Episodes
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We have another season special for you and this time Stephen sat down with producer Elaine who is usually behind the scenes to look back at season two and reflect on some of the amazing stories we heard from our guests, from their career highs, to career lows, from overcoming obstacles and the valuable advice gained from their experiences. Once again we would like to take the time to thank our guests for gracing the studios and to the listeners for always tuning in. That's not all from the 24 Stories Podcast, we'll be back with special episodes and a brand new season - so stay tuned and watch this space!
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To finish season 2, we've brought a special episode to highlight some off the essential skills our guests think are necessary in their industries to succeed. There were some reoccurring themes throughout the season, so we've round up some of the ones that hit the nail on the head. There's certainly great learning from our guest. Thanks again to this season's sponsor Skillsbase.
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We finish the second series series of the podcast with music promoter Joe Kelly from The Good Room. Stephen talks to Joe about his extensive career in the music scene in Cork which began in the early 90s at the iconic Sir Henry's, to today hosting the much loved Live at St.Luke's.
Joe is a self-professed 'blow-in' from Galway who came to Cork in the late 80s to study at UCC, and he has never left. He started his career as a DJ at venues across Cork that led to him organising his own successful club nights with Denis O'Mullane including the very popular Mór Disco in Zoe’s and Telefunkin in Metropole Hotel.
Those nights kickstarted a vibrant career in music promotion which has seen him either run or co own infamous Cork venue's such as the Bodega, The Savoy, The Pavillion & others that no longer exist today. Joe talks about the highs of booking some of the worlds greatest acts but also the lows when the businesses had to close like the Pavillion did in 2014.
Joe has played a vital part in the music & culture scene in Cork and today he keeps doing it alongside Ed Callahan at the Good Room. Today they are the maestro's behind Live at St.Lukes, one of Cork's most unique music experience as well as the It Takes a Village Festival and several others that are too long to mention.
They are also the team behind the Cork Podcast Festival - one of the first festivals of its kind in Ireland that makes a triumphant return this year. We have a lot of entertaining nights in Cork to thank Joe for over the years.
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President of Cork Business Association & co-owner of Herlihy Centra Group Kevin Herlihy is this weeks guest who looks back on the family business when his mother & father opened one of the first Centra's in Ireland to now owning 7 stores across Cork. The Herlihy Centra brand was started in 1980 by Kevin's parents who opened their first store in Bishopstown which is still in the heart of the community today.
Kevin's career started in hospitality industry having studied it in college, however while working abroad in France he received the call, it was time to come back, give a hand & buy into the family business. From there, the family opened a further 6 stores across Cork & expanded to introduce Herlihy Foods - which is in partnership with Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland. Today Kevin & his brother run the business operating 7 stores, employing over 300 people & aspire to open to a further 3 in the near future.
One innovative idea Kevin discusses is his introduction of a staff housing rental scheme in which staff moving to Cork who were without a home, would rent from Kevin via a letting agency. He began to work with Labrynth Recruitment in Croatia, to encourage employees to come & work in Ireland & who would be guaranteed a home during the course of their work. It's definitely something more businesses could consider to implement & to encourage the Government to assist in the process. As President of the Cork Business Association, it's something Kevin is very passionate about, to ensure business booms in Cork but that good staff are at the helm of these businesses.
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It's not everyday you can say you've created an artwork for a world renowned musician - but our guest Dr. E. Alana James can who was the creator behind the Zappa quilt! An artist & academic at heart, Alana has built a career combining both much to her success. Alana grew up in Colorado in the US in an academic household. However, it was an art teacher in high school who ignited her creativity & inspired Alana to pursue art, from there she continued into college to study fine art.
She always believed she wanted to be a famous, successful artist, yet her first taste of that success made her realise, that fame & being in the public eye was not for her. That fame came when she was introduced to Frank Zappa through a friend during a tour in which one of his stage requests were that of female underwear being thrown on stage to be made into a quilt. It was then Alana knew she was fit for the job & was commissioned after approaching Frank Zappa. The final artwork was Frank portrayed as the King Of Spade, created by the woven underwear of his fans, its popularity amongst fans was immense. Having received letters from fans & being approached on the street, Alana decided fame in the artworld was not for her.
She took a detour from art & went into the world of academia, earning a doctorate in Educational Leadership where she began to work with teens, homeless families, people in violence & drug abuse prevention through art. A move to Cork arose from a holiday in Ireland, when she landed she felt at home & 18 years later, the rest is history.
