Down To Business

Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE, LLC. A dynamic international keynote speaker, trainer, coach and consultant, he specializes in applying the science of influence and persuasion in everyday situations. He joined Bobby to discuss the power if influencing.

Both the economic and political situation in the UK could be easily described as chaotic over the last few weeks. Our regular UK Correspondent is renowned economist David Smith of the Sunday Times and we haven’t spoken to him since the Summer so we’ve a lot to catch up on!

This might make your mouth watering. From the giant, international franchises, to niche, artisan restaurants. Irish delivery pizza market is growing, just like a well-done dough. But who will grab the biggest slice of it? Joining Bobby for this week's Industry Review are three pizza delivery market industry representatives: Shane Crilly, the founder of Basewood Pizza, Scott Bush, CEO of Dominos for Ireland and UK market Mick Ryan, owner of the Dublin Pizza Company.

Joining Bobby for this week edition of an Executive Chair is Elizabeth Crabbil, CEO of CIE TOURS.

26-year-old Aisling Tuck is the founder of Naked Bakes, the handmade plant-based cookie dough, and Oh Happy Treats, a vegan bakery. Aisling created them specifically to plug a gap in the market for plant-based cookies that taste just as good as the real thing, and she joined Bobby on the show.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Managing Director of Dingle Distillery and the Porter House Group, Elliot Hughes.

Philip King shot to fame in 1980 when he became the frontman of the great Irish band Scullion. Since then, he has gone on to even greater success as a filmmaker and producer, winning an Emmy for 'Bringing It All Back Home' in 1988. For a Cork man, he has found his home in Dingle where he has successfully produced Other Voices for the last 20 years. He joins Bobby to discuss.

Neven Maguire joined Bobby to talk about the special quality that Dingle has to offer, the incredible array of produce available in Ireland in general, and the importance of buying local whenever possible. Jim Garvey also stopped by to take about the success of his business, the Garvey Group, and how things have bounced back after the pandemic.

Coming to you from Dick Mack's Pub in Dingle, for the Blas Na hEireann Food Awards and Dingle Food Festival, Bobby looked into the realm of food journalism and where we stand as a food destination as a whole with: - Caroline Hennessy - Food writer, broadcaster & author - Ali Dunworth, Food Journalist & consultant - Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford aka The Gastrogays

To find out a little bit more about what Dingle as a foodie's destination has to offer, Bobby paid a visit to a few places around the town. He spoke to: - Mark Murphy from The Little Cheese Shop Dingle - Sean Murphy of Murphys Ice Cream - Justin Burgess co-owner of Bean in Dingle

Michael Healy-Rae is one of the most recognizable faces in Irish politics - the scourge of some green politicians and champion of rural Ireland in equal measure. He joined Bobby to discuss his political career and the incredible offerings available in Dingle and co. Kerry in general.

Bobby was broadcasting out of Dick Mac’s Pub for Blas na hÉireann The Irish Food Awards & The Dingle Food Festival 2022. He was joined by the man behind it all Artie Clifford who is the Chairperson of the Awards plus the Supreme Winners of the Awards, Bart Pawlukojc of Aran Bakery in Kilkenny.

Bobby visits the Local Enterprise Village at the National Ploughing Championships; with thanks to The Local Enterprise Offices-Support for new and growing businesses in Ireland.

With a cost of living crisis in full swing next week’s budget promises to bring some serious assistance to struggling citizens. But will it go for enough or will it go too far. Bobby was joined by Economist Dan O’Brien to discuss.

It’s almost a cliché at this stage to talk about the growth in Digital Payments. In a seemingly very short space of time we seem to be paying for more and more things digitally. Bobby was joined by Conor Quirke who is the BOI Payment Acceptance Manager for Ireland.

Last week Bobby Kerr was in Austin and New York for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Annual CEO Retreat. One piece he didn’t get to bring was his chat with the Rigney brothers. Pat Rigney is the man behind the wildly successful Gunpowder Gin from the Shed Distillery and has chatted to use many times before. It turns out his brother Vivian who lives in New York has lived a pretty intense life himself.

For this week episode of Industry Review Bobby was joined by three representatives of endurance events.

Joining Bobby Kerr in the Executive Chair this week is Eoin McGettigan, CEO Port of Cork.

