Down To Business

Bobby does something quite different today and visits a comic shop in the heart of Dublin city to find out more about the world of superheroes and villains. Is it just a niche? Or bigger than we think?

Sitting in the Executive Chair this week is Brid O’Connell, the CEO of Guaranteed Irish.

Meet Conor Kelly, the innovative Irish entrepreneur who's turning heads in the world of artificial intelligence. Nominated for the 'Young AI Role Model Award' at the AI Ireland Awards, Conor is gearing up to launch 'Taxbot' – an AI designed to navigate the complex waters of Irish tax law. With capabilities that allegedly outshine 90% of human accountants on the Chartered Tax Exams, 'Taxbot' promises to be a game-changer for Irish businesses.

Despite high aspirations to delight customers, many companies falter at the execution stage, leaving a gap between grand plans and customer realities.

Steven has spent over a decade conversing with CX professionals and has a wealth of insights on why companies struggle to shine in customer service. His new management book serves as a guide to embedding a genuine Customer Culture within your organisation, offering practical tools and revealing how minor alterations can lead to significant outcomes.

This week Mandy Johnston talks to Steven about his new book.

Taking a look at the business stories that are making the morning papers are Journalist and Author Valerie Cox and Douglas Keatinge- the Head of Communications with Avolon. Mandy Johnston fills in for Bobby this week.

Ireland, with its rich tapestry of creativity, boasts over 30 art galleries that curate an impressive array of artistic expression from both local and international artists. Despite the complexities of funding, fierce competition, and intricate red tape, these cultural havens have not just survived but thrived, as evidenced by the nearly 800,000 visitors to the national gallery last year alone. What's the secret to their success?

To find out more about the industry, Mandy is joined by Mary McCarthy, Director of the Crawford Art Gallery, Dr. Caroline Campbell, Director of the National Gallery of Ireland, and Gerard Gormley, Director of Gormley's Fine Art.

In the evolving landscape of corporate responsibility, the push for sustainable business practices has led to a notable trend: B Corp certification. Pioneered by the non-profit B Labs, this accreditation requires companies to meet rigorous standards in social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Joining Mandy Johnston are two trailblazers who have taken their companies through the B Corp journey: Aoife McNamara, Founder of the ‘Aoife McNamara’ clothing brand and Jane McDaid, the Founder of Thinkhouse.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is AJ Noonan, MD of Rhonellen Developments.

Down to Business has a long been association with the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and for the next few weeks, as we get ready for the announcement of this year’s winners on Nov 23rd, Bobby will be talking to some of this year’s finalists and alumni about some of the issues facing entrepreneurs but also exploring what makes them succeed.

Joining Bobby is Nick Keegan of Mail Metrics who is a finalist this year as well as one of last year’s finalists, Lorraine Heskin of the Gourmet Panel, and John Purdy of the Ergo Group who was finalist a number of years ago.

For this week's Industry Review, Bobby is joined by three farmers: Joe Healy, former IFA President and dairy farmer at Milestone Farm in Athenry, James O'Reilly, a tillage farmer from Ballyragget in Kilkenny, and Bobby Miller, Current chairman of Irish Grain Growers Group from Stradbally.