ThinkBusiness

We talk to brothers Barry and Fergal Doyle about how the lifestyle and gardening business that was started by their mother in Carlow in the 1970s has grown to become a €14m a year business. They talk about sustainability and how the business has sold half a million plants this year with 85% of their suppliers being Irish. Not only that they discuss their move into Dublin 1 to support the advent of the urban gardener.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Anthony Gallagher of Petstop who celebrated 30 years in business year who opened his 14th retail outlet in Rathmines. He talks about how he started the business originally to sell it but instead grew a scaling firm that is also a force in the world of e-commerce.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to HRLocker's Crystel Robbins Rynne about the prevailing trends in HR and how the Clare-born tech business is helping SMEs and corporate firms navigate the digital future.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Kevin McPartlan, CEO of Fuels for Ireland, about how the fuel sector is actually the lynchpin of Ireland's transition to green energy, arguing in favour of new fuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil and low-carbon liquid fuels. The sector employs more than 66,000 people and supplies more than half of Ireland's current energy consumption. McPartlan envisages a cleaner energy future, is supportive of electric vehicles and has a vision for how forecourts can continue to serve as vibrant community hubs.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Ciarán Murray from Olas, a seasoned veteran of the blockchain industry and a former employee of BSkyB, about what does the future hold for Ireland's local media sector. He argues that local media serves as a cornerstone of community life in Ireland, providing trusted news that keeps people together. Today local media continues to be among the most trusted news sources in Ireland, with up to 70% relying on local newspapers and radio for information. He is concerned, however, about the decline in local journalism in Ireland and warns of the formation of news deserts if we don't do something about it.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Bank of Ireland chief economist Conall Mac Coille who looks at the likely impact on the Irish economy of tariffs enacted by the Trump administration in the United States. He also assesses what could happen if punitive tariffs are placed on pharmaceuticals and ICT exports if a trade war was to occur between the EU and the US.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

It emerged recently that Partsol, a business with the potential to upset the existing Gen AI applecart, is to locate its global HQ in Dublin and plans to create up to 60 new jobs in its first year. We talk to the CEO of Partsol Dr Darryl Williams who says locating in Europe is crucial for the business in order to find the oxygen to innovate, gain regulatory certainty under GDPR and to secure further investment.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

It emerged recently that Partsol, a business with the potential to upset the existing Gen AI applecart, is to locate its global HQ in Dublin and plans to create up to 60 new jobs in its first year. We talk to the CEO of Partsol Dr Darryl Williams who says locating in Europe is crucial for the business in order to find the oxygen to innovate, gain regulatory certainty under GDPR and to secure further investment.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We speak with Alan Andrews, founder of the Old Barracks Coffee Roastery and the Guji Coffee Chain about his ambition to make Limerick Ireland's coffee capital and his plans for expansion. The business is scaling and will be approaching 60 staff by April.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Killorglin County Kerry-based innovation centre RDI Hub recently marked its fifth anniversary and within that relatively short period of time has seen more than €250m invested in its start-ups and has created 430 high-quality local jobs. We talk to the CEO of RDI Hub Liam Cronin about how the hub has made the impact it has and what other regions of Ireland can learn from this.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

As well as supporting the Backyard at Blas na hEireann, Bank of Ireland's experts recently mentored some of the winners from the Blas na hEireann Best Newcomers category in areas of sustainability and fundamentals of business. We spoke to Lucy Ryan, head of Food Sector at Bank of Ireland and bank manager John Doyle, a judge at Blas, about the importance of sustaining and developing food start-ups.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Leading menopause expert Loretta Dignam has become the only Irishwoman honoured in the first-ever Forbes 50 over 50 global list of trailblazingwomen.Dignam founded the Menopause Hub – Ireland's first and only dedicatedmenopause clinic at the time – in 2018 at the age of 56.She says that age has no limit for entrepreneurship and talks about herefforts to make Ireland a global leader in removing the stigma aroundmenopause.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Claire Hanrahan, managing director of pensions business IPF which is blazing a trail in terms of women leadership at both executive and board-level. The business is an outlier in terms of equality and empowering all staff- male and female – to develop their careers and achieve their potential. Proving diversity works, it now has €1bn under management, counts more than 30,000 customers and last year achieved record revenues of €10m.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We speak to the owner of the iconic St Bridget vessel Eugene Garrihy of Dublin Bay Tours. Faced with a choice between buying a new boat or committing to a more sustainable path, Garrihy chose the latter and embraced the circular economy. He decided to switch from traditional fossil fuels to Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil fuel. This renewable alternative reduces carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to diesel and will be the first in Ireland to do this in its industry.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We speak with entrepreneur Luke Joyce about his growing venture TheCleaningCompany.ie which he started armed with only his grandmother's Toyota Yaris, a bucket and a squeegee. The business is now expanding nationwide driven by year-on-year 100 per cent increases in revenue. He talks about his passion for entrepreneurship, including winning Maynooth University Entrepreneur of the Year, and his plans for growth.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Joe Quirke, head of GoCar in Ireland, about what's happening in terms of transport in Ireland. GoCar has been a prominent contributor to Ireland's car-sharing landscape, with a fleet of over 1,100 vehicles nationwide. Launched with the aim of providing members with the freedom of car ownership without the hassle, GoCar ensures a seamless experience. We look at the evolution of car sharing in Ireland the roll electric vehicles will play in this future.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We speak with Richard Tierney, CEO of the Dublin St Patrick's Festival. The St Patrick's Festival is the biggest celebration of Irish arts, culture and creativity worldwide and its impact is astonishing. In 2024, it delivered an overall media reach of 400m+, publicity worth €522m, a digital and social media reach of 22m, a live audience in excess of 600k, a TV audience of 386k with a market share of 51%. There were over 4,200 artists who worked on it and it generated 11,000 days of employment.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