Since the move she set up her own business Doctoral Net creating webinars for Masters & Doctorate students which are distributed to universities throughout the United States - an innovative way of learning, introduced well before our days of zoom. Yet her love of art is still prominent in her life & she continues to create artwork & exhibit. It's our first insight to the interesting world of fine art & the business behind it all.
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With music comes great power are the wise words of Cork Opera House CEO Eibhlín Gleeson who gives a behind the scenes insight to the intricate, creative world of entertainment programming. The Cork Opera House is an iconic landmark Leeside with over 160 years in operation, Eileen & the creative crew are planning a bigger & better programme to celebrate another milestone.
Eileen comes from a very creative background, coming from a family of musicians & being a musician herself, knew a career in music was a must. She started her creative journey studying music in UCC where during her role in the Students Union she got her first taste of production & music programming when she established the first music week on campus showcasing the talented array of musicians in the university. That early role paved the way for a career in music & entertainment programming.
Her first role in the industry began with the INEC in Killarney working in marketing, the box office & gaining experience into the business of entertainment programming. This led to other succession to working in Edinburgh on the famous Fringe Festival amongst others, directing & programming entertainment from music to comedy & theatre. A return home however led to a role as CEO of the Chamber Choir of Ireland using valuable lessons from previous roles.
However one of the most exciting stories we hear about Eibhlín's career path was a year spent in Washington DC working at the infamous Kennedy Center on a fellowship programme working with a $200 million budget. One of the highlights of the experience was having the opportunity to bring the Chamber Choir of Ireland to the White where they sang for the Obama's on St.Patrick's Day.
After a year Eibhlín returned to Ireland to use her skills from the US to set up her own company supporting artists. The Opera House happened to be one of her clients &when a job opportunity opened, she took a role as general manager before becoming CEO where she remains today. It's an exciting insight to the entertainment industry, the tough work that goes on behind the scenes to bring an array of entertainment to audiences.
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We get a behind the scenes glimpse into the wedding industry with all it's whistles & bells from the with founder of Wedding Dates Ciara Crossan who for over 15 years, has helped fulfil thousands of people's dream wedding days.
From an early age Ciara knew the corporate world wasn't for her & the ultimate goal was to become her own boss, well that's exactly what she did! After completing a BIS degree in UCC, an Erasmus in Boston & a number jobs in global corporations, Ciara knew the office job wasn't for her. Instead she spent two years travelling the world on the advice from her father that she would earn a masters degree of life.
At 25 years of age, with ambition & determination she set up Wedding Dates, an online platform & software connecting couples, venues & suppliers together to create client's wedding wishes. In the early days Ciara contacted almost every hotel in Ireland getting clients on board, keeping in mind, this was pre-social media days & overtime with success she expanded the business to the UK market.
While the business has been met with challenges due to the complications of Brexit & the complete shut down of the industry of Covid, we hear valuable lessons in how to overcome obstacles in business. While there has been challenges along the way, Ciara has always had a fun spirit to the business carrying out quirky PR stunts where she was awarded for her accolades from running the Cork's Women's Marathon in her mother's wedding dress, to travelling all the way to Finland ina. campervan with friends, covering 7 countries in 7 days to partake in the Wife Carrying competition where Wedding Dates was crowined most entertaining couple. It's a fun, yet interesting insight to the world of weddings & the operations behind all the glamour.
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Franchising & building reputable retail brands the the focus of this week with Paul Gallagher, managing partner for Skechers Ireland retail. Since its introduction to the Irish market in 2010, Paul & his partners have been the driving force behind the brand here.
Paul has an extensive background in retail, kick-starting his career with Drummy's Shoes before becoming sales manager for Lee Cooper Jeans for the West of Ireland & later taking over Lee Jeans for Ireland. Having worked with these international clothing brands & in some cases introducing these big labels to the Irish market, he opened his own store Gasoline in Merchants Quay selling these well loved labels as well as the Gasoline label which was distributed in other stores across the country. With huge success he opened a further two stores in Patrick Street & Mahon Point Shopping Centre.
However, his business was hit with some difficulties, following the recession & with an increase of rent for retail units in Cork City Centre, Gasoline was one of many stores that closed their doors in Cork City. The current retail vacancies, accessibility of the city & options for businesses in the city at the moment & the need to boost the city & revitalise it, is something Paul is passionate about.