In this second hour of the 2022 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Annual CEO Retreat brought to you all the way from Austin, Texas & New York City, Bobby speaks to the Secretary of State for Texas, John Scott, about his love of all things Irish. John N. Doggett, Professor of Instruction at the McCombs School of Business of The University of Texas at Austin joins Bobby to chat about how the notion of "success" has changed over the last number of years. Bobby takes a trip to the New York Stock Exchange, and speaks to three of this year's EY Entrepreneur finalists - Evelyn Kelly of Orphan Drug Consulting; Greg Bradley, CEO of BLK BOX Fitness; and Lulu O'Sullivan, Chief Executive, and founder of GiftsDirect.com - about hiring and keeping the right people in your business. And finally, in this week's Executive Chair, Bobby is joined by Mark McClain, CEO, and Founder of SailPoint.

All week Bobby and the Down to Business team were in Austin, Texas, and New York City for the annual EY Entrepreneur of the Year CEO Retreat. You’ll be hearing from the former American football and baseball player, Quan Cosby, who now works as a business advisor and has some terrific insights into the parallels between high-performance sports as well as Mellie Price, a widely respected thought leader on disruptive innovation & Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin about the history of business in the city. You’ll also be hearing from some of this year’s EY Entrepreneur finalists - Mainline CEO, Jamie O'Rourke; BioAtlantis CEO, John T. O'Sullivan; Colette Twomey, Co-Founder of Clonakilty Blackpudding; and Jenni Timony of FitPink Fitness - and the issues facing them during a post-pandemic landscape and much, much more.

Joining Emmet Oliver in the Executive Chair this week is Ken Robertson, Founder and CEO of 'The Tenth Man'.

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed by e-mails arriving long after you should have finished work or are you in way too many WhatsApp groups at work? Are you Crazy Busy? Thijs Launspach is a teacher in 'The School of Life' in Amsterdam and the author of 'Crazy Busy: Keeping Sane in a Stressful World'. He joins Emmet Oliver to discuss.

With so much talk around construction in Ireland at the moment we thought we might find out a little bit more about the design process that goes into the homes, offices, and commercial buildings we interact with on a daily basis. Joining Emmet Oliver for this week’s Industry Review are three architects: ● John Dorman, Director at Dorman Architects ● Courtney McDonnell of Courtney McDonnell Studios ● Gráinne Dunne of Co-Director Studio Red Architects

Pat Drinan is the founder of Cork-based 'HomeHak', which provides a secure means by which homeowners and tenants can connect with one another. HomeHak offers built-in security with Stripe Identity. Pat joins Emmet Oliver to tell him more.

Perhaps the most famous business encounter the Queen had when she came to Ireland in 2011 was when she visited Cork’s Fabled English Market. One of the people she met that day was Pat O’Connell, a fishmonger of note. Pat joins Emmet Oliver to discuss the experience and reflect on the impact of the Queen's visit to Ireland.

Next week, Down to Business will be bringing you the show from Austin, Texas, and New York as part of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Annual CEO Retreat. Emmet Oliver is joined by Roger Wallace who is the Partner Lead for the Programme at EY to find out what we might expect.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Andrew Lynas, MD of Lynas Foodservice

Salma Shah runs her own certified coach training programme with clients ranging from 'Reuters' to the UK’s 'Teenage Cancer Trust', and with all that experience, she has just written a new book 'Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in Coaching: A Practical Guide'. Salma joins Bobby to tell him all about it.

There are few things that sound more appetizing than a sausage sizzling away in a frying pan. They’re a staple of so many households around Ireland, and indeed the world, and so for this week’s ‘Industry Review,’ Bobby thought he’d speak to three sausage specialists to find out about this cherished food staple. Joining Bobby is: - Jane Russell of Jane Russell's Handmade Sausages in Kildare - Barry John Crowe of Barry John Sausages in Cavan - Peter Whelan of The Whole Hoggs in Meath

A constant refrain lately is ‘Why is Ireland so expensive?'. Economist Cormac Lucey says much of it can be explained by the 'Big Mac' - he joins Bobby to discuss.

Bobby was out & about in Sandycove, Co. Dublin, where he met up with Waterford-based entrepreneur Frances O’Reilly, who is the brains behind 'DogDry', a brand new super absorbent dog drying coat for wet dogs.

How legal are drones and should you need a license to own or use one? Joining Bobby to talk more about this is Simon Henry, Business Development Manager at ZenaDrone.

Christmas will come early for one local business this year, as 'Champion Green' - Ireland’s support local initiative - is giving small businesses the chance to win a €50,000 retail opportunity, in partnership with Aviva Life & Pensions. ‘Readymade Retail’ was launched by 'Champion Green', in the Blackrock Village Centre in Dublin and the competition will see a small business with big ambition win a pop-up retail store in the prestigious south Dublin shopping centre, worth over €50,000 for a period of six months. Duncan Graham, Managing Director of Retail Ireland joins Bobby to discuss. Find out more at www.championgreen.ie

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Aaron Mansworth, MD of Trigon Hotels.

