Business Builders

🔔🔔 Danny Buckley shares how grief, purpose, and an ADHD diagnosis at 32 led him to build one of Ireland’s fastest-growing healthcare businesses 🔔🔔

Danny Buckley joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story behind ADHD Now and how a series of deeply personal experiences transformed both his life and his career.

For much of his life, Danny believed there was something wrong with him. Undiagnosed ADHD left him struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, and self-understanding, while family health crises and the devastating loss of his wife forced him to confront some of life’s hardest challenges.

After receiving his own ADHD diagnosis at the age of 32, Danny discovered that understanding himself was only the beginning. Determined to ensure others wouldn’t face the same barriers he had encountered, he set out to build ADHD Now — an online service designed to provide fast access to diagnosis and meaningful support beyond it.

What began with a mission to help others has quickly grown into a thriving healthcare business employing almost 100 people, alongside the launch of Autism Care and a broader vision to improve access to neurodiversity and mental health services across Ireland.

In this episode, Danny reflects on grief, faith, purpose, emotional resilience, and why success means far more than money. He also explains how building a mission-driven business has helped turn pain into something that positively impacts thousands of lives.

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, loss, personal transformation, and the power of finding purpose through adversity.

“I thought there was something wrong with me my whole life.”

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Danny’s own ADHD diagnosis at 32 changed his life
 • Why diagnosis is only the beginning — and why aftercare matters
 • How losing his wife inspired him to pursue entrepreneurship
 • Why emotional awareness transformed his mental health
 • The story behind founding ADHD Now and Autism Care
 • How the business scaled to almost 100 staff in just a few years
 • Why purpose matters more than profit
 • The importance of structure and discipline for people with ADHD
 • How Danny thinks about success, grief, and happiness
 • Why Ireland can become a world leader in neurodiversity and mental health support

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 00:40 - Introducing Danny Buckley
 01:20 - The vision behind ADHD Now
 03:00 - Why diagnosis isn’t enough
 07:20 - Growing up undiagnosed
 08:30 - Family health struggles and adversity
 09:50 - His wife’s illness and cardiac arrest
 11:00 - The conversation that changed everything
 12:20 - Grief and discovering ADHD
 14:00 - Receiving his diagnosis at 32
 15:00 - Building ADHD Now
 17:30 - The role of faith and purpose
 20:20 - Emotional regulation and self-awareness
 23:00 - Why children need better support
 25:50 - Redefining success
 27:00 - Faith, entrepreneurship and the “magic formula”
 29:00 - Scaling ADHD Now
 35:00 - Leadership and knowing your strengths
 37:00 - Why he no longer has bad days
 38:30 - Parenting, support and family
 41:00 - EY Entrepreneur Of The Year
 45:00 - Imposter syndrome and self-belief
 48:00 - The future of ADHD Now and mental health in Ireland
 49:30 - Final thoughts

Topics covered:

ADHD, entrepreneurship, neurodiversity, autism, mental health, grief, resilience, purpose, leadership, emotional regulation, startups, healthcare, personal development, parenting, faith, business growth, founder mindset, emotional intelligence, Ireland, ADHD diagnosis, Autism Care, entrepreneurship and purpose.

🔔🔔 Emmet O’Neill reveals how StoryToys nearly collapsed after years of venture capital funding, how he cut the business from 45 people to 15, and how that turnaround ultimately led to a €35 million children’s media company with more than 300 million app downloads 🔔🔔

Emmet O’Neill joins Business Builders to share the remarkable story behind StoryToys, one of Ireland’s most successful digital media companies and the creator of educational children’s apps based on brands including Disney, Lego, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, Bluey, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and more.

Starting his career as an illustrator before moving into digital media, Emmet spotted the opportunity created by the arrival of the iPad and helped pioneer a new category of interactive storytelling for children.

But the journey was anything but straightforward.

