#19 | Laura Smyth | Designing Brands, Business & Balance

#19 | Laura Smyth | Designing Brands, Business & Balance

This week I sit down with Laura Smyth from White Noise for a conversation around business, branding, family and stepping into something you never fully planned for. Laura talks about taking over the family business from her dad, balancing leadership with motherhood, and how the world of branding and design is rapidly evolving in the age of AI. We also get into control, growth, learning to let go as a founder, and the reality of building something meaningful while still protecting flexibility and family life. A thoughtful conversation on legacy, ambition and adapting in a modern world that keeps moving fast. If you enjoy conversations around entrepreneurship, creativity, family and high agency living, make sure to subscribe and follow along. Follow / connect: Instagram: @declanholmes08 @founderfamilycollective Find Whitenoise : Instagram: @wearewhitenoise Website: https://whitenoisestudios.com/

#18 | Sandra & Scott- Oasis Travel | The Next Generation

This week on Founder & Family, I’m joined by Sandra Corkin and Scott McCabe of Oasis Travel one of Northern Ireland’s most recognised family businesses. What started over 40 years ago as a passion for travel has grown into a multi-award-winning brand with eight offices, a team of 60, and customers who’ve travelled with them for decades. But this episode goes far beyond holidays and destinations. We talk about the reality of building a long-term business as a family, the pressure of stepping into leadership, how the travel industry has evolved through uncertainty, and what it takes to modernise a legacy brand without losing what made it special in the first place. We also get into: * Working with family without damaging relationships * Letting go of control * Navigating uncertainty in travel * Leadership across generations * Standards, reputation and customer trust * The emotional side of succession in business * Why people still value human connection in an increasingly digital world A really honest conversation about business, resilience, and what it means to build something that lasts. Follow / connect: Instagram: @declanholmes08 @founderfamilycollective Find Oasis Travel : Instagram: @oasistravelni Website: https://www.oasis-travel.co.uk

#17 | Erinn- Ivy & Gold | Building Business around Life

This week I sat down with Erinn, founder of Ivy & Gold a bespoke jewellery brand she’s built from the ground up while raising two kids. We got into the reality of building a business when your time is pulled in every direction… where boundaries actually matter, and how easy it is to chase a version of “success” that doesn’t fit your life. What stood out most was her clarity family first, business fits around that, not the other way round. A perspective I think more of us are trying to figure out in real time. Follow / connect: Instagram: @declanholmes08 @founderfamilycollective Find Ivy & Gold: Instagram: @ivyandgolduk Website: https://www.ivygold.co.uk

#16 | Kate Nicholl | From School to Stormont

What’s it actually like to go from school corridors… to Stormont? In this episode of the Founder & Family Collective, I sit down with Kate Nicholl, someone I’ve known since school, for a conversation that’s equal parts honest, reflective, and (at times) a bit of craic. This isn’t your typical political interview.It’s a look at the person behind the role from early days and shared memories, to stepping into public life in Northern Ireland. We get into the reality of politics the pressure, the responsibility, and what it actually feels like to represent people but also some of the lighter moments along the way…Including a very unexpected perk of being Lord Mayor of Belfast (you’ll want to hear that one 👀). SUBSCRIBE FOR BI WEEKLY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIGH AGENCY PARENTS BALANCING IT ALL Guest: Kate Nicholl MLA Host: Declan Holmes Brought to you in partnership with The Foxes Den Follow & connect: Declan- @declanholmes08 Kate- @Kate_nicholl Founder & Family- @founderfamilycollective The Foxes Den- @thefoxesdenards Founder & Family Podcast Available now on all major platforms..

#15 | Elanna & Paddy - Pearl Beauty | Falling in Love & Building a Beauty Empire

This episode is about more than business. Before Pearl Beauty, there was a relationship.Before the growth, the pressure, and the brand there was just two people figuring life out together. In this conversation, Elanna and Paddy open up on: Building a business through uncertainty Navigating growth while raising a young family The realities behind running a successful beauty brand How their relationship has evolved through it all The sacrifices, risks, and mindset it takes to keep going It’s honest, grounded, and a reminder that behind every brand is a real story and real people. SUBSCRIBE FOR BI WEEKLY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIGH AGENCY PARENTS BALANCING IT ALL Guests: Elanna & Paddy McGowan- Founders Pearl Beauty Host: Declan Holmes Brought to you in partnership with The Foxes Den Follow & connect: Declan- @declanholmes08 Elanna- Instagram @ellepearls YouTube  ⁨@elannapecherle⁩  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC9La-R9a4Ct8FAtZZf-O0WA] Pearl Beauty- @pearlbeauty www.pearlbeautycosmetics.com Founder & Family- @founderfamilycollective The Foxes Den- @thefoxesdenards Founder & Family Podcast Available now on all major platforms..