In 2016 Paul eventually sold the Gasoline brand to focus on Skechers which has expanding to 24 stores across the island & employs over 300 staff. Part of the ethos of the franchise in Ireland is giving back tot he community, sponsoring charity events, sporting events & teams. Tune in to hear the ins & outs of operating an international franchise & Paul's plans in the pipeline for the brand as well as his own ventures with SHUZ 4 U.
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Tourism branding is the talk of the table today with former CEO of Spike Island John Crotty who today, works with Cork City Council focusing on the economic development of the city alongside the 'We Are Cork' brand that focuses on business in the city with it's ethos to encourage people to live, work, invest, study & visit Cork.
Prior to his role in tourism John worked lived in the UK where he worked in retail under Sainsbury's as Customer Service manager overseeing 14 stores across Wales. But a move back home to Ireland & his love for business & history intertwined when he took on the role as CEO of Spike Island during it's relaunch in 2016.
It's safe to say, building, maintaining & promoting a tourist brand is one of John's forte, which is evident in his time atSpike Island where he spent 6 years launching the Island as a prime tourist attraction in Cork. Through agile marketing, it led to great success over the years, where Spike Island receiving Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction & Irish finalist two years in a row. Over the years he was part of the team that transformed the island from a museum, to a concert hall, to hosting after dark tours to highlight the island's dark history.
Today he has aspirations to take his love for history & his experience at Spike Island & write a book on it's history. Stay tuned for it's release!
Advance talks with writing a history book on Spike Island.
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The proud new owner of Cork City Football Club joins one of their fans Stephen to talk about taking over the club, as City gear up for kick off in their first game of the season. Dermot Usher, an avid League of Ireland fan, bought the club this year fulfilling his goal to get involved in football.
Dermot's career however started with a number of jobs from a bank to telesales before he stepped into the family business Sonas Bathrooms which he took eventually over with his brother at the age of 23, following his father's passing. Sonas Bathrooms had paved the way as one of Ireland's premium bathroom providers due to their focus on customer experience, providing smart initiatives for both buyers & commercial providers from their home catalogue, to virtual showrooms & online tutorials. Over 30 years the company has seen the challenging times of the 2008 crash & the pandemic but Dermot saw it's turnover grow exponentially from €300,000 in his first year to almost €50 million today. He eventually sold the business but remains on the Board of Directors.
It was during his early retirement he was approached to purchase a number of clubs in the League of Ireland. During his time at Sonas he had sponsored a number of clubs but purchasing a club wasn't on the cards at the time. He eventually bit the bullet & bought Cork City Football Club this year. Although he's a Dub at heart, Dermot has great plans in the pipeline for City & has ambitious aims to build the club to a bigger & better scale as they return to the Premier Division this season. Tune in to hear more.
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We're rolling out the red carpet for this week's guest who you'll definitely recognise from your TV screens as actor, writer & podcaster Hilary Rose joins Stephen to give an insight to entertainment industry, the necessities to pursue an acting career & life behind the big screens.
Hilary's career in the entertainment industry kick started at 17 which saw her DJ'ing in Cork's infamous Sir Henry's, touring across the country & securing slots on radio. This helped fund her acting career on the side, but she eventually left to pursue acting fully.
She started off honing her improvisational skills on The Republic of Telly & hidden camera show The Fear. However it was The Young Offenders which gave her first break with the film & later TV series.
Since the success of The Young Offenders, Hilary landed roles in various TV series & it has opened many avenues in the entertainment industry. She has launched her own brand Live Wild which consists of lifestyle blog & podcast which features many people in the industry.
She provides great insight & knowledge into the world of entertainment, but also the importance of building a self brand as an actor, the characteristics needed to succeed in acting & how networking & self-promotion is vital to be seen.
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The rental market & an insight to the intricacies of insurance are the talking points with HomeHak founder Pat Drinan who founded the business in 2018. HomeHak is an innovative platform designed to connect Letting agents, DIY landlords and homeowners through online profiles when applying for a rental property.
However Pat's career began in the financial services which spanned for over 26 years & gained him the titles as Ireland's first financial lines under writer. During his career he worked across Europe, the US & UK with a number of insurance companies taking on roles at Chubb Insurance, Ace European Group, Royal Sun Alliance Insurance Group. A move back to Cork eventually led to a weekly commute from Cork to London but he ultimately made a decision to leave the insurance industry & in 2016 took on a new research role years with an Ireland based SME, researching ways to improve sustainability through increasing water and crop productivity.
