AIBF Business Talk

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⚖️ Guiding, Not Just Enforcing — Michael Dillon on Protecting Irish Business with Integrity

Michael Dillon has practiced law across continents — from Irish courts to Caribbean parliaments to legal towers in Dubai.

Today, as Director of Legal at the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA), he’s helping Irish businesses stay compliant — not through fear, but through fairness.

In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Michael shares:

His message is simple: “Know your duties. Stay compliant. And don’t wait for the letter.”

A must-listen for company directors, founders, and anyone who signs the dotted line.

​The Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) promotes high standards of corporate behavior by enforcing company law in Ireland. Established in July 2022, the CEA comprises a team of accountants, lawyers, and detectives dedicated to ensuring compliance and accountability among company directors and officers. Learn more at cea.gov.ie.

"I’d rather be the oldest person in the gym than the youngest in the nursing home."

She started out as a lifeguard. Now she’s the CEO of Sportsco, a Dublin fitness centre with:

In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, Lorna shares:

Lorna has just been named AIBF Health & Fitness Executive of the Year 2025 — and once you hear her story, you’ll understand why.

💚 Real leadership. Real vision. Real Lorna.

If you’re a business owner or CEO, these questions aren’t optional — they’re essential.

In this episode of AIBF Business Talk, we’re joined by Shay Lynch, founder of Future State, to dig into the tough stuff — the kind of leadership questions that separate good managers from great leaders.

Shay doesn’t sugar-coat. He breaks down why leadership always starts with self, how to stop “just managing,” and what to do when the pressure hits.

We also introduce Leadership Lab – a brand new 4-week accelerator from AIBF Entrepreneurs University, in association with Future State. It's practical. It's powerful. And it's designed to help business owners lead with purpose.

🎧 Listen now

📢 This week on AIBF Business Talk, we feature Ted Endo of Rubberduck, a leading video production company crafting engaging brand content 🎥✨. Over the past 20 years, corporate video production in Ireland has evolved from occasional TV adverts to regular digital content for social media and websites 📱💻.

Rubberduck works with both large corporations and SMEs, with their diverse team; spanning baby boomers to Gen Z; blending experience with fresh creativity 🚀. Notable campaigns include a Transport for Ireland advert and promotional videos for Eurospar 🏪.

Ted highlights how the rise of digital marketing has made video more accessible and affordable, allowing businesses to connect with their audiences across multiple platforms 📢. He advises companies to embrace a tailored approach, focusing on smaller, frequent productions rather than large, one-off projects 🎯

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Recognised as Best in Class Video Production company five years in a row by the AIBF, Ted compares this honour to winning multiple BAFTAs 🏅. He invites businesses to reach out for bespoke, impactful video solutions.

📩 Want to elevate your brand storytelling? Tune in to hear more on how Rubberduck is here to help! 🦆✨

This week, we celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge with a special Irish-language episode featuring Siobhán Ní Chofaigh, CEO of Mint-Tek! 🌍🔧

Mint-Tek specialises in hardware prototyping, helping turn innovative ideas into reality. With strong national and international connections, many built during Siobhán’s engineering career, the company is a leader in its field. ✨

2024 marked Mint-Tek’s 10th anniversary, and to celebrate, they ran an exciting competition for TY students in Galway. The winning project is now in production — a fantastic opportunity for young innovators! 🚀💡

Siobhán emphasises the importance of supporting the next generation, encouraging creativity and innovation. Based in the Galway Gaeltacht, she proudly integrates the Irish language into daily business, proving that Gaeilge is much more than just music and poetry—it’s a powerful tool in business networking too! 💼🗣️

As a past recipient of the AIBF’s "Fiontraí le Gaeilge na Bliana" aaccreditation, Siobhán takes great pride in promoting both entrepreneurship and the Irish language.🏅

🎧 Tune in now for insights, inspiration, and a celebration of business through Gaeilge! 🎉

An tseachtain seo, táimid ag ceiliúradh Seachtain na Gaeilge le clár speisialta as Gaeilge ina mbeidh Siobhán Ní Chofaigh, Príomhfheidhmeannach Mint-Tek faoi agallamh againn! 🌍🔧

Déanann Mint-Tek sainfheidhmiú ar fhréamhshamhail crua-earraí, rud a chabhraíonn le smaointe nuálacha a fhíorú. Le naisc láidre náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta, go leor acu a tógadh le linn ghairmréim innealtóireachta Siobhán, tá an chuideachta chun tosaigh ina réimse. ✨

Ba í 2024 comóradh 10 mbliana Mint-Tek, agus chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh, reáchtáil siad comórtas spreagúil do mhic léinn na hIdirbhliana i nGaillimh. Tá an tionscadal buaiteach á léiriú anois – deis iontach do nuálaithe óga! 🚀💡