After raising significant venture capital and scaling rapidly, StoryToys found itself growing too fast in too many directions. Burn rates soared, the business came close to collapse, and difficult decisions had to be made. Emmet shares the painful reality of cutting the team from 45 people to 15, taking over leadership during the company’s darkest period, and rebuilding the business around profitability rather than fundraising.

What followed was a remarkable turnaround.

By refocusing on high-quality licensed content for preschool children, securing partnerships with brands such as Lego and Disney, and maintaining a relentless focus on product quality, StoryToys transformed from a struggling startup into a highly profitable global business generating €35 million in annual revenue.

Along the way, Emmet reflects on working alongside his brother, the challenges of venture capital, product-market fit, acquisitions, leadership during crisis, creativity in business, licensing major intellectual property, and why he believes great businesses are built by enabling talented people to do their best work.

The conversation also explores the future of children’s media, Netflix’s growing games strategy, AI’s impact on creative industries, autism-friendly product design, and why creating products that genuinely improve children’s lives remains at the heart of StoryToys’ mission.

This is a conversation about creativity, entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, product-market fit, and building a business that survives long enough to become extraordinary.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:

• How StoryToys grew from a small Dublin startup into a €35 million business
 • Why Emmet believes many startups become addicted to venture capital
 • The mistakes that nearly caused StoryToys to collapse
 • How cutting the team from 45 people to 15 saved the company
 • Why profitability changed everything for the business
 • The story behind securing partnerships with Disney, Lego and Netflix
 • How StoryToys creates educational alternatives to addictive mobile games
 • Why creativity can be a powerful advantage in business leadership
 • The lessons Emmet learned working alongside his brother
 • How to identify and nurture talent inside an organisation
 • Why product-market fit matters more than growth at any cost
 • The realities of scaling a venture-backed business
 • How StoryToys was acquired and why Emmet stayed on as CEO
 • What makes successful acquisitions work after the deal is signed
 • The changing economics of children’s media and entertainment
 • Why Netflix is becoming an important gaming platform
 • How AI is being used inside StoryToys today
 • Why Emmet is less worried about AI than he was five years ago
 • How StoryToys designs products for autistic children and families
 • Why meaningful impact matters more than download numbers

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 01:00 - What StoryToys does and the children’s app market
 04:00 - Educational games versus addictive mobile apps
 10:00 - From illustrator to digital entrepreneur
 14:00 - Joining StoryToys and working with family
 17:00 - Creativity as a business advantage
 20:00 - Building products and securing major licences
 26:00 - The Very Hungry Caterpillar and children’s storytelling
 31:00 - Venture capital, growth and near-collapse
 37:00 - Returning to profitability and saving the business
 43:00 - Pandemic growth and finding product-market fit
 46:00 - Selling the company and lessons from VC funding
 50:00 - Acquisition by Team17 and continued growth
 56:00 - The future of children’s media and gaming
 59:00 - AI, creativity and the future of software
 01:04:00 - The challenges facing children’s content creators
 01:08:00 - Building products for autistic children
 01:15:00 - Creating meaningful impact through technology

Topics covered:

Entrepreneurship, startups, venture capital, StoryToys, children’s media, educational technology, mobile apps, app development, product-market fit, Disney, Lego, Netflix, intellectual property, licensing, acquisitions, leadership, business turnaround, scaling companies, profitability, creative entrepreneurship, digital media, gaming industry, children’s entertainment, AI, artificial intelligence, autism, neurodiversity, company culture, product design, business growth, Irish startups, technology business.

🔔🔔 Cathal Friel explains how he built five public companies, turned a $20 million business into a $1.45 billion exit, and why IPOs may be making a comeback for ambitious entrepreneurs 🔔🔔

Cathal Friel joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on entrepreneurship, IPOs, public markets, distressed assets, investing, AI, and building companies across multiple industries.

Cathal is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and company builder who has launched five public companies over the past fourteen years. His ventures have spanned sectors including oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, renewable energy, and biotechnology.

But this conversation is about far more than stock markets and finance.

