The SME Community Podcast

Succession Planning for SMEs; Pass the baton, not the drama

As the holidays bring families together, it's the perfect time to reflect on the future—both personal and professional. In this episode of The SME Community Podcast, we dive into succession planning for small businesses. Aisling is joined by solicitor Ronan Kennedy and accountant Frank McMahon. Learn about the steps, challenges, and strategies to ensure a smooth transition for your business legacy. Whether you’re passing the reins to family or preparing for new leadership, this episode is packed with insights to help you plan for tomorrow. Don’t leave your business’s future to chance—start the conversation today. Frank McMahon, is the Managing Director at McMahon & Co Auditors & Accountants. He is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of experience, spanning both industry and public practice. He holds advanced qualifications in Forensic Accounting, Corporate and Personal Insolvency, and Business & Executive Coaching from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Committed to staying updated, Frank regularly undertakes professional education in taxation, company law, and regulations. Ronan Kennedy is a Partner in Kennedy Frewen O’Brien Solicitors since 2003. He is a CEDR qualified mediator and the litigation partner at the 120 year old firm where he has acted for both Plaintiffs and Defendants. This gives him a unique insight into how opponents operate tactically. He has experience across the court system including the Circuit Court, High Court and Supreme Court. The Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, along with Enterprise Ireland, provide a wide range of help, incentives, training, and development programmes to entrepreneurs in Tipperary.  You can reach LEO Tipperary on https://www.localenterprise.ie/tipperary, or get in touch with them at their base in Clonmel, @TipperaryLEO.  Contact Frank McMahon  www.mcmahonandco.ie [http://www.mcmahonandco.ie],  email:  info@mcmahonandco.ie [info@mcmahonandco.ie]. Contact Ronan Kennedy at https://kfos.ie [https://kfos.ie], email  info@kfos.ie. You can talk to the TBF Digital Agency production team on Twitter or Instagram @tbfcentral using the #SMECommunityPodcast or at https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] or https://tbf.ie. [https://tbf.ie] Production Team LEO Tipperary Team:   https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan  Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host  Aisling Hurley  Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell The SME Community Podcast Production Team LEO Tipperary Team: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host Aisling Hurley Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell

Cora Barnes - Customer Relationships; Turning One-Time Buyers into Lifelong Customers

In this episode of The SME Community Podcast, Aisling dives into the art of building lasting customer relationships with Cora Barnes, founder and M.D. of 3Q Recruitment Agency. Discover practical strategies to keep your customers coming back, turn them into loyal advocates, and create unforgettable experiences that set your business apart. Whether you're an SME owner or part of a growing team, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you foster customer loyalty and drive long-term success. Tune in and learn how to turn customer relationships into your secret weapon! Cora Barnes has over 27 years experience in recruitment with an Executive MBA from Smurfit, a Post Graduate Diploma in HR from DBS, and a BA in Social Science from UCD. She is a resident judge for the Dublin City Local Enterprise Office Female Entrepreneur Award since 2008, a Fellow of the Employment Recruitment Federation, ERF Skillnet & Small Firms Association committee member and a board member and fundraiser for educational and youth initiatives in Dublin and South Africa.  She is also a mentor for the SHONA project for empowering young women. The Local Enterprise Office Tipperary, along with Enterprise Ireland, provide a wide range of help, incentives, training, and development programmes to entrepreneurs in Tipperary.  You can reach LEO Tipperary on https://www.localenterprise.ie/tipperary, or get in touch with them at their base in Clonmel, @TipperaryLEO.  Contact Cora Barnes  - cora@3qrecruitment.ie [cora@3qrecruitment.ie] or https://3qrecruitment.ie/ [https://3qrecruitment.ie/] or on LinkedIn. You can talk to the TBF Digital Agency production team on Twitter or Instagram @tbfcentral using the #SMECommunityPodcast or at https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] or https://tbf.ie. [https://tbf.ie] Production Team LEO Tipperary Team:   https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan  Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host  Aisling Hurley  Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell The SME Community Podcast Production Team LEO Tipperary Team: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host Aisling Hurley Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell

