10forty

This week on the 10forty Podcast, we’re joined by James — whose journey is a testament to unexpected paths and the power of backing yourself.

James starts by taking us back to his early years, growing up in Ballyfermot before moving to Edenderry. His parents were told he wouldn’t amount to much. But instead of letting that shape him, it quietly fuelled the determination that would define the years ahead.

After finishing school, James headed to Athlone to study biochemistry. But like many people discovering who they really are, he quickly realised it wasn’t the right fit. That decision led him into a completely different world: business management and the challenge of setting up a business at a young age.

But everything changed when James found Sales.

Before entering the motor industry, he spent time working in Arnotts and Weirs, where he developed a love for watches. This period wasn’t just retail experience; it was where James honed the people‑skills, confidence and product knowledge that would form the foundation of his next chapter.

From there, James moved into car sales — and everything clicked.

Not only did he thrive, but he rose through the ranks and eventually stepped into marketing management, carving out a career path far removed from the expectations placed on him growing up.

Alongside the hands‑on learning, James continues to study PR and Marketing, investing in the next phase of his professional story.

If you’re interested in career pivots, skill‑building, the power of persistence, or the reality of climbing your way up through self‑belief — this episode is one you’ll connect with.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists helping businesses hire best‑in‑class talent across Ireland and internationally.
https://www.tdtalent.ie/

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, with modern facilities, long‑ or short‑term options, and complete peace of mind when space matters.
https://nesta.ie/business-storage/

Get 25% off your first month’s storage using code CS25

HERE WE GO.

Want to share your own career journey on the podcast — or shine a light on a specific industry?

Reach out: [email protected]
Sponsorship opportunities: [email protected]

This week on the 10forty Podcast, we’re joined by Shay Lally from Houses to Restore — the man behind some of the most impressive renovation projects happening in Ireland right now.

Shay takes us inside the wide mix of work he’s managing at the moment: full home renovations, sensory rooms in schools, church restoration projects — including Dolphin’s Barn Church — and multiple house transformations all running at once.
But long before building one of Ireland’s fastest-growing renovation platforms, Shay’s world looked very different.

After finishing his Leaving Cert, he took a gap year playing percussion with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, performing regularly before heading to college to study Quantity Surveying.

We dive into what it really takes to be a QS — understanding materials, pricing and budgets, negotiating with suppliers, managing trades, and keeping projects on track when emotions (and costs) start to rise. Shay also breaks down the reality of pricing renovation work and why renovating your own home is never just a financial decision — it’s an emotional one.

Alongside all of this, Shay runs the Mobile Music School, bringing music workshops to schools across the country — a full-circle nod to the musical roots that started it all.
Today, Houses to Restore has grown into a community of over 75,000 Instagram followers, all tuning in for the transformations, the craftsmanship and the behind-the-scenes chaos and creativity that come with every project.

If you’re interested in renovating, building, design or unconventional career paths — this episode is for you.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally. https://www.tdtalent.ie/

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters. https://nesta.ie/business-storage/

Get 25% off your first month’s storage using the code CS25

HERE WE GO.

Want to share your own career journey on the podcast — or highlight a particular job or industry?

Get in touch: [email protected] ☕
Sponsorship opportunities: [email protected]

This week on the podcast, we sit down with Peter — an airline pilot whose career has taken him from army cadet to the sky over the Atlantic.

Peter walks us through an impressive journey that began in the Army Cadets and led him into the Irish Air Corps, where he flew life saving air ambulance missions and later joined the legendary Silver Swallows aerobatic team.

We dig into the decision to join the Irish Air Corps — what drew him in, what those early years taught him and how that world ultimately prepared him for a leap into the corporate sector.

From precision tumbles in formation to life-saving medical flights, Peter shares the moments that shaped him in the cockpit and the discipline and teamwork that have stayed with him ever since.

Today, his office looks a little different — these days he’s taking people to Tenerife, Boston and destinations all over the world as a commercial pilot with Aer Lingus. We talk about what that transition was really like, how flying changes when passengers replace military crew and why the magic of being in the air has never worn off.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a career at 30,000 feet, this one’s for you.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally. https://www.tdtalent.ie/

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters. https://nesta.ie/business-storage/

Get 25% off your first month’s storage using the code CS25

HERE WE GO!