Cathal explains the repeatable model he has developed for identifying opportunities, acquiring distressed assets, raising capital, and building fast-growing public companies. He shares the story of how a struggling oil and gas company ultimately evolved into Amryt Pharma, which was later sold for $1.45 billion.

Drawing on decades of experience as both an entrepreneur and investor, Cathal breaks down the realities of IPOs, why many founders misunderstand public markets, and why he believes going public can be a powerful alternative to private equity.

Along the way, he reflects on being forced into the family business at sixteen, the lessons learned from rebuilding debt-ridden companies, the importance of rejection, networking, and continuous learning, and why entrepreneurship is a skill that can be developed rather than something people are simply born with.

The conversation also explores AI, the future of work, Europe’s economic outlook, leadership, parenting, and why Cathal remains as excited about building businesses at sixty-one as he was decades ago.

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, reinvention, opportunity, resilience, and building businesses that create long-term value.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:

• How Cathal built five public companies in fourteen years
 • The story behind a $1.45 billion pharmaceutical exit
 • Why IPOs are often misunderstood by entrepreneurs
 • The key differences between private equity and public markets
 • How distressed assets can become valuable businesses
 • Why investors care more about trust than ideas
 • The lessons Cathal learned from oil, pharma, biotech and renewables
 • How public companies can grow through acquisitions
 • Why rejection is a critical entrepreneurial skill
 • The importance of networking and building relationships
 • Why entrepreneurship is a learnable skill
 • The lessons Cathal learned from running his family business at sixteen
 • How to think about risk, opportunity and capital allocation
 • Why AI will reshape work and entrepreneurship
 • The future of IPOs in Ireland and the UK
 • Why continuous learning remains one of Cathal’s biggest advantages
 • The importance of balancing business success with family life
 • Why he believes Europe is entering a major period of opportunity

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 01:00 - Introducing Cathal Friel
 02:00 - Building companies through IPOs
 07:00 - How Cathal spots market opportunities
 12:00 - The story behind Amryt Pharma
 18:00 - Distressed assets and creating value
 24:00 - Why IPOs differ from private equity
 31:00 - Investing in small-cap companies
 37:00 - Building businesses through acquisitions
 44:00 - The future of public markets
 49:00 - Rejection, confidence and entrepreneurship
 58:00 - Running the family business at sixteen
 01:05:00 - Networking, business cards and relationships
 01:12:00 - AI, learning and the future of work
 01:21:00 - Europe, geopolitics and opportunity
 01:33:00 - Parenting, success and long-term thinking
 01:38:00 - Final reflections and advice

Topics covered:

Entrepreneurship, IPOs, investing, public companies, private equity, distressed assets, business growth, capital markets, pharmaceuticals, biotech, renewable energy, venture building, acquisitions, leadership, networking, AI, future of work, investing strategy, family business, business resilience, startup funding, innovation, company building, European business, entrepreneurship mindset, scaling businesses.

🔔🔔 Ciarán Mulligan explains how he built and sold Blue Insurance, why crises create opportunities in business, and how becoming a father completely changed his perspective on success 🔔🔔Ciarán Mulligan joins Business Builders for a powerful and deeply personal conversation on entrepreneurship, marketing, scaling businesses, resilience, identity, surrogacy, and what really matters after success.

Ciarán is the founder of Blue Insurance, the business he built into one of Ireland’s best-known insurance brands before selling in a reported multi-million euro deal. Now, he’s building again with YES Insurance - but this conversation goes far beyond insurance.

He explains how Blue Insurance scaled by moving quickly, spotting opportunities during crises, and staying aggressive while competitors pulled back. From exploiting cheap advertising during recessions to building niche insurance products before competitors saw the opportunity, Ciarán shares the mindset that helped grow the company from a small operation into a major international business.

He also reflects on the realities of entrepreneurship: negotiating relentlessly, staying lean, surviving economic crashes, dealing with uncertainty, and knowing when the right time to sell actually is.

But this episode also becomes something much more personal.

