Making It: Mayo's Women in Business

Lou Brennan graduated in textile design just before the fashion world underwent a massive change from analogue to digital. For many years, it didn’t matter: she worked for Alexander McQueen and John Rocha, and sold designs to Donna Karan, Giorgio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana.

But having kids widened the skills gap further. When the time came to re-enter the fashion workforce, Lou had a mountain to climb.

McKinley Neal is owner of PAX Wholefoods and Eco Goods, which enables people to do their shopping as packaging-free as possible.

But working against established supply chains, and converting customers to new ways of shopping, takes time and energy.

This week: how the PAX team is putting a more sustainable future in reach for Irish consumers. paxwholefoodsecogoods.com

Mid 90s Co Longford: Lorraine is bored in Home Economics, negotiates her way into Mechanical Drawing instead, and loves it.

2017 Claremorris: Lorraine and her husband buy the Cosmetic Creations factory and soon purchase another plant in Cork for 7.5m euro.

This week, Lorraine Corcoran's inspiring journey from rare female STEM graduate to co-owner of Lynoslife.com.

Elaine Browne set up her pioneering mental health support centre in 2018, and was named Mayo Inspirational Woman that same year.

Her experience of mental health survival gave her the tools to help others. And during the Covid pandemic, she is providing a service that is needed more than ever.

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Former nurse Deborah Coyle spent literally years planning & researching a business idea, only to decide the world was not quite ready for it. 

In the meantime her new business, Glan Assured, is keeping schools & public transport safe during Covid with advanced disinfection.

If you have a business idea of your own, Deborah’s story is an inspiring one.

One of the hardest things to decide, as an entrepreneur or an employee, is when to stop and walk away. When you’ve given so much, how do you make that call?

Áine Mulloy has been there. And her approach to the decision will chime with many in the current economy, where the learning and growth we expect from our jobs, even from our own startups, is more and more important.

Could your own workplace frustrations signal a business opportunity?

Asumpta Gallagher spent years working in healthcare, and saw plenty room for improvement in how GPs manage staff, paperwork & appointments.

That first-hand experience now underpins her business (bestpractice.ie), allowing her to give doctors and surgery staff something valuable: real understanding.

You have to adapt to survive, says Rosemarie Noone, founder of claremorrisgallery.ie.

Rosemarie should know. She opened the gallery in 2007, just before the financial crisis hit – but it’s still going strong.

In this episode we get an insight into the art business, and hear how adapting to the loss of physical exhibitions during Covid is creating new opportunities for Rosemarie to reach customers.

How do you recognise bad advice, and bounce back from it? What happens when you honour your own instincts instead?

Cepta Mahon can tell you. She spent 15 years in financial services before finally ditching the bad career advice she got at school. Three years ago she founded cookery school Cookalicious and says that, in business, finding your true cheerleaders can make all the difference. www.cookalicious.ie

Louise Foody says she is not a techie, and yet is leading the Kingspan digitalisation programme. And while she is not an entrepreneur, all her roles in the company have been newly created ones.

How has she brought that innovative approach to an established construction firm? And how did tough negotiations with Sr Regina in TY start her off in the world of management, sales and marketing?