CONORLYN.CH CONNECTS

Frozen tap water in your fancy cocktails?Sometimes that water doesn't taste so good.Finally, you can say ... eh, no thanks!Richie French has a 'cool' new product on the market.It’s called The LXRY ICE Collection. 🧊He's leveraged his role in the family business Pure Irish Ice to innovate at the top of the market.#innovation #smallbusiness #ireland #hospitality #bars #cocktails This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Gerard Forde started the tech company Bizimply, which employs almost 80 people from its HQ in Dublin. Hear his down-to-earth career advice on his best, worst, and next career moves. What are your Best, Worst, and Next Career Moves? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Learn Earn Own is now in more libraries around the county thanks to my distributor Alan Hanna’s - this is great news and I needed more stock.However, I want more people to have the chance to look inside the book.Now you can get your free chapter from Learn Earn Own here - https://www.conorlyn.ch/p/im-sharing-chapter-1-of-learn-earnLast call to grab the book at €9.99 … once I get a chance, the special offer for the launch is over and the price is going up.If you are near Dublin on the 25th, then come to my next free event which is a Career Lab Open Mic event in Dublin 25.03.26 and will feature the launch of The Assets Builders - https://www.conorlyn.ch/p/career-lab-open-mic-250326Message me if you are looking for a speaker, podcast guest or workshop facilitator.Chat soon,Conor This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

On Saturday, I was delighted to be invited to join Bobby Kerr on Down To Business on Newstalk radio. Bobby kindly gave me an opportunity to talk about my new book 'Learn Earn Own' for 10 minutes. The interview is below, where he describes the book as 'thought-provoking and provocative'. I agree with that description!We talked about the demise of the career ladder, creating career assets on my Assets Ladder, worker disengagement, and much more.Down To Business is a lively show focusing on Irish businesses and industry. It talks to the people behind Irish businesses, both big and small, to get their insights into their industries, other industries, and what it takes to be successful.How did you think I got on? I’m looking forward to longer chats soon and have some podcast invitations lined up and am open to more.I first met Bobby on the Irish Dragons’ Den years ago. I pitched Connector, but as I still had a job, I gave a watered-down pitch, expecting they would not go for it. A decade later, after I built up Connector as a seven-figure annual business, I sold it.Keep up to date with my news and upcoming events on my website www.conorlyn.ch or message me if you would like me to work with you onconor [@] conorlyn.ch Please share 8-) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

As some of you may know, I’m originally from Oldcastle in Meath. So whenever I have something new to share, it is always good to turn to regional and local media for some coverage. It was great to meet Gerry Kelly in the LMFM studio in Drogheda. Gerry is a real pro, and we had a great chat. I hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think in the comments. I did my own PR and here’s the media release I shared with them to get the interview. MEDIA RELEASE - ‘LEARN EARN OWN’For immediate release ChatGPT Killing Graduate Roles and Breaks the Career Ladder: Irish Book Offers ‘Assets Ladder’ Alternative.For 100 years, we were told a simple story. Study hard. Get a job. Climb the ladder. But today the traditional Career Ladder is broken.The data is damning. Since ChatGPT’s launch in November 2022, graduate and junior positions in the UK and Ireland have fallen by approximately 32% (The Guardian), while only 6% of Gen Z workers view climbing the corporate ladder as their primary career goal (Deloitte). Meanwhile, 85% of workers globally report feeling disengaged at work (Gallup). Dublin-based digital innovator Conor Lynch has released Learn Earn Own in response to a growing global workforce crisis, as workers increasingly face disruption from AI and automation. It’s a practical career design playbook and toolkit, where workers are shown how to create multiple income streams, instead of focusing on a single-income career.Learn Earn Own reads nothing like traditional career advice and more like a user manual for the future of work, where more people will navigate employment and self-employment. The book is for those who are done building someone else’s future and want to design their own.The author dismantles the myth that assets are only for the rich and replaces it with three simple steps anyone can adopt: learn more skills, earn more income, and own more assets. He introduces ‘The Assets Ladder’ framework, which helps workers transform their prospects by owning career assets, including digital content, digital products, a powerful personal brand, and collaborative career ventures.Learn Earn Own is a career strategy toolkit packed with maps, scorecards, templates, and AI prompts. The free companion web app creates multiple personalised career paths for those who want to explore how to own more of their work.Lynch says: “I talk to so many workers who are worried that relying on one employer and one income is no longer a safe bet. Most people are smart and work hard, but their rewards don’t match their efforts - they are leaving money on the table. So I show the ambitious and talented how to create careers that compound.”