Leagann Siobhán béim ar a thábhachtaí atá sé tacú leis an gcéad ghlúin eile, cruthaitheacht agus nuálaíocht a spreagadh. Lonnaithe i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe, comhtháthaíonn sí an Ghaeilge go bródúil sa ghnó laethúil, rud a chruthaíonn go bhfuil i bhfad níos mó i gceist leis an nGaeilge ná ceol agus filíocht amháin – is uirlis chumhachtach í sa líonrú gnó freisin! 💼🗣️

Mar iar-fhaighteoir creidiúnaithe “Fiontraí le Gaeilge na Bliana” AIBF, tá Siobhán an-bhródúil as an bhfiontraíocht agus an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn.🏅

🎧 Bígí linn anois le haghaidh léargais, inspioráid agus ceiliúradh ar ghnó trí Ghaeilge! 🎉

This week on AIBF Business Talk 🎙, we shine a light on Cathy Jones, Chief Human Resources Officer at emeis Ireland 🏥.

With an outstanding 95.4% satisfaction rate and 95.5% trust score from families ❤, emeis Ireland is committed to delivering exceptional care while investing in its people. Cathy’s passion for coaching drives leadership development, helping to ensure agility and innovation across the organisation 🚀.

Overseeing a team of more than 2,700 across 24 nursing homes and a growing home care service, Cathy is dedicated to creating a supportive, people-focused culture. With over 51 nationalities represented, she leads the way in diversity, inclusion, and ongoing development through their in-house training academy 🎓.

Employee wellbeing is a top priority, with initiatives such as the Mental Health First Aid responder programme 🧠, which has trained 41 team members to provide vital support for colleagues dealing with stress, anxiety and other challenges. Alongside this, an employee assistance programme offers counselling, life coaching and financial advice 💬.

Looking ahead, emeis Ireland is expanding with two new state-of-the-art nursing homes opening in Kilkenny and Portmarnock 🏡, alongside continued growth of the Manor Home Care service. 

Recognised as Business All-Star Residential Provider of the Year ⭐ ⭐ for two consecutive years, the team remains focused on excellence in care and workplace culture.

Tune in now for some wonderful insights!

On AIBF Business Talk this week we feature Karen Thorpe, founder of Kick-Off Event Management, a company that brings event visions to life! From corporate functions to sporting spectacles, her team delivers seamless experiences with access to top-tier speakers and performers. 🏆🎤

Karen shares her journey from a decade in sports events to launching her business during COVID-19. She highlights how an MBA enhanced her expertise and why innovation is vital in the evolving events industry. 💡📈

Her company manages a diverse mix of sports, charity, and corporate events, stressing the importance of delegation and financial planning for success. 💰✅ She also discusses her successful partnership with Thrive Marketing and their Singles Mingle events; and offers insights into the power of networking. 🤝💼

For expert event management, contact Karen and make your event unforgettable! 🎊✨

🎧 Tune in now! 🔗🔥

This week, Ann Greene of Allagi joins AIBF Business Talk to discuss organisational design and its role in business transformation. Allagi, a multi-award-winning consultancy, helps companies align their strategy, structure, people, and technology for optimal performance.

Ann explains that organisational design is essential when companies experience strategy shifts, major events (like COVID-19), or inefficiencies in their current setup. Whether it's expanding into new markets or addressing internal silos, a well-structured operating model is key to success. 🏗️

With experience spanning industries such as financial services, biomedical, and technology, Allagi ensures businesses are structured for long-term efficiency and growth. Ann stresses the importance of thorough preparation before implementing changes to avoid costly missteps. 🔄

She also shares her passion for transformation, noting that “Allagi” means change in Greek. While organisational design is sometimes misunderstood, its impact is undeniable in driving efficiency, collaboration, and innovation. 💡

Transformation starts with the right design! 🚀

🎧 Tune in now! 🔗

Chris Farr, founder of Sontai, joins AIBF Business Talk to discuss how his company simplifies data insights for SMEs 📊. Sontai offers pre-built KPI dashboards that integrate with various business systems, covering sales, finance, CRM, and marketing. By limiting KPIs to five or fewer per area, Sontai ensures business owners stay focused without feeling overwhelmed 🎯.

Chris shares his journey, highlighting how his experience in big corporations inspired him to create Sontai six years ago. He recognized that SMEs lacked the time and expertise to build dashboards, so he developed an accessible solution that consolidates data into one report.

He advises SMEs to prioritise essential data rather than overcomplicating reports with excessive formulas. Adapting to change is key, and Chris stresses the importance of structured processes to navigate unexpected challenges like global crises 🌍.

Looking ahead, Sontai plans to expand data sources and refine its dashboards based on client feedback. His contributions have earned him multiple Business All-Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐and AIBF recognition including a Fellowship 🎓.