reporting on your progress is crucial for accountability and transparency. While reporting requirements may vary based on company size, striving for continuous improvement is essential.

Luke Deasy is Managing Director at Copper Coast Renewables

Net Zero shouldn’t be seen as an expense to businesses or a nuisance. We should want to achieve it instead of feeling like we have to, but early action can turn it into an opportunity rather than a drag on resources. For example, clients are all being pushed down the ESG route for procurement; net zero or a net zero road map will put you ahead of the competition. Also, steps 1 and 2 should be top of your list if your business wants to achieve ISO 50001 - Energy Management which again is coming to us all, but early adoption can turn this into a benefit to your business.

It's also important to assess the financial resources needed for implementing solutions. There are green loads with fantastic rates available from SBCI and others which will allow your business to embrace innovation and upgrades to reach the net zero goal. By following these steps, businesses can better understand how to achieve net zero emissions. Implementing these steps will not only contribute to Ireland's national targets, but also position businesses as leaders in sustainability, driving positive environmental impact and fostering a resilient economy for the future.

LIFE in the A DAY

7AM I work in blocks so for the first couple of hours in the morning, I have breakfast, catch up on emails and plan out the day. A very important part of my day is looking after Ruby, the company mascot. She’s a thoroughbred Irish Red Setter and spends most of the day by my side. She’s brilliant at relieving stress if I’ve had a hard day; every company should have one! 9AM Myself and Ruby go out for a walk which clears my head before I settle into the working day. 9.30AM If I’m working from home rather than conducting site visits or training courses, my day is driven by what the clients want and what projects I’m working on. I set up Cinnte Safety Limited on the back of Covid. Our core business is focused on specialising in tra c management design and consultancy. There are a lot of large companies in Ireland that don’t realise they must e ciently manage pedestrians and transport around their facility, something the HSA is strict on. We’re very busy on that side. 1PM It’s time for a sandwich and a co ee, another walk with Ruby and then a quick power nap, which I find great for recharging for the rest of the day. 2PM The other side of our business is construction and roadworks, while we also o er training courses. I’m one of only three people qualified to o er training on tra c management design and auditing in Ireland. This year, we added HR and safety support services to the business, aimed at small firms that don’t have the resources to do it themselves. Business is good; we’re actually expanding at the moment and recruiting for an additional sta member. 7PM I work quite late most days and then it’s straight into the kitchen to make dinner. 8.30PM This is my time to relax with my wife for the evening. We might watch a bit of TV or take another walk with Ruby. As a small business ourselves, I’d advise other firms to really develop their core business before developing other services. I only introduced the HR and safety support services side this year, once the tra c management side was fully fleshed out. 11PM It’s o to bed so I’m fresh for another day. WWW.CINNTESAFETY.IE

WITH HIS IRISH RED SETTER BY HIS SIDE, BARRY BESSANT AT CINNTE SAFETY IS MAKING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT A CINCH FOR IRISH BUSINESSES

Barry Bessant, Managing Director, Cinnte Safety Ltd

“I’D ADVISE OTHER FIRMS TO REALLY DEVELOP THEIR CORE BUSINESS BEFORE GOING ON TO DEVELOP OTHER SERVICES.”

Ch am p i o n G r ee n . i e

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