An Entrepreneur Like You

We talked wizardry and all things manifestation and magic in this wonderful episode. Meet Mike Wilson. "Folk want to meet folk" Mike is a passionate community builder and network 'connector' who makes things happen - we follow his story from an obsession with synthesiser music which led to a spot on pirate radio. His spark is "creativity + science." His journey then took him to London where he got into Fintech and Acid House ! Within three years he had married, moved to Asia and another new chapter had begun. Mike brought the first blackberry (device) to Europe ! I loved this chat - tune in and sit back n enjoy. A pure gem.

A nautically themed podcast and radio show this month - meet Rachel Gotto who 'loves people' and has the most fascinating story. Rachel was born on the boat in West Cork (when her family arrived into Ireland in 1968 on the way to New Zealand) and from there her destiny and love of Ireland was sealed. Rachel's story is one of having faced extreme adversity, enormous healing both physically and mentally, and deep reflection with self awareness. This is an edge of the seat tale - with a trigger warning for those facing trauma. Grab cup of tea and hunker down - and let us take you on the most transformative journey and beyond.

Happy New Year ! Meet Conor Sweeny, founder of DAE Ice cream - cracking start to 2024 - we delve into all sorts of deliciousness together. Conor taught himself to cook at 17 when he went vegetarian which opened a whole new world of opportunity. He began in a small cafe called Thyme out in Dalkey in 2016 and went on to complete a  bachelors degree from DIT (now TUD in culinary arts).

During the first lockdown of Covid he was watching Tiger King (with the rest of the world) and eating  a tub of plant based ice cream. It was bad. Very bad. He thought to himself that he could do better. So it  began.  From there he has built a veritable empire of ice cream treats and is on the verge of a very exciting expansion. Tune in and lick your lips to this gorgeous tale of an (almost accidental) ice cream entrepreneur !

To round off the year this month's podcast explores 'Wonder and Awe!' We chat to Niamh Shaw who believes in 'Dreaming Big' and is on a mission to get to Space. Beyond the technological advancements, space travel offers us a unique perspective—a cosmic viewpoint that fosters a profound sense of interconnectedness and appreciation for our home planet. It's a reminder that, despite our differences, we are all passengers on Earth, hurtling through the cosmos together.

The journey into the great unknown is not just about conquering new frontiers but about discovering more about ourselves, our place in the universe, and the infinite possibilities that await.

Join me in celebrating the wonder of space travel and the collective human spirit that propels us towards the stars. Together, let's inspire future generations to reach even greater heights and make the cosmos not just a destination but a home for humanity's unyielding curiosity and exploration.

This episode concludes with a piece of spoken word by the amazing Edie Rose O'Brien.

#SpaceExploration #CosmicJourney #InfinitePossibilities #FutureFrontiers #AstronomyAdventures

 Ruth is also an artist, photographer, drummer and Founder of Humans of Dublin.Finding her space in creativity - and detaching art from ego - We talk about life being a flash and a moment in time - and finding the flow state. Ruth's mantra is about harnessing your self knowledge to make an impact, and she has now turned her attention to the cyber world. Creating Sersha - a platform designed to educate and empower families to navigate the online world safely. Children can learn about communication and content online safely to make informed decisions. This will be run through a social media simulator presenting them with controlled risks. Drawing on cyber security and exploring how we interact with technology .. She has a unique offering to create impact in a vastly changing digital world. Tune in !

This month we meet the amazing Yvonne Reddin ! She dreamed of being a fashion designer but couldn't draw ! So she took up a career in hairdressing that took her across the globe to Australia but it was the stories she heard that sparked her dreams of being a writer. She came back to Ireland and started a journalism course that was the foundations of where her entrepreneurial journey has now taken her. We talk about being non conformists, taking risks, and about returning to education later in life. Patience and compassion for yourself are key to flourishing and surviving the undulations that life can hand you. Yvonne is honest and authentic throughout. She has published a book, "Talk, Learn, Connect" and is now a published Journalist and Content Creator and Writer. She is also a speaker at International Dublin Writer's Festival 2023. Tune in and listen to a wonderful storyteller !

This month we meet 'Alpaca Joe' - From procurement and pensions to running Ireland's most successful Alpaca farm, Joe Phelan takes us through his journey. From a farming family, he knew traditional farming would give diminishing returns - and he came across the amazing Alpaca. He immediately saw the value within Alpaca farming but prudently researched for 2 years before he made the leap. This decision took him to Peru and he ended up living in Wicklow with 100 Alpacas ! He launched Alpaca trekking with Prosecco and it took off to make him a market leader. With over 10 million views from an early article that went viral - his fate was sealed, and he became 'Alpaca Joe' forevermore. With Alpacas having a calming effect he has now moved into the wellness sphere and built a village so you can stay with them. Their therapeutic work is now taking off with huge added value for those that are neurodivergent, stressed, anxious or non verbal. This is a gorgeous conversation and Joe is a delight to chat to, informative, entertaining and riveting how he has found his niche.

