EE418 - Mentor Moment: David Jelly on the €150 Billion Sitting Still In Irish Bank Accounts
In this bite-sized Mentor Moment from Episode 384, David Jelly, founder of Property Bridges, joins Gary Fox to dissect two of Ireland’s biggest challenges: why people aren’t investing — despite sitting on billions in cash — and why startups struggle to retain talent in a post-COVID world. From cultural mindsets to broken incentives, David gets honest about what needs to change. Whether you're a founder, investor, or just trying to make sense of Ireland’s economic contradictions, this moment will provide some useful food for thought on investing in Ireland, and how to shape your team in our hybrid working world. ------ Visit my partners: Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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11:49
EE417 - Skin in the Game: How Ella & Jo Went from 1 Idea to Selling in 50 Countries
In this inspiring episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Charlene Flanagan and Niamh Ryan—the powerhouse duo behind Ella & Jo, one of Ireland’s fastest-growing beauty brands. From a single product and two simultaneous pregnancies to a global business stocked in Boots, Dunnes Stores and over 400 pharmacies, their story is anything but ordinary. Charlene and Niamh open up about how they built Ella & Jo from the West of Ireland, how they define success on their own terms, and why authenticity, connection, and community are at the heart of everything they do. Whether you’re a solo founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or building a business while juggling parenthood—this episode will leave you fired up, grounded, and full of ideas. Show Notes: In this episode, we cover: 💡 The serendipitous start to Charlene & Niamh’s partnership 👩🔬 From skin clinic and bridal makeup to co-founders of a global beauty brand 🧴 How a single brush cleanser idea turned into an award-winning product range 🌍 Building a global brand from the West of Ireland 💬 Why your business doesn’t have to be born in Dublin, London, or NYC 👩👩👧👦 Growing a business while growing a family—simultaneous pregnancies and startup hustle 🧘 The importance of defining your own version of success 🌟 How coaching and self-acceptance helped shape their leadership styles 📦 Behind the scenes of product development: the 9-month launch timeline 🤝 The role of trust, community, and social media in scaling Ella & Jo 🧠 How to stay creatively inspired while managing the demands of entrepreneurship Links & Resources: 💻 Ella & Jo Website: https://ellaandjo.ie 📸 Charlene Flanagan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charleneflanagan_ 👩⚕️ Niamh Ryan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niamhryan_skin/ 🛍️ Buy Ella & Jo at Boots Ireland: https://www.boots.ie/ella-and-jo 📚 Going for Growth – Women entrepreneurs programme: https://goingforgrowth.com/ --- Visit my partners: Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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1:54:24
EE416 - Mentor Moment: Barry Napier on Leadership, Accountability & Evolving as a Founder
In this Mentor Moment from Episode 355 of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Barry Napier shares hard-won wisdom on how founders need to evolve as their companies scale. From letting go of control to building a culture of trust and accountability, Barry reflects on how he went from “hard work and chaos” to leading with clarity and self-awareness. If you're a founder feeling the weight of doing it all, this is a must-watch moment on what it really means to grow — not just your company, but yourself. Full Episode: The Entrepreneur Experiment Episode 355
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11:14
EE 415 - Inside the €1B+ Business Empire of John Purdy
In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with John Purdy, co-founder of Ergo and a seasoned leader who has helped shape the Irish tech landscape over the past three decades. From launching Ergo in 1993 with just a handful of people to scaling it into one of Ireland’s top IT services companies, John shares the highs, the hard decisions, and the philosophies that guided him through it all. John shares a rare behind-the-scenes look at how he scaled Ergo without external investment and spun out an eventual unicorn, Fenergo, along the way. He opens up about the emotional and strategic decision to step away as CEO after 28 years, and what he’s doing now to give back—both to founders and to causes close to his heart. If you're building a business or figuring out what comes after success, this is the playbook. Show Notes: In this episode, we cover: 🚀 Growing Ergo from a printer repair business to €200M+ in revenue 📊 How John bootstrapped and resisted outside investment for decades 🏗️ Spinning out Fenergo—now valued at €1.2 billion 🔁 Why he stepped down as CEO and how he let go without meddling 🧠 What he looks for before joining a startup board or investing 🔥 The brutal honesty of what it takes to scale and survive the “messy middle” 🤝 How personal values define great founders 💬 "The team that got me the last trophy won’t get me the next one." — John Purdy quoting Sir Alex Ferguson on leadership and succession Links & Resources Ergo Technology Group: https://ergotechnologygroup.com/ Connect with John Purdy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpurdy Book mentioned: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Recommended Podcast: The Tim Ferriss Show Visit my partners Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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1:54:45
EE 414 - Building a Global Brand With Millions Watching: Keilidh Cashell's Story
In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Keilidh Cashell — one of Ireland’s most recognisable beauty creators turned entrepreneur and founder of Kash Beauty. With over 2 million followers on TikTok and a loyal global audience, Keilidh opens up about what it really takes to build a brand in the public eye. From creating makeup looks in her bedroom to leading a business stocked internationally, Keilidh shares the highs, the challenges, and the moments where she questioned it all. She talks burnout, stepping back from content creation to become a better CEO, and learning how to lead a team while staying true to her creative core. This is an unfiltered look at the business behind the brand — and the mindset shift required to scale beyond just being the face of it. Whether you're a content creator dreaming of launching your own product or a founder navigating what growth actually feels like, this one is a must-listen. Show Notes: In this episode, we cover: 💄 How Keilidh transitioned from makeup influencer to founder of Kash Beauty 🌍 Scaling a brand globally while staying rooted in authenticity 🎥 The pressure of building a business while millions watch online 🧠 Burnout, boundaries and taking a step back to lead better 📦 Why she focused on product and customer experience before anything else 💬 Learning how to hire, manage and make tough business calls 🧪 Creating products that go viral and deliver results 💡 “At the start, it was all vibes — no plan.” 🔑 What it really means to build something bigger than yourself Links & Resources: Follow Keilidh on YouTube: @KeilidhMua Follow Keilidh on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@keilidhmua Follow Keilidh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keilidhmua/ Shop Kash Beauty: https://www.kashbeauty.com/ Kash Beauty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kash_beauty/ --- Visit my partners Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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