Ciarán speaks openly about growing up gay in Ireland, being bullied in school, building confidence over time, and why authenticity mattered to him as a leader. He also shares the emotional story of his surrogacy journey with his husband Brian, including the devastating loss of their first son Connor, the battle to bring him home from Georgia, and how becoming a father ultimately reshaped his priorities and outlook on life.

Along the way, the conversation explores marketing psychology, hiring, scaling teams, founder mentality, innovation, customer care, travel, wealth, ambition, and why business success alone is never the full story.

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, family, identity, leadership, and building a meaningful life beyond business.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:

• Why Ciarán kept advertising during economic crashes while competitors stopped
• How Blue Insurance scaled from a small startup into a multi-million euro company
• Why diversification was critical to surviving crises
• The marketing strategies that helped Blue Insurance dominate its niche
• Why being “lean” became a core operating philosophy
• How to negotiate aggressively during downturns
• The importance of spotting opportunities before competitors
• Why founders need to stop micromanaging as companies grow
• The biggest lessons Ciarán learned scaling teams and hiring people
• Why communication skills are essential in business
• How working nightlife jobs helped build his confidence and people skills
• His perspective on leadership, customer care, and company culture
• The realities of selling a business after years of building it
• Why making money didn’t fundamentally change who he was
• The emotional story behind his family’s surrogacy journey
• The devastating loss of his son Connor and the fight to bring him home
• Why becoming a father changed his priorities completely
• What success means to him now after business success and personal loss
• Why YES Insurance is his next big chapter

🔔🔔 Ed Murphy explains why most businesses fail to scale, what franchising taught him about systems and growth, and why founders themselves are often the bottleneck inside their own companies 🔔🔔

Ed Murphy joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on scaling businesses, franchising, entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and the realities of building sustainable companies over decades.

Ed is the founder of GreenTech HQ and one of Ireland’s most experienced franchise operators, having helped scale major businesses including Snap Printing and Home Instead Senior Care across Ireland.

But this conversation is about far more than franchising.

Ed explains why so many SMEs get stuck between €1m and €5m revenue, why great founders often struggle to scale their own companies, and why businesses without proper infrastructure inevitably hit a ceiling.

Drawing on decades of experience building franchise systems, Ed breaks down the hidden mechanics behind scalable companies: systems, structure, operations, incentives, accountability, leadership, and repeatable processes.

He also reflects on the rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com bubble, the lessons he learned from taking VC investment too early, and why today’s AI boom reminds him of the early internet era.

Along the way, Ed shares practical insights on hiring, property, founder psychology, partnerships, incentives, and why sometimes the bravest decision in business is knowing when to stop.

The conversation also explores what success actually means after decades in business, and why helping other people succeed ultimately became more fulfilling than chasing money itself.

This is a conversation about systems, scaling, leadership, long-term thinking, and building businesses that can grow beyond the founder.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:

 Why most businesses fail to scale properly
 The hidden infrastructure every growing business needs
 Why many founders become the bottleneck inside their own company
 How franchising taught Ed to build repeatable systems
 Why systems matter more than hustle when scaling
 The biggest mistakes SMEs make between €1m–€5m revenue
 Why some founders had to “sack themselves” as general manager
 How to structure a business so it can grow beyond you
 The practical lessons Ed learned scaling Snap Printing across Ireland
 Why property can become a trap for business owners
 The story behind PrintOrigin and the dot-com crash
 Why Ed believes founders should approach AI carefully but seriously
 His advice for businesses adopting AI today
 The importance of partnerships, accountability, and shared decision-making
 Why “fail fast” is often the bravest thing an entrepreneur can do
 What success actually means after decades in business
 Why helping others succeed became his biggest motivation
 How GreenTech HQ is helping create jobs and startups in the southeast of Ireland

