Entrepreneur

April 2013

The Entrepreneur Beaches & business: Ireland’s seaside industries

Success brewing in small places as alcohol industry surges

Steve Savage-Hard Knox Tattoo

The Entrepre-

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THE TEAM: Writing Team Alex Sheehan Jane O’Faherty Conor O’Riordan Fintan Walsh Marie Enright Fiachra McKermott Lorna McGinn Cillian Fitzgerald James O’Nolan Rebecca Maher Derek Bowler Amy O’Connor Jason Franz Marielle Xuereb Darren Mulryan Brian O’Connor Jessica Leen Hilary McGann Sub­editing Team Jane O’Faherty Fintan Walsh Fiachra McKermott Rebecca Maher Hilary McGann Darren Mulryan Design Team Patrick Jensen Amy O’Connor Jason Franz Cillian Walsh Photography Team Niamh Lonergan Niall O’Neill Circulation Team Alex Sheehan James O’Nolan Fintan Walsh Cillian Walsh Brian O’Connor

Editor’s Note THE CRIPPLING impact of the recession has left vacant buildings in every town in the coun­ try. Where once there was a hive of social activity at the local fruit and veg shop now sits a bleak, hollow reminder of how destructive the ‘crash’ has been for small and medium­sized enterprises (SMEs).

It takes courage and self­belief to set up a new business in Ireland at the moment, and this maga­ zine will showcase a variety of people, businesses and industries which have showed resolve in dif­ !"#$%&%'()*+ Entrepreneurial spirit drives humanity forward, expanding our horizons by developing something which many may not have the drive or foresight to do. Entrepreneurial spirit motivates people to push themselves, encouraging healthy compe­ %'%',-&'-&'-.#*%/')*0&%1)&2)-)!%*&,3&41'"1&"5-&2)& reaped by consumers. But, most importantly of all, in a contemporary sense, entrepreneurial spirit creates employment.

In recent years, large supermarkets and banks have promoted self­service banking for custom­ ers, taking the employee behind the screen out of the equation. Small and medium businesses, driven on by entrepreneurs of all ages, have the capability to create plenty of employment if sup­ 6,/%).&*#3!"')-%$7+ The Irish population strives for conversation.

We strive for human interaction, somebody who we can complain to or share a yarn with. This sort of connectivity with fellow human beings is being reduced in big businesses, in order to improve ef­ !"')-"7&5-.&6/,!%*+&89:*&;-,4&%1)&'(6,/%5-")& of pleasing their customers. Irish entrepreneurs must remain mindful of the wishes of their cus­ tomers, and when they do so, we must support them.

In the same way as there has been cynicism about self­service banking, many Irish people have be­ come wary of big businesses in general. The horse

Deputy Editor Chief Sub­ Editor Brendan Roche Pamela Ryan

Head of Circulation Patrick Jensen

meat scandal was a stark reminder that we know little about the production of mass manufactured foods. It was also a reminder that the local butch­ er, and small businesses in general, deserved our support for maintaining excellent standards and offering a product which we can all trust.

When large companies announce that they will be creating employment, it is usually greeted by the visit of a minister and PR opportunities are a common feature. However the same recognition is not afforded to SMEs that will create the em­ ployment to take thousands of people off the dole queues and chip away at the Live Register.

A photo call at a multinational company creating 100 jobs may well be warranted, but a photo call with an entrepreneur who is providing employ­ ment to two people can potentially achieve just as much. It will give other Irish people hope and motivation to do things themselves i.e. set up their own businesses and create employment.

The layman cannot relate to the chief execu­ tive of an MNC, but he/she can take solace from the fact that a like­minded entrepreneur is doing things for him/herself. Entrepreneurs need to be given recognition for their importance in revitalis­ ing Ireland, and that is what this magazine aims to achieve.

It has been a lot of hard work, but enjoyable at the same time. It was a rush to meet entrepreneurs of all ages, and discover what drives them to ",(6)%)&,-&5-&#-)<)-&6$57'-=&!)$.&4'%1&%1)&>2'=& boys’. We hope you enjoy this publication.

Michael Brophy Editor, The Entrepreneur

Head of Design Mary Kirby

Heads of Photography Derek Bowler Cillian Fitzgerald

“

...this magazine will showcase a variety of people, businesses and industries which have showed /)*,$<)&'-&.'3!"#$%&%'()*

- Michael Brophy, Editor

6 Educating professionals

Contents 4 Business news in brief 5 The Entrepreneur visits the National Franchise Event 8 Irish making it abroad

10 Promoting Jameson worldwide 11 The rise of the microbrewer 12 Doing agriculture differently

15 Doing small businesses right

14 Fads through the years We’ve talked to six succesful Irish entrepreneurs. Read the inspiring 6/,!$)*&,-&65=)*&15 through 18

18 The Limerick Milk Market in pictures The Limerick Milk Market on a regular Saturday. Photo: Derek Bowler

22 Running up the numbers ­ how the great Limerick Run helps the 23 Kerry men turns GAA rule into city make money new business 20 The issues with the HSE

24 A new spin on a classic shop

26 High street store goes digital

27 Ireland on the silver screen

28 Businesses on the waterfront

30 ?'.'-=&%1)&!%-)**@45<)&@ (5;'-=&(,-)7&,-&!%-)**&35.*

31 This week in business tweets

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Business news in brief BUSINESS ACHIEVERS AWARDS

Michael Brophy THE PROVINCIAL competitions in the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards are underway, with the Munster victors named at a ceremony last week.

The winners of the eight prize categories repre­ sented every county in the province, with Dooley’s Hotel, Waterford winning the Woman Led Business Award.

Hailstorm Commerce, Limerick, won the Best Business Start­up Award while Quigley’s Bakery, Tipperary, won the Best Established SME Award.

County Cork was represented twice on the winning podium. Irish Yogurts Ltd won the Food and Drink Award, while Capstone won the International Busi­ ness Award.

Denn Agri and Manufacturing Ltd from Waterford won the Agribusiness award.

The Innovation and Emerging Technology Award was won by ViClarity, Kerry, while the Social En­ terprise Award went to Clare Crusaders Children’s Charity.

The eight winners now go forward to the national awards, where they will compete against the three other provincial champions in their prize category.

One business will then be chosen from the eight categories to be named Ulster Bank Business Achiever 2013, winning a comprehensive package which includes a €50,000 publishing bursary with the Irish Independent.

A full list of award nominees for all provinces can be found on www.smallbusinesscan.com/business­ achievers.

New Business Incentive Scheme LIMERICK City Council is inviting applications for a new Business & Retail Incentive Scheme.

E1)&*"1)()&6/,<'.)*&!-5-"'5$&'-")-%'<)*&%,&)-­ courage new businesses to open in the city.

Occupiers of vacant properties are offered incen­ %'<)*&3,/&1'=1)/&,/.)/&/)%5'$&5-.&,3!")&#*)*+ The scheme is intended to address vacancy on key Limerick City Centre streets.

The award winners in the Munster competition of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards

Looking at Change in Business AN INTERACTIVE presentation in Shannon later this month, from Bob Brannock, President, International Pro­ tection, Genworth, will focus on change.

He will share his wide range of experience in management and change and will address issues such as leading change, why change efforts fail, who is receptive to change and the core elements of any successful transformation.

The event, Leading Transformational Change, will take place on Friday, April 26, at GECAS, Westpark Business Campus, Shannon, from 7.45am to 10am.

Top 10 Tips For Starting a Business

Jason Franz J:<,$<)&%,&*5%'*37&%1)&"#*%,()/&K&7,#/&6/,.#"%*&*1,#$.&/)B)"%& the current times. Give customers what they want and avoid becoming stale and too predictable.

JF,&6)--7&'*&%,,&*(5$$&%,&2)&",#-%).&K&)<)/7&(5-5=)/&*1,#$.& be conscious of loose change.

JL5667&)(6$,7))*&(5;)&5&15667&45$$)%&@&$,,;&53%)/&*%533+ J8)"#/)&%1)&$,"5$*&K&2#'$.&5&$,75$%7&25*)&'-&",-")-%/'"&"'/"$)*0& starting from the inside out.

JM,-I%&2)&53/5'.&%,&(5;)&5&$,**&K&,-)&*%)6&25";0&%4,&*%)6*& forward.

JN%&'*&(,/)&",*%&)33)"%'<)&%,&;))6&"#*%,()/*&/5%1)/&%15-&2/'-=& '-&-)4&,-)*&K&.,-I%&%5;)&)A'*%'-=&"#*%,()/*&3,/&=/5-%).+& Keep them happy with rewards for loyalty.

JO)45/)&,3&$))"1)*+&P&*#"")**3#$&2#*'-)**&4'$$&5$457*&5%%/5"%& bloodsuckers.

JF)<)/&#-.)/)*%'(5%)&5&=,,.&(5/;)%'-=&*%/5%)=7+ JM,-I%&/)$7&,-&,-)&'-",()&K&2)&<)/*5%'$)+ JQ,<)&7,#/&2#*'-)**+&E/)5%&'%&5*&'%&*1,#$.&2)&%/)5%).+&

Networking at the National Franchise Centre’s exhibition event; this offered the chance for fran­ that are available, while also availing of chisors to meet potential franchisees, as the workshops throughout the day. Fur­ %1)7&15-.).&%1)(&$)5B)%*0&'-3,/(5%',-& thermore potential franchisers who want booklets and conversed with them about to scale their business using franchising, their businesses. there’s an opportunity there for them, THE GENTLE hum of enthusiasm rever­ Munster Tool Company, Chem­Dry and too,” she added. berated around the room, as eager busi­ Snap were just a few of the companies to Chairperson of the Irish Franchise Associ­ nesspeople shook hands, exchanged cards have stalls at the event, each with repre­ ation, David Killeen ran one of the work­ and made appointments. sentatives there to try and entice individu­ *1,6*&5-.&2)$')<)*&*'=-'!"5-%&*%/'.)*&15<)& This was the scene at the National Fran­ als over. been made by the association in educating chise Centre, where the National Fran­ The opportunity to network was evident Irish business people on franchising. chise Event took centre stage. to all; everywhere you looked people were DE1)/)I*&2))-&*'=-'!"5-%&$)5/-'-=&'-&/)$5­ Offering workshops, information sessions, being introduced to one another, numbers tion to people’s understanding of franchis­ an all­day exhibition and the opportu­ were being exchanged and not one indi­ ing. I’ve been involved in the Franchise nity to network, exuberant entrepreneurs vidual seemed to be left isolated without Association since 2002. You just hear the showed up in droves. conversation.

C#5$'%7&,3&%1)&C#)*%',-&4)I<)&2))-&5*;).& Two­time Entrepreneur of the Year winner Enterprise Development Manager at Lim­ now relative to what we’ve been asked 10 and CEO of BCM Business Cost Manage­ erick Chamber, Martina McGrath, organ­ or 11 years ago. People now have a much ment, John Mac Namara, was keynote ised the event. She spoke positively about fuller understanding of franchising and the speaker at the event. %1)&2)-)!%*&'%&"5-&2/'-=&%,&65/%'"'65-%*+& opportunities it provides,” he said.

His speech elicited a very positive DE1)&F5%',-5$&G/5-"1'*)&H)-%/)&'*&%1)&!/*%& Racecourse bookmaker David Coleman response from the attendees with many franchise education centre in Europe, so was one of the attendees at the event. He )A6/)**'-=&1,4&2)-)!"'5$&%1)7&3,#-.&'%+& '%I*&%1)&!/*%&,3&'%*&;'-.&41'"1&5$$,4*&3,/&5& had “only positive things to say” about the The workshops held throughout the day platform through which people who want occasion and described it as a “breath of were run by Billy O’Connor, of The Dis­ to start their business can look towards fresh air”. covery Partnership Ltd, Dermot Carberry, educating themselves on franchising and “I’ve done a course here last year and of Internal Solution Ltd and David Kil­ doing so in a practical business environ­ it really worked wonders. I need it to leen, of Killeen & Associates. ment,” she said. recharge the batteries,” he added.

These workshops consisted of compre­ “The franchisees who want to engage with There was nothing but optimism to be hensive presentations on different aspects the NFC, they’re looking at investing in a found at the National Franchise Centre, of franchising, which were followed by a franchise. It’s an opportunity for them to as participants left with new ideas and B#//7&,3&C#)*%',-*&3/,(&%1)&65/%'"'65-%*+& engage with the various exhibitors to talk renewed hope for the future.

There were two exhibitor rooms at the about the opportunities and the territories

Brendan Roche and Marielle Xuereb

The Entrepre-

Fintan Walsh

Shannon - Producing pros since 1951

8NFH:&YZU[0&-,%&5&$,%&15*&"15-=).&'-& the Shannon College of Hotel Manage­ ment, according to Deputy Director, Kate O’Connell, who graduated in a "$5**&,3&T\&%15%&7)5/+& One thing that has changed is the grow­ ing numbers of staff and students, while the institution has been substantially extended in size.