HomeHak was born on the back of the difficulties in the housing market due to the shortage of housing supply & abundance of applications per property. The idea stemmed from his owns son's difficulties in securing adequate accommodation for college. To build the business in a new sector from his former experience, he took the opportunity to build new skills studying Digital Marketing Strategy at MTU. From there he has been building HomeHak with the idea was to connect Letting agents, DIY landlords and homeowners through an online profile where tenants can showcase their credentials for landlords with the aim for both parties to secure long-term tenancies.
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We look into the world of non-profit organisations in this episode with Sanctuary Runners founder Graham Clifford who is also kept busy with Translate Ireland & One Town One Voice where the vision of integration of communities is at its core. His passion for integration, diversity & inclusion stems from his lengthy career in journalism where he spent time working abroad reporting on different cultures & communities.
Graham's career in journalism started unintentionally when he landed himself a job as a reporter for Radio Kerry. A move to Australia saw him covering cultural projects & meeting different communities & cultures. A return to Europe saw him working for the BBC in the UK & freelancing for The Irish Times, The Independent & Radio 1 here in Ireland where he would report from across Europe & Africa. He recounts some of the interesting interviews he conducted over the years.
His journalism career eventually took the back seat so he could pursue his idea of Sanctuary Runners which uses running, jogging & walking to bring together asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and all Irish residents. The idea came following a trip to a refugee camp while working abroad, it was during a marathon he thought to use running as a bridge to build to bring people together. It proved a huge success & led to an expansion across Ireland with over 30 Sanctuary Runners up & running with plans for more in sight.
The success doesn't stop there, the runners have branched out to Sanctuary Swimmers & inspired a creative approach to integration through One Town One Voice national initiative which helps build community singing groups in towns across Ireland with a special emphasis on community integration, diversity and respect. The future is looking good for Graham & we're excited to see the future holds for his many ventures.
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This week is a deep dive into the world of marketing & it’s safe to say Stephen is in his element as he’s joined by Seamus Leahy of Invite Resorts, who has an extensive career in marketing & the hospitality industry. Seamus's colourful career saw him working for an array big companies throughout.
We get an insight to the operations & marketing strategies he’s executed for companies like Dairygold, golf retailer Cutter & Buck Europe as well as Scottish & Newcastle where he was responsible for chains such as Trabolgan, Pontins & Centre Parcs all the while lecturing at UCC. On a more local level Seamus was one of the masterminds behind Christmas at Fota Island Resort, leading a successful marketing campaign & providing the highly anticipated event in Cork. Here he spent 14 years as Director of Marketing at a role that seen him do a rebrand & host an Irish Open amongst other exciting events.
Today he is a cofounder of Invite Resorts with hotels in Killaloe & another in Sligo where he hopes to reignite his love of events. Suffice to say these two could’ve spoken about marketing for hours. There’s huge learning for anyone looking to improve their knowledge on the ins & outs of marketing.
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Brand design & strategy are on the drawing board of this weeks episode as Stephen is joined by Deirdre Corcoran, founder of Chapter. They dive deep into the important role creativity plays in the corporate world & how it intertwines with marketing, branding & creating a clear vision in conveying the ethos, vision & mission of brands.
While art & creativity is often undervalued, Stephen & Deirdre discuss its necessity & vitality in business & the need for creativity to be appreciated on a wider scale. Deirdre's love of art & design ignited at a young age after a visit to Cork's famous St.Finbarr's Cathedral. It was the architecture, art, sculptors & design of the cathedral that left her fascinated & from there, it inspired her to tap into her creative talents.
Deirdre's original plans was to pursue a career in rowing having spent her school years competing professionally with Ireland with dreams to compete in the Olympics, however an injury in Leaving Cert year meant an early retirement. With her dreams shattered, she decided to study design at MTU which brought a new direction eventually led to a career in design working for likes of The Irish Examiner, The Irish Independent, the RTE guide, & the Supervalu brand.
The idea for Chapter came following the birth of her son, it was a new chapter in her life, becoming a full-time mum & self-employed meant she could juggle both. While it wasn't easy initially, she developed clients over the years helping them understand who they are & to execute their mission & vision through multimedia.
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Get a behind the scenes look into life on & behind the screen with videographer, presenter & founder of the Vidacademy Judie Russell who has worked in the industry in over 10 countries & how businesses can benefit from creating simple yet effective video content.
While on a worldwide trip, it was a move to Hollywood to work with a friend in video production which kick-started her pursuit in videography - which took her back to her hobby as a young girl, shooting on her cam-corder. While job hunting for sometime luck struck when a job in Costa Rica opened up, where Judy presented online videos & produced over 100 minutes of YouTube content weekly from live shows to industry news stories.