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 01:00 - Introducing Ed Murphy and GreenTech HQ
 02:00 - Why SMEs struggle to scale
 05:00 - Finding the gaps inside growing businesses
 09:00 - Why founders sometimes become the bottleneck
 13:00 - Discovering franchising in America
 16:00 - Building Snap Printing across Ireland
 20:00 - The hard realities of scaling franchise businesses
 25:00 - What non-franchise businesses can learn from franchising
 30:00 - Why systems create scalable companies
 35:00 - The rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com era
 43:00 - AI, technology bubbles, and founder advice
 47:00 - The entrepreneurial “7-year itch”
 49:00 - Building Home Instead in Ireland
 51:00 - Adapting international franchises for local markets
 58:00 - Risk, systems, and healthcare businesses
 01:00:00 - Failure, ego, and knowing when to stop
 01:02:00 - Goal-setting, partnerships, and accountability
 01:09:00 - Why Ed eventually moved on from franchising
 01:11:00 - Building GreenTech HQ in Wexford
 01:14:00 - What success actually means
 01:20:00 - Why helping others succeed matters more than money
 01:27:00 - The future of GreenTech HQ and the southeast

Topics covered:

Entrepreneurship, franchising, business systems, scaling businesses, SME growth, leadership, founder mindset, AI, startups, operational systems, business infrastructure, franchising models, Home Instead, Snap Printing, GreenTech HQ, business partnerships, startup growth, innovation, management, business strategy, founder psychology

🔔🔔 Ed Murphy explains why most businesses fail to scale, what franchising taught him about systems and growth, and why founders themselves are often the bottleneck inside their own companies 🔔🔔

Ed Murphy joins Business Builders for a fascinating conversation on scaling businesses, franchising, entrepreneurship, systems thinking, and the realities of building sustainable companies over decades.

Ed is the founder of GreenTech HQ and one of Ireland’s most experienced franchise operators, having helped scale major businesses including Snap Printing and Home Instead Senior Care across Ireland.

But this conversation is about far more than franchising.

Ed explains why so many SMEs get stuck between €1m and €5m revenue, why great founders often struggle to scale their own companies, and why businesses without proper infrastructure inevitably hit a ceiling.

Drawing on decades of experience building franchise systems, Ed breaks down the hidden mechanics behind scalable companies: systems, structure, operations, incentives, accountability, leadership, and repeatable processes.

He also reflects on the rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com bubble, the lessons he learned from taking VC investment too early, and why today’s AI boom reminds him of the early internet era.

Along the way, Ed shares practical insights on hiring, property, founder psychology, partnerships, incentives, and why sometimes the bravest decision in business is knowing when to stop.

The conversation also explores what success actually means after decades in business, and why helping other people succeed ultimately became more fulfilling than chasing money itself.

This is a conversation about systems, scaling, leadership, long-term thinking, and building businesses that can grow beyond the founder.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:

 Why most businesses fail to scale properly
 The hidden infrastructure every growing business needs
 Why many founders become the bottleneck inside their own company
 How franchising taught Ed to build repeatable systems
 Why systems matter more than hustle when scaling
 The biggest mistakes SMEs make between €1m–€5m revenue
 Why some founders had to “sack themselves” as general manager
 How to structure a business so it can grow beyond you
 The practical lessons Ed learned scaling Snap Printing across Ireland
 Why property can become a trap for business owners
 The story behind PrintOrigin and the dot-com crash
 Why Ed believes founders should approach AI carefully but seriously
 His advice for businesses adopting AI today
 The importance of partnerships, accountability, and shared decision-making
 Why “fail fast” is often the bravest thing an entrepreneur can do
 What success actually means after decades in business
 Why helping others succeed became his biggest motivation
 How GreenTech HQ is helping create jobs and startups in the southeast of Ireland