This is all part of its strong, traditional ethos, which has been recognised by NUI Galway President, Jim Browne, as %1)/)&15<)&2))-&%5$;*&52,#%&53!$'5%'-=& the College to the University’s business school.

Ms O’Connell, who worked with South Bank University in the 1990s, said that the Shannon students graduate with the core ingredients for the industry: “Pas­ sion, great interpersonal skills, business acumen, and being able to bring that

together into teamwork and leadership.”

The college has had tremendous success in securing 100 percent employment for this year’s graduates. All of the 91 students who graduated in March subse­ quently secured employment.

Lecturer Sean Ruane said a large bulk of the college’s impact boils down to the size of the classrooms and the student­ to­lecturer ratio.

“If you’re doing a Business degree in UL, you’re probably in a lecture hall with 300 to 400 others. In most cases 1)/)0&'%&"5-&2)&5*&$,4&5*&U[+&R)&5"%#­ ally record attendance. If they don’t show up, we know about it. The reason why we do that is so that we give them the idea that they are going out into the industry, so that they can be industry­ ready,” he said.

Mr Ruane’s analysis of the classroom

structure is apt, as it resembles the secondary school model, where every student’s name is called out and ticked during roll call. Not only that, but there is a warm, active and intimate atmos­ phere between classmates – much like a secondary school class.

Despite similarities between Shannon and secondary school, Mr Ruane, who is the chief mentor for inter­college ",(6)%'%',-*0&45*&!/(&41)-&*57'-=&%15%& the “hand­holding” stops when students begin their studies.

According to the lecturer, who has been %)5"1'-=&3,/&YT&7)5/*0&%1'*&15*&2))-& problematic for both Irish and non­EU students.

“You have the Celtic Tiger kittens.

These are students who grew up in the boom times; they never had to cook for themselves; they never had to wash

a proper restaurant. Other food and beverage classes involve learning “the basics of bar and restaurant work,” from making a simple cup of coffee to pulling the perfect pint.

“They are not preparing the students to become chefs. In the case a chef is on leave, or sick in a hotel, the hotel manager trainee will have %1)&*#3!"')-%&*;'$$&*)%&%,&.,& %1)&25*'"&!$$@'-&4,/;0V&9*& Geraghty said.

Though this is the case, one of Shannon’s third year students, Lillian Hurley, /)B)"%).&,-&5&.5#-%'-=& experience when it was her turn to complete her cooking practical.

“In our cooking practical, for themselves; they didn’t have to do N&45*&5*;).&%,&.,&5&25-5-5&B5(2W+& anything for themselves.

The Director [Phillip “There are students coming in from China, where you have one child to two J Smyth] was sit­ parents, with possibly both of the grand­ ting right next to me, parents alive. You have six adults look­ watching me cook, but 41)-&N&45*&!-'*1).& ing after that one child. And then you deposit them here in Shannon without all I knew I had passed and I was delighted that backup,” he said.

A part of the prosperous college’s ethos with myself,” she is that they value their relationship with said. their partner hotels. Though Mr Ruane Each student must knows there can be struggles with some pass their foreign *%#.)-%*0&1)&*5'.&1)&'*&5$457*&",-!.)-%& language exam before when putting a “stamp of Shannon Col­ moving to their work lege” on them when they work abroad. placement destination. For R1)-&*%#.)-%*&!-'*1&%1)'/&!/*%&7)5/0&%1)7& non­EU students who have English as their second lan­ 5/)&%1)-&B,4-&%,&6/)*%'=',#*&1,%)$*&'-& countries where they speak the students’ guage, they stay and work in an Irish hotel. Students who second language, so they can practice their newly­acquired management skills. are exempt from a foreign O#%&!/*%&7)5/&'-<,$<)*&(,/)&%15-&S#*%&TU& language are allowed to hours of school­book theory every week. travel to the UK. Chinese student Jun­ Because the College values its indus­ S')&8#0&41,&4,/;).& try relations so much, students are in The K Club, put through an “intensive” process of Kildare, said his theoretical and practical class work, according to Marketing Manager Sarah English was “only okay”, Geraghty. but when he They spend two weeks, in pairs, in a 6/5"%'")&;'%"1)-0&41)/)&%1)'/&!/*%&.57&'*& completed to “learn everything you need to know his second year train­ about cooking a potato”. ing, he felt After those two weeks are completed, they are moved to the real kitchen where there was they are asked to present meals like in a huge

improvement. However, he admitted %15%&1)&)-",#-%)/).&.'3!"#$%')*+& “It was a good opportunity to speak the language. However, when you step out of the restaurant, that’s when it can become a problem,” he said.

Julian Bardini­Enright, a second year student who is currently working at the 6/'*%'-)0&!<)@*%5/&Q)&9)/'.')-&X/5-.& Hotel, in Nuremberg, Germany, said it has been a life­changing experience, and because of the college’s “instilled professionalism”, he has been able to impress his employers.

“It quickly became normal for me to keep up to the standards that the hotel expects, in order to host such guests [Robbie Williams, Whitney Houston, international football teams] on a regular basis,” he said. This is an institution that has aimed to perfect the concept of pro­ fessionalism by preserving their globally '-B#)-%'5$&)%1,*0&)<)/&*'-")&'%&*)%&#6&'-& 1951. For over 60 years, this college has turned novices into experts in an array of disciplines, such as cooking, busi­ ness modelling and hotel etiquette.

But not only that, it has also built maturity in young students in preparation for adulthood, 41'"1&8)5-&?#5-)&!%%'-=$7& concluded.

“They leave as girls and boys and they come back as women and men.”

Irish Making it Abroad THOUSANDS of people left Ireland last year, many of whom will never return. The “lost generation” are moving abroad for employment, opportunity and the better life that Ireland can no longer provide. The Entrepreneur speaks to some of those young Irish men and women who are leaving Ireland in pursuit of success overseas.

“

Ideally I wanted to come here, work hard for five or six years, come back to Ireland and buy a house and be set up.

”

DN.)5$$7&N&45-%).&%,&",()&1)/)0&4,/;& 15/.&3,/&!<)&,/&*'A&7)5/*0&",()&25";& to Ireland and buy a house and be set up. But after spending a few years G9X&_G,/%)*"#)&9)%5$*&X/,#6`+V here now, I'm really after falling for the place, the lifestyle, the weather and P$5-&P1)/-&1,$.'-=&%1)&YZ&c'$,=/5(()&!-'*1).&6/,.#"%&5%&%1)&d#-.))& the friends I have made, so my mind is Gold Mine, Wiluna, Western Australia. ;'-.&,3&(5.)&#6&3,/&()&5%&%1)&('-#%)& Why would a young, educated and especially due to the current economic talented Irishman stay away from climate at home. Maybe in a few years’ home, carving a new life for himself %'()0&'3&%1'-=*&6'";&#6&2#%&3,/&-,4&NI(& in a foreign land? The conditions of happy to stay put. It's really the best employment are a huge factor for Alan. 6,**'2$)&6$5")&%,&2)&D*%#";V+ $5-&P1)/-&$)3%&H,/;&S#*%&53%)/& “Generally there is a greater demand for

his 24th birthday in October 65/%'"#$5/$7&*;'$$).&4,/;)/*&'-&P#*%/5$­ 2008, to follow his friends to Australia ia, especially Western Australia where and cure the itch of wanderlust. Un­ %1)/)&'*&5&*1,/%5=)&,3&*;'$$).&%/5.)*()-+& $';)&(5-7&,3&1'*&6))/*&41,&B))&N/)$5-.& Wages and conditions are mostly better, here are many young Irish people

in search of employment, Alan left compared to Ireland. For those who re­ who have had a taste of success

when the going was good. “I loved it in ally wish to succeed, it is a great place and in order to further it they must Ireland, I was happy out and busy with to go because of the huge opportunities travel abroad. Lisa Madden is one of %1,*)&6),6$)0&53%)/&2)",('-=&5&!-5$'*%& 4,/;+&N&15.&*5<).&#6&*,()&(,-)7&5-.& %15%&5/)&1)/)&5%&%1)&(,()-%+V& wanted to see some of the world. I had The lifestyle is also something that un­ in the popular TV show Britain and a few friends who had done the travel­ surprisingly appeals to him. Alan cites Ireland’s Next Top Model and travel­ $'-=&%1'-=&5-.&N&45-%).&%,&3,$$,4&*#'%+V the beautiful weather and the ability to ling all over the world she has now settled in London.

E1)&H,/;&(5-&15*&2))-&4,/;'-=&'-& )-S,7&%1)&,#%.,,/*&5*&;)7&2)-)!%*&,3& After modelling in Dubai, France and welding and fabricating since April the Australian life.

2010 under the Western Australian sun. There are aspects of the Irish life that Canada with the show, Lisa decided DN&15<)&2))-&4,/;'-=&5%&(7&%/5.)&'-& the 28­year­old misses dearly. “There Q,-.,-&45*&%1)&2)*%&!%&3,/&1)/+&DN& the mining industry since then. I have are lots of things that are missing from lived in London last year when I was 4,/;).&,-&.'33)/)-%&('-)&*'%)*&3/,(& 1)/)&%15%&7,#&4,#$.&$,<)&%,&%5;)&3/,(& a contestant on Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model. I saw then that there (5'-%)-5-")0&*1#%.,4-&4,/;&5-.&('-)& home. The people here are generally construction on various types of mines nice, but I do miss the really friendly at­ were huge opportunities there in the including gold, lead, vanadium and mosphere from home, the banter and of fashion industry. The fashion industry '/,-&,/)+&97&"#//)-%&S,2&'*&4,/;'-=&,-& course my family and friends. If I could is huge in the UK, with niches for building the processing plant for the %5;)&5$$&%15%&4'%1&()0&N&%1'-;&'%&4,#$.&2)& )<)/72,.7+V Although London is quite close to H1/'*%(5*&H/));&N/,-&]/)&^/,S)"%&3,/& %1)&6)/3)"%&6$5")&%,&2)aV&

Fiachra McKermott

A

Alex Sheehan

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The Entreprehome compared to some Irish people who emigrate to the other side of the =$,2)0&'%&45*-I%&4'%1,#%&'%*&.'3!"#$%')*+& DN&3,#-.&'%&.'3!"#$%&!-.'-=&5"",((,.5­ tion in London City so that was hard initially. But now, I am more settled and 1566')/&4'%1&$'3)+V P*&Q'*5&%,,;&%'()&,#%&,3&",$$)=)&%,&6#/­ sue her career path she found the transi­ %',-&3/,(&*%#.)-%&%,&4,/;'-=&6/,3)**',-­ 5$&C#'%)&.'3!"#$%&5$*,+&DN&15<)&-)<)/&2))-& free from study and exams before in my $'3)+&P%&%1)&*%5/%&N&.'.-I%&;-,4&415%&%,&.,& with my spare time. I hate missing out on the student life, nights out and RAG 4));aV Not everyone can relate to the fashion and modelling industry but Lisa has tips for those who wish to succeed in a ",(6)%'%'<)&(5/;)%b “In my opinion, the ingredients for suc­ cess in this type of industry are excellent '-%)/6)/*,-5$&*;'$$*0&5&6,*'%'<)&5%%'%#.)& and determination. It’s very important 20 year old Lisa Madden, who is now modelling full time, on to realise that not every job is going to a recent photoshoot.

2)&3,/&7,#&5-.&-,%&%,&%5;)&'%&6)/*,-5$$7& 41)-&7,#&.,-I%&=)%&'%+&N&5$*,&%1'-;&'%&'*& cynics and I have met my share of them. home, as they will always be there to vital to have a plan B in such an indus­ I respect everybody’s opinion but I have offer support and advice. try, because it certainly isn’t a career for my own very strong beliefs and do not %1)&$,-=&15#$+V 5$$,4&5-72,.7&%,&#-.)/('-)&%1)(+V Lisa believes that in competitive in­ Q'*5&5.<'*)*&%1,*)&%1'-;'-=&52,#%&$)5<­ .#*%/')*&$';)&35*1',-&5-.&(,.)$$'-=&'%I*& ing home to follow their dream career important to have strong friendship and not to get disheartened at the begin­ family ties in order to remain grounded ning if things don’t run smoothly. She and focused.

5$*,&*%/)**)*&%1)&'(6,/%5-")&,3&;))6'-=& “In every industry you are going to meet '-&%,#"1&4'%1&35('$7&5-.&3/')-.*&25";&

“

I have never been free from study and exams before in my life.