The restaurant industry in Ireland has been facing significant challenges over the past few years, with rising costs and tax constraints being the main factors. Since its soft launch in 2023, Early Table has connected over 34,000 active members with exclusive dining offers, providing savings of up to 50% while helping restaurants nationwide fill empty tables. We talk to entrepreneur James Lenehan about how the platform will lead to increased business for restaurants and savings for diners. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Sean Glynn, chief learning officer at Irish tech firm Wriggle, talks about how the business is reshaping the school classroom as we know it through clever learning through digital devices. Uniquely the business employs Irish teachers to develop ways to help hundreds of schools integrate digital technology into their classrooms.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Three in five Irish consumers are more likely to support businesses committed to climate and nature. That's according to Business in the Community Ireland CEO Tomás Sercovich. To help businesses navigate their sustainability challenges, Business in the Community has developed a new Pact that will help firms address the interconnected climate and nature crises. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Founded by experienced secondary school grinds teacher Ronan Murdock and serial entrepreneur Brendan Kavanagh, Grinds 360 was born out of a desire to address gaps in the traditional grinds system and transform the current education landscape. With investors that include rugby stars Brian O'Driscoll, Caelan Doris, Jordan Larmour, Murdock talks about Grinds 360's innovative approach to education.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Kilkenny Group CEO Evelyn Moynihan talks about how the Irish design and fashion retailer became a beacon of innovation and e-commerce during the pandemic and how this drove the company's momentum as the world reopened. She discusses the Group's investment in both bricks and mortar alongside e-commerce and driving the future of Irish retail trends in 2025.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Johnny O'Callaghan of Taxplanner.ie discusses how he helps individuals and families in Ireland navigate the complexities of Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) - commonly known as Gift Tax or Inheritance Tax. His ambition is to ensure his new online service becomes a trusted partner for those seeking to secure their family's financial future. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

A ransomware epidemic threatens to engulf Irish SMEs. Not only that but the rise of AI and deepfakes means businesses can be fooled into costly fraud and phishing attacks. Speaking ahead of the IRISSCON 2024 conference on the 6th of November, Jake Moore, one of Europe's leading data security experts warns that Irish businesses are vulnerable and need to be wary of cybercriminals lying in wait. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Bank of Ireland's head of Food Sector Lucy Ryan as well as a range of artisan food and drinks businesses at the recent Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

In this episode we speak to Martin Donovan from Killadoon Milk in Kildare which won ‘Best Start Up', a prize also sponsored by Bank of Ireland as well as a variety of accolades including Gold for Whole Milk, Best in Kildare and Best in Leinster. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Irishwoman Anne Ravanona is a recognised global advocate and voice for access to funding for women entrepreneurs and women's economic empowerment. Rather than moving forward, she warns that women entrepreneurs are losing hard-earned ground. The answer she urges is fundamental change in financial policy and the need for more women investors. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Recently 22 Irish SMEs graduated from a decarbonisation pilot, which was a collaboration between Business in the Community Ireland, Bank of Ireland, the Musgrave Group and SSE Airtricity. We talk to some of the SMEs who graduated from the programme about what they learned and how they will go about decarbonising their businesses. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Creating a neuroinclusive working environment isn't just good for the individual, it's good for everyone. We talk to Yvonne Brewer from Auticon about the organisation's unique business model of delivering complex IT projects by harnessing the exceptional talents and skills that neurodivergent people have to offer. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to a variety of agri start-ups and early-stage food business that we met at the 2024 Ploughing Championships, from the latest tech to amazing flavours. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