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 01:00 - Introducing Ed Murphy and GreenTech HQ
 02:00 - Why SMEs struggle to scale
 05:00 - Finding the gaps inside growing businesses
 09:00 - Why founders sometimes become the bottleneck
 13:00 - Discovering franchising in America
 16:00 - Building Snap Printing across Ireland
 20:00 - The hard realities of scaling franchise businesses
 25:00 - What non-franchise businesses can learn from franchising
 30:00 - Why systems create scalable companies
 35:00 - The rise and fall of PrintOrigin during the dot-com era
 43:00 - AI, technology bubbles, and founder advice
 47:00 - The entrepreneurial “7-year itch”
 49:00 - Building Home Instead in Ireland
 51:00 - Adapting international franchises for local markets
 58:00 - Risk, systems, and healthcare businesses
 01:00:00 - Failure, ego, and knowing when to stop
 01:02:00 - Goal-setting, partnerships, and accountability
 01:09:00 - Why Ed eventually moved on from franchising
 01:11:00 - Building GreenTech HQ in Wexford
 01:14:00 - What success actually means
 01:20:00 - Why helping others succeed matters more than money
 01:27:00 - The future of GreenTech HQ and the southeast

Topics covered:

Entrepreneurship, franchising, business systems, scaling businesses, SME growth, leadership, founder mindset, AI, startups, operational systems, business infrastructure, franchising models, Home Instead, Snap Printing, GreenTech HQ, business partnerships, startup growth, innovation, management, business strategy, founder psychology

🔔🔔 Troy Armour reveals how he built Junk Kouture from a €1,000 idea into a global movement, and why he believes most entrepreneurs are driven by trauma, creativity, and the need to stand out 🔔🔔

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Troy Armour joins Business Builders for one of the most wide-ranging and unconventional conversations we’ve ever had, covering entrepreneurship, creativity, trauma, AI, identity, leadership, and the deeper psychology behind building businesses.

What began as a small creative idea with just €1,000 in the bank grew into Junk Kouture: a global platform spanning more than 100,000 young people across 74 nationalities, helping students express themselves through creativity, fashion, storytelling, and performance.

But Troy’s story is about far more than building a successful business.

He explains why he believes most entrepreneurs are “addicts” driven by feelings of not being enough, how childhood experiences shape ambition, and why creativity often emerges from pressure, pain, and constraint.

Along the way, Troy shares the early hustle behind Junk Kouture; writing letters to nearly 1,000 schools because he couldn’t afford marketing, persuading venues to host events for free, and figuring everything out in real time with no roadmap and almost no money.

The conversation also explores Troy’s deeply personal journey of self-discovery: from leadership struggles and burnout, to ayahuasca retreats in Brazil, vulnerability, shame, and learning to accept himself.

He also discusses the future of AI, why he believes we are entering “the age of creativity,” and how artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape business, software, and work itself over the next decade.

This is a conversation about ambition, identity, creativity, healing, and what really drives people to build.

“If you don’t fit in, then maybe you were born to stand out.”

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:

 How Troy built Junk Kouture starting with just €1,000  
 Why constraints and lack of money can create better businesses  
 The unconventional early growth story behind Junk Kouture  
 Why Troy believes most entrepreneurs are driven by trauma and insecurity  
 The similarities between entrepreneurial obsession and addiction  
 How creativity and pressure are deeply connected  
 What Troy learned about leadership after nearly burning out  
 Why vulnerability and shame shape so much of human behaviour  
 The personal story behind Troy’s ayahuasca experience in Brazil  
 Why he believes “most people leave school broken”  
 How Junk Kouture helps young people build confidence and identity  
 Why AI will transform business and usher in “the age of creativity”  
 Troy’s predictions for the future of software, SaaS, and entrepreneurship  
 Why environment and proximity changed the scale of his ambition  
 What success, happiness, and fulfillment really mean to him now

🔔🔔 Colin Culliton reveals why you can’t build a successful business without making hard decisions - and the realities of scaling through crisis 🔔🔔

Colin Culliton joins Business Builders to share the story of how he built and scaled a multi-million euro print and communications group, and the hard decisions that defined his journey.

What began as a small “me too” printing company with six people grew into a €20M group of businesses spanning design, marketing, events, and more. But the path from startup to scale was anything but smooth.

