Another side of…

James McCann,

Founder & MD, ClearStory International

A series that highlights the lives and interests of ISME members. In this edition, The bISME talks to James McCann, Founder & MD, ClearStory International about his interests and business.

What hobby do you have outside of work? I picked up genealogy as a hobby since lockdown. I managed to track my father’s family line back to 1750. You uncover quite a lot about the past when you get digging. I have a great grandfather who fought at Gallipoli in World War 1; a 2nd great grandmother who was shot by strikebreakers in the 1913 lockout; a 3rd great grandfather who saved the Mansion House from being attacked by Trinity College students in 1900; and a 4th great grandfather who was implicated in a train robbery around 1880. Why does genealogy interest you? I enjoy connecting the dots and discovering personal details about those long gone. Contrasting those stories against the social norms and historical characters of the time serves as a reminder about how quickly Ireland has changed but also, how much has not changed. Do you have an interesting story about your family genealogy? After I discovered my 2nd great grandfather’s connection with the Mansion House, I got in touch with the Lord Mayor’s office to explore if they knew anything about it. They invited the family in for an evening reception and I was presented with a certificate by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Paul McAuliffe, now TD, in recognition of his bravery in defending the Mansion House. He died in 1924 but it was great to see his actions recognised. Are there any other hobbies or challenges you would you like to try? I’m combining two of my ambitions - uncovering the family history and writing a book. So many characters and events have crossed over during my research that I’ve decided to use them to tell the story of ordinary Dubliners from 1650 to 1930. We don’t realise how much the history of a city is tied to the history of its people. I’m hoping to tell the story of Dublin’s history through the experience of one of its families who lived at its heart for hundreds of years. Talk to us about the work you do and your business, ClearStory International? ClearStory was established four years ago as a PR agency to help emerging and expanding companies in technology tell their stories anywhere in the world. We work with clients from Singapore to San Francisco to help them build their reputations and establish credibility, enabling them to grow. How has the last 19 months been for you and your team? The level of change and initial uncertainty was a challenge but we embraced it. We are now a fully remote company which has enabled us to hire outside of Dublin for the first time. We are learning new lessons now about rebuilding company culture in a new environment so we are off to Lisbon for a week as a team building exercise in November for the Web Summit. Tell us about setting up a COVID-19 community response team to help vulnerable people in south Dublin? In my twenties I set up and ran a Neighbourhood Watch group in Sallynoggin. We would work with the Gardai, Community Nurses and other key workers to identify vulnerable people in the community, so when COVID happened we just needed to reactivate that network. It made such a difference in the initial few weeks with so much uncertainty. We would take turns shopping, ringing around to alleviate loneliness or have chats through windows.

James McCann at The Mansion House with his mother Carol McCann and Lord Major, Paul McAuliffe How important do you think it is to have an interest outside work? I think it’s crucial. You need something to take your mind off your business sometimes especially during stressful times. Do you think a work life balance is something individuals and particularly employers need in their life to have a successful business? It can be very difficult as an employer to maintain a work life balance. The responsibility of keeping the machine moving doesn’t end at 5.30 p.m. especially when you are still building a business. That said, it’s important to build a business while maintaining a work life for yourself in mind which is why a strong team is so important. You can’t do it all yourself. Visit ClearStory International here 35