Working, Living & Travelling In Ireland

Tag: Smallbusiness interview

  • Athastours – Small business interview West of Ireland

    Athastours – Small business interview West of Ireland

    Hello Readers,

    Time for a new interview! If you are new to my blog, I have been interviewing small businesses in the West of Ireland since 2016. Check out all the interviews I have done to date. The last interview  was with An Mheital Rothar, Galway’s Community Bike shop and excited the present my newest interview with Gary Casey from Athastour walking tours in Galway.  I was walking around Spanish Arch in Galway City, and just as I walked under the Arch I saw Gary, so I thought I’d go over and say hello!

    So how does this interview work, and how can you get interviewed?
    I have learned that people aren’t responding to email anymore, and have gotten most of my completed questionnaires via Facebook or Twitter. The interview exists out of a number of questions that are stored in the cloud via Google docs.  I then send a link , the interviewee clicks on the link, enters the answers to the questions and the beauty is there is no need to send documents over email. I love it! I then review the questions, ask for clarifications if needed, and then publish. So if you are up for a close-up 🙂 of your business/startup in the West of Ireland, please drop me an email here or connect me with on my Workinglivingtravellinginireland Facebook Page or Twitter. I do read my email! And remember, the more you put in, the more you get out of it. Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!

    Tell us a bit about yourself & where you are located in the West of Ireland.
    My name is Gary Casey, 40, from Galway. I run Athas Tours guided walks of Galway city.

    Picture of Gary Casey of Athas Walkingtours Galway

    Picture of Spanish Arch Galway City

    Can you provide me with a description of your business?
    Athas Tours provided individuals and groups the opportunity to walk around and see all the main Galway city sights in a fun and energetic way. I am a sole trader at the moment and do the tours myself.

    How long have you been in business? In this business? In other businesses?How did you get started in this business?
    I have been in business since February 2017 in this business. I did a course on setting up a business and decided to follow through on this idea.

    Is this your full time job, a hobby or a bit of both?
    It is a bit of both, not quite full-time yet, but hopefully soon.

    How did you get the background and skills necessary to run this type of business?
    I have seen how well-run Galway is as a tourist city. The most necessary skill is telling a story with a bit of wit attached and I think I can manage that!

    How do the social, economic, environmental, technological, legal and political environments impact your business?
    They all have a bearing on it. Economic tourism is the key i.e. keeping the tourist economy competitive. The rest are secondary to this. Keep Joe Tourist interested by not ripping him off and giving him value for his notes.

    Do you know who your competitors are?
    I know very well who they are the buggers. Seriously, I think they compliment me and vice versa. Room for all.

    How do you market your business? How are people aware of your business? Where can people find you?

    Website: www.athastours.com
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Athastours
    Linkedin: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/athastours
    Youtube: https:/www.youtube.com/c/Athastourswalkingtours

    I market via social media but try to keep costs down as Facebook etc can be expensive.

    Where do you see your business in the next year? In the next five years? The next ten years?
    I am just going week on week. I hope to be able to expand enough to eventually get a minibus and expand to driving tours.

    Do you plan to compete in the global market place? If yes, how? If no, why not?
    I would love to but have not thought it fully through.

    How has technology, such as computers and the internet, impacted on how you conduct business?
    It is really everything, just as in every other business.

    What do you love about the area you live in/do business in?
    It is life itself. A flaneurs dream. People of all walks of life mixing in Galway’s tiny medieval streets, all searching for answers to questions asked forever.

    Whom do you seek advice from for your business/ do you meet up with other business owners? If so, where?
    I have talked to several historians and online is an invaluable source of opinion.

    Can you describe your customers?
    Anybody is a potential customer. I just need to make them believe!

    Why do your customers select you over your competitors?
    Karma.

    What are the biggest challenges for running this business?
     Karma and cashflow.

    What keeps you going, when the chips are down?
    Questionnaires from nice people I meet on the streets.

    Do you support local charities? If so which is your favourite charity and why?
    Yes and I fundraise. I have collected for the GRCC and GAA.

    Anything special things planned for 2017?
    Lots but I won’t share just yet!

    Any tips for someone who is thinking of starting their own business?
     DON’T OVERTHINK. As Nike and Arnold say, Just Do It.

    What did you learn from this interview?
    That questions lead to answers and sometimes more questions. Life is a big circle. That is good. Never let it get too square or triangular.