After 5 years abroad broadening her skills, Judy returned to Ireland directing, producing, presenting & editing for SKY & familiar Irish TV shows such as “The Fear” & The Young Offenders. In 2015 she decided it was time to start her own company & that's when the Vidacademy was established helping businesses to create their own video content.
From listening to the podcast - you'll realise she never seems to stop with ideas & that's when she co-founded The Story Of - an innovative idea in embedding QR codes in gravestones to tell people’s life stories through pictures and videos. Anyone looking to create online content through video - this is a must!
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Growing up in a family with a renowned business in Cork meant one thing for Andrew Whitaker - it was inevitable he would join the family business of Johnson & Perrott. The family business has been in operation for over 230 years in multiple industries from hatchery, iron works & the motor industry & passed down through generations. Andrew started in the motor side of the business working in sales & spent time in the sister company of Avis which saw him move to Australia to gain a greater insight to the industry.
Coming from a family business led him to take a leap of faith to build his own business & make a difficult decision of leaving Johnson & Perrott. He created Culture Co-Working - a co-working space in Cork’s Marina, but with great success in growth, a new hub opened in the city.
He talks about growing up in an establish family business, the difficulties of leaving it to build his own & the challenges brought by Covid-19 & it’s impact on his business which was starting up at the time. We also hear how he got through those challenging times as well as the great support in the Cork business community in helping others when needed.
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We've a magical episode up our sleeve with magician & mentalist Liam Sheehan who is renowned in Ireland & across the globe for his tricks in the trade. It's not everyday you can say you've entertained Michael Jackson, but Liam can. He is famed for entertaining the king of pop during his stay in Cork which is what propelled his career in the industry of magic where today he performs in Ireland & around the world doing corporate & private events.
But his career in magic didn't start till later in life. He left school having failed his intercert, but despite having no qualifications he started a job in a factory, where he developed skills in sales & business. After years of working in business, he opened Cork's first BMX shop 'Super Bikes BMX'. After 12 years in business, he sold up & retuned to his former employer working back in sales.
But all the while during his business career, he knew he wanted to be an entertainer, something that resonated with him at a young age. On the side, he was learning the tricks of magic from notes from the masters in magic like Houdini & practising at home on fammily. Once he got his first corporate gig, he knew it was time to persevere & pursue magic full time. From there it escalated quickly to working at corporate events, earning a reputation for himself. The rest is history! Liam was kind enough to do some tricks in studio & we were simply amazed visit our Instagram account to see it live!
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Cork sustainable leisurewear OceanR is making waves across the globe creating sustainable products & clothing from ocean waste. The brand founded by Tom Cotter, formerly known as Rashr has been been in the making for 5 years but has grown exponentially on a global basis.
From what started initially as active wear, OceanR has become a sustainable clothing brand ambassador for luxury leisure resorts around the world, most notably for Necker Island, owned by businessman Richard Branson. Tom left school not knowing what he wanted to do while dealing with the loss of his best friend, but he eventually found himself working in water sports as an instructor - something his father had always been active in.
The economic crash of 2008 saw him move to Australia where he worked in a sailing school. There he learned the ins & outs of business through the friendly mentorship of his Aussie workmates. After a number of years, a return to Ireland was inevitable but met with hardships when his mother passed away soon after his return. She was highly supportive of his dreams to set up his business which over the years grew to what it is today.
OceanR is paving the way for sustainability sourcing ocean plastics which are reused as fabric materials, once the clothing has reached an end of life, its returned & the fabric is shredded & reused as stuffing for car seat interiors amongst other things. Ocean R is way ahead of its time when it
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This week on the podcast, Stephen is joined by popular Cork based content creator Shauna Doyle who joins us to give an insightful look into the world of online content creation. Shauna originally got into content creation while working as a makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics at Brown Thomas where she began uploading make-up tutorials. Through this she began to gain a following online and it wasn't long before she took the leap of faith to pursue online content creation full-time.
But everything wasn't smooth sailing to begin with, as she found herself studying in a course she didn't enjoy. This led her to change direction to pursue something different after getting her degree. As she began to get more in content creation she decided to do a Masters in PR & New Media at Munster Technological University where she learned many of the skills she uses in her content creator role.
Shauna operates solely by herself, working around the clock as her own personal assistant, doing her own PR, marketing & content creation for clients. This episode is a great insight into the hard work behind the scenes of content creators and the growth of influencer marketing.
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