”

more of. ment in an IGA store in Lightening Ivan travelled Ridge, Victoria, similar to the Irish co­ around the world op stores. Having butchered in Ireland in his early twen­ since he was 17, it seemed the natural ties and found step to combine his love for the Austral­ a home­from­ ian lifestyle and his profession. “The home in Victoria, wages are much better over here than in in the south of Ireland and the quality of living doesn’t Australia. After even compare. People are a lot more re­ returning home laxed over here, nobody is uptight about to a country in %1)'/&$'<)*&5-.&-,2,.7&'*&,-&7,#/&25";+& crisis, the urge to There was a tension in Ireland before I return to Victoria left, among everybody, everyday but it and an escape .,)*-I%&)A'*%&1)/)+V& from the politics Living in the Australian sporting capital of Ireland was has meant a completely different life for too much for %1)&H,/;&-5%'<)+& Ivan Roche enjoying the Australian sun on his Ivan.

At 28, Ivan has spent almost half of his day off in Melbourne, Victoria.

“Over the last few %4)-%')*&$'<'-=&5-.&4,/;'-=&52/,5.+& years I’ve really What would he say to anybody contem­ lost faith in the government in Ireland. 6$5%'-=&%5;'-=&%15%&1#=)&*%)6&'-&*)5/"1& The way they are treating the people of of a better life? “Don’t be afraid to do it. hat drives a man to leave his fam­ Ireland is ridiculous. It was very frus­ I was so apprehensive, even the second ily, friends and job behind to go trating being in Ireland in the last few %'()0&2#%&(5;)&*#/)&'%I*&415%&7,#&45-%& around the world? For Ivan Roche, it years. Socially, I had nothing to do and to do. Don’t do it because everyone else was the taste of a better life that he expe­ 45*&.)!-'%)$7&*%#";&'-&5&/#%+V is, do it for your own reasons. Most im­ /')-").&'-&1'*&B5=/5-%&7,#%1&5-.&45-%).& Ivan is the manager of a meat depart­ 6,/%5-%$70&.,-I%&15<)&5-7&/)=/)%*+V

Fiachra McKermott

W

Success brewing in small places as alcohol industry surges

The Entrepre-

Business booms for Cork’s Jameson

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Michael Brophy

(5/;)%&3,/&"/53%@2/)4'-=&'-&1'*&1,()& R1'%)&X76*7&/)$')*&,-&4,/.&,3&(,#%1& ",#-%/7+& %,&*)$$&'%*&2))/*+&E4,&./5#=1%&2))/*&5/)& DgH/53%&2/)4)/*h&"5()&'-&4'%1&5&.'33)/)-%& 6/,.#").&3,/&$,"5$&",-*#(6%',-0&41'$)& 6/,.#"%0&5&.'33)/)-%&,33)/'-=+&N%&45*&(,/)& 5&/5-=)&,3&3,#/&kj[($&2,%%$).&2))/*&5/)& HEN it comes to chocolate, )A6)-*'<)&2#%&6),6$)&*5'.b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l,#&"5-I%&.,&%1'*&,-&7,#/&,4-0&N&-)).& %1)&",#-%/70&'%&'*&/'6)&3,/&)A65-.'-=0V& DN%I*&5$$&52,#%&6/,.#"%',-*&5-.&<,$#()*& %1)&Ye&,%1)/&=#7*&'-&%1)&",#-%/7&5%&%1)& *5'.&H#'$5-&Q,#=1-5-)&3/,(&R1'%)& 5-.&%15%I*&41)/)&%1)7&2)$,-=0&2#%&%1)7& (,()-%+&N&-)).&%1)(&.,'-=&%1)&*5()& X76*7&2/)4)/7+ 5/)&=)%%'-=&5457&4'%1&'%+&E1)7&5/)&=)%%'-=& %1'-=&5*&()&5-.&4)&5$$&4,/;&5*&5&#-'%&%,& E1)&ef@7)5/@,$.&*)%&#6&1'*&-)4& 5457&4'%1&'%&'-&%1)&./5#=1%&*)"%,/&5*& $'3%&)5"1&,%1)/&#60V&1)&*5'.+&N-&5&",#-%/7& 2/)4'-=&2#*'-)**&'-&T[[Z&53%)/&7)5/*&,3& 4)$$+&E1)7&5/)&*)$$'-=&;)=*&,3&2))/&3,/& 41)/)&5$",1,$&'*&*7-,-7(,#*&4'%1&,#/& )A6)/')-")&'-&%1)&%/5.)&'-&N/)$5-.&5-.& iYej&41'"1&'*&,#/&6/'")&6,'-%+&E1)7& -5%',-5$&'.)-%'%70&,-)&4,#$.&1,6)&%15%& 52/,5.+&R1'$)&$'<'-=&'-&H5-5.5&'-&%1)& *1,#$.&)5*'$7&2)&52$)&%,&*)$$&%1)(&3,/& %1)&/'*)&,3&%1)&"/53%&2/)4'-=&4'$$&,33)/&5& $5%)&YZZ[*0&1)&*54&%1)&'-.#*%/7&%5;)& iY[[&@&iYY[0V&*5'.&%1)&E)(6$)(,/)& "1,'")&%,&%1,*)&41,&45-%&C#5$'%7&,<)/& ,33&5-.&3)$%&%15%&%1)/)&45*&5&=56&'-&%1)& -5%'<)+ C#5-%'%7&'-&%1)&$,"5$&6#2+

W

“

“

The wine market in Ireland has an unnatural percentage share of the market for a country in northern Europe.

When you’ve got a piece of information that helped you to save some money, you passed that on.

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Fiachra McKermott

M

IDLETON is a sleepy town in East Cork and with a population of less than 12,000, it is a modest expanse. Midleton is also responsible for the production of four million cases of whiskey each year as the home of the world-renowned whiskey, Jameson.

Jameson expands by 15 percent every year, both in times of recession and in times of prosperity. With companies closing their doors every day of this recession and alcohol sales at an alltime low, how does a business thrive in an economic downturn as resonating as this?

Tommy Keane, Head of Distilling Operations at Jameson distillery, identifies the reasons for the continued success of Jameson: “People that have Irish heritage are very proud of it and identify with it. In saying that, it’s still got to arrive at a critical mass before people will even identify with it. It was the advertising and the promotion, in the bars and in the clubs, that grew the awareness of Jameson.

Worldwide recognition has brought Jameson to the forefront of alcohol sales the world over and the association with Rihanna and Lady Gaga, among others, has no doubt helped their sales and reputation.

Establishing Jameson as a brand was a major part of the expansion plan put into place by their parent company Pernod-Ricard, when they purchased Jameson from Irish Distillers in 1989.

A detailed plan of advertising and promotion was put in place but as the Head of Distilling Operations was eager to point out, mere marketing and sailing

in the winds of Pernod-Ricard does not guarantee sales.

“It takes a huge amount of investment in advertising and promotion to grow a brand. They had to select what it [the main product] was going to be, so that’s what the focus was on. You could say the focus since 1989 was to grow a global brand.

“Small brands don’t get recognition, you’ve got to reach a critical mass before they are universally accepted.

It’s like Nike, it’s like any brand, people talk about Jameson, people want to know about Jameson, want to be seen with Jameson. But you have to reach a certain critical mass before you get that sort of recognition.”

The Jameson label is now visible in markets all around the world. “We are in 49 markets in the US, in double-digit growth. There are about a hundred markets worldwide and in double-digit growth in close to 50 of those markets.

We are growing where the perception is it is a premium product and it is being sold at premium prices. We have literally had 20 years of consecutive growth. We [sold] four million cases last year, by 2020 we will be closing in on 10

million cases.”

The success of Jameson has resonated within the Irish whiskey industry with sales of other companies also on the up. “What we have done is grow the Irish whiskey category. Other whiskey producers are doing well on our coattails. We are launching new products to take advantage of the success of Jameson but you don’t want to mess with the brand.”

Jameson was a world-recognised brand heading into the recession, with plans in place to guide the company through to the other side. Other companies head into this financial climate with a less-solid base and face increasing difficulties staying in business. Tommy has advice for those companies facing the challenging times ahead. “It is limited what cutting costs is going to do for them. If they can afford marketing it is an absolute, absolute priority. To get through any sort of a recession, if you stop letting people know that you’re out there, if you start to kill the awareness of your product, then you’ve got no chance of growing. We would say that marketing is an absolute must.”

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Quirky agri-food sector thriving

The Entrepre“We’ve had plenty of setbacks along the way” - Gerald Burns,

Ardrahan Lullaby Milk

Ardrahan Lullaby Milk Jill Fitzgerald with a selection of her cake toppers.

The agri and food sector is withstanding the recession while many other industries are collaps­ ing. And it seems that so­called quirkier agri businesses are making great success for themselves.

We speak to Jill Fitzgerald of Cake Toppers Ireland, Gerald Burns of Ardrahan Lullaby Milk, and Caroline Rigney, Curraghchase Meats and Farmhouse B&B, who were all in the same class in UCC’s Diploma in Speciality Food Production.

Alex Sheehan

Jill Fitzgerald and Cake Toppers Ireland

HPc:& %,66)/*& 6/,252$7& 5/)-I%& %1)& !/*%& backs, though creating the cake toppers is could be considered to be a frivolous ex­ thing couples think of when planning labour intensive for Jill and she doesn’t tra. Though in defence of my product, it their wedding day. However, Jill Fitzger­ want to let anyone in on her “artistic se­ is a very unique keepsake, custom made ald’s quirky cake toppers have proven to crets”. for the client.” be a success.

In recent years, there have been a lot of Cake Toppers Ireland is far from your Jill, with a background in catering and entries into this market but Jill doesn’t standard bride and groom toppers, so living on a farm, wanted to enter the seem fazed: “This was always to be ex­ their clientele must also be somewhat food industry market and signed up for pected, it keeps me on my toes and I like ‘quirky’.

UCC’s Speciality Food Production Di­ to feel I am the market leader.” The re­ “I guess it is the quirky percentage that ploma course. While studying, she start­ cession has impacted on almost every opts for our toppers. I very rarely get re­ ed a wedding cake business making the market. quests for standard bride and groom with occasional cake topper which proved to their wedding garb. Most want to include be more successful than the cakes, so in “I have actually moved personal touches such as their pets, hob­ 2009 Cake Toppers Ireland was founded. away from the food busi­ bies, or work­related uniforms,” she said.

Jill, who also studied in Ballymaloe ness altogether, and to be Jill has made a wide variety of cake top­ Cookery School, said: “The irony of the pers including for GAA fanatics, farmers, honest, I’m not sorry whole thing is that I have actually moved butchers and builders, but she also makes away from the food business altogether, cake toppers for non­conventional cou­ and to be honest, I’m not sorry. There are Asked about the impact on weddings, Jill ples. The next on the agenda is a groom less regulations and the ability to exercise said: “I am continually surprised by cli­ pushing his bride in a wheelie bin and ac­ ents’ willingness to part with their hard cording to Jill: “It takes all sorts!” my creative streak, it’s a real bonus.”

Fortunately there have been no major set­ earned cash on something which

LULLABY Milk is pasteurised and pro­ sleep disorders. Valtonen visited the farm setbacks along the way. Even still every duced on the Burns family farm at Ar­ '-& T[[k& 5-.& =5<)& %1)& 35('$7& %1)& !/*%& $'­ day we learn a bit more about how we can drahan, Co. Cork, the home of the award cence to produce melatonin­rich milk in improve on where we are in terms of dis­ winning Ardrahan Farm House cheese.

Ireland. tribution.

The difference between Lullaby Milk Melatonin is a naturally occurring hor­ “We try and focus on our customers who and your regular milk in the supermarket mone in milk, but four times as much of 15<)&/)5$&6/,2$)(*&*#"1&5*&.'3!"#$%7&=)%­ is that the cows are milked in the dark at it is produced if the cows are milked dur­ ting the milk into a store or that the milk 2am during the summer and 4.30am dur­ '-=&*6)"'!"&6,'-%*&'-&%1)'/&*$))6&"7"$)*+ may only have a few days’ shelf life from ing the winter, when the levels of their Ardrahan Farm had previously the time they bought it. sleep regulating hormone melatonin are achieved success before Lullaby Milk; We much rather focus our attention on higher. their farmhouse cheeses are sold all over things like this so we can try and provide The concept of Ardrahan Lullaby Milk Ireland, the UK, Europe and the a better service for those whom we deal came about by relatives and friends of the US. However the family wanted to fo­ with on a regular basis.”