Colin explains how he approached growth in a traditional, highly competitive industry, starting with organic growth before using acquisitions to accelerate scale and expand into new areas.

Along the way, he learned that business success isn’t about avoiding problems; it’s about facing them head-on. Nowhere was this clearer than during the 2008 financial crisis, when Colin made the counterintuitive decision to cut headcount while the business was still booming - a move that ultimately saved the company.

In this episode, Colin breaks down what it really takes to build a long-term business: from making tough calls under pressure, to trusting your instincts, to building teams that can solve problems better than you can.

He also reflects on leadership, the realities of managing multiple businesses, and why the fear of failure never truly goes away - no matter how successful you become.

This is a conversation about resilience, decision-making, and the truth behind what it takes to survive and scale a business over decades.

“If you think you can avoid hard decisions and build a business over the long term - you just can’t.” 

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

•  Why Colin started his first business - and why the idea itself mattered less than taking action 
•  How to grow a company in a traditional, competitive industry 
•  The role of acquisitions in scaling a business faster 
•  Why making hard decisions quickly is critical to long-term success 
•  What founders get wrong about growth during good times 
•  How Colin navigated the 2008 financial crisis and protected his business 
•  Why trusting your instincts is one of the most important skills in business 
•  The challenges of managing multiple businesses and leaders 
•  How to build teams with diverse thinking and strong problem-solving ability 
•  Why fear of failure never goes away - and how it drives performance 

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 01:00 - Introducing Colin Culliton
 02:00 - Starting a “me too” printing business
 05:30 - Winning early clients and building trust
 10:30 - Dyslexia as a problem-solving advantage
 15:00 - Early growth and first acquisition
 20:30 - Scaling through acquisitions vs organic growth
 25:00 - Spotting risk before the 2008 crash
 27:00 - Cutting headcount before the downturn
 31:00 - Surviving the financial crisis
 34:00 - Lessons from competitors failing
 38:00 - Leadership, learning, and self-development
 41:00 - How to approach buying a business
 47:00 - Managing multiple companies and leaders
 53:00 - Why business is always a fight
 56:00 - Success, money, and what really matters
 59:00 - Sacrifices and work-life balance
 01:01:00 - Fear of failure and final advice

Topics covered:

Entrepreneurship, business growth, leadership, acquisitions, scaling a business, financial crisis, decision-making, founder mindset, SME strategy, resilience, Colin Culliton

🔔🔔 Ciaran Burke, CEO and co-founder of Swoop, shares how he built a global fintech platform helping 300,000+ businesses access over £2BN in funding - and the brutal realities behind scaling a startup 🔔🔔

Ciaran Burke joins Business Builders to share the story behind Swoop and the realities of building and scaling a fintech company in the modern funding landscape.

What started as a simple idea - helping small businesses navigate the complex world of finance - has grown into a global platform operating across multiple countries, connecting businesses with loans, equity, grants, and financial insights.

But the journey from early-stage startup to international scale was anything but smooth.

Ciaran shares the often unseen side of entrepreneurship; from sleepless nights during funding rounds to the pressure of keeping a team motivated while facing uncertainty behind the scenes.

Along the way, he learned one of the most important lessons in business; not all revenue is created equal. Growth can look impressive on the surface, but without understanding margins and key drivers, it can actually hold a business back.

In this episode, Ciaran breaks down what it really takes to scale a company: understanding your numbers, making tough decisions about where to focus, and navigating the emotional and operational challenges that come with growth.

He also explains why many founders misunderstand funding, how businesses limit themselves by relying on a single source of finance, and why being “funding ready” is more important than ever.

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, fintech, and the reality of building a business in an increasingly complex and competitive environment.

“Not all revenue is the same… some of it looks good, but you’re actually giving most of it away.”