    Just a quick reminder, please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!  If you would like to be next, please drop me an email to katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com and I’ll be in touch.

    Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook!

    Thanks for reading & sharing & commenting!

    Katleen

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  • Hayes Vegetables Gort – Catherine Hayes: #SmallBusinessinterview West of Ireland

    Hayes Vegetables Gort – Catherine Hayes: #SmallBusinessinterview West of Ireland

    Hello all,

    It’s time  for another #smallbusinessinterview  in the West Of Ireland!! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Catherine Hays from Hays Vegetables. I met Catherine for the first time last year at the Summer Market and I can see she’s going from strength to strength. I arrived home quite late on Thursday, and decided to head to Gort on Friday morning ( before heading back to bed) to pick up some fresh vegetables. I love making soup, and picked up potatoes, leeks, onions and some home baked bread from her stall. I can’t wait now to make some wholesome soup :).

    In case this is your first visit to my blog, I have started to interview #smallbusiness in the West of Ireland, as I’d like to give them a helping hand to make them shine and also show to the outside  world what the West of Ireland has to offer.

    Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!  If you would like to be interviewed, please drop me an email to katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com and I’ll be in touch.

    Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook!

    So far I have interviewed following businesses :

    Quickest Fox Marketing  Earthwise Micro Biz Awards Dutch Bakery ziplines.ie Meetthewool.com jclearn.ie

    I always ask to supply me with a few pictures ( or if you have a video, even better). Catherine gave me a few pictures, and I made a small video using Google Photos.

     Tell us a bit about yourself & where you are located in the West of Ireland.

    My name is Catherine Hayes & I grew up on a dairy farm just outside of Gort, Co. Galway. I am currently running a market garden business ( free from chemicals) on some land 2 km from Gort and selling my produce at GortFridayMarket every Friday morning.
     
    How did you get started in this business?
     
    I started growing properly about 1.5 years ago (January 2015) and my first market in Gort was July 2015. Previous to this I had studied analytical science to PhD level & had spent a number of years working in research in Sweden as well as Ireland. At some stage I decided I wanted to come home & managed to find a position that would suit me. As circumstances would have it, on returning to Ireland the position fell through & I found myself at a loose end. I decided to take a year out from science & try something new. I got a place as an intern on BeechlawnOrganicFarm in Ballinasloe and remained there for 1.5 years (till Nov 2015) when I took up my own enterprise full time. At present I am also attending a Market Garden Course run by Jim Cronin in Bridgetown Co. Clare to improve my skills in this area, with a view to expanding my business and market.
     
    How do the social, economic, environmental, technological, legal and political environments impact your business?
     
    It’s hard for me to comment on outside influences on my business as I am not very long “in the game” but if I were to guess the main influences would be social & environmental – people need a certain amount of disposable income to buy fresh vegetables, and its hard to compete with the loss-leaders that the multinational supermarkets advertise on a weekly basis. However environmental issues are making people more aware of what they are consuming & more concerned about buying vegetables that have been grown without the use of chemicals.
     
    Do you know who your competitors are?
     
    At present in Gort the main competitors are the large supermarkets – however I do believe that a certain amount of competition is necessary & if anything people are becoming more aware of naturally grown, organic vegetables and this raises demand.
     
    How do you market your business? How are people aware of your business? 
     
    I market my business in two ways at present – FaceBook & word of mouth. I have an active FaceBook page for my stall HayesVegGort & GortFridayMarket, where i post at least twice weekly, with my product range, recipes or updates on how things are going on the farm. But I also find that in a rural community such as Gort, word of mouth is very powerful. I have numerous customers who come & say “I heard you had lovely carrots” or something like that. So consistently good quality & good customer service are working for me as well at present.
     
    Any special things planned for 2016 or further ahead?
     
    I hope to expand in the next year or two. At present I have one large polytunnel (20 ft x 64 ft) and about 1/4 acre of outside veg – this will grow to another large tunnel & maybe another 1/4 to 1/2 acre outside. In 5 years I hope to maybe have grown to 3/4 tunnels & also have one full time person in employment. In 10 years – hard to say, but i should have a very successful veg (and possibly fruit) business with perhaps a shop.
     
    Do you plan to compete in the global market place? If yes, how? If no, why not?
     
    The global market is not a viable option for me as my product is perishable, but I can envisage competing on a national scale within Ireland.
     
    How has technology, such as computers and the internet, impacted on how you conduct business?
     