AI Strategies for SMEs Pamela Campagna

In this episode from Boston, USA,  Aisling sits down with Pamela Campagna, where they discuss the practical, actionable strategies on using AI tools and how to begin integrating them into your business. Pamela Campagna has over 30 years of experience in consulting, business, marketing, and entrepreneurship. She is the President of BLUE SAGE Consulting, Inc. a certified women-owned management consulting firm founded in 1997, where she specialises in global strategy, business optimisation & human capital development. She is a former board member and chair of the Marketing Committee of CMC-Global Institute, a virtual global community for professional management consultants. She is also a Certified Management Consultant (CMC®), representing global standards in consulting competencies, professional behavior, and ethics. Pamela is a professor of Practice at HULT International Business School in Cambridge, MA and has lectured at several universities including Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Her research focuses on team formation, using AI to develop personal success, as well as entrepreneurial self-efficacy for women entrepreneurs. Contact Pamela Campagna  - https://www.bluesageconsulting.com/ [https://www.bluesageconsulting.com/] pamelac@bluesageconsulting.com [pamelac@bluesageconsulting.com] Learn about AI: https://www.udemy.com/ You can reach LEO Tipperary on localenterprise.ie Tipperary, or get in touch with them at their base in Clonmel, @TipperaryLEO.  You can talk to the TBF Digital Agency production team on Twitter or Instagram @tbfcentral using the #SMECommunityPodcast or at https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] or https://tbf.ie. [https://tbf.ie] Production Team LEO Tipperary Team:   https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan  Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host  Aisling Hurley  Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell The SME Community Podcast Production Team LEO Tipperary Team: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host Aisling Hurley Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell

National Womens Enterprise Day Special: WITH CLARE BRETT, DUBLIN HERBALIST

In this episode of The SME Community Podcast, Aisling sits down with Clare Brett, the founder of natural  skincare specialist manufacturer, Dublin Herbalist. Clare is a guest at the upcoming NWED event on the 17th of October.  Dublin Herbalists skincare range is created and  blended by hand in Ireland. The range  is suitable for all skin types and is the winner of several beauty awards including a GOLD award in The Global Green Beauty awards 2024. Clare shares how a hobby in 2012 became a business with a range of 24 products, where  the products are now sold globally - even reaching Asia, the challenges along the way and key business survival tips on data analytics, branding and watching the numbers. Local Enterprise Offices, along with Enterprise Ireland, provide a wide range of help, incentives, training, and development programmes to female entrepreneurs nationwide. National Womens Enterprise Day is coming up on the 17th of October.  This is Ireland’s largest female enterprise event that promotes, encourages and stimulates female entrepreneurship across Ireland.  LEO Tipperary’s event takes place in the fabulous Dromoland Castle and CountryClub Hotel.   National Womens Enterprise Day Bookings:  https://www.localenterprise.ie/Portal/Enable-Enterprise-Culture/NWED/NWED-2024/What-s-On!.html [https://www.localenterprise.ie/Portal/Enable-Enterprise-Culture/NWED/NWED-2024/What-s-On!.html] NWED Tipperary Event Information: MC: Ciana Campbell. Speakers include Aimee Connolly, from Sculpted by Aimee  With panel speakers Hannah Wrixon, Pressed Flowers By Nell and, Clare Brett of Dublin Herbalists. Contact Dublin Herbalist - https://dublinherbalists.ie/ You can reach LEO Tipperary on localenterprise.ie Tipperary, or get in touch with them at their base in Clonmel, @TipperaryLEO.  You can talk to the TBF Digital Agency production team on Twitter or Instagram @tbfcentral using the #SMECommunityPodcast or at https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] or https://tbf.ie. [https://tbf.ie] Production Team LEO Tipperary Team:   https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan  Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host  Aisling Hurley  Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell The SME Community Podcast Production Team LEO Tipperary Team: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host Aisling Hurley Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell

Intellectual Property Strategy for SMEs - with Dr. Nadav Ben Haim of SETU

In this episode of The SME Community Podcast, Aisling sits down with Dr. Nadav Ben Haim, the recently appointed Life Sciences Commercialisation Case Manager at the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) of South East Technological University (SETU).   Together, they dive into the essentials of Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy and explore how SMEs can leverage IP to create tangible monetary value. IP is seen as the domain of tech giants and larger organisations involved in such industries as pharma etc. but did you know that it is equally applicable to smaller businesses and startups? Dr. Ben Haim offers practical insights for beginners, helping business owners understand the basics of protecting their innovations and how smart IP strategies can unlock new opportunities for growth and revenue, helping you go from local to global.  You can reach LEO Tipperary on localenterprise.ie Tipperary, or get in touch with them at their base in Clonmel, @TipperaryLEO.  You can contact Dr. Nadav Ben Haim at SETU: Nadav.Benhaim@setu.ie Learn about the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) of South East Technological University: https://www.setu.ie/research-innovation/innovation-and-entrepreneurship/technology-transfer-offices Learn about Innovation Vouchers: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/supports/innovation-voucher  You can talk to the TBF Digital Agency production team on Twitter or Instagram @tbfcentral using the #SMECommunityPodcast or at https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] or https://tbf.ie. The SME Community Podcast Production Team LEO Tipperary Team: https://www.localenterprise.ie/Tipperary/ Madeline Ryan Ita Horan TBF Production Team: https://thebusinessfairy.ie [https://thebusinessfairy.ie] https://tbf.ie [https://tbf.ie] Research & Host Aisling Hurley Sound Engineer Derry Luttrell