“The future of work isn’t a job. It’s a portfolio. But this isn’t about quitting employment - it’s about not letting your job be your only plan. Jobs are temporary, assets are forever.”About the AuthorConor P. Lynch is a digital innovator and educator who had his first personal brand website in 1999, whilst on the career ladder. He grew his digital agency, Connector, from a side project into a seven-figure business, later acquired by Granite Digital. With award-winning experience building global brands and training over 5,000 professionals, he now helps individuals and organisations multiply their potential by empowering talent to take ownership of their careers.___________________________________________________________________________Book Details:Learn Earn Own is available now on launch special pricing on Amazon in full colour paperback (€12.99), black & white paperback (€9.99), and Kindle eBook (€3.99) formats. You can order in bulk directly from the author, and the book is available to order via bookshops and library databases. The audiobook format will follow shortly.Media Contact:[Conor P. Lynch] [Author] [[email protected]] [+353 86 811 8833] [www.conorlyn.ch] Key Statistics at a Glance:* Recent Gallup research shows that 85% of workers globally are disengaged at work, costing (Gallup 2025)* Portfolio Careers: By 2030, it is forecasted that half of all professionals will manage “portfolio careers,” which include freelancing, consulting, and other independent work. The Future of Work (OECD 2019)* In the UK job market data (from Adzuna), graduate jobs, apprenticeships, and junior positions had fallen 32% since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. (The Guardian 2025)* Now, only 6% of Gen Z say reaching senior leadership is their primary goal, according to recent research by Deloitte. (Deloitte 2025)Photos:Link to photos: https://bit.ly/Conor_Lynch_BookENDS This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

I'm no expert in PR, but here's how I am getting coverage for my 'Learn Earn Own' book using some homemade PR activity, with the help of AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT. The initial campaign is in my home country, Ireland.Shout out to John Kennedy, Jim Walsh FPRII (Life), and Donald Miller.Feel free to add your PR tips in the comments. Tips summary:- Use AI tools to get different versions and perhaps use a few different versions for different media.- Add sound bite style messaging powered by Donald Miller's PEACE Framework.- Target the relevant journalist for your topic.- The key messaging should fit on one page, approx 400 words. - Add some interesting stats, but include sources.- Email the press release in the body of the email, not as an attachment. - Follow up by email once or twice, and maybe even a one call - this just worked for me a few minutes ago with a regional newspaper. - Add a link to high and low-res photos ready for the journalists to use.- Send in a product sample to the office.- Connect with them on LinkedIn too, and DM there too.- Don't lose heart, you are building awareness even if they don't reply.Go for it! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Listen in and discover why this book is unique, and I just had to write it.My audiobook will follow soon. Yours,ConorReview by Notebook LM This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

In the future, according to David Autor, Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), relying solely on one’s knowledge may not be sufficient for financial stability. Instead, individuals who own valuable assets will be better positioned to thrive economically.Read more in this week’s super snackable mag ‘Learn • Earn • Own’.Enjoy!Join Conor P. Lynch’s subscriber chatAvailable in the Substack app and on webGrab and share this Edition #003 PDF from hereWatch video Edition #001 here and Edition #001 here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

