Irish brother and sister Sonya and Simon Fitzpatrick have started an online business called UrParts.com, which aims to revolutionise the spare parts industry for construction, agricultural and commercial truck industries. What makes UrParts.com unique? According to Sonya Fitzpatrick, what makes UrParts.com unique is that a buyer submits one enquiry which will be received by multiple suppliers and is completely free. “Unlike other spare part sites that make buyers contact many suppliers separately, with UrParts.com the buyer does the work once and then sits back and waits for suppliers to respond [...]
About Sorcha Corcoran
Sorcha Corcoran is managing editor at Whitespace Publishing Group, which specialises in news and information for Ireland's business community. Visit www.businessandleadership.comAuthor Archive | Sorcha Corcoran
The Baby Bay Market branches out from Leinster
For the past six months The Baby Bay Market has been running in various locations around Dublin and founder Mandy O’Rourke is now bringing it to Sligo. Buy, sell, recycle your baby stuff The idea behind The Baby Bay Market is to allow parents to buy, sell and recycle their baby stuff in a safe and fun environment. O’Rourke also runs BabyBay.ie, where parents can trade their baby stuff online. She has just re-launched the site so parents can now post their unwanted baby goods for free.”I’ve been running BabyBay.ie [...]
Business Bootcamp coming up in Fingal
There’s a Business Bootcamp coming up in Fingal on 31st Jan and 1st Feb for 30 start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs. The Fingal County Enterprise Board (CEB) is doing the recruiting and calling it an ‘Intensive Business Bootcamp’ aimed at those who only started their business in 2012 or are about to set one up in 2013 Business Bootcamp coming up in Fingal The training programme covers areas such as overcoming challenges during the start-up phase, important business skills in the workplace, how technology can be used more effectively and perfecting [...]
Pet Sitters Ireland opens online ’boutique’
Following on from its nationwide pet sitting and dog walking business, Pet Sitters Ireland in Co Wicklow has launched a ‘pet boutique’ offering a range of accessories. “Despite the recession, people still want to spoil their pets and we received numerous requests from customers looking for high quality unique pet care products,” said Pet Sitters Ireland founder Kate McQuillan. Pet Sitters Ireland opens online ’boutique’ Many of the items on sale at the boutique have been made especially for the company. “We wanted to work with local award-winning craftspeople to [...]
Dee’s Wholefoods founder to speak at Catalyst event
Deirdre Collins of Dee’s Wholefoods is going to share her story at an event dedicated to women in business in Cork this month. SECAD is hosting the Catalyst Women in Business Project seminar on 21 November in the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Little Island. Collins, who appeared on Dragons Den on RTE last year, will talk about building her business of vegetarian ready meals from farmers’ markets to a now national brand available in all major retailers in Ireland and UK. Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, editor of Cork Independent and regular [...]
Enterprise Ireland launches €500,000 fund for female entrepreneurs
A new €500,000 start-up fund for female entrepreneurs has been launched by Enterprise Ireland. Details of the Competitive Start Fund for Female Entrepreneurs, which is aimed at stimulating high potential female-led business start-ups, were announced today by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton TD. The initiative is part of a drive by Enterprise Ireland to boost the number of innovative, export-oriented businesses being set up and led by female entrepreneurs. The fund will be open for applications from next Monday 22 October 2012 until 3 December 2012. [...]
Women Mean Business award winners announced
The Women Mean Business Magazine (WMB) held its 6th Annual Women Mean Business Conference & Awards in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel, St Stephen’s Green today, with a number of award winners announced. The event, which recognises the achievements of Ireland’s businesswomen, was officially opened by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD. Four awards were presented on the day, with Julie O’Neill, Gilead Sciences, taking the overall WMB Businesswoman of the Year Award 2012. WMB founder Rosemary Delaney commented: “As an entrepreneur I know first hand how necessary sheer [...]
Successful start-ups have more female execs – US study
US venture-backed companies that have held successful exits employed more female senior executives than unsuccessful companies, according to a new research study from Dow Jones VentureSource. The study finds that the median proportion of female executives in successful companies is 7.1pc, more than double the 3.1pc median in unsuccessful companies. The ‘Women at the Wheel: Do Female Executives Drive Start-Up Success?’ study examines the role of female executives in venture-backed companies headquartered in the US and their impact on a company’s success. Influencing success It indicates that female executives may [...]
Vision ID hiring thanks to demand for ‘COW’
Co Tipperary technology firm Vision ID is expanding its workforce from 21 to 25 thanks to strong demand for its new wireless Computer on Wheels (COW). Vision ID linked up with UK-based product designers RPD to provide the units which encompass all the components of a desk in a moveable, ergonomic workstation. Aimed at the manufacturing and pharma sectors, the COW has received “rave reviews” so far from the likes of EMC and Janssen Biologics, according to sales director for Vision ID Cathal Murtagh. Each COW is tailored and configured [...]
Alltech ships whiskey stills from Kentucky to Ireland
Global animal health and nutrition company Alltech is moving its whiskey business to Ireland, birthplace of whiskey and of president and founder of Alltech, Dr Pearse Lyons. The Vendome whiskey stills, used by Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Company and made in Louisville, Kentucky, were shipped over on 22 August. This year marks 221 years since the Whiskey Rebellion, a revolution of early Irish settlers in North America against George Washington’s tax on distilled spirits, which saw many of these early distillers taking their craft to Bourbon County, Virginia, where they created [...]
Good Food Ireland to have ‘Experience’ at NPC
Emphasising its commitment to local food, Good Food Ireland is creating a live food ‘Experience’ at the National Ploughing Championships in New Ross, Co Wexford on 25-27 September. Minister Brendan Howlin TD will officially open the Experience, which is sponsored by Ulster Bank. It will include cookery demonstrations from well-known chefs including Darina Allen and Catherine Fulvio using Irish ingredient led recipes as well as food tastings from artisan food producers and talks. An all-island brand standard, Good Food Ireland was established by Margaret Jeffares from her farm in Co [...]
Quickcrop starts selling online into the UK from Sligo
Operating from a rural base in Ballymote, Co Sligo, online business Quickcrop is in its fourth year of trading and recently launched a UK website for export purposes. Soon to be featured on the RTE One series Shopping from Home, Quickcrop runs a nationwide service for home vegetable growers. Its products are now being sold to customers all over the UK through the new sister site. Founded by Andrew Davidson and Niall McAllister, Quickcrop is aimed at the novice grower providing unique products to ensure the first time vegetable gardener [...]
Sarah’s Wonderful Honey a hit in export markets after one year
Co Kilkenny family business Mileeven Fine Foods has recorded 25pc growth in business from domestic and international markets since the launch of ‘Sarah’s Wonderful Honey’ a year ago. The product was created and developed by Sarah Gough, aged 29, who runs Mileeven Fine Foods with her mother, Eilis, who set up the business originally in 1988. It is a multi-purpose product of honey with fruit or nuts added and can be used as a spread, for cooking, glazes and dessert toppings. Following an initial investment of €100,000, the range has [...]
Redmills makes first shipment to China
Based in Goresbridge, Co Killkenny, animal feed company Connolly’s Redmills has increased the export proportion of its revenue from 2pc in 2007 to 15pc last year. This family-run business, in operation since 1908, recently became the first foreign company in the world to be registered to distribute horse feed into China. Group business development director Michael Connolly says taking part in leadership development programmes run by Enterprise Ireland has helped the company to have a strong focus on strategy and significantly increase exports. His brother, managing director Joe Connolly, took [...]
