The Hidden Hustle Podcast

Imagine not listening to your customers. That’s exactly whatmost companies are doing online.

This week, we sat down with Stephen O’Leary, Founder and CEO of Olytico—a company that has spent the past 17 years helping brands truly understand what’s being said about them online.
Stephen is also an ex-President of the Dublin Chamber ofCommerce and sits on Advisory Boards and Committees for Munster Rugby and the GAA.
After this conversation, you won’t look at your social mediastrategy the same way again.
For nearly two decades, Olytico has helped companiesworldwide refine their strategies by listening to, monitoring, analysing, and reporting on online conversations—insights that most brands completely overlook.
Here’s the reality: if you’re only paying attention to whatcustomers say in response to your posts, you’re missing up to 90% of the conversation.
In today’s digital landscape, understanding your audiencemeans going far beyond likes and comments. In this episode, Stephen breaks down how social media listening unlocks real business value—sharing practical insights and real-world examples from companies like Monzo, WHOOP, and Dovethat are using it to gain a competitive edge.
The good news? With the help of Olytico companies of all sizes can take advantage of these insights.
Social media listening isn’t just about tracking mentions—it’s about understanding conversations, identifying opportunities, and ensuring your customers feel heard. Done right, it allows brands to connect with people who are actively looking for what they offer—even if they do not know they exist yet.
If social media is part of your company’s strategy, this is not an episode you can afford to miss.
Show Notes
• Overcoming early challenges.
• The importance of Dublin Chamber of Commerce in the early years.
• How hiring a coach changed the trajectory of both the company and Stephen personally.
• The value of the Irish Entrepreneurs community.
• Effective social media strategies.
• Listening to customer needs online to drive innovation.
• How Monzo, WHOOP, and Dove use social listening to stay ahead.
• The positive side of social media.
• A year as President of Dublin Chamber of Commerce.
• The evolution of social media beyond the “old guard” .
• The untapped opportunity in platforms like Reddit.
• Stephen’s vision for Olytico over the next five years.

Links & resources:
Olytico: https://olytico.com/
Follow Stephen on Linkedln: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenoleary/ 
 
Our Sponsors:
Tap Design Consultancy: https://wearetap.ie/linkedin.com/company/tapdesignconsultancy

What does it really take to build a billion-dollar business from the ground up?Description
We recently sat down with Phillip McGlade, whose journey from one clinic to building Thérapie Clinics into Europe’s largest aesthetic provider is packed with lessons for anyone looking to grow a business, lead a team, or think bigger.

Phillip shares his ambition to create a billion-dollar global business, with plans to open 200 more locations in the coming years while proudly flying the Irish flag internationally.

But this conversation is about far more than growth numbers. It’s about spotting opportunities when others hesitate, scaling during difficult times, learning from mistakes, building loyal teams, and knowing when the right time is to expand. Some of Thérapie’s biggest moves came during recessions, with 25 clinics opened during COVID and 24 more the year after.

If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, leader, or someone with big ambitions, this episode will give you real insight into what it takes to grow successfully in uncertain times.

One reminder from Phillip that everyone needs to hear: every business starts small.

Tune in for a conversation full of practical lessons, honest advice, and big-picture thinking.

Show notes
How Thérapie became the largest aestheticprovider in Europe
Current footprint: 85 clinics worldwide acrossIreland, the UK, and the US
Why some of the biggest growth happened duringthe recession and after COVID
Opening 25 clinics during COVID and 24 moreimmediately after
The importance of spotting opportunities whenmarkets are uncertain
Lessons and mistakes from expanding at speed
Why businesses should dominate their home marketbefore going international
Rising demand for treatments like Botox and theshift in consumer trends
Thérapie’s impact beyond aesthetics as Ireland’slargest fertility provider, helping create thousands of families
Growth of Optilase in laser eye and cataractsurgery
Leadership stories of team members who joined in2008 and now lead major operations
Why every entrepreneur should remember: everybusiness starts small.
Links & resources:
Thérapie Clinic: ⁠https://careers.therapieclinic.com/⁠
Follow Philip on Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-mcglade-03699840/
Our Sponsors:
Tap Design Consultancy: https://wearetap.ie/
linkedin.com/company/tapdesignconsultancy

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with PaulMerriman and this one is packed with practical advice every Irish ear needs to hear.
 
