That Great Business Show

Episode 222. That Great Business Show. UCD Smurfit 'Business Podcast of the Year'Cheesy, yet true. That’s what Noel Rowland Founder & Managing Director, wrote on the company website, ‘When we founded Churchfield, we wanted to create a company and service that our parents, friends and local community could be proud of.’ Churchfield is a full-service energy retrofitting business based in Crossmolina, employing almost 100 people. And they have big plans to conquer the UK from Mayo, though he may start with Belgium. Did you know that unoccupied homes, brought back into use, aren't counted in official figures?? And he has a partial solution for the pyrite affected houses.You'll also learn how to save a fortune on your heating bills.His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Michael O'LearySolving the housing crisis.When James McConville, Director of ACT, Architects and Urbanists, he - naturally - wanted to tell us about something very important that's going to affect every business, big or small. Every company will eventually have to have a sustainability report. To that end James & Co have developed a tool to help companies to prepare for that sustainability reporting – part of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – a report that will become mandatory in the very near future. A top young and highly creative architect, we also took the opportunity to ask him a simple [not] question. How do you solve a massive housing shortage. His 'hire in a heartbeat'? Gráinne Mullins, founder Grá ChocolatesWith thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

Episode 221Nigel O'Reilly is without a doubt one of the finest jewellery makers in the world. A one time precision tool maker making mouldings his future wife told him to follow his dreams and become a master craftsman. Luckily for the world, he listened. His works of art (we'll never refer to them as mere 'products') are now selling worldwide for sky high prices. You can see his rings, necklaces and bracelets on nigeloreilly.com but you can see them PLUS prices on Sothebys.com His jewellery is collected by the very rich and worn by the very famous. And the twist? They're not made in London, New York or Paris...but in Castlebar, County Mayo. And sold worldwide from there to end users, with the exception of Bergdorf Goodman. He tells the secret of how he made contact with the world's most prestigious jewellery store. He has a book. It's called 'Evolution of a Goldsmith'. Check it out.His 'hire in a heartbeat'...Iris van Herpen that he says is the most exciting fashion designers in the world.Clodagh McGovern of eyeworld.ie is building an empire, one optician shop at a time. But curiously, she's not building a brand. Her business model is that she buys existing opticians where the owner may be retiring or the unit is underperforming. Some or all of the existing staff may stay on, but Clodagh's team goes in, changes the processes, gleaned from her many years in the trade. Specsavers have 2,300 units. Clodagh has 8, and growing. But she's not interested in ever taking on the behemoths. She's on her own path to business success. She wants to grow women led Mastermind Groups. She explains. Her hire in a heartbeat? Barbara Corcoran of the US's Dragon's Den or Shark Tank as it's known over there.

E220 That Great Business ShowWe have found a lovely growing business called Tranzaura, born in 2010 and based in Limerick, that has developed fleet management software that is keeping transport fleets in Ireland, the UK and Australia on the road...including two thirds of London's red buses, 3,500 HGV's belonging to the UK's largest truck company, Travis Perkins. How did they win these companies? Trade shows. Keep that in mind. CEO Shane Mann explains how they keep winning customers. Another great insight was how they 'converse' with maintenance staff, no matter what their languages. This is thanks to Tranzaura partner, Microsoft, using some magical AI translation tools. Shane also recommends Hub Spot based marketing. He has some interesting views on opportunities thrown up via the British Commonwealth. Next? Maybe, just maybe, a funding in the coming years.That Great Business Show has also found you a Queen. Well that’s what Caraldine Nolan is called, when it comes to finding and securing grants for her businesses, called Weighless Wonders and Nutraverse. Grants trump loans of equity as they normally don’t have to be paid back. Since the aim of this podcast is to back your business, we had to ask the First Lady of Grants on to the podcast….to reveal how she does it. We bet you haven't heard of many of these grants, grants that your business might be entitled to. Caraldine also have a brilliant business proposition for her favourite retailer, Lidl.With thanks to De Facto Shaving Oil.