Burns family having trouble sleeping. cus on their new innovative product. Al­ The family plan to put most of their focus They came across some research of Finn­ though the product is popular, it wasn’t on the milk rather than the cheese. ish Professor Maija Valtonen, who stud­ 4'%1,#%&'%*&.'3!"#$%')*+& ied the effects of melatonin­rich milk and Gerald Burns said: “We’ve had plenty of

Caroline Rigney, Curraghchase Meats and Farmhouse B&B CAROLINE Rigney’s rare breed farm which is located in Kilcornan, Limerick. The business didn’t fully escape the re­ started out as a hobby, but now her busi­ There are the pork products; Curragh­ cession. “It has impacted on the farmshop ness has won numerous awards, such as chase meats come from free range rare as ‘ad lib’ spending is gone but I do have the Great Taste Awards, or as some like breed pigs such as Tamworth and Saddle­ loyal customers.”

Although people don’t have as much to call the ‘Oscars’ of food. Her Bed & backs which she keeps on her farm. money to spend on free range products, Breakfast has made the Bridgestone top She also has a farm shop, while her 10 places in Ireland to have breakfast. farmhouse B&B is renowned for its hearty Caroline believes it is so important for However her successes have not been breakfast, with products mainly sourced people to be able to trace their food. “It’s important to know where food is coming without struggles. As she had no back­ from the farm itself. ground in the farming industry, she found Caroline admits that juggling all these from, especially with pork as it is so in­ '%&C#'%)&.'3!"#$%&%,&2/)5;&'-%,&%1)&(5/;)%+& 5*6)"%*& "5-& 2)& .'3!"#$%+& D8,()%'()*& '%I*& tensively reared but with all foods, even According to Caroline, “There were a lot crazy but I am mostly at home and luckily fruit and vegetables, we either pay now or pay later.” have no deadlines.” of emotional setbacks along the way.”

Caroline has many aspects to her farm

The Entrepre-

Fascinating fads of business

Jane O’Faherty and Marielle Xuereb

STARTING a business is always risky and *,()%'()*&%1)&2)*%&,3&'.)5*&"5-&/)*#$%&'-&5&B,6+& Business fads are just that; great ideas that gain popularity only to be brought down by over­satu­ ration of the market or by the topical nature of the product. From past fads to those going on at the moment, here’s a look at what has been going on.

Nibble Fish

Epidermis Eaters

XP??P&/#35&5/)&*(5$$&!*1&%15%&)5%&.)5.&*;'-&")$$*&3/,(&3))%+& Originating in Turkey, these odd creatures have been used for centuries to treat conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, hard skin and acne. However, this therapy does not offer a complete "#/)0&5-.&"$')-%*&4,#$.&-)).&(#$%'6$)&%/)5%()-%*&%,&2)-)!%&53%)/& the immediate relief.

E1)&!/*%&*1,6&,33)/'-=&%1)&%/)5%()-%&'-&N/)$5-.&,6)-).&'-& Q'()/'";&'-&T[[U+&8,,-0&,#%$)%*&5-.&*65*&*)$$'-=&>M,"%,/&G'*1I& treatments popped up all over the country, as well as businesses *)$$'-=&%1)&!*1&3,/&1,()&#*)+& L,4)<)/0&",-%/,<)/*7&)()/=).&,<)/&1)5$%1&/'*;*&'-&T[YY0&53%)/& some American states banned the treatments. Many wor­ /').&52,#%&%1)&/'*;&,3&'-3)"%',-*&'3&%1)&*5()&!*1&4)/)&#*).&3,/& (#$%'6$)&"#*%,()/*+&M)*6'%)&5%%)(6%*&27&2,%1&*1,6&,4-)/*&5-.& health authorities to reassure the public, the trend died down 53%)/&T[YY&.#)&%,&",-")/-*&,<)/&17=')-)+

Irish tea drinking

The healthy option

TEA drinking is so ingrained in Irish culture, it’s hard to say whether tea shops are an original fad or not. On average, Irish people drink four cups of tea a day. Some drink six cups or more.

However, tea drinking has changed a lot in the past few years.

It’s not merely a choice between Barry’s and Lyons any­ more – herbal tea, green tea, white tea and oolong tea have 5$$&5//'<).0&%15-;*&%,&%1)&%)5&*1,6&%/)-.+&^)/156*&%)5&*1,6*&5/)& a response to the calorie­laden and expensive ‘frappuchino’ culture.

With both Unilever and Starbucks launching their own branded tea cafés soon, it looks like this could last longer than the average fad. Shops are continuing to open all over Ireland, selling everything from traditional blends to more unconventional infusions such as ‘gummy bear’ teas.

Steve Savage Mini-cake cupcakes

Affordable luxury?

Cash for Gold

The world wide phenomenon

THE CASH For Gold industry in Ireland shows no signs of slowing down.

E1)/)&5/)&YTe&H5*1&G,/&X,$.&,#%$)%*&-5%',-4'.)+&E15-;*&%,&%1)& price of gold reaching an all­time high, more and more people are handing in their old jewellery in the hope of earning some money in these tough economic times.

However, many have linked the success to an increase in metal burglaries around the country. There is also the question of knowing where the gold comes from.

Regulation of Cash For Gold shops has been suggested. This would mean sellers would have to produce a valid passport and two utility bills once a transaction is made, and the gold would 2)&*)-%&%,&X5/.5m&3,/&f[&.57*+& The fact that regulation is being considered points to the idea that these shops could survive – and even thrive – in the long term.

THERE is no doubt that cupcakes will continue to be a part of our lives and yet, why are some cupcake shops closing down? ^)5;'-=&2)%4))-&T[[\&5-.&T[YY0&N/)$5-.&*54&'%*&!/*%&*6)"'5$­ '*).&"#6"5;)&25;)/7&'-&T[[U+&E1)&.)(5-.&3,/&"#6"5;)*&45*& enough to keep the multitude of shops that started opening in every town busy. Then just as swiftly as it grew, the demand died down; some blamed the economy, some the changing tastes of people, but it simply boiled down to people not being willing to spend a small fortune on mini­cakes. Cupcake shop owners were faced with a do­or­die situation; some chose to fully rely on contracts with hotels and big companies, some "1,*)&%,&)A65-.&27&%#/-'-=&'-%,&3#$$7&B).=).&25;)/')*0&41'$)& others dropped their rolling pins and moved on.

Hard Knox Tattoo

Patrick Jensen IT’S A FAMILIAR sight in Limerick. A street where the ‘To Let’ signs outnum­ ber the open shops at least two to one.

But a few houses down the street lies Hard Knox Tattoo; the low metal­music that escapes through the door declares the shop very open. Behind the two large store front windows is the sleek and yet cosy black and white realm of tattoo art­ ist and owner Steve Savage.

A tattoo artist for only eight years, he managed to build the well­respected stu­ dio in the midst of the hardest years of the recession and keep it running, even expanding to include more artists and a piercer.

Ten years ago Steve Savage had never even considered tattooing as a way to make a living, but then, when he was 16­years­old and had recently dropped out of school, he started hanging around a Spanish tattoo artist who owned a stu­ dio in Limerick.

“I was working stupid jobs I didn’t wanted to do, and I kept getting either !/).&,/&$)5<'-=+&8,&%1'*&=#7&=5<)&()&S,2& and said, ‘You can work here for two or

times had at least brought the rent down.

“So I found this place and I thought, ‘I don’t know where I’m going to get the money’,” he said chuckling, “but I’ll try and do this.”

L)&.'.&!-.&%1)&(,-)7&%1,#=1+&^/)3)/­ ring not to go into details, he explains how he took out a small loan combined with the small amount he had saved and put it into renting the studio and the few things he needed to get the business up and running.

“I started with the bare necessities, as long as I had four walls and my equip­ ment, that’s all I needed. I could work from there,” said Steve Savage.

And that he did. Six months after open­ - Steve Savage ing he had paid off the loan, and the business kept growing.

When the recession hit Europe hard, Ste­ Steve is happy to dish out a small piece ve Savage’s Spanish employer packed of advice for people starting out their up and went home to Madrid, asking own businesses in an effort to ensure Savage to take over his studio. success follows.

But instead of keeping the studio he’d “Go to your meetings and make your started his career in, Steve Savage took payments on time...just don’t be lazy, the advice of a friend and searched for a really,” he said, with a laugh. proper store front and found that the bad

three days a week’,” reminisced Savage.

Because he kept hanging around the studio, even on his days off, his Spanish friend and employer ended up offering Steve Savage an apprenticeship.

“I was pretty young, and I never thought I could tattoo. It was literally the most work I’ve ever done in my life, because I actually liked it, I enjoyed doing it. This was something worth working for,” he said.

“

Just don’t be lazy, really...

The EntrepreSteve Rayner, Group Fleet Manager at Joe Duffy Motor Group

Pamela Ryan STEVE Rayner is a huge success in the automotive industry, now working as the Group Fleet Manager at the Joe Duffy Mo­ tor Group and the General Manager at the Joe Duffy Fleet Solutions. ?57-)/n*&!-)*%&)-%/)6/)-)#/'5$&)A6)/')-")& with new business development lies within his apprenticeship with successful business­ man and TV personality, Bill Cullen. After winning TV3's The Apprentice in 2009, Rayner began working alongside Cullen.

This consisted of beginning a brand "new B))%&$)5*'-=&=/,#6&3/,(&*"/5%"10o&5"",/.'-=& to Rayner. From there he was "growing the 2#*'-)**&5-.&=/,4'-=&"$')-%)$)V+ ?57-)/&!/*%&"1,*)&5&"5/))/&'-&(#*'"&(5-­ agement. He received an Honours Bache­ lors Degree in Music Industry Management in the UK. After working at various successful record labels and working on a number one with Rodger Sanchez, Rayner decided that internet sales were taking their toll on the in­ dustry. "A few of my friends stayed on and had positions at Virgin records, but none of them are left there now," he notes.

Following the onset of the music industry

recession which occurred "long before the bank col­ lapse," according to Rayner, he chose to leave the industry and apply for posi­ tions elsewhere, and found a lucra­ tive career in sales.

"I was applying for positions that people with 14 or 15 years experience social skills. It's all about respecting people were applying for." He had no choice but to along the way, that's what matters." change career, he states.

Choosing his greatest career achievement Reminiscing about his time with The Ap­ stumps this entrepreneur, and it can be un­ prentice, Rayner says: "Looking back, it derstood why, if viewing his career history was more of a life experience rather than a on paper. "Selling over 1,000 cars for Bill "5/))/&)A6)/')-")+V& *'-")&4'--'-=&E1)&P66/)-%'")0o&1)&!-5$$7& Learning to live with 14 different people decides. was a challenge and the show brought Quite the achievement for someone who with it many constraints. Rayner says that had been "thrown in at the deep end in a the most important thing about business is business you'd never worked in before". "networking", but with the constraints of the To budding and future entrepreneurs, show, this was taken away.

Rayner offers this advice: "Just to believe R1'$)&%1)&*1,4&=5<)&1'(&",-!.)-")0&1)& in themselves and their own ideas. Stick to "learned more in the year I won and worked your own beliefs." with Bill. I learned very little apart from

Nicole Sweeney, Founder of ‘Nicole Sweeney School of Dance

Hilary McGann DANCING her way to the top, one step at a time.

Dancing to the beat of her own drum, Limerick native Nicole Sweeney has suc­ cessfully choreographed a career for herself while simultaneously studying for her #-.)/=/5.#5%)&.)=/))+&P%&S#*%&T[0&5-.&4'%1& YU&7)5/*&,3&.5-"'-=&)A6)/')-")&2)1'-.&1)/0& F'",$)&15*&S#*%&/)")-%$7&*)%&#6&1)/&<)/7&,4-& ‘Nicole Sweeney School of Dance’.

Being an entrepreneur is something she says she has always dreamed about, admit­ ting: “I always knew deep down I would set #6&5&*"1,,$0&N&S#*%&.'.-I%&;-,4&1,4&5-.&'3&N& 4,#$.&2)&52$)&%,+V& With experience in ballet, Irish dancing and freestyle contemporary, Nicole took to the stage one last time in April of last year, where she won the British Internationals.

M'*6$57'-=&",-!.)-")&5-.&*)$3@2)$')3&'-&1)/&

.)"'*',-&%,&/)%'/)0&*1)&5.('%*&%15%&*1)&DS#*%& felt at 19 it was time to move on and start 5"1')<'-=&*,()%1'-=&-)4V+& “With your own business it never really stops, there’s never a closing time as such, with phone calls from parents, ordering buses and organising classes there’s always *,()%1'-=&%,&.,+V& She credits her father for his support and strong work ethic. Nicole says: “If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t know what hard work /)5$$7&'*+V& Another source of encouragement and inspiration for her came from her former mentor and dance teacher, Eilish McCa­ rthy, who she herself began her own dance school at 19.

N-&G)2/#5/70&F'",$)&C#5$'!).&5*&5&.5-")& %)5"1)/&5-.&5&S#.=)&5%&",(6)%'%',-*+&P3%)/& getting into the rhythm of things, she now has 36 students following in her footsteps and dancing their way to the top.