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why Ciaran co-founded Swoop and the problem it solves for businesses
 The hidden realities of fundraising and founder pressure
 Why not all revenue is equal - and how to think about margin
 How small improvements in key metrics can drive massive growth
 What it really means to be “funding ready”
 Why many founders give up too early when seeking finance
 How to understand and track the most important numbers in your business
 The challenges of building a two-sided marketplace
 Why having a co-founder can be critical during tough periods
 What it takes to scale a business across multiple countries

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 01:00 - Introducing Ciaran Burke and Swoop
 03:30 - The problem with business funding
 08:00 - How Swoop works and makes money
 12:00 - Early days and building the business
 15:30 - The challenge of two-sided marketplaces
 26:00 - Why not all revenue is equal
 30:30 - Being funding ready and understanding your numbers
 40:40 - Founder pressure and fundraising stress
 42:00 - The importance of co-founders
 48:30 - Building a business internationally
 55:00 - Lessons from scaling Swoop

Topics covered:

Entrepreneurship, fintech, Swoop, startup funding, business finance, scaling a business, founders, cashflow, revenue vs profit, two-sided marketplaces, leadership, startup growth.

🔔🔔 Willie McMahon built, scaled, and sold a 45-person engineering business - then walked away to help other founders do it better. 🔔🔔

Willie is giving away 10 copies of the book Traction on a first come first served basis. If you’re running a company with between 10 - 250 employees, contact Willie to get your free copy: [email protected]

Willie McMahon, EOS Implementer and founder of CalX (exited) joins Business Builders to share how he went from a one-man operation to building and exiting a scaling engineering business - and what he learned along the way.

Starting with no plan, no funding, and no support network, Willie built a calibration and instrumentation business from scratch. What began as a solo operation grew into a 45-person company, navigating cash flow pressure, hiring challenges, and the realities of bootstrapping - before eventually merging and exiting.

But the journey wasn’t smooth. Growth nearly broke the business multiple times. Hiring mistakes, cash constraints, and operational complexity forced hard decisions - including turning down major opportunities that could have destroyed everything.

Willie shares how 90-day execution cycles and relentless problem-solving helped them scale - even before formally discovering EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System).

The conversation dives into what actually drives business success: people, structure, and clarity. Willie explains why most problems are not what they seem, why founders are often the bottleneck, and how systems - not effort - create scalable companies.

He also opens up about the emotional side of building and selling a business: risk, fear, responsibility, and the moment you realise you’re responsible for other people’s livelihoods.

Now working with founders through EOS, Willie helps businesses break through growth ceilings, build stronger cultures, and create structure that enables freedom.

This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, scaling, leadership, and building a business that actually works.

“It's not the person - it's the system around them.”

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

How Willie built and scaled a business from 1 to 45 people
 Why most businesses hit growth ceilings (and how to break through them)
 The reality of bootstrapping and managing cash flow
 Why hiring “another you” is a mistake
 How to think about risk as a founder
 Why short-term (90-day) thinking drives long-term growth
 The importance of culture and hiring the right people
 How to structure a business for scale
 Why most problems are systems problems, not people problems
 The emotional reality of selling a business
 How EOS helps founders gain clarity, control, and freedom
 Why you must grow as a person to grow your business

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 - Cold open
 00:55 - Introducing Willie McMahon and EOS
 02:00 - What calibration and instrumentation actually is
 05:00 - Early career and falling into the industry
 08:30 - The moment he decided to start his own business
 11:00 - First hires and early hiring mistakes
 14:30 - “I didn’t need another me”
 16:00 - Bootstrapping and surviving on cash flow
 18:00 - 90-day targets and early growth
 21:00 - Becoming an employer and responsibility for people
 23:00 - Turning down a huge opportunity
 26:00 - Fear, risk, and decision-making as a founder
 30:00 - Discovering EOS and business frameworks
 33:00 - Why founders must grow to scale their business
 37:00 - Building culture (and the fictional character hiring test)
 42:00 - Merging the business and scaling rapidly
 46:00 - Managing operations, hiring, and field teams
 53:00 - Marketing tactics that actually worked
 57:00 - Growth during COVID and scaling chall