Down To Business

Last year Mayo was very much on the map when US President, Joe Biden went west and spent a remarkable evening in Ballina. One of the people instrumental in organising that visit was the then-mayor of Ballina Councillor Mark Duffy - he joins Bobby to discuss.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries.

Bobby is joined by Debra & Ken Corey, to talk about their book 'Bad Bosses Ruin Lives: The Building Blocks for Being a Great Boss'.

With the privilege of owning your own home comes the added dilemma of sticking or twisting with the current structure and layout - but where do you begin, who do you call, and what are the costs involved for home renovation projects? For this week’s industry Review Bobby sought to find out as he was joined by:● Ruth Kennelly of RK Designs ● Diarmuid Kelly of DKAD Architects ● David Dunne of Timbermill Construction in Kildare

From Next Thursday 1st Feb, when you buy a drink in a plastic bottle, aluminium, or steel can that features the 'Re-Turn' logo, you will pay a small deposit in addition to the price of the drink. When you return your empty, undamaged drinks container to any participating retail outlet, you get your deposit back in full. So how is all this going to work on a national level and will people buy into it? Bobby is joined by Ciaran Foley who is the Chief Executive of ‘Re-Turn’ to discuss.

As the country continues down the path towards net zero, more and more electric charging points will be central to achieving that goal. Bobby is joined by John O’Keeffe, CEO of ePower to discuss the path forward to achieving a carbon-neutral future.

Joining Bobby to run through the main stories from the business pages in this morning's papers is journalist and author, Valerie Cox & Ciaran Hancock, Business Editor of the Irish Times.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Gary Lavin, founder & chairman of VITHIT.

Marga Hoek, author of ‘Tech For Good: Imagine Solving the World’s Greatest Challenges’ joins Bobby to chat about her book and the possibilities advanced technologies offer businesses to drive sustainable growth.

2023 was by all accounts a solid year for the motor and car dealership trade here in Ireland but how is 2024 shaping up and will we see many more EVs on our roads?Joining Bobby to discuss is:Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General (Society of the Irish Motor Industry) Rowena Dooley, Dealer Principle at Dooley Motors Carlow Philip Mallon, Managing Director of Joe Mallon Motor Group 

Bobby chats to Regina Mangan about her new book ‘How to Build a Smarter, Faster, Better Estate Agency’

Bobby is joined by Fiona Smith, author of ‘Zero to Rich: Secrets to Becoming a Millionaire by 30'.

Bobby is joined by Roger Wallace of EY to discuss the details of this year's EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards which opened this week.

Bobby speaks to Charlie Engle, a former drug addict but now keynote speaker, adventurer, and multiple record holder.

It’s cold out there and with many more months of rain and cloud to come, what better time to start planning that summer getaway than right now?The travel agency business has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the last few years, so how have they been faring now that the cost-of-living crisis is finally beginning to ease?Joining Bobby for this week’s Industry Review is:• Paul Hackett, co-founder and CEO of Click & Go• Emma McHugh, Managing Partner at Atlantic Travel based in Letterkenny• Claire Doherty, Product and Operations Director at Travel Department

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Patrick Murphy, CEO of Codex.

Earlier in the week Bobby got to meet Dr. John Grey, author of 'Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus’, who was speaking at this year's Pendulum Summit.Together they discuss the impact of the book, how things have changed since its publication, and the biological underpinnings of some of his opinions.

You may have heard earlier in the week that the decision has been made to close a Dublin alley due to anti-social behaviour and drug use. Naturally, this has concerned many and people are asking if this is the best way to protect a city. Sunday Independent columnist, Conor Skehan has some views on fixing the city and they are not just about more Gardai on the street - he joins Bobby to discuss.

This week saw the 30th Anniversary of CityJet in business. Despite some ups and downs over the years, it has persevered and evolved to a point where it is now a leading provider of jets to European airlines. Bobby is joined by Pat Byrne its founder and chairman.

Joining Bobby to take a look at the business stories featured in the Saturday papers are Caroline Reidy of the HR Suite and Doug Keatinge, Head of Communications at Avalon.

Bobby goes for a jog with Padraic George, Founder and Managing Director of Bodylite Gear, a leading Irish sportswear brand that specialises in visibility products and active gear for runners, walkers, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Ciaran Crean, co-founder & CEO of MicksGarage & WaveOMS.

We’re almost a week into the New Year and with that comes hordes of people heading out to shed some of that Christmas weight. Where are they going? Probably the gym. Joining Bobby to discuss the business of gyms in the country are Ger Conroy, Director of Ger Conroy Fitness; Garrett Ivers, Owner of UN1T Dublin; and Siobhan Byrne, co-owner of BodyByrne.