Nicole acknowledges that it is a challenging

process setting up your own business, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Her advice to other young entrepreneurs '*&%,&)-*#/)&7,#&15<)&5&C#5$'!"5%',-&5*&5& back up, as well as having your own busi­ -)**+&E1/,#=1&%1)&S'=*&5-.&%1)&/))$*0&F'",$)& dreams of one day having her own studio and at least two shows a year. Encouraging others to feel innovative she insists, “Just go for it, don’t think of the failures and don’t ='<)&#6&'3&'%&35'$*&,-")+V&

Edmond Harty, CEO and Technical Director at Dairymaster Engineering in UL. It was a pleasure then to something Brendan Roche 566$7&5$$&%1'*&*%#33&'-&%1)&",(65-7+V& as simple as EDMOND Harty is CEO and Technical Director of Dairymaster; a world leader in the development of dairy farm equipment.

Based in Causeway, Tralee, the company has customers in over 40 countries world­ wide and employs over 300 people. Dr Harty recently won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2012.

He will now go on to represent Ireland in the World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo next June.

M/&L5/%7&S,'-).&M5'/7(5*%)/&'-&YZZU0&41)-& his father was CEO. Sometimes the burden for a son following in his father’s footsteps can weigh too heavily. This was never the case for Dr Harty, who relished the opportu­ -'%7&%,&S,'-&%1)&35('$7&2#*'-)**+& DE1)/)&45*&-,&6/)**#/)&5%&5$$&g'-&S,'-'-=&%1)& company]. You have to really like what you .,0&5-.&'-&(,*%&"5*)*&7,#I$$&!-.&7,#I$$&2)& good at it. That’s why I studied Mechanical

After UL, he then acquired a PhD in Me­ "15-'"5$&:-='-))/'-=&'-&pHM+&N%I*&%1'*&B5'/& for Engineering which is the driving force behind much of Dairymaster’s innovation.

His ideas come to him through looking at things from the customer’s perspective.

“First of all, you need to know your cus­ tomer. What issues are they dealing with and what could be improved? Then you have to understand ways to tackle these issues. You need to ask yourself, how am I going to do this better than the rest of the 4,/$.qV DM/'<)0&5(2'%',-&5-.&<'*',-V&5/)&415%&M/& Harty cites as the most important attrib­ utes for an entrepreneur. Offering advice to hopeful entrepreneurs, he says: “People should be thinking, ‘How can I do this bet­ ter than anyone else in the world?’ That’s %1)&25/&7,#&-)).&%,&2)&*)%%'-=+V Asked what is the most important factor for running a successful business, he considers

gratitude to be instru­ mental.

“To lead by example.

You need a good team behind you and you need to appreci­ ate people.

Just little things like ‘thank­yous’ make a .'33)/)-")+V Pressed on the issue of the economy, he predicts: “It’s going to take a few more years. I believe it will be led predominantly by exports [exiting the recession]. It’s very important that we support Irish products 5-.&",(65-')*+&E15%I$$&(5;)&5&.'33)/)-")+V

Katherine Carroll, Founder of Stable Diet

Jane O’Faherty A 300­YEAR­OLD farmhouse in rural Co. Wexford might not be a place typically associated with groundbreaking business.

Yet, this historic property, located off the Rosslare road, has been the backdrop for one of the South East’s most successful entrepreneurial stories.

It is here that Katherine Carroll began bak­ ing for Stable Diet, a food company she set up in 1994. Since then, it has grown slowly but surely into a renowned nationwide busi­ ness, winning numerous accolades for its B56S5";*0&"5;)*&5-.&,%1)/&-5%#/5$&6/,.#"%*+& The daughter of a dairy farmer from Wel­ lingtonbridge, Co. Wexford, Katherine has always had a keen interest in food. After leaving secondary school, she baked cakes and scones for her family. Her hobby then attracted the attention of Only Natural, a health food store based in Wexford town.

Katherine’s carrot cakes and granary scones soon became a bestseller in Only Natural, and it wasn’t long before other stores saw the potential of these homemade products.

Soon, she was asked to supply local Super­ valu stores in Wexford town and Welling­ tonbridge. Over time, her products moved

onto supermarket shelves all over the country.

Katherine then branched out into making additive­free products like granola, B56S5";*0&2/)5.*& and porridge. In 2007, she opened the critically acclaimed 'Stable Diet' café in the heart of Wexford town. Katherine Katherine Carroll (left) overseecontinues to bake all her products in the ing production in Stable Diet farmhouse, albeit with a larger team than she started out with.

Just last year, she took over running the can­ *1)&D"/5";).V&'%+&DN%&4)-%&3/,(&2)'-=&%1)& teen in Wexford County Council. She also product that was being threatened with cooks and packs seed mixes for 'Helen’s', shelving to being our most successful prod­ #"%0V&*1)&*57*0&*('$'-=+&DNI(&*,&6/,#.&,3&'%+V which are sold in Lidl and Aldi stores.

Her passion for good, wholesome food is Stories like this echo Katherine’s own palpable. What’s her favourite product? “I advice for budding entrepreneurs. “The S#*%&%1'-;&%1)&=/5-,$5&'*&*,&*6)"'5$+&N&$,<)&'%0V& !/*%&%1'-=&N&4,#$.&*57&'*&%15%&7,#&15<)&%,& she says excitedly. Now her most popular be convinced that the product you’re going creation, the granola was once something of %,&*)$$&'*&5&%/)()-.,#*&6/,.#"%0V&*1)&*57*+& a problem child for Stable Diet. Every time Dl,#&S#*%&15<)&%,&;))6&%/7'-=0&5-.&2)&545/)& Katherine made it in the bakery, it burned. of the fact that it’s not going to work from Despite this, she stuck with her idea until .57&,-)+V

The Entrepre-

Kehlan Kirwan

FocuSMEIreland.com magazines out there, very few focused on the small business owner, in terms of someone who would have 20 employ­ ees or less,” he said.

G,"#89:& (5=5r'-)& 6#2$'*1).& !<)& '*­ sues before closing. “At the time we started, the advertising market was in freefall and eventually we had to close it.

“In retrospect, strange to say, it’s something I look back on with fondness. I learned so much from it, about business, about myself. I realised failure is a part of life, you can sit back and take it, or you can either dust yourself off and get back on the MANY in the business world would saddle and go and try to do it all again,” suggest that Shannon, Stoke­on­Trent, said Kirwan.

Ennis doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as London, Paris, New York, but for one Irish man these places hold a =/)5%&*'=-'!"5-")&'-&*156'-=&1'*&(,-'­ ker as ‘Ireland’s SME Champion’.

At 30 years of age, Kehlan Kirwan has become the voice of the SME in Ireland.

The Founding Editor of FocuSMEIreland.com, co­founder of the #SMECommunity and Clare FM ra­ dio presenter, the Ennis native’s meteoric rise to the forefront of the Irish business world has been nothing short of spectacular.

Though he currently tastes success, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Kirwan, as it has taken a lot of bumps and bruises for him to get to where he is to­ But all was not lost for Kirwan at this day. time. Though the magazine had failed, In 2010, a bright­eyed and bushy­tailed the accompanying website, broadcast journalism graduate FocuSMEIreland.com, was doing well. returned to Irish shores from his studies Having created a multimedia at the University of Staffordshire, with enriched aspect on the site to incor­ a degree and an idea. porate podcasts and interviews from Inspired by a concept from his father, $)5.'-=& !=#/)*& '-& %1)& 2#*'-)**& 4,/$.0& a then 26­year­old Kehlan set about Kirwan and Conn Ó Muineacháin, a rolling out a magazine that focused on freelance producer, realised that mo­ small to medium­sized enterprises in mentum was on their side.

Ireland.

“We realised that we had something The magazine’s aim was to be a helpful good coming out of this, and because it resource for Irish small business was so much better quality than just a owners. “While there were business­ podcast, we decided to approach a radio

Derek Bowler

station.”

In July 2011 Clare FM picked up FocuSMEs’ podcasts for a live Saturday lunchtime show entitled ‘The Small Business Show’.

The show is dedicated entirely to small business and Innovation in Ireland.

This desire to share success to all Irish SMEs led to a chance conversation on Twitter with Debbie Harper, an application designer and founder of Tús Núa Designs in Kildare.

The pair shared the same view that a hash tag should exist on Twitter where a person can promote their product or get help with a business.

The #SMECommunity was born.

The community, which grew from two

to 1,000 tweeters in four months, is made up of a variety of companies, from artisan food makers to metal prefabricators who now support each other through regular tweet ups and meet ups, all under the hash tag #SMECommunity.

D?'=1%&-,40&N&%1'-;&7,#I$$&!-.&%15%&%1)& solutions are coming from small busi­ nesses themselves. They have had a re­ ality check in the last number of years that the powers that be don’t understand how an SME is run and what '%&-)).*&%,&B,#/'*1&%1/'<)&5-.&*#/<'<)+V

A snapshot of the hive of activity that takes centre stage at the Limerick Milk Market every weekend. Pics: Derek Bowler.

The Entrepre-

Conor O’ Riordan

Concerns over frontline services

The state of the Irish health system is in­ trinsically entwined with the state of the Irish economy. Great strides were made during the Celtic Tiger in terms of how the health system operated, how it was 3#-.).&5-.&%1)&)3!"')-"7&,3&%1)&*)/<'")+& 8'-")&%1)&)",-,('"&.,4-%#/-&1,4)<)/0& the health system’s progress has slowed.

Ireland is quite a high spender world­ wide when it comes to health, with 9.2 percent of Ireland’s GDP going towards 1)5$%1"5/)+&L,4)<)/0&'%*&,#%$57&'*&().',­ cre in European terms – for instance, the p-'%).&c'-=.,(&.)<,%)*&Z+\&6)/")-%&,3& its GDP to healthcare, Denmark spends YY+\&6)/")-%&5-.&2,%1&G/5-")&5-.&X)/­ many spend a whopping 11.9 percent of their GDPs on healthcare.

Ireland currently has 31.73 doctors for )<)/7&Y[0[[[&6),6$)+&P=5'-0&'-&4,/$.& %)/(*&%1'*&'*&5&1'=1&!=#/)&2#%&'-&:#­

/,6)5-&%)/(*&'%&'*&5<)/5=)+&F,/4570&'-& ",(65/'*,-0&15*&eY+\Z&.,"%,/*&3,/&)<)/7& Y[0[[[&6),6$)&41'$)&P#*%/'5&15*&eU+jZ+&& E1)&L8:I*&<'*',-0&5"",/.'-=&%,&%1)'/&F5­ %',-5$&8)/<'")&^$5-&T[Yf0&'*&%,&.)$'<)/&D5& 6#2$'"&1)5$%1&*)/<'")&%15%&'*&$)5-)/0&(,/)& )3!"')-%&5-.&2)%%)/&'-%)=/5%).&%,&.)$'<)/& (5A'(#(&<5$#)&3,/&(,-)7&5-.&/)*6,-.& %,&6#2$'"&-)).*V+& E1)&L8:0&1,4)<)/0&'*&/)*%/'"%).&27&"#%*& %,&'%*&2#.=)%+&N-&%1)&*5()&.,"#()-%&'%&'*& *%5%).b&DE1)&L8:&'*&/)C#'/).&%,&'(6,*)& )A6)-.'%#/)&/).#"%',-&%5/=)%*&3,/&T[Yf&

5-.&%,&.,&*,&D'-<,$<)*&6/',/'%'*'-=&*,()& *)/<'")*&,<)/&,%1)/*&%,&())%&%1)&(,*%& #/=)-%&-)).*V+ E1)/)&5/)&",-")/-*&%15%&3/,-%$'-)&*)/<'"­ )*&4'$$&2)&533)"%).&.#)&%,&%1)&"#%*&%,&%1)& L8:I*&2#.=)%&5-.&%1'*&'*&5";-,4$).=).b& DR1'$)&'%&4'$$&2)&'(6,**'2$)&%,&5<,'.& 5-&'(65"%&,-&3/,-%$'-)&*)/<'")&.)$'<)/7& '-&T[Yf0&-,%&$)5*%&.#)&%,&*'=-'!"5-%$7& /).#").&*%533&-#(2)/*0&5%&5$$&%'()*&%1)& *53)%7&,3&,#/&65%')-%*&'*&65/5(,#-%+V

Overcrowding still an issue in Limerick’s A&E

“I think the

E1)&2#.=)%&"#%*&15<)0&4'%1,#%&C#)*%',-0& affected how the HSE can operate.