    Computers, technology etc are very important to me, in all aspects: communications, marketing, sales, record-keeping, finance, research etc. Overall technology is an integral part of my business. Working outside (or inside in the tunnel on a rainy day).
     
    What do you love about the area you live in/do business in?
     
    The satisfaction of seeing something grow, of sitting down to a meal of my produce. I also love the interaction with the public at the market – its my favourite part of the week. The people of Gort & the surrounding area have been very supportive of me in this venture & they show this support by consistently turning up at the stall every week.
     
    Whom do you seek advice from for your business/ do you meet up with other business owners? If so, where?
     
    I have a network of other organic farmers that i have developed over the course of my internship. I am also in the process of setting up a network of small growers in Ireland specifically to cater for people like me who are starting out or are early-stage. We have already met a few times and are currently setting up a schedule of Farm visits around the country so we can chat about successes & problems on small market garden holdings.
     
    Can you describe your customers & why do they choose you over other suppliers.
    My customer base, geographically is Gort & its hinterlands. I have every age group and social economic background but the thing they have in common is they all seem to appreciate the taste & quality of my produce. They understand that I sell mostly my own veg and I stand over it all, its grown locally without the use of chemicals, and freshly harvested for the market. It is a physically demanding job.

     

    Is this just about planting and harvesting vegetables? What challenges do you face?

    There is also a lot of strategic planning that needs to go into an enterprise like this – for example, April & May are known as the “hungry gap” when the last of the winters crops have finished but the summer crops aren’t ready – this needs to be planned a year in advance to have crops to sell in this time.  I am at the mercy of the weather – this year, sowing is very late due to the wet spring that we’ve been having.
     
    What keeps you going, when the chips are down?
     
    When I get down, I either take a walk through my crops or look at photos from last year, especially my tomato plants – that’s enough to make me want to do it all over again this year!!
     
    Do you support local charities? If so which is your favourite charity and why?
     
    At present I am involved in a number of local community groups on a volunteer basis, GaillimhTheasComhalatas and BurrenLowlands. At some stage the stall holders at Gort Friday Market would like to organise a special market day for the town – music, barbecue etc to showcase the market.
     
    Any tips for someone who is thinking of starting their own business?
     
    For someone starting their own business? Believe in yourself – you can do anything you put your mind to.
     
    What did you learn from this interview?
     
    I learned that I have actually achieved quite a lot in a short space of time. Thanks for the interview!!
     

    Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!  If you would like to be interviewed, please drop me an email to katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com and I’ll be in touch.

    Twitter : @ecotreasure, Find me on Facebook

    Katleen

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  • #SmallBusinessinterview West of Ireland : www.Meetthewool.com

    #SmallBusinessinterview West of Ireland : www.Meetthewool.com

    Hello all,

    On Sunday afternoon, once we’ve been to a football match and eaten our Sunday lunch ( and everybody else has comatosed on the sofa) I get out my laptop and start writing my new small business interview. If you are new to my blog, my name is Katleen, and I have been writing this blog since 2009.  As a new year’s resolution, I wanted to learn more about what’s happening with small business in my area, and have started to interview Small Business in the West of Ireland, to give them a chance to do their story and show the world their business.

    Let’s get connected! Find me on Twitter : @ecotreasure, Facebook: www.facebook.com/workinglivingtravellinginireland  Please share this interview with your friends and family, as that’s the way these small businesses will get that little bit more of exposure and will help them grow!

    If you are a small business( or know a small business) in the West of Ireland and would like to get featured, please drop me an email katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com

    Today I am interviewing Sandra King from http://www.meetthewool.com . Sandra  and I go back a few years now, as I  featured some of her crocheted christening gowns  when my then business was showcased on the morning breakfast show Ireland AM. Here is just a small clip of the christening gowns! They are fabulous!

    Tell us a bit about yourself & where you are located in the West of Ireland.

    I am located in Ballinruan, a small rural village outside of Crusheen in Co. Clare.. I relocated here in 2007 from North Carolina. I grew up in the city, but don’t think there is any way I could go back to city living.

    Can you provide me with a description of your business?

    I am a designer of speciality yarns that I dye and spin myself. The fibre that I use is sourced from my own sheep….2 Wensleydales(Daisy and Rose) and 1 Bluefaced Leicester (Hyacinth). I also spin some traditional yarns.

