AIBF Business Talk

Episode 69: Calodagh McCumiskey - “Live a Life That You Don’t Need to Escape From”

“People don’t slow down. They’re in fifth gear all day long.”

The pandemic, in conjunction with the Ukraine war and the cost of living crisis, has been a lot to deal with in recent years, both professionally and personally.

Wellbeing specialist Calodagh McCumiskey is better placed than most of us to assess the mental fallout. The Owner of Wexford-based company Spiritual Earth has found that on average, we’re exercising less and we’re more stressed.

For every problem, there’s a solution however. And Calodagh is a very timely guest on AIBF Business Talk with Elaine Carroll, where she talks about:

• How to enjoy proper sleep,
• How to approach team wellbeing from a manager’s point of view,
• How her career in aid work affected her outlook on stress management,
• And much more.

Spiritual Earth’s wellbeing solutions help organisations create and maintain a ‘well culture’ that fosters innovation, cooperation and productivity.

Calodagh is accredited by the AIBF as All-Star Master Practitioner in Wellbeing and Life Coaching.

And we thank her for sharing her really worthwhile insights on AIBF Business Talk this week.

Episode 68: Gerry Hussey - “Take 15 minutes in your day to build that inner strength”

“I don’t think you’ll ever be wrong when you follow your gut instinct.”

Gerry Hussey is one of the leading performance psychologists in the global field, and has developed an immense reputation. He’s prepared teams for success at the Olympics, Heineken Cups, World Cups, World and European Championships.

As Co-Founder of Soul Space, he also works extensively as a health and performance coach within the business sector. By designing and delivering one-to-one coaching experiences that empower clients to reawaken passion and energy, Gerry prepares them to achieve sustainable high performance while maintaining health and wellbeing.

Take 12 minutes from your day to listen to this fascinating chat with Elaine Carroll for AIBF Business Talk, where Gerry discusses:

• The neuroscience of performance,
• Taking 1% of your day to develop your inner strength,
• Reframing ‘failure’,
• And following your gut instinct.

Thanks to Gerry for taking the time to chat to AIBF Business Talk.

Eager to learn more from Gerry? 

The Christmas Experience, hosted by Soul Space, is taking place at The Helix in Dublin on Sunday, December 11th. Find out more.

Gerry will be among those leading a fascinating and transformative experience of ‘light, hope and healing’. Best of luck to all the organisers with what’s sure to be a powerful event.

 

Episode 67: Ciaran Shanley - “You can’t fatten a pig the night before a fair”

“Sometimes you have to step backwards to take bigger steps forward.”

With three decades of experience in the financial sector, Ciaran Shanley is better placed than most to reflect on best practice in business. 

Clear Financial is thoroughly focused on fostering a positive team environment. To this end, they even brought on board a life/business coach in 2015 that still consults with staff on a fortnightly basis.

As Director of Sales and Operations at Clear Financial, Ciaran Shanley is an integral part of the leading life and pensions brokerage, now in its 20th year in business.

On this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Ciaran shared his insights with Elaine Carroll on:

• Building a culture of togetherness,
• Developing core values for the company,
• The importance of patience,
• Overcoming the fear of failure,
• And much more.

Clear Financial, based in Rathcoole, is a four in-a-row Business All-Star with the AIBF (2019, ‘20, ‘21, ‘22), and we can’t wait to continue our work with them as part of the TRIBE.

The company helps clients to reach their financial goals, and achieve real peace of mind when it comes to the financial wellbeing of their families and businesses.

Thanks to Ciaran for taking the time to share his thoughts on AIBF Business Talk.

Episode 66: Niall O’Callaghan - “Try eke out the small early wins that build trust & rapport”

“If you make the customer’s life a bit easier, then they’ll gravitate towards you”

Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership is a rather unique undertaking - a registered charity with a commercial property business.

The result? Any remaining annual revenue from the management of their 16 acre campus in Roxboro is 100% repurposed into community initiatives.

Niall O’Callaghan oversees the Partnership as Chief Executive, after years of business experience working for Robert Roberts, Unilever and IDA Ireland.

Niall joins Elaine Carroll on the latest episode of AIBF Business Talk to chat about:

• His learnings from an early career in multinational companies,
• How to make your point in a demanding international marketplace,
• The unique nature of the LEDP and its vital role in the community,
• The launch of the first co-working space in an Irish regeneration area,
• And much more.

Niall O’Callaghan is accredited as Public-Private Sector Executive of the Year 2022 by the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF).

The AIBF would like to thank Niall for sharing his valuable insights with fellow TRIBE members and the wider public.

About the All-Ireland Business Foundation 

The AIBF is an independent national body that identifies and acknowledges the country’s most ambitious and visionary businesses.

As the accreditation body for the Business All-Star mark, the AIBF recognises Best-In-Class Irish businesses. Companies that merit recognition based on an independent audit of their performance, reputation, and customer-centricity.

Business All-Star Accreditation Is The Nation’s Symbol Of Trust.

 

Episode 65: Paul O’Shea - “We’ve brought in a sports psychologist…”

“I had only just bought a house when I started my business. My Dad thought I needed my head examined.”

When Paul O’Shea established Ashview Consultants 16 years ago, he was working out of a box room in a three-bed semi detached home.