E1)&9'.@R)*%)/-&?)=',-5$&L,*6'%5$&'-& Q'()/'";&15*&,-&5&-#(2)/&,3&,""5*',-*& %1'*&7)5/&2))-&3,/").&%,&5*;&()(2)/*&,3& %1)&6#2$'"&-,%&%,&5%%)-.&%1)&P""'.)-%&s& Emergency department unless in case of 5&=)-#'-)&)()/=)-"70&.#)&%,&,<)/"/,4.­ ing.

Limerick City Councillor Maurice Quin­ H$$/+&t#'-$'<5-&*5'.b&DN&%1'-;&%1)&*'%#5­ $'<5-&_8'--&GW'-`&15*&'-&65/%'"#$5/&2))-& %',-&'*&.'*=/5")3#$+&E1'*&45*&()5-%&%,&2)& *"5%1'-=&'-&1'*&"/'%'"'*(&,3&%1)&,<)/ 5&H)-%/)&,3&:A")$$)-")&2#%&-,4&7,#I<)& crowding situation.

situation is disgraceful

got people waiting on trolleys and not )-,#=1&5(2#$5-")&*%533+&R)I<)&-)<)/& 15.&'%&2)3,/)&5-.&'%I*&,-$7&=,%%)-&4,/*)& *'-")&%1)7&%/5-*3)//).&%1)&*)/<'")*&3/,(& :--'*&5-.&F)-5=1+V H$$/+&t#'-$'<5-&3,"#*).&,-&=,<)/-()-%& cuts as the main source of the HSE’s 4,)*0&*%5%'-=b&DE1)/)I*&S#*%&2))-&"#%*& 3,/&7)5/*&5-.&7)5/*+&O5";&'-&T[[e0&95/7& L5/-)7&*5'.&4)&15.&5&(5**'<)&6/,2$)(& and here we are nine years later still the *5()+V

We took to the streets of Limerick and put one simple question to the people of the city: What do you make of the Irish health system in its current state?

Conor O’ Riordan & Cillian Fitzgerald

NI(&3/,(&P()/'"5&*,&'%I*&5&$'%%$)&2'%&.'33)/)-%+&R)&S#*%&(,<).&,<)/&%,&-5%',-5$&1)5$%1"5/)&5-.& %1)/)I*&5&2'=&.)25%)&'-&%1)&8%5%)*u&'%I*&-,%&"$5**'"&P()/'"5-0&N&=#)**+&NI<)&-,%'").&'-&N/)$5-.& the pharmacies in the corner are pretty nice. In the States, if you get sick, you go to the doc­ %,/&2#%&1)/)&7,#&"5-&S#*%&=,&%,&%1)&615/(5"7&5-.&=)%&7,#/&B#&,/&7,#/&",$.&%52$)%*&*,&'-&%15%& regard it seems a lot quicker. (Eli Poole)

The Danish perspective for free or not

N%I*&/#22'*1+&P$$&%1,*)&6,$'%'"5$$7&566,'-%).&6),6$)&%15%&5/)&,-&%1,*)&2,5/.*&5/)&=)%%'-=&%,­ %5$$7&#-S#*%'!).&*5$5/')*+&E1)/)&15<)&2))-&%,,&(5-7&"#%*&5-.&N&%1'-;&%1)7&*1,#$.&*%5/%&"#%%'-=& (5-5=)()-%&5-.&%1,*)&5%&%1)&%,6&!/*%&5-.&%/7&%,&6/,%)"%&%1,*)&,-&%1)&3/,-%$'-)+ (Jerry Moore)

Patrick Jensen 9,/)&%15-&5&.)"5.)&5=,&%1)&R,/$.& L)5$%1&]/=5-'*5%',-&_RL]`&/)$)5*).&'%*& L)5$%1&?)6,/%&T[[[0&41'"1&5(,-=&,%1)/& %1'-=*&/5-;).&%1)&1)5$%1&*)/<'")*&,3&'%*& YZY&()(2)/&*%5%)*+& E1)&1'=1$7&.)25%).&/5-;'-=&()5*#/).& %1)&1)5$%1&*)/<'")*&,-&5&*)/')*&,3&.'33)/­ )-%&"/'%)/'50&#$%'(5%)$7&6$5"'-=&G/5-")&'-& %1)&-#(2)/&,-)&*6,%+& E1)&2,,('-=&)",-,(7&,3&N/)$5-.&15.& %1)&1)5$%1&*)/<'")&5%&5&/)*6)"%52$)&-#(­ 2)/&YZ0&52,<)&",#-%/')*&4'%1&3#$$7&%5A@ 3#-.).0&#-'<)/*5$&1)5$%1&"5/)&*7*%)(*& like Denmark, which was placed as the fe%1&2)*%&1)5$%1&*)/<'")&*7*%)(+& The ranking was the target of such !)/")&"/'%'"'*(&%15%&&%1)&RL]&15*&*'-")& /)3#*).&%,&/5-;&%1)&1)5$%1&*)/<'")*&5=5'-+&

8,0&)<)-&%1,#=1&N/)$5-.I*&L8:&'*&.)5$­ charge a small fee to consult a regular '-=&4'%1&5""#*5%',-*&,3&2)'-=&*$#=='*10& physician, so as to limit what is referred )A6)-*'<)&5-.&%,6&1)5<70&5-.&%1)&M5-'*1& %,&5*&D#--)")**5/7V&",-*#$%5%',-*+& P-.&M5-)*&.,&<'*'%&%1)&.,"%,/&C#'%)& 1)5$%1&*)/<'")&'*&,3%)-&6)/")'<).&'-%)/­ -5%',-5$$7&%,&2)&,-)&,3&%1)&2)*%&*7*%)(*& ,3%)-&K&'-&35"%&%1)/)&4)/)&,<)/&eY&('$­ lion registred doctor’s consultations in in the world, there is really no way to compare how years of European reces­ M)-(5/;&'-&T[YY+&E15%&",()*&,#%&%,& *',-&5-.&%1)&)*%52$'*1()-%&,3&%1)&L8:& 5$(,*%&)'=1%&<'*'%*&6)/&6)/*,-0&,/&,-")& )<)/7&*)<)-&4));*+&P-.&%15%&.,)*-I%& has had an impact. include hospitals or specialised doctors.

In Denmark, all aspects of the health care system except for dental care is paid p*'-=&3))*&%,&2/'-=&.,4-&%1'*&-#(2)/&'*& 27&%5A)*0&*,&5-7%1'-=&3/,(&5&<'*'%&%,&%1)& ,3&",#/*)&3/,4-).&#6,-&27&%1)&.)3)-.­ .,"%,/I*&,3!")&%,&5&%/'6$)&2765**&,6)/5­ )/*&,3&%1)&4)$35/)@*%5%)0&2#%&-)'%1)/&*'.)& "5-&.)!-'%'<)$7&6/,<)&'%&,-)&457&4'%1,#%& tion will cost you no further.

R1'$)&%1'*&15*&'%*&,2<',#*&5.<5-%5=)*0& trying it. %1)/)I*&.,4-*'.)*&5*&4)$$+&P-&'**#)&%15%& So now the question is, has the time 15*&2))-&*6'/'%).$7&.)25%).&'-&M)-(5/;& ",()&3,/&%1)&,$.&25*%',-*&,3&3/))&1)5$%1& ,<)/&%1)&65*%&.)"5.)&'*&41)%1)/&,/&-,%&%,& care to try new measures?

G,/&%1)&65*%&-#(2)/&,3&7)5/*&4)I/)&5$$&#-.)/&6/)**#/)&4'%1&!-5-"'5$&,2$'=5%',-*&*,&N&%1'-;& %1)&!-5-"'5$&*'%#5%',-&15*&'(65"%).&,-&.'*52$).&6),6$)0&6)-*',-)/*&5-.&1)5$%1"5/)&'-&=)-)/5$+& R)I/)&*$,4$7&=,'-=&25";&%,&%1'/.&4,/$.0&#-3,/%#-5%)$7+&E1)/)I*&5-&543#$&$,%&,3&"#%*&%15%&15<)& 2))-&(5.)&%,&%1)&3/,-%$'-)+&&(Kevin O’Flanagan)

N%I*&52*,$#%)$7&5665$$'-=+&N%&.,)*-I%&(5%%)/&'3&7,#I/)&6#2$'"&,/&6/'<5%)0&'%I*&5665$$'-=+&R)& 15<)0&NI.&*570&,-)&,3&%1)&4,/*%&1)5$%1&*7*%)(*&'-&%1)&4,/$.+&NI.&/5%1)/&2)&'-&H#25&5-.&%15%I*& a communist country. (Niamh O’ Hara)

The Entrepre-

Boost for Entrepreneurs as Great Limerick run generates 10 million for Limerick Scenes from Pery Square last year at the beginning of the Great Limerick Run behalf of Limerick City Council re­ Prendergast of Shannon Development vealed that the event has been a major spoke of the great importance the run LIMERICK will receive up to €10 mil­ player in bringing in just under €2.4 mil­ has for local business with entrepreneurs taking the driving seat in growth nation­ lion over this year's May Bank Holiday lion in income for Limerick city hotel­ iers and business. wide. “Each year the Great Limerick run when over 7,000 participants enter the Director of the event, John Cleary becomes an anchor for the Riverfest ac­ city for the Great Limerick Run. spoke of the importance of creating this tivities and it provides a great feel good This boost comes at a time when entre­ preneurs look for encouragement in the event so that other budding businesses factor to the people in the community. It is by far the biggest participated event in local marketplace to set up new innova­ can develop to make Limerick boom again.

Limerick and it brings in much needed tive business ideas. Last year the Great “The work we do with Shannon Devel­ income for the area.”

Limerick Run was awarded the 'Best opment enables us to look at the bigger R'%1&1)5$%17&!=#/)*&3,/&Q'()/'";&H'%7& Sport, Art picture for jobs creation in Limerick. this year, the business market is wide and Cul­ ture' award The race gives businesses a surge in in­ open and the example of the Great Lim­ come but also an opportunity to expand erick Run shows how research and hard from the and grow. The race itself brought in just work can pay off in setting up your own Midwest Chamber of under €2.4 million for Limerick business business.

Commerce. in the last 12 months through sponsor­ The event ships and sales and that’s a measure of the success we have had. This shows has been a buoy for setting up a business is a possibility even in the current economic climate. The business support we have received is incredible.” creation Like many entrepreneurs, John Cleary especially – along with Joe Leddin – researched a in Limerick City Cen­ niche in the market and spent over 16 months looking for sponsorship and a tre, after business model which could be sustained a recent report car­ over a long­term period. This stability ried out by came in the form of partnership with the Focus Shannon Development and regeneration Consulting agencies who promote growth in both group on !/*%&%'()&2#*'-)**&5-.&)A'*%'-=&(,.)$*+& Limerick Development Director Owen

Darren Mulryan

Global success made of new GAA rule by two Kerry men

Paul O’Sullivan displaying examples of his club­coloured gumshields

the evenings during the week. the future by stepping into the training “Before we set up the business it was a equipment market. case of a lot of research on the internet “At the moment the mouth guards are PAUL O’Sullivan and his business part­ 5-.&%1)-&!-.'-=&5&*#66$')/&%15%&4)&4)/)& a kind of a base for us where we can get ner Shane O’Connor have set up an in­ happy with the quality of the mouth good contacts with clubs, while we think novative business, selling club­coloured guards and it was also very important then there would be a market there for gum shields to GAA clubs. with the GAA ruling that the product us to get into supplying training equip­ The young double act from Mid Kerry was CE marked,” revealed Paul. ment,” said Paul. came up with the brainwave to set up SP Paul admitted to having a few teething Paul advised anyone planning on set­ Gaelic Gear after the GAA made a new 6/,2$)(*&41)-&!/*%&*)%%'-=&#6&%1)&2#*'­ ting up their own business to ensure to rule whereby all underage players up to ness. conduct thorough market research before minor level must wear gum shields as of “Neither of us had experience of setting making the move.

January 1 this year. The two colourful up a new business. You must register “Before starting out really do your ('-.*&"5()&%,=)%1)/&5-.&'.)-%'!).&%1)& your business, set yourself up for VAT, research and get feedback from as many business opportunity that this compul­ you are dealing with customers and in­ people as possible. Ensure there is a sory new ruling presented them with and voicing. So there is a lot to deal with.” market for the item you’re going to sell began researching the idea in December. Paul feels that SP Gaelic Gear’s gum and that it is of good enough quality that shields are ideal for the children’s people are going to buy it,” he advised.

Neither of us had market as the club coloured gum shield experience of setting up a is attractive to young players as well as being of good value.

“If you bring a child to the dentist to new business =)%&5&(,#%1&=#5/.&!%%).0&5&3)4&4));*& down the line they may have lost them.

