AIBF Business Talk

"Built by farmers for farmers" Whether you’re from a farm, a startup, or just love a good founder story - this one proves that great ideas grow from familiar soil. In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, we meet Darragh Scanlon, 27-year-old founder of HerdFinder - Ireland’s #1 dedicated cattle marketplace - and winner of the AIBF Young Innovator of the Year, proudly sponsored by Little Learners. Na...

 “Going global doesn’t need to be overwhelming - not when you’ve got the right partner.” In this inspiring episode of AIBF Business Talk, CEO Elaine Carroll chats with Joanna Hart, Director at the Mauve Group, a company empowering Irish SMEs to expand internationally without the usual red tape. Joanna breaks down the real challenges facing Irish businesses - and shares practical, proven solutions...

What if a gift card could do more than say “thanks”? What if it could drive loyalty, boost morale, and keep money flowing in the Irish economy? In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, AIBF CEO Elaine Carroll chats with Terry Spence, B2B lead at One4All, the powerhouse behind Ireland’s favourite multi-store gift card. Terry pulls back the curtain on: 🟢 The surprising origins of One4All (hint: it st...

🧠 “Your Inner Voice Is Running the Show — Time to Take Back Control” What if the loudest critic in your life... was living in your own head? In this gripping episode of AIBF Business Talk, Shane Craddock joins Elaine Carroll to share the hard-earned wisdom behind his bestselling book The Inner CEO - and why true leadership starts between your ears. 💬 “Your inner voice isn’t you. But it runs your...

"Every brand has a voice. But not every brand gets heard." 🔊 That’s where Jason Keely steps in. In this inspiring episode of AIBF Business Talk, Jason — founder of VS Direct and No Limit Branding — shares how he’s helping brands cut through the chaos with smarter, sharper marketing. 🔥 His approach? Not just louder ads. But real strategy. Real targeting. Real results. Inside the conversation:  ✅...

What would you do if you had one week to change everything? When COVID hit, Dylan Walsh had a choice. Stay in his job and play it safe. Or take a chance - and build something of his own. He chose to back himself. And just like that, Celtic Dynamics was born. Today, Dylan leads an energy consultancy helping over 200 clients in 38 countries find smarter, greener ways to power their businesses. In th...

Feeling Stuck in Your Business? John Douglas Has a Message for You👉 John Douglas knows what burnout feels like. Always busy.  Always behind. No time for family.  No energy for life. That was his reality until he made one powerful decision to change everything. Now, he helps others do the same. In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, John shares: ✅ How to recognise when your business is running yo...

⚖️ Guiding, Not Just Enforcing — Michael Dillon on Protecting Irish Business with Integrity Michael Dillon has practiced law across continents — from Irish courts to Caribbean parliaments to legal towers in Dubai. But what brought him home wasn’t a job. It was purpose. Today, as Director of Legal at the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA), he’s helping Irish businesses stay compliant — not throu...

"I’d rather be the oldest person in the gym than the youngest in the nursing home." That’s Lorna Brady’s motto — and she lives by it. She started out as a lifeguard. Now she’s the CEO of Sportsco, a Dublin fitness centre with: ✔️ 5,500 members ✔️ 27,000 visits a month ✔️ A full wellness offering — from babies to 90-year-olds In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Lorna shares: 🛠️ How she led a €13...

If you’re a business owner or CEO, these questions aren’t optional — they’re essential. In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, we’re joined by Shay Lynch, founder of Future State, to dig into the tough stuff — the kind of leadership questions that separate good managers from great leaders. Shay doesn’t sugar-coat. He breaks down why leadership always starts with self, how to stop “just managing,”...

📢 This week on AIBF Business Talk, we feature Ted Endo of Rubberduck, a leading video production company crafting engaging brand content 🎥✨. Over the past 20 years, corporate video production in Ireland has evolved from occasional TV adverts to regular digital content for social media and websites 📱💻. Rubberduck works with both large corporations and SMEs, with their diverse team; spanning ba...

This week, we celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge with a special Irish-language episode featuring Siobhán Ní Chofaigh, CEO of Mint-Tek! 🌍🔧 Mint-Tek specialises in hardware prototyping, helping turn innovative ideas into reality. With strong national and international connections, many built during Siobhán’s engineering career, the company is a leader in its field. ✨ 2024 marked Mint-Tek’s 10th anniv...

This week on AIBF Business Talk 🎙, we shine a light on Cathy Jones, Chief Human Resources Officer at emeis Ireland 🏥. With an outstanding 95.4% satisfaction rate and 95.5% trust score from families ❤, emeis Ireland is committed to delivering exceptional care while investing in its people. Cathy’s passion for coaching drives leadership development, helping to ensure agility and innovation across t...

