Backing Her

In this episode of Backing Her, Lynette Fay continues the countdown to She Ventures: The Courage Edition, taking place on Lusty Beg Island from 7th–9th June.Lynette is joined by Olivia McVeigh — makeup artist, content creator, founder and one of the most recognisable beauty and lifestyle voices on the island of Ireland. Olivia shares how her experience of hair loss and alopecia led her to build a powerful community through her wig workshops, creating a space where people can find confidence, practical support and connection. She also reflects on authenticity, storytelling, working with major brands in her own voice, and why courage often means feeling scared but doing it anyway. The episode also explores the importance of partnership and backing women founders before all the proof is in. Elaine Downey, Head of SME Banking at AIB, discusses why AIB has come on board as patron partner for AwakenHub and She Ventures, and why supporting women-led enterprise is about building a stronger, more inclusive economy across the island of Ireland. Lynette is then joined by Meg McGill from InterTradeIreland and John Ferris from Ulster Bank to talk about cross-border collaboration, founder support, scaling businesses, building networks, and the role of allies within the AwakenHub community. Brought to you by AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, and supported by AIB Ireland, this episode celebrates courage, community, connection and the people helping women founders build, scale and thrive.

Backing Her - with Lynette Fay, the podcast, the experience of women building businesses, and those who back them.This episode looks forward to  She Ventures: The Courage Edition, taking place on Lusty Beg Island from 7th–9th June.Lynette is joined by Sean Flood, entrepreneur, founder and investor, and Claire Ryan, CEO and co-founder of ITUS Technologies, who both reflect on their experiences at the previous She Ventures summit. They discuss the value of stepping away from the day-to-day pressures of business, the power of honest conversations, the importance of community, and why courage in entrepreneurship often means embracing failure, asking for help and continuing through the many “nos” on the way to a “yes”.Long-distance sea swimmer Nuala Moore, a multiple Guinness World Record holder, will be at SheVentures this year. In this taster chat, Nuala talks about fear, resilience, cold water, and what it really means to be courageous. Plus, Claire McGee, CEO of AwakenHub, shares practical tips on how founders can get the most out of She Ventures - from doing your research and setting intentions, to listening well, asking questions and building meaningful connections.Brought to you by AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, and patron sponsor AIB Ireland, this episode is a celebration of courage, community and the people backing women founders across the island of Ireland.