The Instagrammys, aka The Huawei Snapys Instagram Awards in 2015 were one of the best events we ever ran at Connector. My Instagram awards idea came from an Instagram Gallery event we ran as an experiment, as I mentioned before in a previous post. The awards became a game-changer for my business as we won Huawei as a client and worked with them for 6 years before selling my personal brand ‘Connector’ in 2020.I’m still creating assets to this day. Only now, one of my new assets is a book on how to create your own career assets. How Meta!Get a free sample at www.TheAssetsLadder.com or buy the book on Amazon here - https://www.amazon.com/author/conorlynchChat soon 8-) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Back in 2013, with my brand SocialMedia.ie, I made a promotional video with the Digital Skills Academy. This was a great collaboration, and I met some fine people who are working in digital to this day.Why partnering with emerging talent is a great move:You get fresh ideas and energyYou can access a wide array of hardware and softwareYou get feedback and advice from the youth marketYou get great work for great valueThe talent gets strong, relevant experienceThe college gets to work with good mentorsIdeally, it is a Win-Win-Win situation like this example.The was filmed in the iconic Dublin bar and music venue Whelan's, whose team kindly allowed us full access to their venue for the shoot.Great work guys!Jesus Agudo Jennie Mc Ginn Sarah Mc Ginn Grace Mc Ginn Tania E Zorrilla Preciado MScPS - Grab a preview eBook for my book The Assets Ladder on www.TheAssetsLadder.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

My team at Connector hosted this amazing launch party for the Huawei Snapys Irish Instagram awards back in 2016.Lots of Irish creators and influencers were present to enjoy the craic in our studio in Temple Bar. Fantastic memories.I can see Sofia D. Lorna Duffy Timi Ogunyemi Kevin O'Sullivan Alvin Perry Giovana Marques Oliveira Gabriel Mueller Marcus Albeny 🇧🇷🇮🇪 Peadar Sheerin About 200 are in the video - are you? Hi guys 8-) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Some more from my archives, this time a video promoting my brand SocialMedia.ie way back in 2012.The finest of greetings to Cian Corbett, Fiona Pope, Domingo Sánchez Zarza, PhD, Anna Pospieszynska, Liane Costello, and all the others who helped out that day on Capel Street. Have a great weekend 8-)PS - I still own SocialMedia.ie so if you are active in social media and open to a collaboration, do get in touch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Team building days are such a fantastic opportunity to engage with your team, but many fail to deliver a memorable experience. However, EY didn't disappoint. I'm proud to share another video from my archives, this time featuring one of the major events we hosted for the team at EY. This Irish event was part of the build-up to a massive 500-person EY team event in Zurich with the same 'Connector Innovation Game' we created for events like this one.Greetings and thanks again to the innovative team at EY in Ireland and Europe, including Bertrand Boisse, Eoin MacManus, Niall Corrigan, and Marcel van Loo.What I learnt from these events:* Create a custom, engaging experience for the team* Have a serious business related theme, but a fun delivery * Have solo and group elements to appeal to all people * Use teamwork and collaboration to help people make new connections* We used Dragons’ Den style pitching to heighten the drama* Involve the management team and the agency team for familiar and new voicesIt's incredibly sad to see the inimitable Greg Fry (RIP) in the video, as he was MC on the day. PS - Get a free preview of my new book 'The Assets Ladder', out first as an eBook - www.TheAssetsLadder dot com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Imagine the scene. Instagram is a baby, but it has a growing number of superfans creating content and starting to meet up for photowalks and the likes. In 2013, as an experiment, my marketing agency 'Connector' ran a pop-up Instagram Gallery, aka Instagallery, event in Dublin, where we mixed a gallery evening with booze and a DJ. We had 200 Instafans as guests and 'a great time was had by all' as they say. I thought to myself, this was amazing, how can we take this to the next level? How about giving awards for the best photos? Nice! How about calling it 'The Instagrammys'? Epic!We got to work on preparing the idea and pitching to potential partners. As we said at the time, "The Instagrammys have great PR potential and will associate your brand with the best digital photographs in Ireland. We will have categories for all brands, and we will have interactive fun online and offline to make this the coolest new awards ceremony for 2015".Being nervous about the name getting us sued by Instagram and The Grammys, I approached Instagram about getting the OK for the name. As we had to make a significant investment in the project, including hosting two big events and building a voting platform, we couldn't afford to take the chance of a last-minute takedown. We eventually got through to the top brass at Instagram. Damn. We were declined with The Instagrammys, but they were fine with the alternative option, 'The Snapys'. Ok, let's go! Fast forward a few months, and we got Huawei on board as the headline sponsor for the Huawei Snapys Irish Instagram Awards. This was their first consumer marketing campaign in Ireland, and all their social media was now managed by the team at Connector. All this came after we beat off some agency heavyweights in a pitch process. Here is the first of many events we ran for Justin Costello's team - this event, which doubled up as the launch of the P8 smartphone, was held at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin.We worked closely with Huawei for six years before the sale of Connector in February 2020. Thanks Justin Costello, and all the team at Huawei Ireland. Hi to all in the video including Lili Forberg, Allan Dixon and Nialler9.This reminds me how much I love a good launch party! More on this soon ... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