On AIBF Business Talk this week we feature Karen Thorpe, founder of Kick-Off Event Management, a company that brings event visions to life! From corporate functions to sporting spectacles, her team delivers seamless experiences with access to top-tier speakers and performers. 🏆🎤 Karen shares her journey from a decade in sports events to launching her business during COVID-19. She highlights how...

This week, Ann Greene of Allagi joins AIBF Business Talk to discuss organisational design and its role in business transformation. Allagi, a multi-award-winning consultancy, helps companies align their strategy, structure, people, and technology for optimal performance. Ann explains that organisational design is essential when companies experience strategy shifts, major events (like COVID-19), or...

Chris Farr, founder of Sontai, joins AIBF Business Talk to discuss how his company simplifies data insights for SMEs 📊. Sontai offers pre-built KPI dashboards that integrate with various business systems, covering sales, finance, CRM, and marketing. By limiting KPIs to five or fewer per area, Sontai ensures business owners stay focused without feeling overwhelmed 🎯. Chris shares his journey, hig...

This week on AIBF Business Talk, Barbara Monahan, founder of Cube Design, shares her expertise in branding and business culture. She helps businesses define their authentic purpose; create a positive culture, and build trust. 🌱 Barbara emphasizes that brand strategy is more than just visuals—logos and websites alone won’t cut it. Businesses must first understand their ideal customer and purpose b...

This week on AIBF Business Talk, Ross MacMahon, CEO of Bailey Hygiene, shares insights on the company's impressive transformation. Initially an FMCG business, Bailey Hygiene shifted focus to environmental hygiene solutions, supporting facility managers in delivering top-tier standards. 🏢✨ Ross details the company’s remarkable growth, expanding from €4M to €7.3M and scaling from 8 to 20 employees...

This week on AIBF Business Talk, Philip Byrne, Managing Director of the Irish Quality Centre (IQC), discusses the significant benefits of ISO certification for businesses 🌟. Established in 1997 and 100% Irish-owned, IQC has supported over 5,000 companies through training, consultancy, and auditing services in Quality Management Systems, Environmental Health and Safety, and Continuous Improvement...

This week on AIBF Business Talk, Clara Mulligan from HomeBot Ireland takes centre stage to discuss their innovative home robots 🤖, which include robotic vacuums, mops, and lawnmowers. HomeBot Ireland, sparked by personal needs during COVID-19, has grown from a small family business to a renowned entity, and has been honoured as Business All Star Home Improvement Innovation Company of the Year 🌟....

Bevin Mahon, our newly appointed AIBF President and Co-Owner & Managing Director of Dental Tech, joins us on our first AIBF Business Talk for 2025 to discuss her vision for her presidency and her family's thriving business, Dental Tech Group. With over 40 years in the dental industry, Dental Tech aims to be the leading dental laboratory in Orthodontics and Removable Prosthetics. 🦷🌟 Hear from...

Enda Maher, Founder of Capital Transport and Shipping is this week's guest on AIBF Business Talk. Enda shares the remarkable journey of his family-owned logistics company, founded in 2011. Starting small in his parents' house, the business focused on customer service and strategic partnerships, especially in the resilient food industry. A major milestone came in 2012 with a long-term contract from...

This week, AIBF CEO Elaine Carroll chats with Garry Kelly of GK Media, an award-winning Galway-based digital marketing agency. 🎥 Garry shares insights on how digital media has transformed marketing, empowering small businesses to compete with global giants through affordable and accessible tools like social media platforms. 📱 Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Consistency is Crucial: Regularly share content sho...

This week on AIBF Business Talk, AIBF CEO Elaine Carroll chats with Lorna Ferrie, Legal & Compliance Director at Mauve Group, on the ins and outs of international business expansion 🌐. This episode dives into compliance, cultural awareness, and strategic solutions to global challenges. 🌟 💼 Key Takeaways: 🔹 Cultural Awareness & Employment Laws: Lorna breaks down the pitfalls of assuming...

This week, AIBF CEO Elaine Carroll sits down with the dynamic Andy Mackin of the Mackin Group, a seven-in-a-row Business All-Star. From humble beginnings in 2004, Andy’s empire now spans Mackin EHS (health and safety) and Mackin Talent (global recruitment), employing 170+ staff across 11 countries 🌎, with revenue soaring to nearly €40M 💰. Andy’s story is one of evolution and resilience, transiti...