The Entrepreneur Experiment

EE438 - 2 Startups, 2 Exits: Áine Kerr’s Blueprint for Purpose-Driven Success


Listen Later

In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Áine Kerr, the award-winning journalist, serial entrepreneur behind startups including Storyful (acquired by News Corp), and Kinzen (acquired by Spotify). From teaching in Dublin classrooms to building Storyful alongside Mark Little, leading global journalism partnerships at Facebook, and launching her second successful startup, Áine shares the lessons she’s learned from a “squiggly career” defined by reinvention, resilience, and purpose.

Áine reveals the realities of startup life, why suffering and recommitment are part of the journey, and how she built extraordinary teams that continue to shape the future of technology and media. Whether you're a first-time founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, this episode is a masterclass in perseverance, finding your “why,” and creating impact-driven businesses.

Show Notes

In this episode, we cover:


🔥 How Áine transitioned from teacher to journalist to tech entrepreneur
🚀 The early days of Storyful and the lessons from its sale to News Corp
💡 Why she started Kinzen and how it was acquired by Spotify
📈 The importance of radical transparency, resilience, and “recommitting to the suffering” of startup life
🤝 How to build high-performing teams that outgrow even the founder
🌍 Ireland’s entrepreneurial tipping point and why local ecosystems matter
🧠 The power of asking the right questions and leading without ego
🎯 Why duality (fear and courage) is key to any founder’s journey


💬 “If you have radical clarity on your why, people will back you; even if you have to do half a dozen resets and pivots.” – Áine Kerr

Links & Resources

  • Áine Kerr on LinkedIn

  • Kinzen

  • Rethink Ireland

  • Gaisce – The President’s Award

  • The Shona Project

  • Dogpatch Labs

  • AwakenHub

-----

Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly inspiration on Business, Brain and Body, as well as exclusive events, courses and more, straight to your inbox. It's free! https://www.mrgaryfox.com/subscribe-1

---
Visit my partners Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland
Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE
Nostra: https://bit.ly/3HHwSMo

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Entrepreneur ExperimentBy Gary Fox

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

7 ratings


More shows like The Entrepreneur Experiment

View all
Irish Times Inside Business by The Irish Times

Irish Times Inside Business

15 Listeners

The Last Word with Matt Cooper by Today FM

The Last Word with Matt Cooper

66 Listeners

The Pat Kenny Show by Newstalk

The Pat Kenny Show

60 Listeners

Real Health with Karl Henry by Irish Independent

Real Health with Karl Henry

36 Listeners

The David McWilliams Podcast by David McWilliams & John Davis

The David McWilliams Podcast

365 Listeners

Ready To Be Real by Síle Seoige by Síle Seoige

Ready To Be Real by Síle Seoige

62 Listeners

Brendan O'Connor by RTÉ Radio 1

Brendan O'Connor

80 Listeners

Crime World by Crime World

Crime World

277 Listeners

The Other Hand by Jim Power & Chris Johns

The Other Hand

37 Listeners

The Mario Rosenstock Podcast by Mario Rosenstock

The Mario Rosenstock Podcast

27 Listeners

The Indo Daily by Irish Independent

The Indo Daily

107 Listeners

Path to Power by Matt Cooper

Path to Power

30 Listeners

The Mind Full Podcast by Dermot Whelan

The Mind Full Podcast

18 Listeners

Ask About Wealth by Ask About Wealth

Ask About Wealth

1 Listeners

Indo Sport by Irish Independent

Indo Sport

65 Listeners