As you can see from the videos from my dusty 2009 archives, I was super nervous. It was a pre-recorded show, but it was all recorded in one go with no retakes. Oh oh.Thinking it might be a good idea to get free publicity for my meetups, named after my personal brand side hustle 'Connector', I applied to be on the show in season one. I hoped it might be a good experience for some of the people who came to my events to join me for the recording ... hi guys!My major problem was that I had a job at the time, and it was at a marketing agency. Marketing agency work was a likely revenue stream for Connector, but I decided not to pitch a marketing-type business to the dragons. I felt it would look bad if I were pitching to compete with my current employers, so I left them out and suggested some other revenue models that were not as strong.I really wanted to get some publicity for the brand, have some fun, but totally knew it was not investible based on my neutered pitch. Bobby Kerr, to his credit, spotted that it was a publicity stunt and dropped out. Sean Gallagher was the last to fold, and the other dragons at the time were Gavin Duffy, Niall O'Farrell, and Sarah Newman.I was questioned for what seemed like 30 minutes, but bizarrely, they never asked me where I worked, so I didn't mention it. Six months later, I quit my job and went full-time with my side hustle, having won some early social media work with HP and Canon.Later, I grew the business Connector into an award-winning marketing agency with clients like Huawei, Sony, Volkswagen, and EY. Expecting a cyclical market downturn, I sold the business in February 2020, weeks before my part of the world shut down for two years. Good timing boss.What I learned from the experience:* Put yourself out of your comfort zone e.g. pitching on TV* There is no such thing as bad publicity* There is such a thing as a bad pitch* Share cool experiences with others if possible* Make before-and-after content to showcase the experience* Take every opportunity to grow your network * Don't take rejection personallySo every day is a school day, and now I help others with their personal brands, career planning, and career asset building. You can read some of my recent work on how to multiply your potential from my book on www.theassetsladder .com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

During the summer slowdown, when many are off in the sun and I’m just back, I'm sharing some of my archives for those who want to time travel back a decade.My personal brand side hustle business 'Connector' grew from being a name for my meetups to becoming a digital agency, and later operated as an 'Open Innovation Studio'.We were based in the heart of Dublin's cultural quarter, namely Temple Bar, from 2015 - 2020. We moved into what was the Sebastian Guinness Art Gallery - ironically, we ended up running Instagram gallery evenings with drinks and DJs in the studio.At the time, we were at the heart of Dublin's digital community, and there are many happy memories being an event space for friends and clients.The lessons I take away from this time are:* Invest in your brand so it looks attractive in the real and digital worlds* Create a brand home where your brand comes to life* Make the studio very ‘Instagrammable’ for the team and visitors* Make your office / studio a welcoming space for your community* Offer free engaging events and use them to highlight local talent* Attract attention with a visible high street location* Bring your brand to life with high-impact installations (e.g. our studio lights)Here are some of our work and events from this time when the Connector brand came to life in Temple Bar.What cool spaces have you seen?Enjoy 8-)Preview my new book The Assets Ladder on www.theassetsladder .com#dublin #templebar #ireland #socialmedia #innovation #studio This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be ...This is super cringey, but bear in mind it was done in 2009. The number of times the word 'connect' is mentioned has me bright red in embarrassment.In my opinion, 2008 - 2009 was the golden age for meetups and excitement about the future. This was just before the economy hit the floor, and the rest is history.There seemed to be events for everyone, and