Toast Talks

In this episode, we sit down with Marc McLaughlin, Sales Director at Smart Pay NI, a local payment services provider punching well above its weight against global giants.Marc takes us behind the scenes of a business that started with two people in a small room in 2017 and has grown into a team of 20, with customers across Ireland, England, and beyond. He shares the raw truth about the first four years of grinding before things really took off post-COVID, why door-to-door sales never goes out of style, and how a boxing background taught him everything he needs to know about resilience in business.We also get into:- Why Smart Pay answers the phone on Christmas Day and why that mattersThe power of local trust in a contactless world- How social media transformed their business (and why video beats photos every time)- The state of business in Northern Ireland right now - Their upcoming charity golf day for Foyle Hospice featuring some special guestsIf you're a business owner, in sales, or just love a good underdog story, this one's for you.

 Today's guest is Nathan Snow. He's the founder and CEO of Food Story Media, a content and marketing agency operating exclusively in the food, drink and hospitality sector. He spent a decade as a professional chef from cafes in Paris to two and three-step Michelin star kitchens in London, including Morgan mc Claire Smith, Gordon Ramsey's, former right hand.Food store media has grown. Its Instagram following to over 330,000 with one to 3 million monthly views all entirely organically. They've never paid for an ad or bought a follower, and a hundred percent of their leads come through Instagram or referrals. The business has evolved from serving independent restaurants and chefs to include globally recognised corporate clients.

Chef and restaurateur Paul Catterson joins us for episode #4 of Toast Talks. We learn about his path from growing up in Donegal to nine years in London’s high-pressure kitchens, where he learned large-scale service, management, and financial discipline. He explains returning to Ireland, eventually going independent with a food truck business, markets, festivals, and working with major brands abroad.We then learn how those experiences led to opening Tribal Burger in Belfast, navigating COVID, and later partnering with Ashley from French Village to launch Orto Pizza. He also discusses the shift away from burgers, by creating pasta restaurant Nova, and how he and his wife Elaine make decisions as equal partners.We talk about the importance of hiring the right people, and why hospitality in Northern Ireland is under severe strain from costs, VAT, and business rates.You can check out his work here:https://www.ortopizza.com/https://www.novabelfast.com/https://www.instagram.com/limacoffeebar/?hl=en

Most businesses are busy. Very few are deliberately moving in the right direction.In the first episode of 2026, we unpack what it actually means to plan with purpose. This isn't vague goal-setting or annual wish lists, but clear, commercially grounded planning that drives better decisions and supports sustainable growth.We discuss why many business plans fail in practice, how you might spot bottlenecks and how purposeful planning helps founders focus on what's important, not just more activity.That's not all, we have also created a free Business planning template you can use to help keep your goals defined as the year progresses.As well as that, we have also made our own 'State of AI in 2026' report, designed to help you make informed decisions when deciding if a new software is worth the investment. Click the link to download them for free: https://linktr.ee/ToastAccountants

Each month, alongside a guest episode, we’ll be releasing an episode with members of the team here at Toast. This is where we’ll cover what’s going on in the Business sector, the trends we are noticing, and some down to earth chat about the ups and downs of business life.In this episode, Michael and Steven take a step back to unpack what the latest Budget really means for business owners and how it should influence the decisions you’re making now and into 2026.We also open up about life at Toast: what it’s been like launching this podcast, how the process has challenged us, and why we believe these conversations matter. We reflect on the lessons from 2025, what’s shaped the year, and how we’re thinking about planning ahead with clarity and intent.

In this episode, we sit down with Connor McKinney, Co-Owner of Storefront. Storefront is a lifestyle clothing brand based in Derry City, which started off as a humble facebook group in 2018. Since then the brand has had a meteoric rise, being worn by local celebrities like Shane Todd, Paul Hughes and most recently, Anthony Boyle.We explore what it really takes to scale a brand responsibly and how he and his co-founders blocked out external noise to make the right decisions that have led them to opening their new flagship store on Castle Street in the Walled City. From building a loyal customer base to staying true to the brand as demand increases, this conversation is packed with insight for founders, operators, and anyone serious about sustainable success.Whether you’re growing a start-up or refining an established business, Connor’s perspective offers a grounded, practical look at what sustainable scaling actually looks like; and why doing it right matters more than doing it fast. If you would like to learn more about how you can scale your Business the right way, you can book a call with us here: https://calendly.com/toastaccountants/toast-consultationSubscribe to the podcast for more guest conversations and insights from the Toast Team.