Highland Radio Business Matters

In this 200th episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore finds out more about the Ambition female accelerator programme, and speaks with Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office, Donegal. He also catches up with Justin Molloy, Director, Construction Industry Federation, Western/Midlands and Northern Region, to discuss about the construction sector’s capacity to meet the demand [...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with Letterkenny man John Logue who is Chief Executive officer of Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, or SERI, a national representative body for social enterprises. Essentially social enterprises are non-profit making but play an invaluable role in communities. And he feels they should be given more […] The post Business Matters,...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore interviews musician Zara Montgomery who recently established a one stop shop for all your wedding music. Her new band Snapshot Live was set up to cater for weddings and also corporate events. For weddings rather than having a number of different people to contact, she can provide […] The post Business Matters, Ep 197: Zara Montgomery’s...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with Philip O’Kennedy, Business Advisor with the Local Enterprise Office in Ireland about how Micro Finance Ireland can help businesses. He also talks with Maura Toner, Food Coast Donegal Executive, about a number of great events over the coming months in Donegal  that are open to […] The post Business Matters, Ep 196: Micro Fin...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with Larissa Feeney, President of the Donegal Women In Business Network which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. She is also the founder and CEO of the award winning Accountant Online business which has seen rapid growth in recent years and which has just been […] The post Business Matters, Ep 195: Larissa Feeney, Presiden...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore, speaks with Ciaran McKenna, who is the owner of two family run Londis stores in Inishowen, one in Buncrana, where he also has a Circle K filling station, and the other in Drung, Quigley’s Point, where they manage the fuel for Inishowen Co-op A native of Monaghan, […] The post Business Matters, Ep 194: Ciaran McKenna of McKenna Londis, Buncr...

A Donegal based drinks company – whose products have attracted celebrity investors including Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran, Jimmy Carr, and Ronan Keating – has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the US market. The Muff Liquor Company has landed the lucrative deal with the Lucas Bols Company, one of the leading cocktail and spirits players […] The post Business Matters, Ep...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore interviews Niall Speak, the founder of the Eco Basket company. Having experienced sustainable and waste free shopping habits when he was living in Australia, Niall returned to his native Sion Mills and began the process to set up his company. The Eco Basket has a wide range of […] The post Business Matters, Ep 192: Time to Speak on Eco Baske...

In this episode of Business Matters on Highland Radio with Chris Ashmore, we hear about a Donegal woman who returned to her native Gweedore after spending more than a decade in the insurance industry in the Middle East. Helen Burke is the founder of Teambase Ireland whose business centres around simplifying and automating insurance administration […] The post Business Matters, Ep 191: Back t...

Donegal Town based GuestDiary.com offers a four in one software package for hotels and guesthouses that streamlines their booking systems. The company, founded in 2008, has seen its staff numbers double to 16 and it continues to go from strength to strength. Some 10% of its export sales now come from the Vietnamese market – […] The post Business Matters, Ep 190: Donegal business Guestd...

In this episode of Business Matters with Chris Ashmore we’ll hear about Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards, which is the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland.  Numerous Donegal firms have been successful in the past and many will enter again this year. Chris has been speaking with Fallon […] The post Business Matters, Ep 189: Irish Food Awards, br...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore looks at the big increase in credit union membership and the expansion of services offered by credit unions. He also looks at the surge in digital payments and the growth of an Irish company, CleverCards, and examines the trends as we becoming an increasingly cashless society. Firstly, […] The post Business Matters, Ep 188: Credit Unions mov...

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore has been speaking with Libby Carton , co-owner and co-founder with Rick LeVert, of Kinnegar Brewing. The independent craft beer producer has expanded considerably since it first began in Rathmullan in 2011. It now has a state-of-the-art brewery in Letterkenny, and has a core range of 12 beers, […] The post Business Matters, Ep 186: Kinnegar Brewin...