“We decided it would be a novelty for So we are going into the market with kids to wear their club colours as mouth a low­cost mouth guard so if they do guards as opposed to wearing plain black lose them, it is only €4 or €5 to replace or white ones. So now they could have them.” their jersey, shorts, socks and mouth SP Gaelic Gear have supplied mouth guard all in the same colours,” said Paul. guards to clubs around the world, from SP Gaelic Gear is only a sideline for their native county in Kerry to places as the duo at the moment, with Paul still 35/&5!)$.&5*&F)4&l,/;0&4'%1&%1)&C#5-%'%7& working in Dollinger and Shane still of mouth guards being ordered ranging working in FEXCO during the week. from 20 to 50 mouth guards per club.

However it is a time consuming venture The two Mid­Kerrymen plan on for both of them at present as it occupies expanding SP Gaelic Gear further in most of their time off at weekends and in

Cillian Fitzgerald

“

The Entrepre-

Butler’s Corner shop - Don’t fail, adapt Rebecca Maher

Fish tanks, dog leads and toys for your pet are also available.

WALKING in the front door you could Once again you could be forgiven for be mistaken for being in an ordinary thinking you have been transported into corner shop. There are groceries on the another shop. shelves and milk in the fridge. There are But no, you are still here. Still in the chocolate bars to choose from and crisps corner shop. to munch away on. There are little brown bags of penny sweets made up behind When these bigger su­ the counter. Jars of bonbons, flying saucers, and all kinds of traditional boiled permarkets came, the pressure sweets line the shelves.

It is just like any other corner shop. was applied and most shops And yet it is different.

Pass the groceries, pass the sweets and suddenly you are in party central. There closed down. We couldn’t take are shelves dedicated to cards for every occasion, banners with 'Happy Birthday' our customers for granted any and 'Congratulations' scrawled across more them, balloons of different colours and candles to compliment the cake.

In line with the party accessories, there is But it is no ordinary corner shop. It is a whole area dedicated to wedding acces- Butlers and it is unique. sories. There are sashes of every colour, 52 O’Connell Street in Dungarvan, samples of chair covers, pictures of a va- County Waterford, has been home to riety of backdrops, candelabras, Roman Butlers shop since 1966. For a long time pillars and a TV screen highlighting the they were just like every other corner vintage cars available for your wedding. shop, with one exception; they owned You might think you have moved to a the only ice-cream machine in Dundifferent shop. garvan. Maurice Butler, proprietor, said: A wedding boutique even.

“Once upon a time every shop had its But no, you are still in the corner shop. own customers. Local shops had local The groceries are still on the shelves, the customers and that suited us for years.” milk is still in the fridge and the penny However as a new age of supermarkets, sweets are still sitting behind the coun- like SuperValu and Dunnes Stores, exter. Further down, the back of the shop ploded on to the market there seemed to opens out and it is full of pet supplies. be little to no room for a small shop like Dog food, cat food, fish food, rabbit food Butlers to compete: and bird seed line the shelves.

“When these bigger supermarkets came,

“

the pressure was applied and most shops closed down. We couldn’t take our customers for granted anymore.”

Maurice says they had to take a step back and focus on what they could offer in order to survive: “We had to look at our strong points and ice-cream was one of them.”

At this stage most shops in the town had invested in cone machines and were making whipped ice-cream just like Butlers, which meant that Butlers were no longer original. However, Maurice likes to do things differently, and the concept of expanding his ice-cream sector was no exception: “We had to look further and ask ourselves how will we set ourselves apart and make our ice-cream different?”

The answer lay in artisan ice-cream.

Maurice believes this type of ice-cream allows Butlers to offer something truly individualistic: “To stand out, you need to be different.

To be different you have to have something unique to offer.”

In 2000 Maurice made his first trip to Italy, to a town called Loano. It was here he would perfect his craft of ice-cream making by adopting traditional Italian ice-cream methods. Maurice now travels to Italy every January where he attends an ice-cream course. He believes the trip is very important for him, his ice-cream and his customers: “We learn a lot and it allows us to, once again, differentiate ourselves. Our customers like to hear it too. They appreciate the effort.”

“To stand out, you need to be different.

To be different you have to have something unique to offer.”

In the same year that the concept of artisan ice-cream emerged for Butlers so too did the idea of designing weddings.

Maurice says that the brainwave into the wedding trade occurred somewhat by accident: “I was looking for balloons for my own wedding. We looked around to see what was available in our town and saw there weren’t any wedding decorators.”

Since then the trade has truly blossomed and almost every aspect of a wedding can be catered for in Butlers. However there is competition as hotels are now offering wedding packages for couples.

Maurice says he has had to sit back and re-evaluate: “It’s important that we keep moving before things change completely. We looked at the industry and we saw a market for ice-cream.”

Butlers then set about incorporating icecream into weddings: “We reintroduced ourselves. We make ice-cream and we’re good at it. It’s all about selling our story; who we are and what we do.”

As well as the ice-cream, Butlers Weddings are now focusing on wrapping rooms, a feature that hotels cannot offer: “Initially we struggled to buy one backdrop, now we have eight of them and are in the process of making our own one.

We will push on wrapping rooms now.”

The final piece to the jigsaw that is Butlers lies right at the back of the shop.

It might seem slightly random or downright out of place but Maurice insists the pet section is a vital part of the shop.

The original shop sold two types of bird seed and Maurice says it is just “some-

Staff member Patricia Hennessy serving ice­cream

whether he ever feels he has spread himself too thin.

“I’m guilty of not paying enough attention to every sector and some areas can be neglected slightly. It is easy to become trapped; running around just about keeping everything going.”

Maurice insists that a strong work ethic goes a long way to ensuring a successful business: “Work ethic is very important to survival. You will not survive on ideas alone.”

Technology has played a big role in helping Maurice expand and market his business. He says he has often had to apply himself outside his comfort zone.

“Wedding fairs are vital for bookings but they were new to me and I had to work outside my box.”

He also insists that food fairs are a great way to meet customers and show off Butlers ice-cream: “Food fairs allow us to bring the icecream to the people, not the people to the icecream.”

Looking to the future, Maurice can predict many changes for his business.

He says he is currently researching the idea of Proprietor Maurice Butler holding his award building an ice-cream winning “Supercookies” ice cream manufacthing that grew itself ”. He says the pet turing unit at the back of the shop where section is “unusually selling well”. he hopes he will be able to supply big So, with a shop essentially selling a little orders. bit of everything it is fair to wonder “We know people won’t necessar-

ily continue coming to us but we have improvised before and we will improvise again.”

However he insists he will not be making any rash decisions.

“Every idea costs money and every decision has to be made jointly. The worst thing in the world is to just dive in to something.”

Despite the recession, Maurice is confident that Butlers won’t go down the same road as so many other shops.

“Seventeen shops closed down because they had nothing different to offer.

We would have been number 18 if we couldn’t do something different. The only things that saved us were ice-cream and bird seed and we developed them.”

What you see today is the result of that development; a passionate owner who has nurtured a business that continues to grow and change despite the economic downturn.

The Entrepreneur, April 2013 Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/TheEntrepMag

Like us on Facebook! https://t.co/IKvuPnw7TU

Opportunities Online

McGinn sisters Grace, Sarah and Jennie, who are behind online lifestyle magazine Prowlster

Jessica Íde Leen

W

!"#$%"&''()*+,-&'.%,/*01 Jane O’ Faherty

The death of the Celtic Tiger brought the online fashion world to life, with three new retail companies emerging

ith the prosperity of the economy still under construction, different aspects of the business sector have had to adjust accordingly to maintain survival. Businesses that once thrived and sat comfortably in retail units on the high streets of Ireland are slowly, one by one, meeting their fate; closing their doors on the road and opening their windows online.

According to the Business Register in the CSO, the preliminary figure shows that 2,347 units of retail trade and all legal forms of ownership in Ireland became vacant in 2009.

The Entrepreneur spoke to three creative entrepreneurs about why their companies have more opportunity to flourish through the online market.

Turquoise Flamingo is an online vintage clothes store. Originally opened as an online store by quirky fashion lover and entrepreneur Cathy O’Donoghue, it soon blossomed into a Vintage clothing and accessory shop on Washington St. in Cork City.

According to Cathy, her business was doing well, but the overheads in the physical shop were too high. When all the bills had been paid at the end of the week, the reward of a proper wage was not there.

“The first difference is that I cannot chat to customers and give them advice.

The Entrepre-

This can still be done over emails and that, but people do like to see who they are talking to. Secondly, you can create any kind of atmosphere in your physical store with the furnishings, music etc. but it’s harder to get that atmosphere across in an online store or blog. Lastly, the bills are a lot different now, thankfully!”

Cathy thinks that though it can be more difficult to maintain a strong customer base from an online perspective,

seemed the best option. We would have been the first t-shirt company in Ireland at the time and even for a number of years thereafter to go online.”

Hairy Baby Clothing was wise ahead of its time by choosing initially not to open a retail outlet.

“We have a 5000 square foot unit with six full-time staff, stock, utilities, rates, everything a high street store has plus the expense of maintaining and running a web operation, servers, websites etc.”

In order to increase their brand Businesses must not identity and due to the massive success of their online web-store, Hairy Baby forget to reward their effec­ products are available in select key retail accounts in the form of Arnotts and tively ‘virtual’customers Dublin Airport T2 Duty Free.

The Dublin-based McGinn sisters launched Prowlster, a successful online lifestyle magazine with a ‘Buy It Now businesses must not forget to reward Button’. their effectively ‘virtual’ customers just “We know the future of commerce is because they haven’t physically met online. If you look at the high street at them. She sends discount coupons to the moment, 90 percent of their busicustomers, along with emails about news ness is done online, with the shop front or events. being just that: a front!” said CEO Jennie Daragh Murphy, Director at Hairy McGinn.

Baby Clothing, an online T-Shirt compa- The drive behind Prowlster is that of a ny based in Cork, said it was his intenpowerful one as the McGinn sisters are tion from day one to be an online opera- determined to keep working into the tion. “We never saw our business model future until they are “employing Mark as a bricks and mortar operation. We Zuckerburg”! are quite tech savvy and online always

“

DO YOU remember the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan, when Tom Hanks lands on a Normandy beach, surrounded by gunfire and explosions? How about Mel Gibson’s brutal execution at the end of Braveheart, or Michael Caine and Julie Walters’ first tutorial in Educating Rita?

The common feature that links these three eclectic classics is their location – all were filmed in Ireland. The first glimpse of Omaha Beach was, in fact, Curracloe in Co. Wexford. All of Braveheart’s London scene were actually shot in Trim, Co. Meath. Educating Rita was filmed almost entirely in Dublin, with the movie's most iconic moments recorded in Trinity College.

Indeed, Ireland has provided cinematic settings as diverse as medieval battlefields, vast Georgian estates and impoverished inner cities. What is it that makes a little island on the edge of Western of direct contribution to the economy opened in 1958 and has since hosted Europe so attractive for filmmakers?

Mel Gibson and Scott Neeson on the set of Braveheart It isn’t just rolling fields and rugged coastlines that prove so popular with the cinema world. Several economic advan- and employment.” Last year, the Irish productions such as The Tudors, My Left tages set Ireland apart as a film location. Film Board invested €10.5 million in film Foot, and The Commitments. and television projects, generating €80 With more projects still in production in million in the Irish economy through the 2013, the film industry shows no signs use of local services and employment. of slowing down. A feature adaptation Buí Bolg, a street theatre company based of Joseph O’Connor’s Star Of The Sea in Wexford, recently appeared in Ek Tha is currently in development, and ‘How Tiger, a Bollywood movie partly filmed To Be Happy’, starring Brian Gleeson, in Dublin. wrapped up filming in Dublin on Easter “Since we’ve done that Bollywood film, I weekend. While filming in Ireland might was in Holland working with an Indian not hold a magical cure for economic performance troupe and we have perwoes, it may well contribute to a future formed in Mumbai and we’ve just got an happy ending. inquiry about performing in Kampur, just near Nepal,” said Lucy Medlycott, General Manager of Buí Bolg.

“Wicklow benefits hugely from any activity that Ardmore attracts to the studios “I don’t think one industry or sector with the employment of locals, the use of will be responsible for getting Ireland local services and the general spending out of recession,” says Suzanne Murin local shops, hotels and restaurants,” ray of the Irish Film Board. “However, said Siún Ní Raghallaigh of Ardmore 39::0%4($"L$0%.C"3(J"M$1-(:5N4(%0­ the audio-visual industry is delivering Studios. The facility, just outside Bray, &'()"-(:"#0;')F"O:';0&$"PE0) significant return on investment in terms

“

Ireland has provided cinematic settings as diverse as !"#$%&'()&**'"+"'#,-( vand impoverished inner cities

!"#$%&'()"*+,"(-"&.$"/01$2"3()2(4'50&'()" 6%&",778"(9&4')$2"&01":$4'$-2"0;0'40<4$"&(" =4>"?:(@$%&2 !"#')%$"ABB+C"?:(@$%&2"&.0&"D904'-E"-(:"&.$" :$4'$-2"%0)"F$&"A+"?$:%$)&"(-"&.$':"$4'F'<4$"

G:'2."$1?$)5'&9:$"<0%H" !"I&.$:"')%$)&';$2"0;0'40<4$"')%495$"&.$",AJK" ?$:%$)&"3(:?(:0&'()"/01"0)5"&01"$1$>?­ &'()2"-(:"0:&'2&2":$2'5$)&"')"G:$40)5

The Entrepre-

Few entrepreneurial opportunities in Kilkee

Fintan Walsh

Beaches & business - Ireland’s seaside industries

Ballybunion - bad location for business beginnings?