At the 2024 Blas na hEireann Awards in Dingle we spoke with its founder Artie Clifford who talked about how the awards came into being and how his own experiences as a businessperson informed the need for not only a celebration of Irish food but for how food producers can help each other grow their businesses. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Hosted at the RDS Simmonscourt on Sunday 10 November, the Nevo EVShow is poised to be Ireland's largest-ever motor show – a must-attend foranyone interested in the future of mobility. We talk to Nevo's Derek Reilly, thehost of Ireland's leading Electric Vehicle YouTube channel and PartnershipsDirector of Nevo, about what's happening when it comes to the uptake ofelectric vehicles in Ireland.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Barry Guiney, head of the Scale Up Collective at executive searchfirm Odgers Berndtson Ireland about the prevailing trends in tech recruitment.Is the sector in slowdown or is it heating up? Barry has more than 20 years ofsenior executive experience in the technology sector and has his finger onthe pulse of new hiring trends such as the emergence of the chief AI officerrole.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Mark O'Connor and Bobby McDonnell from Bank of Ireland Corporate Pensions outline the pros and cons of auto-enrolment for employers and employees and what every business owner needs to know. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to Lucy Ryan, head of Food & Beverage Sector at Bank of Ireland about the upcoming Blas na Eireann Irish food awards, now in their 17th year. She talks about how quality Irish food ingredients are having their moment and how we can make Irish food more sustainable to serve future generations. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

With the 2024 Ploughing Championships about to welcome more than 300,000 people and 1,700 exhibitors, Bank of Ireland's head of Agriculture Sector Eoin Lowry talks about the history of this iconic event and how it is at the crossroads of the sustainable future of farming. Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Caitriona Considine swapped the corporate world to transform an old cowshed near the cliffs of Moher into a thriving gift and coffee shop with the mission for Moher Cottage to be the best little shop in Ireland. The former engineer talks about swapping the long commutes for entrepreneurship and running a business sustainably on one of Ireland's busiest tourist trails.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

The 2023 Project Management Professional of the Year James Louttit has recently published a book about how to lead impactful teams. James talks about his journey to overcome burnout and explains how even well-prepared, hard-working intelligent people can feel the strain of project management. He has authored a new book that provides tips and techniques to make projects more effective, successful and enjoyable.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

We talk to John Clancy, the founder and CEO of Galvia, an AI-powered decision intelligence platform that draws actionable insights from enterprise data. Since 2017 Galvia (formerly known as Chatspace) has been working with some of the World's largest companies including Nestlé, Medtronic and Atos. As a serial entrepreneur John is continually identifying new opportunities to make AI accessible to every organisation, big and small.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

With more than 7.2m lives looked after, Irish business Spectrum.Life is one of Europe's fastest growing digital health providers and is targeting revenues of €100m by 2028. We talk to CEO Stephen Costello about the company's growth plans and opportunities in the global healthcare market.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Change isn't easy for anyone, but in business it is even harder. Shane Twomey from Phoenix HR has built a business around helping organisations go through the business of change and transformation. He talks about how businesses can get their people and teams aligned around new ways of working.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Laura Dillon, selected in May as The Irish Times Business Person of the Month in association with Bank of Ireland, recently made its fifth biggest investment in Ireland with the acquisition of a stake in Bellew Electrical. The private equity player has now partnered with more than 20 Irish businesses in the last three years, adding 1,000 roles to these firms through new hires and M&A. Between them these companies will grow their revenues to more than €350m.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Hrvoje Smolic and Vinnie Lynch, the founders of Kerry-based tech firm Graphite-Note talk about the chemistry that made them realise they could build a global AI-based business from regional Ireland.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Cork native Alan Coughlan's Lansil Global is creating 30 jobs in the US afteropening a new warehouse in Pennsylvania. Now based in Dubai, he talksabout how he want from teaching English in China to establishing his globallogistics business.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Waterford-headquartered branding agency TOTEM recently achieved international acclaim and is set to double the size of its team. Founder Colin Byrne talks about the business of branding and creating a scaling, internationally-focused business.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Since the age of 11, Andrew Casey and Olaf O'Moore have been in rock bands and in business, running ventures that include EcoCabs, bike brand FunkedUp and ad and marketing agency Headcase. Casey talks about how creativity and friendship hold the key to their bond.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Bank of Ireland's NYC Hub has become a vital destination for Irishbusinesses targeting North America as well as a vital social networkingvenue for the Irish business community in New York. We talk to US countrymanager Tony Dunne and the NYC Hub's coordinator Tania Sheik about theBank's 50-year history in the United States and what the future holds for theNYC Hub.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

In part 2 of our series on auto-enrolment, as mandatory auto-enrolment forpensions looms closer to becoming a reality in Ireland, Mark O'Connor andBobbie McDonnell from Bank of Ireland discuss what employers need to doto make pensions more attractive for their staff.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

The journey to sustainability is not easy. And with new technologies rangingfrom artificial intelligence to robotics emerging all the time, how do businessowners choose the right technologies to help them on their green journey.We talk to Paul Swift, head of Technology, Media and Telecoms at Bank ofIreland about how to avoid being overwhelmed.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Irish food producers are rightly optimistic about their future prospects and are investing in their future as the shopping public focus on quality and sustainable produce. Lucy Ryan, head of Food & Drink at Bank of Ireland, talks about the results of the latest Love Irish Food survey.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

By 2030 Bank of Ireland aims to reach €30bn in sustainable finance lending.The key to this is a sustainable finance framework. We talk to Colette Shirley,director of Sustainability at Bank of Ireland about the Bank's sustainabilitystrategy and what this means for the future of banking.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.