Frank Brennan failed his way through three years of mechanical engineering.
His words, not ours.
So he went to Australia, took a 100%-commission door-to-door sales job, learned to survive 50 rejections a day, saved 25 grand — and then spent the lot travelling.
He arrived home in Cork with 80p in his pocket.
Excellent financial planning.
Then he walked into an empty building on Cork's South Mall where a man was planning an innovation hub. There was no proper Wi-Fi. No desks. No team. No coffee dock. But there were 14 tonnes of IKEA furniture arriving the following morning.
Frank's response?
“I'll start tomorrow.”
That business became Republic of Work. The early years were brutal. Start-ups, Frank discovered, don't necessarily have any money. EY arriving looking for space for 30 people gave the business breathing room. Today Frank owns Republic of Work, has expanded it by another 7,500 sq ft and says one of the world's biggest gaming companies has taken its fifth floor on a two-year deal.
We talk sales, rejection, risk, remote working, Cork, community, the future of the office, why Irish businesspeople insist everything is “flying” when it absolutely isn't — and the person Frank would ultimately most like to hire.
His wife.
That Great Business Show — Real Business. Real lessons.
That Great Business Show is backed by our great pals at De Facto Shaving Oil, made in Mayo and sold to the world.
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