Fun Facts: Joe knows every Alpaca by name ! One of his Alpacas is notorious for biting bums (of the other Alpacas) and Alpacas smell like popcorn!

Join us for this month's podcast. It all started with a dream of marrying an Italian man and living on a vineyard ! Michelle Lawlor nailed the (wine) Apprentice and moved from London to Hong Kong and what followed can only be described as a meteoric rise ! She learned how to negotiate living in a different culture and thrive - learning everything she could from those around her - and upon arriving back in Ireland horticultures loss became the vintner's win.

Using all her business experience she saw a gap in the Irish market for wine as nature intended. She believes that the closer you get to nature, the better it is for everyone and sources beautiful organic and biodynamic wines from Europe and further afield. Nude wines were the first in Ireland to do virtual wine tasting and with a unique no nonsense approach to buying and enjoying wine she landed a guest spot on Ireland AM as the wine expert.

Join us to learn more about all things wine, this is a gorgeous interview, full of laughter (and no drink was taken).

This month I have the extreme pleasure of chatting to Seany McCleary. A Monaghan native - who started washing cars n painting fences to raise the money to buy sweets in bulk (and re sell at school) with "Gerry Bon Bon" to working in a chip van age 14 -- Seany hustled his way through 'bandit country' all the way to New York;  and there has been no stopping him. Learning from everyone along the way he has honed how to stay in his lane and keep solving problems.  Inspired by travel and food, he understands how community and transparency is at the heart of success.

He has now helped 140 new food outlets to get up and running and turn over more than €25 million a year.

Seany was named the Rising Star - Young Professional of the Year at the CausewayXchange awards in 2021.  In 2022 he won the National Enterprise Awards and then took gold for his pitch at the National Start up Awards .

Join us for a rip roaring whizz through Seany's journey. A serial entrepreneur with many more businesses to come ...

Founder & Director of StreatSchool & Blasta Street Kitchen empowering Street Food Vendors

Streat School Blasta Mush Mor Verify a Vendor

Welcome to our first podcast of 2023 ! This month we meet the amazing Kimberly Brophy. Learning 'how to graft' from the family business she  started her side hustle called Love Kimberly aged just 22.  We dive into how isolating it can be as an entrepreneur, how crazy it can be trying to handle it all - especially when the business succeeds.  Kimberly talks us through how her first business took off just from instagram, whilst still working full time. When she wrapped it, she knew there was another business in her. Coming into UCD Innovation Academy she honed an idea for a tanning brand. Building it from the ground up, she sourced the best suppliers, explored the gap in the market and launched Naked Glow. 

A runaway success - Naked Glow by Love Kimberly proves that Luxury skincare products can carry a high street price tag, whilst delivering exceptional results through high end ingredients. Knowing your customer inside out is key - and delivering high end sustainable products. A road that hasn't been without its ups and downs, Kimberly - a self proclaimed tan addict - shares her journey with us - tune in to hear how you CAN build something to be incredibly proud of ... watch this space ... because Kimberly has more coming ! 

Meet the Queen of Halloween who lives in Ireland's spookiest Halloween House.

This month's podcast is the spooky Halloween Edition.

Halloween originated in County Meath with the Samhain bonfires 2000 years ago to mark the end of the harvest.

A huge celebration, with feasting, fire performances and storytelling - Melissa built upon her love of Hallloween and made her passon into her dream job.

Graduating from the UCD Innovation Academy, Melissa was appointed as Creative Director of the PUCA festival !

We talk all things Halloween, tattoos, hair extensions, pubic wigs, boudoir photos, and modelling!

Full of creative enegy, this interview is joyful and Melissa is a pleasure to listen to.

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.

This month's podcast we meet the unstoppable Margaret Hoctor from Kilmullen Farm in Wicklow, not just lamb but also running a horse livery business, apple juice, seasonal sweetcorn, TV location work and much much more.

In Dublin we say "you don't lick it off the path" and for Margaret it all started with her mother's shop in the 1960s where she saw how authentic interaction is at the heart of a successful business.

From Ireland to Belgravia, working her way up as a nanny in the 1980s she explored her passions, attending exclusive London parties, studying acting and being mentored by some of the best.

In her work at the Innovation Academy she is a firm favourite for her 'Margaretisms' a no holds barred approach to innovation and entrepreneurialism. Much beloved, she helps hundreds of students find their way into creating the business of their dreams .

This month's podcast we meet the incredible Karen Grehan.