as a 'Connector,' I loved to join as many meetups as I could and then bring everyone together at my 'Tribes' event.I remember other meetup hosts like John Dunne Digital Tonic), Ty Richardson, PhD and Claire Kehoe Cunningham (EYP), Jason Roe (Blogger, Twitter, Whatever), and the guys from Synth Eastwood, The Attic etc.A special shoutout to the unicorn jockey CEO of Intercom namely Eoghan McCabe who is shown briefly giving a rousing talk on the merits of entrepreneurship. What a journey he has been on since! Thanks again to Alvin Perry for the amazing work on the Connector branding, and apologies for how I went rogue with these animations! ;-)Watch out soon for the book launch for The Assets Ladder and some other cool new events. Preview the book on www.TheAssetsLadder.comYours,Conor This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

During my five years at the Connector Innovation Studio in Temple Bar, we hosted numerous exciting events, and this was one of the most interesting - testing the Connector Innovation Game. We ultimately sold this game to a global events company. I'm still big into creating assets, and sometimes selling them. As recently as last evening, I was with another small group of mates, including Ronan Higgins (in the video too), playing around with new AI tools for 'vibe coding' e.g. Lovable and N8N. More about some new events soon.PS - Get a free sample of my draft new book at TheAssetsLadder.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

A long time ago, in 2009, one of my first big clients at Connector was Canon. By running regular meetups with my community of makers, movers, and shakers, I was picked as the competition partner. At the time, I was also regularly sharing content on my blog Connector.ie Shout out to the visionary team, which was led by Philip Brady and Jonothan Sultan from Canon Ireland, and Piaras Kelly representing Edelman. Liam Cunningham, as a Canon ambassador, helped greatly with the national PR campaign.Congratulations again to the winners Martin Moylan, Daniel Dalton and Ronan Casey.Have a look at the video case study here, with more videos from my archives coming soon. Voice over by broadcaster Gary Brennan.Enjoy! PS - Get a free preview of my new book 'The Assets Ladder', out first as an eBook - www.TheAssetsLadder.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

A throwback Thursday #TBT to a Social Media campaign video by SocialMedia.ie as Conor Lynch is shortlisted for an Irish Internet Association award.Thanks again to William Peat and Martin Moylan for helping me with this video in 2011, to try to impress Joan Mulvihill and the team at the Irish Internet Association._________Good Evening, We interrupt your scheduled viewing to bring this important news flash. Conor Lynch needs your vote for 'Best Use of Social Media'.Media King Pin and Man-about-town Conor Lynch and his media network "Social Media.ie" have been nominated for a Dot IE Net Visionary Award. The accolade was announced by the Queen, with leading religious figures agreeing SocialMedia.ie is a worthy nominee. Such a noble fellow, when Conor is not helping old ladies cross the street, he's helping Organisations communicate with each other on the wireless....interweb? This delightful chap needs your vote, and remember a vote for Conor is a vote for you! Simply, input this code into your computer machine (verbalise) www.socialmedia.ie Thank you and Good Luck. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Ruben Hernandez.Thanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Darren Mowat + Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Harshal Patil + Ricardo Moran + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Rob CullenSorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Sarah Kelly Thanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Darren Mowat + Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Ruben Hernandez + Harshal Patil + Ricardo Moran + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Rob CullenSorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Zeljana BabicThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Darren Mowat + Sarah Kelly + Dmitriy Dranko + Ruben Hernandez + Harshal Patil + Ricardo Moran + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Rob CullenSorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Rob CullenThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Darren Mowat+ Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Harshal Patil + Ricardo Moran + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Ricardo MoranThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Darren Mowat+ Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Harshal Patil + Rob Cullen + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Darren MowatThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Ricardo Moran + Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Harshal Patil + Rob Cullen + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Dmitriy DrankoThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Ricardo Moran + Zeljana Babic + Stephen Conmy + Sarah Kelly + Harshal Patil + Rob Cullen + Peter Turley + Darren Mowat + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Peter TurleyThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Ricardo Moran + Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Darren Mowat + Rob Cullen + Harshal Patil + Stephen Conmy + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Harshal PatilThanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Ricardo Moran + Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Darren Mowat + Rob Cullen + Peter Turley + Stephen Conmy + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Sporting my dapper lab coat to promote my Career Lab meetups, I conducted critical research at the Dublin Tech Summit. As my interviewees were all busy rushing around, I wanted to get the maximum insight in one or two minutes. How did I do this? I asked these 10 people the same three simple questions - what are your best, worst, and next career moves?I wanted to find out what are the learnings from great and ghastly career moves. This helps us follow their lead, or make sure you learn from their mistakes.Career Lab Trailer »Connect with Stephen Conmy Thanks to the others featured in this video series, namely Ricardo Moran + Zeljana Babic + Dmitriy Dranko + Sarah Kelly + Harshal Patil + Rob Cullen + Peter Turley + Darren Mowat + Ruben Hernandez.Sorry for the delay in releasing this collection as I was busy trying to write a book about the future of careers. Watch out soon for sneak peeks from the book right here on my conorlyn.ch website.Connect with me on LinkedIn too here as Conor Lynch. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Norah Casey – Entrepreneur – Broadcaster – Ex-DragonCareer ProfileFormerly a Dragon in Dragon’s Den, Norah Casey is based in Dublin and works between radio, television and business projects.She is an angel investor who has experience working with a variety of different people and assisting in the start-up of innovative ideas. Norah is a founder of the London-based Women’s Irish Network and The International Women’s Forum.She was awarded The Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award for 2007/8. Norah has won The Publisher of the Year Award for three years running for her time running media giant Harmonia. It sold millions of magazines annually for the Irish, British, US market and China.We spoke with Norah about her career journey and gained useful advice on how to develop a successful business. Her helpful tips are detailed below.1. Failure is a valuable lessonWhen discussing the potential of failure, Norah turned this into a positive by explaining that “the benefit of failure is that we learn to adapt. Unless we have the benefit of sometimes experiencing things not going right, then we don’t go over what went wrong and we don’t become as flexible as we should be.” Moreover, Norah mentioned that “it is ok to fail, but fail fast. People need to be proactive and use initiative in ways to tackle a crisis and remain.”2. Be an entrepreneur“A well rounded individual will have charisma, good communication skills and resilience skills. Confidence and adaptability develops as they grow.” The key is to have entrepreneurial traits and hold the drive and determination to succeed. Ex-dragon stated that “Angel investors look more for an individual who holds entrepreneurial traits and is going to take on board advice, rather than the idea itself.The idea is nothing. The individual needs to be capable of taking your money but more importantly your advice.” If you are someone who holds entrepreneurial traits you will “work on making your original idea better and more user friendly.”Norah went onto explain that as an entrepreneur you can either be a hedgehog or a fox. “A hedgehog solidly goes along, knowing what they’re doing and hunkers down on their idea when things get tough. A fox goes for every bright idea that they see.” Clearly, being a hedgehog is better.Furthermore, being an entrepreneur means that you need to work on your own initiative. “Having an innovative state of mind is one of the most important things for an entrepreneur. This means they don’t get fixated on the one idea they had. They also have the ability to think flexibly. If your idea isn’t successful in the beginning it is important to have this mindset in order to improve or reimagine it.”3. Figures are beautiful“If you don’t understand your finances you may as well go and work for someone. It’s important to have an understanding of finance on the occasion that you want to do something new with your business. You can worry the figures for weeks. Look at the risk analysis. Play around with the revenue and the costs. Identify what might happen, etc. Doing this allows you to come to the decision on how this will affect your business. It won’t be essentially risk free but comfortable with the predicted outcome. This is way more beneficial than having a warehouse full of something you may feel is the next big idea.”