Why is over €180 billion sitting idle in deposit accounts?
Are you making the most of the Small Gifts Exemption?
What’s actually the smartest way to invest €10k right now?
And… are Irish banks quietly costing you more than youthink?
 
In this episode, we get into the real conversations peopleoften avoid:
– The hidden risks of borrowing money
– The biggest financial mistake Irish people keep making
– Pension vs investment what actually makes sense for you
– And why that “go-to” property purchase might not be thesafe bet you think it is
– Simple Financial Planning wins

This is honest advice you can actually use.
 
If you’re trying to make smarter financial decisions (andavoid costly ones), this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
 
Links & resources:
Fairstone: https://www.fairstone.ie/
Follow Paul on Linkedln: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-merriman-...
Follow on all the socials – AskPaul.ie 
Our Sponsors:
Tap Design Consultancy: https://wearetap.ie/linkedin.com/company/tapdesignconsultancy

Description
We recently had an incredible sit-down with Paul Merriman, CEO of Fairstone Ireland and founder of AskPaul.ie.
We’ve split the conversation into two episodes, and this week’s release focuses on Paul’s incredible journey building his business.
From not making it past Rag Week in college to now running a business managing €3 billion in assets, employing 250 people, and operating across 60 offices.
Paul shares how the AskPaul brand was central to that growth, and why personal branding played such a pivotal role in his success. He also speaks honestly about the criticism he faced early on for doing things differently and why he stuck with it anyway.
We dive into how he went on to dominate the financial planning space in Ireland (almost without realising it), which ultimately led to Fairstone acquiring the business a deal that, as Paul tells it, handshakes were made after a few drinks in Asador.
Next week’s episode shifts gears into practical advice about everyone about investing, mortgages, pensions, rent vs buying, why €180 billion is sitting in deposits in Ireland, and how to approach investing your first €10k.
Show notes
Paul’s journey from not making it past Rag Week in college to managing €3 billion in assets, leading a team of 250 people across 60 offices
Why personal branding was a game-changer and how AskPaul became the foundation of his success
The reality of the grind working from 6am to 1am every day during Covid to meet demand and scale the business
Facing criticism and industry “stick” early on for doing things differently and why he ignored the noise
How passion for what you do, combined with consistently doing the right thing, compounds over time
The story behind the sale of the business
Why Fairstone was the right fit and how alignment in values/vision played a key role in the decision to sell
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Dealing with rejection and setbacks, and using them as fuel rather than barriers

Links & resources:
Fairstone: https://www.fairstone.ie/
Follow Paul on Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-merriman-cfp%C2%AE-48152b17/
Follow on all the socials – AskPaul.ie
 
Our Sponsors:
Tap Design Consultancy: https://wearetap.ie/
linkedin.com/company/tapdesignconsultancy

Alex Fox and Johnson Hana have fundamentally changed the legal industry in Ireland.
We had an incredible conversation with Alex Fox, Co-Founder of Johnson Hana and now General Manager of Eudia, which acquired Johnson Hana for $50 million in July 2025.
Alex shares how he left his sales job after recognising alongside his brother that the legal industry was broken. What followed was a challenging early journey, including the struggle to land their very first customer.
He explains how the company went from strength to strength, achieving 50–100% year-on-year growth from inception through to acquisition.
Alex also discusses his strong belief in raising as much funding as possible, and how that process forces founders to develop a wide range of critical skills.
This is a real Irish success story and a must-listen for anyone looking to build, scale, and disrupt an industry.
Show Notes
• How he quit his sales job to pursue the idea behind Johnson Hana
• How they leveraged UK business models to disrupt the Irish legal industry
• The role of funding in their journey featuring both major setbacks and big wins
• How to scale a company at speed
• The importance of key mentors throughout the Johnson Hana journey
• The acquisition, and why Eudia was the perfect fit
• Some extremely interesting and unconventional answers in our “Question for the Road” segment
Links & resources:
• Eudia: https://www.eudia.com/
• Follow Alex on Linkedln: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-fox-473b4bb4/
Our Sponsors:
• Tap Design Consultancy: https://wearetap.ie/
linkedin.com/company/tapdesignconsultancy