Marie Enright OPQQlOpFN]F&'*&5&(5S,/&'-%)/­ national attraction. The sprawling golf courses, coastal views, stunning beaches, combined with the unique charm and character are just some of the attractive factors for tourists coming to this beach town.

You know it is the holiday season in Ballybunion when you get the smell of freshly salted periwinkles on the board­ walk and can hear the distant sounds of waves and laughter from the beach.

With the popularity and sense of famili­ arity attached to Ballybunion it stands to reason that this is a place where busi­ nesses can thrive. However, in a time of economic downturn, is it worth setting up a seaside business here?

“

The only way we have been operating is because of special offers, weekend giveaways and weddings The Golf Hotel in Ballybunion has been 5&!A%#/)&'-&%1)&5/)5&3,/&(5-7&7)5/*&-,4& but even this business has felt the effect of this recession.

Monica O’Connor, a representative from the Ballybunion Golf Hotel man­ agement team, says that it is through being constantly innovative and coming up with new business ideas that they are

THOUGH Kilkee is one of the coun­ try’s smallest coastal towns, it has served as one of Clare’s focal attraction points ­ from a tourism point of view ­ for many years.

Kilkee still offers that rich, beachside ambiance with its serene horseshoe bay.

However, the recession’s downtime has resulted in a lack of entrepreneurial op­ portunities, according to a local resident Seamus Martin.

He believes that setting up any kind of business in a town like Kilkee can be a tough challenge.

The Kilkee resident grew up in the guesthouse­pub business, as his parents B,#/'*1).&'-&%15%&'-.#*%/7+ With a tiny population of 1,000, Mr Martin said that Kilkee was never a strong focus for international tourism and it depended too much on local tourism. He said that seaside businesses suffer because they are seasonal and are over reliant on the weather.

“We are overly reliant on Irish tourism.

Kilkee is a Limerick tourist destina­ tion. If the weather is poor in Limerick, you’re not going to get many people in Kilkee.”

Mr Martin, who is the Manager of Mickey Martin’s pub, Thomas Street, Limerick, believes that Kil­ kee has always been ignored due to a lack of transport for the likes of US tourists.

“You have international tourists, 41,&B7&'-%,&M#2$'-&2)"5#*)&%1)/)& 5/)&-,&p8&B'=1%*&'-%,&815--,-0& coming in and they can get a direct bus to Galway. They go visit the Cliffs of Moher and then they head straight down to Kerry. They end up bypassing Clare. There are certain parts of the country that are over­ emphasised.”

Despite a few negative opinions about establishing a business at the seaside, Mr Martin advocated entrepreneurism if the person is de­ termined enough, as there have been niche businesses set up in the area over the past few years.

“If you want to make your living in Kilkee and you are willing to work, N&4,#$.&.)!-'%)$7&=,&3,/&'%+&N3&%15%&'*& what you wanted, you would have to have a fairly good idea about your business plan and do plenty of mar­ ket research. It can be soul destroy­ ing, but it’s all in the parcel of being at a seaside spot.”

Waterford surf school is a seasonal success Rebecca Maher

*#/<'<'-=+&DN%&15*&2))-&<)/7&.'3!"#$%&3,/& us because of the recession. The only way we have been operating is because of special offers, weekend giveaways and weddings.”

In a town that has been built up over the years – primarily through the tourist industry – and thrived, opportunities 5/)&-,4&-,-@)A'*%)-%&5-.&(57&-,%&2)& worthwhile. “I don’t think there are any opportunities in starting up a seaside business. There’s only a very small window for it. We now operate with a skeleton staff just to break even,” said Monica.

One business in the area that has mas­

tered the art of innovation by targeting a niche market is guest house Teach de Broc. Owner of Teach de Broc, Aoife Broc, said that even 17 years ago they ;-)4&%1)&$5-.&45*&)A%/)()$7&<5$#52$)& due to it being alongside the famous Ballybunion Golf Course.

“Here we only attract an international market. We wouldn’t attract the Irish 2)"5#*)&'%I*&%,,&)A6)-*'<)&3,/&%1)&N/'*1& market, especially now. It’s just not 4'%1'-&%1)'/&/)5$(*&!-5-"'5$$7+V& Seaside businesses are clearly not as 6/,!%52$)&5*&%1)7&,-")&4)/)&5-.&)<)-& the long standing businesses of Bally­ 2#-',-&5/)&-,&)A")6%',-&%,&%1'*+

IT IS A COASTAL picturesque village located on the Copper Coast. The beach here is a sliver of golden sand, surrounded by sand dunes and protected by cliffs. It is renowned throughout the country by locals and tourists alike. It proudly boasts a blue B5=&2)5"1&5-.&'*&5&15<)-&3,/&*#/3)/*&5-.& lovers of the deep blue sea. It is a small seaside village and it is known as Bunma­ hon.

Bunmahon native and avid surfer, Tadhg O#";$)70&15*&2))-&*#/!-=&'-&O#-(51,-& since the age of 14. Three years ago, he took the plunge and set up his own surf school in the area.

Tadhg says he saw an opening in the market and decided to pursue the idea of running his own surf school.

“Bunmahon is a quiet village and only has a few hardcore local surfers with proper knowledge of the beach for surf­ ing conditions, which is essential to run a surf school. Bunmahon gets waves all year round and on a rare good summer the beach can be packed. The sport is getting 2'==)/&)<)/7&7)5/&*,&N&.)!-'%)$7&2)$')<)& there is a market for it here.”

Tadhg established Bunmahon Surf School at the height of the economic downturn in

2010. Despite this he is glad he %,,;&%1)&/'*;&5-.&*1,4).&",-!­ dence in the sport he loves.

“It was a bit of a chance to take as I was just out of college and had no prospects of a full time job in Ireland. I’m really happy with the way it’s going so far though.”

Tadhg admits the recession has actually had a positive impact on his business.

“The upside to the recession is more people are holidaying around Ireland rather than going abroad and are looking for things to do in the area while on holiday.”

As well as Tadhg’s surf school, there are four other surf schools in Waterford. He said: “All are busy despite the recession.” He insists there is no competition between the different surf schools.

“We get more of a West Waterford 8#/!-=&'-&O#-(51,-+&^'"b&M5<'.& crowd because we are closer. We O’Sullivan cater for people who rather a qui­ eter, more scenic area. If anything *#/!-=&'-&F)4&v)5$5-.&5-.&4'$$&%/5<)$& '%I*&=,,.&3,/&*#/!-=&%,#/'*(&'-&R5%)/3,/.& %1/,#=1&H1'$)&5-.&^)/#&2)3,/)&B7'-=&25";& to have a few schools in the area.” to Irish soil at the end of May. Since setting up business, Tadhg has gone Tadhg’s brother Fionn, also a keen surfer, abroad every year once the busy season is running the school while Tadhg is has ended in September. He is currently abroad.

The Entrepre-

2%$03'/*-$00'4"50 Lorna McGinn JUST like the trends we see everyday in magazines going in and out of style; dungarees, leg warmers and the likes, dif­ ferent styles of exercise follow the same pattern.

One trend we have seen in exercise over the past number of years in Ireland is the growing number of people attending 5$%)/-5%'<)&!%-)**&"$5**)*+&:<)-&.#/'-=& these hard economic times when people

are cutting down on the most basic things, you can walk into any gym class around %1)&",#-%/7&5-.&!-.&'%&3#$$&,3&6),6$)& wanting to join in the latest form of group exercise.

H5/()$$&M)9)$$,0&=/,#6&!%-)**&",@ ordinator at the University of Limerick _6'"%#/).&$)3%`&*5'.b&DE1)/)I*&$';)&5&H)$%'"& E'=)/&,3&!%-)**&=,'-=&,-&'-&%15%&)<)/7­ body is kind of turning to exercise at the moment.” She believes it’s about “cama­ raderie” and “good training, instruction and coaching.”

talks Business Tom Lyons, Deputy Business Editor of The Sun­ day Independent, after ACC Bank opposed Bill Cullen’s examinership application for Muckross Park Hotel.

John van Reenen, Director for Cen­ tre for Economic Performance at The Lon­ don School for Economics and Political Science.

Q"R9><0 Since arriving in Ireland a few years ago, Zumba has made a huge impact on the Workout scene. If you want to shake your booty while listening to some rhythmic music and get your sweat on then Zumba is for you.

Dearbhail McDonald, legal editor of The Irish Independent, commenting on the news that The Department of Social Protection will no longer make Exceptional Needs Payments available for religious ceremonies.

Q"S$&&4$"L$442 At the beginning, Kettle Bells will make you want to keel over. Your arms might feel like they are about to fall off. But, if you get through this, you will have arms that even Jennifer Aniston will be envious of.

Q"O'4(1')F A mixture of boxing and pilates.It’s new and exciting and will be coming to Ireland soon!

Q"6)&'NT:0;'&E"U(F0 Yoga from hammocks that hang from the ceiling. The hammocks act like a swing or soft trapeze. Need I say more? Warning: Not for the fainthearted.

Mary McKenna, founder of Tour America, comment­ ing on the article Leadership Tip: Hire the Quiet Neu­ rotic, Not the Impressive Extrovert on www.forbes.com.

67*+#+0#'+-'8%+03'9:0+-$00 Brendan Roche ]F&Pw:?PX:0&!<)&",(65-')*&6)/&.57& were declared bankrupt in 2012, ac­ cording to business intelligence analyst Vision­net.

R1'$)&%1'*&'*&5&!<)&6)/")-%&'(6/,<)­ ment on the preceding year’s statistic, it’s still evident of the arduous economy we currently inhabit.

Failure of a business is something a lot of entrepreneurs endure at some point, 5*&<)/7&/5/)$7&.,&6),6$)&=)%&'%&/'=1%&!/*%& time.

Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Limerick, Dr Rachel 9*)%!&_/'=1%`&2)$')<)*&35'$#/)&"5-&$)5.& to “learned helplessness”. “Learned helplessness is when you have negative experiences and you feel like anything

The Department of Finance, on recovery for Ireland.

“remember that failure is not the end

you do isn’t going to change it.”

“Symptoms include sadness, guilt and worry,” she added.

It’s important to remember that failure is not the end, and need only be a temporary stumbling block, as many fa­ mous entrepreneurs have demonstrated.

Henry Ford’s initial enterprise, the Detroit Automobile Company, was dis­ solved and then 12 years later he went on to found the Henry Ford Company.

His take on his setback was this: “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”

This is the attitude which should be in­ stilled within someone pursuing success in the business world.

Apps:The Way Forward Marie Enright TECHNOLOGY is constantly developing and both smart phones and tablets have given people more accessibility than ever to different forms of media. Businesses are aware of this and it is no longer a luxury for them to have an app but an essential part of their marketing mix, according to app de­ veloper and CEO of JSSL Mobile Applica­ tion Development, John Sheridan.

“I’ve worked in software and product

development for the last 30 years. It was in created apps for had an increase in revenue the early 1990s that I switched my primary afterwards. “Businesses we have dealt with focus to emerging mobile technologies and 15<)&.)!-'%)$7&.)/'<).&2)-)!%*&%1/,#=1&'(­ proved sales whilst at the same time being I’ve been developing mobile apps since more accessible to their customers. We have their advent.

“We are regularly approached by companies even seen apps that become the primary to build an app because their competitor has customer channel for a business.” just released an app. A small app develop­ N%&'*&"$)5/&%15%&2#*'-)**&566*&5/)&.)!-'%)$7& the way forward. The marketing process for ment may take less than a week of our time to develop fully but larger and more businesses has been completely overhauled and the entrepreneurial generation in Ireland complex apps can take many months.” '*&.)!-'%)$7&%5;'-=&5.<5-%5=)&,3&%1'*&,6­ Mr Sheridan has also seen through years portunity. of experience how businesses they have

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s buzzing with activity every weekend!

See photo essay on the Limerick Milk Market on page 19 only in The Entrepreneur.

This magazine was produced by Second Year students in the BA in Journalism and New Media at the University of Limerick, as part of their course work.