    Blue Faced Leicester
    Blue Faced Leicester (Hyacinth)
    Wensleydale Sheep
    Wensleydale Sheep
    Rose
    Wensleydale Sheep

    How long have you been in business? In this business? In other businesses?

    I have been in this business for about 4 years. I have been in textile and non-textile businesses intermittently since 1986.

    How did you get started in this business?

    Because I have always been an avid crocheter and have a keen interest in textiles, spinning was a simple progression. In the past I have found it frustrating to find yarns of the desired colors, textures, etc. so I decided to get some sheep, a spinning wheel, and make my own.

    knittingbymeetthewool

    Is this your full time job, a hobby or a bit of both?

    It’s more a part-time job and a hobby. I run a boarding kennels, so sometimes my wool business is moved to the back burner for a day or two. However, most days I can find even a small amount of time to dye, spin, crochet or knit.

    How did you get the background and skills necessary to run this type of business?

    I am naturally an organized personality which I find very helpful in this business. The skills I learned from a very close friend who is a spinner and weaver and also from attending various workshops. Also, the woman from whom I purchased my Wensleydale sheep is a wealth of knowledge on both the animals and dyeing and spinning their fleece.

    How do the social, economic, environmental, technological, legal and political environments impact your business?

    For me, the biggest impact is technological. I find it very challenging to keep up with social media networking and selling from my website.

    Do you know who your competitors are?

    Yes, there are many hand spinners but the secret is to design a yarn which is unique.

    How do you market your business? How are people aware of your business? Where can people find you?

    I have my website: http://www.meetthewool.com which I developed last year. Orders have been slowly coming in.

    I have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/meetthewool which gets a lot of interest

    I recently started an Etsy shop,https://www.etsy.com/ie/shop/MeettheWool which I need to do more work with. I am a member of an Arts & Craft co-op since April, which has provided me with the most sales. I am on the steering committee of Creative Clare which is organizing to allow artists and craft workers the opportunity to network and market their products through events and studio trails.

    Where do you see your business in the next year? In the next five years? The next ten years?

    This next year will see an increase in sales from the co-op and the web site. In five years time, I will have designed and successfully marketed a unique line of yarns internationally. In ten years, I just hope to maintain the status quo.

    Do you plan to compete in the global market place? If yes, how? If no, why not?

    Yes, through my website and social media.

    How has technology, such as computers and the internet, impacted on how you conduct business?

    It allows me to sell internationally through my website. I am now starting to network through social media.

    What do you love about the area you live in/do business in?

    I love being able to walk out my door, see the beauty of the countryside and work from home in my quiet studio.

    Whom do you seek advice from for your business/ do you meet up with other business owners? If so, where?

    I get some advice from my son, Gray, who is a CPA and who has a lavender growing business. Also, from personal contacts I have that are textile enthusiasts. I’m sure being a member of Creative Clare will give me many other contacts that I can draw from.

    Can you describe your customers?

    Anyone who knits, crochets or weaves.

    Why do your customers select you over your competitors?

    I spin 90% of my yarns from either Wensleydale or Bluefaced Leicester fleece, obtained from my own sheep. Fiber enthusiasts look for speciality yarns (which I spin) and which come from local sheep. I always include a photo of the sheep that their yarn is from. Each sheep has a name and this personalizes it for the customer.

    What are the biggest challenges for running this business?

    Being a one woman show, time enough to spin and dye enough product.

    What keeps you going, when the chips are down?

    My husband and my animals.

    Do you support local charities? If so which is your favourite charity and why?

    I support Dogs Trust because I care so much for dogs and their welfare. I also support Hogsprickle, a hedgehog rescue.

    Any special things planned for 2016?

    Getting the “Art in Studios” trail going and launching Creative Clare.

    Any tips for someone who is thinking of starting their own business?

    Know that things will not always work out as you planned and have a Plan B!

    What did you learn from this interview?

    It forced me to think through some areas of my business and put them in writing.

    If you’d like to read my previous interviews, you can check out :The Dutch Bakery, Dave Slaat,  Ruairi Devlin, Founder of Micro Biz Awards,  Jackie Queally from Earthwise, and my first interview was with Philip Gleeson from Quickest Fox Marketing.

    Just a quick reminder, Please share this interview, as I’d like to start a small movement to highlight the brilliant businesses in the West of Ireland!

    If you would like to be interviewed, please drop me an email to katleen@workinglivingtravellinginireland.com and I’ll be in touch.

    Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook!

    Have a great evening,

    Katleen

     

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