Interested in sharing your own career journey on the podcast? Whether you want to talk through your path or highlight a particular job or industry, we’d love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕
Sponsorship opportunities: Want to partner with us? Reach out at [email protected]

This week on the 10forty Podcast, Conor sits down with George, the man behind G Force Fitness, an encouraging conversation.

George opens up about his journey through addiction, seeking help and completing a 16-month treatment programme in Scotland. He speaks candidly about relapse, falling off the wagon, suffering a mild stroke and the mindset it took to rebuild his life again.

From selling papers outside a school on the Crumlin Road and cutting grass after asking his mam for new runners (and getting a lawnmower instead), to leaving school young, getting into fights, climbing pipes and waving at the principal from outside the building — George’s early years were anything but conventional.

After treatment, he took a job as a kitchen porter, working long shifts and learning the ropes from the ground up. When a chef called in sick, George stepped up, working alongside the combi and dessert chefs — a moment that showed the eagerness and hunger that would define his future. We dive into what the role of a kitchen porter really involves, the different shifts and how his brother helped him get his foot in the door.

We also unpack his time in window tinting (including the day he burned a hole in a car while distracted and got fired), working from his back garden and the many lessons learned along the way.

George shares how he got into training, completed his PT qualification and how exercise gave him direction, feeling, and meaning. He speaks honestly about competing in bodybuilding, taking steroids and the toll it took on his body. We debate whether the PT industry should be regulated and discuss his coaching philosophy, standards and approach to building both people and business.

During Covid, George started doing live Instagram workouts from his kitchen — heater on full, towels everywhere, growing his following from 1,100 to 9,000. When gyms were closed, he launched free bootcamps in a local field. What started with 10 people grew to 20… then 90… then 150 at a single session. The Gardaí shut it down. He moved locations. Kept going. Local TDs got behind him.

He saved his first €2,000, bought dumbbells and built momentum.

Two years in a field before moving into a facility.

Today, G Force Fitness has over 900 members, runs seven classes per day (05:30, 06:15, 09:30, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 19:00) with four PTs per class and has built something far bigger than a gym — it’s a community.
• Kids under 16 train for free
• Family deals for accessibility
• Training local schools and addiction recovery centres
• Over 120 HYROX competitors with 15 flags at Dublin HYROX and zero penalties
• A free running club with 13 volunteer mentors
• Affordable memberships for those who can’t pay premium prices

“Train in the rain to look insane or remain the same.”

We talk about purpose, leadership, recruiting and developing PTs from scratch, training people in groups to maximise both impact and profit and why helping people will always be the mission.

This is a story of resilience, redemption, community and relentless belief.

If you’re in business, in fitness, in recovery, or simply trying to build something meaningful — this one is for you.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters.

Get 25% off your first month’s storage using the code CS25

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast?

Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕

Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]

In this week’s episode, we sit down with John Sweetman, author of Identity and host of the Lines of Enquiry podcast.

John takes us inside a career shaped by detail — beginning with his first job in animation, his lifelong connection to art and the path that ultimately led him to An Garda Síochána. We talk about his early days in uniform, his first posting and the moment an incident involving a local publican being struck with a bottle quietly redirected the course of his career.

That moment led John into the Garda Technical Bureau, where we explore the process of becoming a fingerprint expert and what it’s really like to attend crime scenes — and whether exposure to that world ever truly becomes normal.

John also shares how he later transitioned into handwriting analysis, breaking down the training, responsibility and precision required to be recognised as an expert witness and what a life spent paying close attention can do to the way you see the world.

To close, we ask John whether he’d still recommend the Garda as a career today and what advice he’d give to anyone considering stepping into that line of work

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Top Drawer Talent — Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists, helping businesses hire top-tier talent across Ireland and internationally.

Nesta Storage — secure, flexible storage solutions for businesses and individuals, offering modern facilities, short- and long-term options, and peace of mind when space matters. Get 25% off your first month’s storage using the code CS25

HERE WE GO!

Are you interested in sharing your career journey on the podcast? Whether you're keen to talk about your path or promote a specific job or career route, we'd love to hear from you.

Drop us a line at [email protected] — we’ll get the coffees in! ☕

Sponsorships: Want to partner? Reach out to us at [email protected]