AIBF Business Talk

AIBF Business Talk

By All-Ireland Business FoundationBusiness
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AIBF Business Talk episodes

  • 🎙 Episode 200: AIBF Business Talk hits 200 Episodes - 200 conversations, one mission — to recognise, support & connect Ireland’s finest businesses.

    From the very first recording to our 200th conversation, AIBF Business Talk has been about one thing: shining a light on Ireland’s entrepreneurs.

    In this special episode, host and CEO of AIBF, Elaine Carroll sits down with Kieran Ring, Deputy Chair of the AIBF Adjudication Board, to reflect on the journey of the All-Ireland Business Foundation and the businesses that have shaped its story.

    They talk about what it means to be recognised as a Business All-Star, why entrepreneurs thrive in community, and how passion and resilience keep Irish SMEs moving forward even in uncertain times.

    This episode is more than a milestone — it’s a thank you. To the hundreds of entrepreneurs who’ve shared their stories, to the AIBF community that keeps growing, and to everyone who believes in raising standards across Irish business.

    Join us as we look back, celebrate the present, and set our sights on the next 200 episodes.

    👉 Press play and be part of the story.

    18 min
  • Episode 199: When Tradition Meets Innovation: The Story of Merenda’s Global Journey
    Ronan Haslette grew up sweeping floors in his family’s Leitrim factory. Today, he’s leading Merenda, Ireland’s  only flexible wood veneer manufacturer, working with architects, designers and furniture makers across the world.
    On this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Ronan opens up about:
    • The reality of stepping into a second-generation family business
    • How Merenda balances tradition with innovation and design trends
    • Winning — and sometimes walking away from — export markets
    • Why explaining the “why” keeps teams motivated through change
    • How veneer helps save timber resources (32x less used than solid wood)
      It’s the inside track on resilience, leadership, and building a business that lasts.
      🎧 Tune in now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — just search AIBF Business Talk. Click Here



      22 min
    • Episode 198: From Thought to Action: Sofi Musleh on Leading With Diversity
      💬  “Diversity isn’t just about difference - it’s about belonging.” – Sofi Musleh
      This week on AIBF Business Talk, Elaine Carroll chats with Sofi Musleh, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion and proud AIBF Business All-Star Thought Leader 2025.
      Sofi doesn’t do buzzwords - she talks real.
      👉 Why DEI isn’t a ‘nice extra’ but the backbone of healthy business
      👉 What small companies can do today without big budgets
      👉 The traps leaders fall into (and how to avoid them)
      👉 How listening -  really listening - changes everything
      From hospital wards to global boardrooms, Sofi has seen one truth: inclusion isn’t paperwork, it’s people.
      🎧 Tune in for a straight-talking, practical, and inspiring take on building workplaces that work for everyone.
      🎧 Listen now on Spotify – just search AIBF Business Talk
      25 min
    • Episode 197: Brows, Business & Breaking Limits with Munaza Gilmore | The Brow Movement
      👑 “The Brow Movement isn’t just about beauty - it’s about confidence, joy, and possibility.” – Munaza Gilmore
      Munaza Gilmore never set out to build a brow empire - but today, The Brow Movement is shaping confidence, creating products, and training the next generation of beauty pros. 💄
      From her granny’s sitting room to Ireland’s Brow Queen, Munaza Gilmore turned resilience and a piece of thread into The Brow Movement, one of Ireland’s rising beauty brands. 💄✨
      On this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Munaza shares:
      ✅ Starting a salon during Covid & finding joy in creativity
      ✅ The leap from social care worker to beauty entrepreneur
      ✅ Building confidence - for herself, her clients & her kids
      ✅ Creating products designed for every skin tone & community
      It’s raw, real, and proof that passion can reshape your future (and your brows).
      🎧 Listen now on Spotify – just search AIBF Business Talk
      19 min
    • Episode 196: Financial Planning That Actually Fits You | David Devine, Platinum Financial Planning
      “I’ve worked with people earning huge salaries… but still struggling to keep up with bills.”

      For David Devine, that wasn’t a question of discipline - it was about wiring.
      As the founder of Platinum Financial Planning & NeuroFinance™, David has spent years helping clients who think differently take control of their finances - without the shame, jargon or one-size-fits-all approach.
      In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, the Wired for Wealth author and AIBF Wicklow Financial Services Company of the Year winner shares:
      • Why money struggles are often about compatibility, not capability
      • How his NEURO Method creates financial plans that stick - even for non-linear thinkers
      • The connection between self-worth, stress, and spending
      • Real client stories that prove a different approach gets different results
      • His mission to train a global network of neuro-aware advisors
        If you’ve ever felt “bad with money” - this might just change the way you see your finances.
        🎧 Listen now on Spotify – just search AIBF Business Talk

         