Joining Bobby to talk about how your business can improve and reach its goals through everyday actions is leadership mentor & CEO of Black Isle Group, Jeremy Campbell.

There is plenty of talk of a global downturn of late following the pandemic and the war in Ukraine but writing in last Sunday’s Independent, Conor Skehan thinks Ireland has the ability to possibly protect itself from its worst effects. He joined Bobby to discuss.

Music is a universal language that bridges cultural, political, and religious divides and can bring about the very best in us. So, for this week’s industry review, Bobby sought to find out more about the business of teaching music from those in the know. Joining Bobby is: - Craig Wynne, Owner of the Dublin School of Music - Killian Ivory, School Manager from Everest School of Music in Bray - Jen Tully of JTVox

‘Quiet Quitting’ is the concept of no longer going above and beyond, and instead doing what their job description requires of them and only that. Damien McCarthy, CEO of HR Buddy, has had his own experience of ‘quiet quitting’ and he says that it’s not just the employees that are doing it. He joins Bobby to discuss.

Bobby took a trip out to Bar 1661 - Winner of the Bar of the Year Awards 2022. There he chatted to the owner, Dave Mulligan, about what makes his establishment so unique and tried some of their wares.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Justin Lawless, CEO of Intact Software.

Down to Business has long been a supporter of Focus Ireland’s 'Shine a Light Night' which sees businesses and companies all over Ireland sleep out in solidarity with Ireland’s homeless population. One person who knows a lot about the work of Focus Ireland is Kelly Ann who is a 'Lived Experience Ambassador' for Focus Ireland - she joined Bobby to discuss her experience. Focus Ireland's 'Shine a Light Night', supported by Bord Gáis Energy, will take place on Friday 14 October 2022. https://www.focusireland.ie/shinealight/

It has never been a better time for food lovers in Ireland. Not only are there countless bricks-and-mortar restaurants serving up some of the finest food in the world, but there has also been an explosion in the popularity of Food Trucks that now dot our street corners. To find out what it’s like running one of these businesses Bobby is joined by: Scott Holder of Los Chicanos Jacob Long of Griolladh Julia Hemingway of Julia’s Lobster Truck

Next weekend Bobby will be putting his culinary skills to the test by cooking lobster at the 2022 Dalkey Lobster Festival with Lorraine Keane on hand to judge Bobby's technique and presentation skills. Bobby was joined by Lorraine and Romain Tessier, aka 'The Arty Baker', who will also display his skills at the festival to discuss.

Bobby was Out & About at Mondello Park at the Carole Nash Historic Festival, which was back for 2022. There he took in the sights and sounds of the vintage and classic motorbikes & cars on display. He also chatted to Ian Beatty, Operations & Sporting Director of Mondello Park as well as BMW Ireland's Managing Director, Kevin Davidson.

Writing in today's Irish Independent, Charlie Weston said that many people now fear a new property bubble has built up and will burst. Charlie joined Bobby to discuss.

Every single entrepreneur, no matter where they come from or how big they become, has been at the point in their journey where they ask themselves “Where do I start?” Matt Clifford, co-founder, and CEO of Entrepreneur First and co-author of ‘How to Be a Founder: How Entrepreneurs Can Identify, Fund and Launch their Best Ideas’ has joined Bobby on the show.

Bobby went out there on the stunning Loop Head Peninsula visiting a novel business that epitomizes the spirit of endeavour and following your dreams. From Milan to Clare with a South American twist, Bobby visited The Flying Alpacas, a small farm that offers families the chance to get up close and personal with Alpacas and much more.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Geraldine Ruane, CEO of the RDS.

When you think of tattoos you might think of them as being a statement of your artistic side - a representation of who you are - but they also put food on the tables of many people around the country. To discuss the way attitudes around tattoos and how perceptions of the industry in general have shifted over the last few years Bobby was joined by Dolores Murray of Wildcat Ink, Kevin McNamara of Dublin Ink and Aisling Mahon of Aisling Mahon Tattoo in Co Kildare.

The upcoming budget is set to see a landmark tax package with many expecting to benefit from the implementation of measures looking to tackle the issue of rampant inflation. To discuss the plans and what we might expect from budget 2023, I'm delighted to be joined now by renowned economist, Moore McDowell.