Ever wondered how to build a business and brand whilst raising your kids ?

Karen created a lash business / training academy and brand after a devastating betrayal.

We talk 'everything eyelashes', and how to be a Mompreneur with 5 children and make it all work.

Karen is an award winning Lash educator and now mentoring women to create their own revenue streams and empower themselves.

Truly authentic, confident and marching to the beat of her own drum. A true gem.

Join us for A No F*cks given approach with not one but TWO trailblazing feminist authors - New podcast out today !

I had such a blast with Barbara Scully; author of ‘Wise Up: Power, Wisdom, and the Older Woman’ Barbara believes we should 'Embrace Our Inner Crone' and start thinking about what we want to do with our golden time of Post-Menopausal freedom. Her book is a call to the 'Grey Army' to lead the way for the next generations. Her mantra is 'Embrace your Age but Don't be Defined by it'

We also meet the incredible author, Alana Kirk. A no holds barred chat where Alana tells us that ‘As we move past the nurturing role we need to give birth back to ourselves…

And why ‘having it all feels a lot like doing it all.’ Alana believes women have a responsibility to our children to show them that  there is more to life than hanging on by our fingernails trying to conform to all the myriad roles and asking the fundamental question of 'What do I want and need right now?'

Her book is ‘Midlife Redefined: Better, Bolder, Brighter’

Read them – you won’t regret it !

This month I had the privilege of chatting with Brian Downes from 'Performance Nerds'.

An 'intrepid traveller' with a remarkable story - from a career in accountancy in Limerick to doing business in West Africa culminating in many adventures not least getting arrested and finding himself involved in a sting operation in Ghana. Brian talks about how fundamental it is to align your values to what you do, how you spend your time and who you spend your time with.  A vibrant speaker with strong entrepreneurial spirit, a love of mountains and a fascinbation with people across the globe. Brian is an expert in leadership with 66 countries under his belt and more to come - with his latest crossing 100 miles of frozen lake in Mongolia. Tune in - you wont regret it !

https://www.performancenerds.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpdownes/

This month I interviewed Liz Gleeson, a psychotherapist who specialises in grief and loss. We had a beautiful chat about life, changes, fulfilment and purpose. Liz won a Social Impact Award for her company Shapes of Grief; which offers one of the best professional trainings in grief and loss for mental health and behavioural health professionals, delivered by twenty-six of the world’s leading experts in grief and loss. A true maverick in the field of change, do have a listen! 

In this month's podcast we meet the iconic Jack Healy - a maverick in branding and a real life rockstar ! Originating from West Clare (replete with music, poitin and bags of turf) and moving through NCAD studying viz com, Jack ended up in Italy working with the amazing Massimo Dolcini and thus a love affair with Italy began. Starting with Robert Plant dressed in leather to being Pavarotti's neighbour - we then delve deep into the advertising and branding business where Jack found a home with Saatchi & Saatchi. Moving on to co-found his own advertising agency and into the entrepreneurial space Jack spills the beans on why good branding works and much more. His current band is Bone Machine and he tells us how it came to be that they became a Tom Waits Tribute band with a nod from the big man himself. A true gem of a chat with a rockstar and a gentleman. Do give it a listen!

Have you dreamed of leaving a corporate career but are worried about taking the leap ? Are you spinning a thousand plates and wondering if life has to be this way ? Then this podcast is for you - Loretta Dignam saw a gap in the market and created Ireland’s First Dedicated Menopause Clinic.

Loretta visualised a different future for herself and made it happen, harnessing personal circumstances and physiological change and combining them with a passion for helping women be as healthy as possible as they approach 50 and beyond.

We chat about being in the best shape of your life and how complex life can be - and the opportunities being 50 can bring - how will you head into the latter portion - and in the words of Mary Oliver 'What will you do with your one wild and precious life?'

A rip roaring and candid chat with Natalie B Coleman - fashion designer and activist. We discuss what feminism is for... how we change the narrative - the socialisation of genders, as well as period poverty, slow fashion, sheelagh na gigs, sustainability and the curiosity of being human 

With a PhD in flamingos - Eileen Diskin is also known by her colleagues as Dr of Play - championing creativity and innovation at every level. Eileen is the Education Innovation lead in UCD's Innovation Academy and recently designed a fantastic new course in sustainability. With her trusty pooch, Noodle by her side, Eileen takes us on a wonderful journey through the challenges of education, into living an authentic and passionate life from Stateside to Ireland. This is a Christmas story - come join us !

Melissa Curry is an extraordinarily creative entrepreneur. With a career spanning decades and many undulations from Paris to Dublin and then a global reach before Covid snatched it away - this is a story you will want to hear. Melissa is a woman with a huge heart and incredible resilience.