        16 min
      • Episode 195: The Road to Becoming Ireland’s Champion Coach Company | Mike Buckley, Kerry Coaches
        From a humble jaunting car in 1957 to the pinnacle of luxury travel today - Kerry Coaches is now proud to be crowned All-Ireland Champion Bus and Coach Company of the Year 2025.🥇
        In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Elaine Carroll chats with Mike Buckley, who shares how his family business grew from small beginnings to a fleet of over 100 luxury coaches.
        💬 “People said I was mad spending £23,500 on a mini coach in 1982.”
        💬 “We were one of the first to offer proper luxury travel for golf tours.”
        💬 “The way Kerry plays football - with pride and passion - that’s how we run our business.”
        🎧 In the episode, Mike talks about:
        • Starting from scratch after losing his father
        • The rise of golf tourism and VIP travel
        • Why family values still drive the business
        • The future of greener transport
        • And what it takes to build something that lasts
          This is a story of pride, people and pure determination.
          🎧 Listen now on Spotify – just search AIBF Business Talk

           

          20 min
        • Episode 194: Tech, Strategy & Reinvention – The Dave Devery Consulting Story
          "You don’t need to hustle harder, you need to think sharper." 💡
          After 20 years running his first tech company, Dave Devery stepped away, took stock, and started again, this time on his own terms with Dave Devery Consulting.
          On this episode of AIBF Business Talk, he chats with Elaine Carroll about:
          • Walking away from a business he built over two decades
          • Starting fresh as a fractional CIO -and what that actually means
          • Helping business leaders avoid tech debt and make smarter IT decisions
          • Why strategy beats hustle when you’re building something sustainable
          • Advice for anyone thinking about making a big change
          • What it means to be named AIBF Tipperary Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 🥇
            From Tipperary to tech boardrooms, Dave’s story is honest, sharp and full of useful insight.
            If you’re building, rebuilding or just rethinking things - this one’s for you.
            🎙 Now streaming on Spotify | Search “AIBF Business Talk” 🔍
            22 min
          • Episode 193: Lead Generation with Integrity - The Xsell Success Story | Edel Madden and David McCullough

            “After a year or two, we pivoted into lead generation - and that’s been our core focus for the past 10 years. Now, we’re evolving again.”

            In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Elaine Carroll sits down with Edel Madden and David McCullough, co-founders of Xsell - proudly named All-Ireland Champion Digital Marketing & Lead Generation Agency of the Year.

            After decades in big tech, they left the boardroom behind to build something better - a results-driven agency with values at its core and zero room for fluff.

            In this episode, we explore:

            ✅ Why they walked away from corporate life

            ✅ How they’ve built a no-politics, high-performance team
            ✅ The “RACC” formula that’s helping clients win globally
            ✅ What makes their lead gen approach actually work
            ✅ Their take on AI, agility, and staying ahead of the game

            🎧 This one’s for entrepreneurs who believe you can grow a business and do it your way.

            Listen now on Spotify - search AIBF Business Talk

            30 min
          • Episode 192: Breaking Barriers, Not Budgets - Meet the Woman Leading with Heart | Aoife Caulfield, Caulfield Financial

            "I was the everything. I was head of every department. You do everything.

            You look back now and wonder, how did I do it? But you do - you just do."

            In this week’s episode of AIBF Business Talk, host Elaine Carroll sits down with Aoife Caulfield of Caulfield Financial – a woman on a mission to simplify financial planning and help families take control of their financial future.

            Aoife shares the real story behind her business:

            💬 Walking away from corporate comfort to build something of her own

            💬 The unseen emotional load of being a solopreneur and a mum
            💬 Building a dream business - from her home office
            💬 Why she believes finance should never feel intimidating
            💬 The power of planning, purpose, and plain speaking

            ✨ From surviving the early solopreneur grind to creating a business that fits her life - this is a story full of courage, candour, and clarity.

            🎧 Listen now on Spotify | Search AIBF Business Talk

            27 min
          • Episode 191: Care Without Compromise: The Better Care Mental Health Story | Neil Costello, BetterCare Mental Health Services

            "I saw people struggling. I knew we could do better. So we did."

            When Neil Costello couldn’t find the right support for his loved ones, he didn’t just complain, he built the solution.

            On this episode of AIBF Business Talk, we dive into the powerful story behind Better Care, Ireland’s leading private mental health service. What started as one man’s mission during COVID is now a nationwide network offering everything from counselling and psychotherapy to ADHD assessments and psychiatry - all under one umbrella.

            🔥 What you’ll hear:

            • The “enough is enough” moment that sparked Better Care

            • The growing pains of scaling care without compromising quality

            • The reality of being a founder and a therapist

            • Why doing it all yourself slows everything down

            • The mindset shift that helped Neil move from burnout to breakthrough

              • 💬 It’s raw, real, and incredibly relevant - especially for founders juggling purpose, pressure, and people.

              🏆 A proud Business All-Star, Neil also reflects on the meaning of AIBF accreditation and the power of peer recognition.

              🎧 Listen now on Spotify & all major platforms

              🔗 Explore services: bettercare.ie

              18 min

            About AIBF Business Talk

            From the publisher's feed

            AIBF Business Talk is an original podcast brought to you by the All-Ireland Business Foundation.