On Business Matters this week, Chris has been speaking with Axel Pawlik (above), who is originally from Germany but who now lives in Portsalon. Two years ago he began making high end and stunningly attractive chocolates, and his business has really taken off. His brand is known as The Chocolate Man from Donegal. He handcrafts […] The post Business Matters, Ep 185: The Donegal Chocolate Man-...

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore pays a visit to the Medical Skin Clinic in Donegal Town. When Malaysian woman Farah Mydin came to Ireland first, little did she think that she would end up living in Donegal and running her own business. Back in 2008, she qualified as a doctor from Trinity College […] The post Business Matters, Ep 184: From Malaysia to Donegal, The Medical Skin Cl...

On Business Matters this week, Chris has been finding out about apprenticeships and what they entail. Traditionally, when you talk about apprenticeships what will spring to mind for most people are trades and crafts. Well, the apprenticeship programme in Ireland has changed beyond recognition over the past decade, with a growing number of both school-leavers […] The post Business Matters, Ep...

In this episode, Chris Ashmore talks with Sean Quinn, Head of Sales at Highland Radio, about the recent, hugely successful, Highland Radio Hospitality Awards night that was held in Jackson’s Hotel, Ballybofey. He also has an in-depth interview with Dearbhla Kelly, Enterprise Engagement Officer with the Donegal Education and Training Board. She outlines the large […] The post Business M...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore takes a close look at the latest new car sales registrations in Donegal and reveals what the most popular brand, make and colour were in the county for the key month of January, which traditionally sees more sales than any other month. Meanwhile, his special guest this […] The post Business Matters, Ep 181 – New car sales, plus Hanna V...

In this edition of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with Adam Graham of the Recharge Recovery Room which is based in the Aura Leisure Centre in Letterkenny. Adam, who has an extensive background in the fitness sector, set up the business last April and it is going from strength to strength. It specialises in ice-baths […] The post Business Matters, Ep 180: Adam Graham – Recharge...

In this episode of Business Matters, Chris Ashmore visits John Graham’s Ballyholey Farm Shop just outside Raphoe. John’s family farm has been growing vegetables here in Raphoe for over 30 years. For many years they grew commercial potatoes, turnips and cabbages for wholesale customers but in 2015 they decided to change our business and we […] The post Business Matters, Ep 179 &#8...

On this week’s Business Matters, Chris Ashmore’s guest is Maura Toner, Food Coast Donegal Advisor at the Local Enterprise Office. Food Coast Donegal is an initiative driven by the Local Enterprise Office to support, celebrate and grow the Donegal food sector. Listen here:   The post Business Matters, Ep 178 – Maura Toner, Food Coast Donegal appeared first on Highland Radio -...

On Business Matters this week, Chris Ashmore speaks with Lifford man Eugene Gallen who set up Bon Appetit in June 2021. The company produces a range of cooked ready meals and has seen considerable growth in a short space of time. Bon Appetit manufactures and supplies in bulk to retailers such as Supervalu, Spar and […] The post Business Matters: Ep 177, Eugene Gallen – Bon Appetit appe...

On this week’s Business Matters, Chris Ashmore speaks with Toni Forrester, Chief Executive Officer of Letterkenny Chamber. Founded in 1965, the chamber will celebrate its 60th anniversary next year and plays a significant role in fostering business development and promoting opportunities to create a thriving business environment. The chamber has grown considerably and now has […] The p...

On this week’s Business Matters Chris Ashmore is joined by Adrian Boyle, the founder of artisan bakery Blistered Bread in Letterkenny. The Creeslough native spend many years in Australia before returning to Ireland a couple of years ago with his wife Niamh. Blistered Bread is a family sourdough bakery that specialises in making handcraft breads […] The post Business Matters: Ep 175, Adrian B...

On this week’s Business Matters Chris Ashmore is joined by Ryan Allen, Founding Director of Irish Gap Year. The Bundoran based company has been running award-winning Gap Year Programmes in Ireland and indeed in Europe for a number of years, and currently employs 13 people in Donegal. Recently, it won the Export Award at the […] The post Business Matters: Ep 175, Ryan Allen – Irish Gap...