Broadcaster and author, Matt Cooper joins Bobby to discuss his new book 'Who Really Owns Ireland?: How we became tenants in our own land and what we can do about it'.

After several months of price increases in our supermarkets, a shift appears to be taking place as Lidl has followed Aldi in slashing its prices. But what does that mean for food producers? Sinead Ryan, presenter of The Home Show on Newstalk joins Bobby to discuss.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business and news stories from the morning papers is businesswoman and boadcaster, Norah Casey and Ian Curran, Business Report with the Irish Times.

Joining Bobby to give his predictions on how the Irish economy will fare in 2024 is economist, Cormac Lucey.

When life gets us down, we sometimes need a person who can motivate us and give us the confidence to succeed in life and in business.It is the role of the Life Coach to do just that.To tell Bobby about this world he is joined by Shane Cradock, an advisor to high-performing leaders and the author of 'Inspire Me'; Mark Fennell, life coach and author of the upcoming book ‘Breakthrough’, and Ciara Conlon, life and leadership coach and author of ‘Rise Before Your Bull’.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is David McRedmond the CEO of An Post.

Bobby is joined by Paul Boross the Pitch Doctor.

Bobby is joined in studio by three business women - Lorraine Keane, Anna Daly and Aimee Connolly, to chat fashion and Christmas.

Bobby is joined in studio by Mark Kelly founder of AI Ireland and the author of AI Unleashed, to chat about how Santa now use's AI to aid in his deliveries.

This week Bobby is taking a stroll through Grafton Street, Ireland’s Premier Shopping Street, to see how retail is faring this Christmas.

Bobby is joined by Journalist and Author Valerie Cox and Stephen O’Leary the Founder of Olytico to discuss the biggest business stories around this weekend.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Kealan Lennon, CEO and Founder of CleverCards.

Tech Guru, Andy O’Donoghue joins Bobby for his usual tech and gadget Christmas gift guide.

Getting that perfect gift can often be a challenge, especially for loved ones who live far away. But a Christmas hamper might be the right choice for those of us still struggling for inspiration, with numerous options and styles to choose from.Joining Bobby for this week's Industry Review to chat about the business of hampers is:Lulu O’Sullivan, CEO of GiftsDirect.comEmer Purcell, founder and managing director of Hampers & CoMark Loftus, the founder of Paddy Box

Finding a GP appointment these days can be difficult but Gewardz is one business that aims to change that. Gewardz is a subscription service that provides online GP and counseling sessions for a flat monthly fee - its Head of Business Development, Iain Cahill, joins Bobby to tell him about this business model.

In this turbulent Irish economy, we have to think of the role industry plays, and manufacturing in particular is something that should be looked at in terms of its importance. Conor Magee, Head of Manufacturing at Bank of Ireland joins Bobby to discuss.

Bobby is joined by Susan HayesCulleton aka ‘The Positive Economist’ & Jon Ihle, Deputy Business Editor at the Sunday Times Ireland to discuss the biggest business stories around this weekend.

This week’s industry review gets in the festive spirit with some food producers who could take your Christmas Dinner to the next level. Bobby is joined by Emmet Harten from Kaylas Kitchen, Lynn Downey from Cookie Dó, Sofie Rooney from Chimac and James Burke, Network Manager of the Dublin Food Chain.

In the Executive Chair this week is Geoff Moore, Managing Partner at Arthur Cox

Bobby has Matt Phelan in the studio to talk about his book 'The Happiness Index Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success' and what it can do for a business.

This week Bobby is in Arnotts in Dublin City Centre for the Pitch 23’ competition: an open invitation to Irish start-ups which supports and champions new and promising local Irish brands. He talks to Joanne Hyde from Eversheds Sutherland to discuss their involvement in the initiative.

Bobby is joined by Lousia Meehan, owner of Woodview HR and Conor Faughnan, CEO of Royal Irish Automobile Club (RIAC) to discuss the biggest business stories around this weekend.

Bobby takes a dive into the world of antique books. These pages of the past hold historical significance, craftsmanship, and investment value. Who knows, maybe there’s one up in your attic? He’s joined by David Cunningham, co-owner of Ulysses Rare Books, Eamonn De Búrca, owner of De Búrca Rare Books and Alan Gregroy, owner of First Edition on Baggot Street.

Sitting in the Executive Chair with Bobby this week is Gerard Teahon, the CEO of Uniquely.

Bobby talks to Jack Daly, leading sales speaker and trainer, to talk all things sales in business.

Bobby takes a visit to the Cogs the Brain Shop pop-up by Stephen's Green and talks to co-owner Conor Brady.

Today it was confirmed that the Irish economy is officially in a recession. To discuss what these means, as well as recent inflation news, Bobby is joined by Cliff Taylor, columnist at The Irish Times.