Down To Business

Next week will see the winners announced at this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and in the run-up to that we’ve been profiling some of the finalists and looking at some of the issues facing entrepreneurs. This week we’re taking a look at ‘purpose’ and asking the question - "Can you run a business that’s more than just about profit?" Bobby is joined by: - Martin McKay of TextHelp (2022 F...

There have been serious blows to Ireland’s tech sector in recent weeks with job losses at Twitter and stripe to name just two. Yet an Oireachtas committee this week heard that there is still a healthy pipeline of tech investments. To make sense of this and the general headwinds the industry is facing Bobby is joined by Ian Curran of the Irish Times.

‘The Holly Bough’ is something that I can only describe as a sort of "Cork Christmas Annual" and this year sees it is turning an incredible 125 years old. John Dolan who is its editor, joined Bobby to discuss this year's edition and the history of the publication in general.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Billy Kelly, Managing Director at Kelly's Resort Hotel and Spa.

Liam Griffin is known throughout the country as the much admired Wexford senior inter-county manager who brought them to an All-Ireland victory in 1996. He has since seen great success creating one of Ireland's leading hotel groups - The Griffin Group. He stopped by to chat with Bobby to tell him how he's been getting on.

Gavin Glass is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who also produces music. In 2019 he stepped away from Dublin and moved both his home and his business to Curracloe in Wexford. He joined Bobby to discuss the move.

Broadcasting from Green Acres in Wexford this week, we had the opportunity to chat with some local businesses big and small, celebrating what the sunny southeast has to offer for business and leisure. In that vein, Bobby thought he’d speak to some of the businesses and producers in the area to find out a little bit more about what makes Wexford so special. Joining Bobby is: - Eamon Crean, owner of...

Down to Business was coming to you from Green Acres in Wexford this week where amongst many other great guests, Bobby had the chance to catch up with a few local business people of note - namely Vinny Doyle of 'Cry Before Dawn' and Doyle’s Motors & Samantha Kelly aka the 'Tweeting Goddess'.

Bobby was out and about at Rosslare Europort, one of the beating hearts of Irish trade and transport. There he spoke to Glenn Carr, Director of Commercial Business Units at Iarnród Éireann, Port Authority for Rosslare Europort to find out about what has been happening at the port and what the future might hold.

Kevin Dundon is instantly recognizable from the many successful cookery shows he has fronted and who has also had a 25-year love affair with Dunbrody House in Wexford. Kevin joined Bobby in Green Acres in Wexford to chat about how he is getting on.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Sean McKeown, Director of Fota Wildlife Park.

It seems that Irish Banks are all upgrading their forecasts due to rising ECB rates and in tandem with that the government sold a further 5% in AIB this week. If this keeps up there may soon be a call for the government to do away with pay caps and bonuses. To make sense of this and some other business stories from the week, Bobby is joined by Joe Brennan, Market’s Correspondent with the Irish Tim...

Many of us have to decide the path we take in our professional lives soon after we leave school. But for professional sportspeople, that fork in the road comes much later. So, to talk about the challenges of finding their way after leaving the world of professional sport, Bobby is joined by: - Mick Dowling, Former Olympic Boxer - Marcus Horan, former Ireland, and Munster Rugby player - Cliona Fole...

Continuing this week we’re profiling some of this year’s finalists in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the run-up to the Awards night on November 30th and look at some of the issues facing entrepreneurs. This week Bobby was keen on looking at the entrepreneurial experience itself and how sometimes it can be a lonely road and certainly not for the faint-hearted. Bobby is joined by: - Carol...

Bobby was out & about at Art Source in the RDS, Ireland's premier art fair, featuring hundreds of Irish and International artists and galleries. There he spoke to organisers and artists alike to find out all about it.

Whether it's a statement piece or just something that you can wear out on a daily basis, fashion underpins so much of how we express to people who we are. It’s an industry that has exploded in recent years with more and more quality being made available to people of all walks of life and so with that in mind, Bobby wanted to find out a little bit about how the Irish fashion sector is faring. Joini...

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Séamus Clancy, CEO at Repak.

Michele Wucker is a senior advisor to Preventable Surprises, a 'think-do' tank that seeks to address systemic risks before they escalate into economic implosions. She joins Bobby to talk about her new book 'The Gray Rhino: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore'.

Starting this week we’re going to profile some of this year’s finalists in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the run-up to the awards night on November 30th and look at some of the issues facing entrepreneurs. This week Bobby is joined by Helen Cahill from InvoiceFair and Justin Lawless of Intact Solutions.

Ballymaloe House is known the world over for its use of the freshest ingredients and its sustainable ethos. Bobby took a trip to east Cork to find out how things have been since things reopened following a challenging few years.

Necessity can be the mother of invention when it comes to a good business idea and Mary and Sophie Leahy, a mother-daughter duo, have one such story. Mary suffers from arthritis but still loves a glass of wine so using traditional corkscrews became a big problem. Sophie tried to find her an easy-to-use alternative and was shocked to find nothing on the market, so decided to create something to fil...

The language of finance has often been seen as a barrier, causing many to feel too intimidated to even begin to try and understand it. So how can we demystify the aspects of finance that we have never been able to grasp? Luckily Si Hussain, co-author of ‘The Finance Book: Understand the Numbers Even If You're Not a Finance Professional’ was on hand to chat with Bobby and clear up some of the more...

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it would be the perfect time to get the thoughts of those in the business of all things ghosts, goblins, witches, and even pumpkins. Joining Bobby to discuss the business of Halloween is: Ronan O'Brien of The Costume Shop.ie. Caroline Whelan, Creator of Galway Patch. Karl O’Connor, Owner and Creative Director of The Nightmare Realm.

Earlier this week, the ECB announced a 0.75% increase in interest rate, the third increase this year. But will this move actually help tackle inflation and what does it mean for you and your wallet? Cliff Taylor from the Irish Times joins Bobby to discuss.

We know that the hospitality sector faced huge challenges during the pandemic and now that normality has largely returned to the sector, they now face the ever-present spectre of rising inflation. But what does this mean for menu prices and hotel room rates? Bobby is joined now by Gerardo Lario Rizo, Head of Hospitality Sector with Bank of Ireland to discuss.