From Magician to CEO: How Ciaran McCormack Built a £300M Business
What can a magician teach us about leadership, resilience, and growth?In this episode of Business Builders Podcast, Ciaran McCormack shares how his early lessons in crowd control and stage presence became the foundations for running one of Ireland and the UK’s most successful retail groups. From balloon animals to Apple, to steering a company through examinership and rebirth, this is a story about creativity, grit, and believing in possibility — even when everything’s on the line.🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:– How a magician’s stagecraft became the foundation for leadership and communication– What Ciaran learned moving from film school to Apple to the boardroom– Why naivety can be a strength when stepping into your first CEO role– How he led a company through examinership and came out stronger– What it takes to scale from £17M to £210M without losing culture or driveWhether you’re building a business, leading a team, or redefining what success means, this episode is packed with grounded, human insight on confidence, growth, and resilience.🎙️ Host: Conor Kearney👇 Listen & SubscribeSpotify | Apple | Amazon | Google Podcasts
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From Scientist To Building A Multimillion-Euro Enterprise. Sean Mac Fhearraigh (Assay Genie)
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.In Series 10, Episode #94, I interview Sean Mac Fhearraigh, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Assay Genie. Sean shares his journey from academic cancer researcher to successful entrepreneur. We delve into the challenges of transitioning from science to business, raising funds, and growing Assay Genie into a multimillion-euro enterprise. The conversation spans topics like the importance of credibility in the scientific market, the impact of AI on science, and personal sacrifices made along the way.CONNECT WITH CONOR:LinkedInCONNECT WITH SEAN:LinkedInAssay GenieDiscover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.In Series 10, Episode #93, I interview Laura Dillon, head of Waterland Private Equity. She elaborates on Waterland's investment strategy, focusing on mature companies with high growth potential, and highlights the importance of aligned values and ambition in partnerships. Laura also shares her diverse career trajectory from McKinsey to an MBA at Harvard, running a family-owned business, and returning to private equity. She emphasises the significance of hard work, learning from real-world experiences, and the impact of maintaining a balanced personal and professional life. The conversation delves into how private equity can help businesses scale, manage risks, and achieve significant growth through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.CONNECT WITH CONOR:LinkedInCONNECT WITH LAURA:LinkedInWaterlandDiscover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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Building Sales Teams, LinkedIn Content & The Price Of Entry. Ross Keating (The Lennox Academy)
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.In Series 10, Episode #92, I sit down with Ross Keating, founder of The Lennox Academy, a sales training business that has achieved six-figure monthly revenues within two and a half years. Ross shares his journey from door-to-door sales to founding The Lennox Academy, detailing his strategies for building an effective sales team and marketing via LinkedIn. He emphasises the importance of a repeatable and scalable business model, offers insights into his content distribution strategy, and outlines his plans for launching two new ventures: The Arena, a community for sales leaders, and Overpath AI, an AI agent service for sales teams.CONNECT WITH CONOR:LinkedInCONNECT WITH ROSS:LinkedInThe Lennox AcademyDiscover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
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Design Innovation & Sustainability. Laura McDermott (Colectivo)
Hire world-class accountants and in The Philippines. Visit Outsource Direct to scale your operations with higher flexibility, maximum efficiency and much lower costs.Subscribe to the Business Builders Newsletter for the very best ideas I've discovered on business and personal growth.In Series 10, Episode #91, I interview Laura McDermott, Founder and CEO of Colectivo, a sustainability consultancy. The discussion covers various aspects of Colectivo's services, including advancing sustainability strategies, implementing change programs, and redesigning products and services. Laura shares her journey from living in Spain to establishing Colectivo in Ireland, the benefits of the adjunct consultancy model, and her passion for design innovation in sustainability. We also explore the challenges Laura faced in rebuilding her local business network after returning to Ireland and the importance of mindfulness and journaling in maintaining focus and calm under pressure.CONNECT WITH CONOR:LinkedInCONNECT WITH LAURA:LinkedInWebsiteDiscover EO Ireland—part of an international network designed specifically for entrepreneurs. EO Ireland connects business owners for networking, mentorship, and shared learning experiences. Take your business to the next level and join a community of like-minded leaders today at eoireland.org. Empower your entrepreneurial journey!Produced by Jetbooks, Chartered Accountants Ireland.
I created Business Builders as a weekly interview series to have honest conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors about their journeys; their successes, setbacks, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. As a growing business builder myself, I want to learn directly from my guests and share those insights with you. My goal is to provide listeners with practical takeaways, fresh perspectives, and real inspiration to help you on your own path to building and growing a business.
Ireland