E219 That Great Business ShowVisionR (fka Glimpse) is a business that counts. That's what it does. It counts millions and millions of people every month. It tells retailers where their customers are spending their time, where they're not spending time, where browsing is converting into sales, what different ages and genders are doing on the shop floor...all with one aim. Drive sales. Co-founder Oran Mulvey explains where they went wrong, and wrong...and then how they found their sweet spot. If you want advice on how long a 'begging' email should be, he's on it. BTW, don't bother with the handwritten letter. They've raised over €3m to date and they're going again. This time heading for the States. Oran's chat should be mandatory listening for every MBA student. It's a masterclass in creating a business, then finding something to do with it. Share it.When women founders go to raise cash they're asked about 'risk'. When men founders are in front of the same funders they're asked about 'potential for growth'. The language is very interesting. There's a conscious or unconscious bias in there. That's why women founders have to do it differently. And that's why Lorraine Curham of Dogpatch has created Fierce - an exclusive 'women founders in tech' initiative. Lorraine runs it differently. This is no talking shop. She's very blunt This a 'no BS, no nonsense, no excuses' forum to help drive women led businesses. It's Fierce. This is essential listening for all women in business or aspiring to be in business.

E218 That Great Business ShowPresident elect Donald Trump says that tariffs 'is the best word in the English language', as he threatens to apply a 10% tariff (customs tax) on all imports into the US. Ireland is the biggest European exporter to the US on a per capita basis. "This is a very serious moment" - Dan O'Brien, Chief economist at the Institute of International and European Affairs.Dan also gives his views on what the next Irish government will face in economic terms.If you're looking for something positive...it could be nuclear energy.His 'hire in a heartbeat' - David O'Sullivan, former Secretary-General of the European Commission

Episode 217: That Great Business ShowRelease Date: November 7, 2024Host: Conall O'MorainWelcome to That Great Business Show, the podcast where we bring you tips, insights, and opportunities to fuel your business journey. Each episode, we feature high-flying entrepreneurs and industry leaders, and today is no exception.In this episode, we’re diving into the power of communication, as well as the cutting-edge world of functional foods. But first, a big thank you to all our listeners and to our partners at Aer Lingus, where we proudly feature on their long-haul flights. If you’re flying to or from Ireland, be sure to tune in!And, of course, a shout-out to our sponsors, De Facto Shaving Oil, the world’s best shaving oil, now used by top athletes looking to shave precious seconds off their race times. Find out more at DeFactoShave.com.On This Episode, We’ve Got:Alan Shortt – Communications MasterclassGood communication is essential for business success – whether you're pitching to investors, managing a team, or delivering tough news. Alan Shortt, motivational speaker, comedian, and MC, is one of the country’s top communications experts. He’s delivered powerful talks to thousands, including a 3,000-person audience at the Pendulum Summit. And now, he’s sharing his valuable communication tips with you – absolutely free!Stay tuned as Alan walks us through the science of great communication and shares how you can immediately apply these skills to enhance your business and personal interactions.Functional Foods with Tony Callaghan (SomaTech) & David Hartigan (Blink Drinks)If you’ve ever wanted food that does more than just fill you up, you’re in for a treat. We're exploring the innovative world of functional foods – food products that offer added health benefits beyond basic nutrition.Tony Callaghan, founder of SomaTech, is revolutionizing the food industry using solid-state fermentation technology and fungi to create sustainable, high-value ingredients. He’s on a mission to change the future of food.David Hartigan, founder of Blink Drinks, is bringing mushrooms into the drinks industry to boost health and wellness. While they aren’t yet using SomaTech’s fungi, we wouldn’t be surprised if that changes soon!Tony and David are also part of the Food Works Programme, a fantastic initiative supporting innovative food entrepreneurs. Join us as they tell us about the programme and the future of functional food.That Great Business Show is all about delivering high-quality advice and insights from industry leaders and we’re proud to bring you all of this knowledge for FREE. So, if you’ve got business questions or topics you'd love us to cover, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on LinkedIn. We love engaging with our loyal followers!As always, thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to never miss an episode.Show Links:LinkedIn – Get in Touch with UsDe Facto ShaveSomaTechBlink DrinksDon’t forget to hit subscribe and leave us a review on your podcast platform!