In the interim, the company has become an award-winning risk consultancy firm with offices in Dublin, Newry and London.

Paul, as MD and Owner of Ashview Consultants, is our latest guest on AIBF Business Talk with Elaine Carroll, where he speaks about:

• Learnings from a six-year stint in Australia,
• How to make work enjoyable for staff every day,
• The challenges of the current cost of construction,
• And how to overcome the fear of failure when starting a business.

Ashview Consultants is All-Star International Construction Health & Safety Consultancy 2022 with the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF), while Paul also has the honour of being admitted as Fellow of the All-Ireland Business Foundation (FAIBF).

The AIBF would like to thank Paul for sharing his valuable insights with fellow TRIBE members and the wider public.

Episode 64: Alan Collins - “See and feel it to know what you’re buying”

“Give yourself as few headaches as possible”

Alan Collins has been working since he was 12, and having spent decades on jobs as a skilled tiler, the opportunity popped up in 2016 to start his own business.

He was nervous at the time, but Limerick Tile & Wood has since evolved into a market leader with an 11,000 sq.ft. showroom.

Alan is our latest guest on AIBF Business Talk with Elaine Carroll, where he chats about:

• His mindset when taking on the challenge of running his own business,
• How to choose the right suppliers in Ireland and abroad,
• Advice for tradesmen who are interested in starting their own company,
• And much more.

Limerick Tile & Wood, is All-Ireland Champion Tile & Wood Centre 2022-2023 with the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF), and a two in-a-row Business All-Star.

The AIBF would like to thank Alan for sharing his valuable insights with fellow TRIBE members and the wider public.

Episode 63: Nessa McNamara - “I have a secret way of interviewing…”

“We set out to be what the parents and children need.”

The rules and regulations governing early years education are becoming increasingly burdensome according to Nessa McNamara of Little Learners in Dublin.

However, this childcare and afterschool business remains innovative in the way it serves parents and children, and how it goes about recruiting, retaining and rewarding childcare professionals.

On this week’s AIBF Business Talk, Elaine Carroll caught up with Nessa to talk about the ethos of their business in Dublin, which is spread over three locations.

She talks about her unique interview process, their work in assisting 50 children in an Ethiopian kindergarten, and an amazing reward for her staff which saw them fly to Disneyland Paris for a weekend getaway during the summer.

Little Learners, based Dublin, is a five in-a-row Business All-Star with the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF), and All-Ireland All-Star Early Years Education Team of the Year 2022.

The AIBF would like to thank Nessa for sharing her valuable insights with fellow TRIBE members and the wider public.

Episode 62: Trevor Devlin - Competing with them? That was my biggest fear.

“My wife said to me after dinner one evening, ‘why don’t you do it?’”

Plucking up the courage to back your entrepreneurial spirit is difficult, especially when your main competitors would be the major international phone companies.

That’s what Trevor Devlin, Founder and Managing Director of Full Signal, was facing into when he left his full-time job at a major lift company. He spotted a gap in the market and went for it.

Now, Full Signal supplies, installs and monitors GSM phone lines for emergency response in lifts - a low-cost alternative to expensive landline charges.

Trevor joins Elaine Carroll on the latest episode of AIBF Business Talk to reflect on his own experience of starting a business, overcoming the anxiety of challenging the biggest phone companies, and why competition is good for business.

Full Signal, based in Santry, Dublin, is a four-time Business All-Star with the All-Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF).

The AIBF would like to thank Trevor for sharing his valuable insights with fellow TRIBE members and the wider public.

Episode 61: Declan McBrearty - I don’t think any website is ever finished

“When you believe in your vision and you set out your roadmap, you need to stay on that.”

Based in Killybegs, Co Donegal, TrailerStuff.ie has proven that you don’t need to be near one of the big cities to become a leading online retailer.

Its Managing Director, Declan McBrearty, joins Elaine Carroll on the latest episode of AIBF Business Talk to offer his thoughts on how a lack of initial competition may have been a hindrance and the importance of constantly updating the website to meet customer needs.

He also outlined the importance of sticking to a defined vision, why bringing a digital marketing team on board brought them to another level, and how they coped with surging demand during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

TrailerStuff.ie is a four-in-a-row Business All-Star with the All-Ireland Business Foundation, and also the All-Ireland Trailer & Parts Distribution Company 2022.

The All-Ireland Business Foundation would like to thank Declan for sharing his insights with our listeners.

Episode 60: Philip Cullen: We change people’s lives

‘A career in financial services is so rewarding - we change people's lives’

Philip is the founder of South East Mortgages & Financial Services established in 2013 in Gorey, Co.Wexford.

In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Philip divulges how advice based consultancy formed on trusting relationships is key to their success. 

Philip stresses the importance of giving yourself CHOICE which is one of the biggest advantages of engaging an independent financial advisor.

‘Once you know you’re protected & getting the best value, it really helps your financial and mental health’. 

And the best advice…..start young! Sit down as early as possible, get a plan in place and review it annually.

Southeast Mortgages & Financial Services has been acknowledged as All-Star Wexford Mortgages & Financial Planning Company 22/23 from AIBF

 

The All-Ireland Business Foundation would like to thank Philip for sharing his valuable insights with our listeners.