“Cash flow is everything. Figures are so important and more beautiful than anything in your business.”4. Funding comes last“Each step before that surrounds the idea. Testing the idea, doing a competitor analysis, finding out where the gap is. Seeing whether your idea is different to other peoples, finessing it, doing proof of concept, looking at your strategy and all the P’s in the marketing mix. All before looking for money. If you avoid one of these steps there is just no point in you continuing your start-up journey.”5. Never go to the three F’s for funding“Never go to the three F’s as it comes with such a strong emotional tie. It is very hard for you to continue on your business journey because family in particular can’t help but become involved – always on your back and judging what you are purchasing after receiving the money.”The three F’s include:Friends.Fools.Family.6. Recommended funding: Bank finance and angel investors“It is unemotional money, which is the perk but also the downside. That is because if you hit the rocks like during COVID for example, the banks won’t be interested in helping you as they just want their money.”Another option is ‘angel investors’ which are private investors. “Angel investors are great if they are a good match to your business. If you are conscious of your own limitations and find your perfect match with an angel investor then that can add great value to your business.”7. The ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’‘Blue Ocean Strategy’ is a book recommended by Norah that is guaranteed to spark something in your brain. “It is based on the premise that there are red oceans which none of us want to be in and nearly 99.9% are in. It is where we are all murdering each other and beating each other on price and quality.”“Red oceans are the areas of the market that are saturated with similar businesses and no new ideas are created. In order to overcome crises like the recession we really need to be doing ‘blue ocean thinking’ which is thinking differently and creating new ideas that are going to have a beneficial effect.”“Ideally we all want to be swimming in beautiful blue oceans that no one else is in. However, to do that you have to get your mindset into the ability to think of something that is unimaginable. Something that doesn’t exist.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Jennifer Oppermann- Food Photographer – Food Stylist – Recipe Developer Jette Virdi – Stylist – Photographer – EntrepreneurIn a special episode of the Self Makers Show, Conor spoke to two of Ireland’s most accomplished professionals in the food and drink sector. Jennifer Oppermann and Jette Virdi both specialise in food styling and photography, alongside other side hustles. Their work brings delicious tastes to life through irresistible visuals for clients to promote and sell products, cookbooks and recipes.Jennifer Oppermann – Food Stylist – Photographer – Recipe DeveloperJennifer Oppermann is a Dublin based food photographer, food stylist and recipe developer. Fine art was her first love, so she now combines her artist’s eye with her culinary passions to create visually beautiful food. Jennifer has honed her crafts in styling, photography and recipe writing for advertising campaigns, cookbooks and TV commercials for many of the largest food retailers and brands in Ireland and the UK.Jette Virdi – Food Stylist – Photographer – EntrepreneurJette Virdi is an Ireland based food stylist, photographer and entrepreneur, who has worked with an impressive array of companies, including Guinness, Selfridges and Tesco. As a visual consultant, Jette can now be found working for hotel chains and with small but mighty food brands such as Cream of the Crop. Jette is also passionate about her own creative side hustles, such as The Flower Drop.Advice for newbies to food stylingThe two food stylists shared their advice for those looking to get into the industry. Firstly, Jennifer highlighted the importance of tenacity: ‘Be persistent, if you want to do it, just keep going’. Jette also emphasised the kind of can-do attitude you need: ‘How prepared are you to muck in? And can you crack jokes at 7 o’clock at night when there’s still 3 hours to go?’ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Tori McCann – Marketer – Side hustler – Dancer – EntrepreneurAfter moving to online working from home last year, Tori McCann took the opportunity of having extra free time to follow her dancing passion. Having danced since the age of three years old, she founded her side hustle business Torre Barre, which makes home workouts more accessible during lockdown.Since starting her business, the 24-year-old has built a loyal following and offers online classes throughout the week via Zoom. She uses her former dancing expertise to make exercising fun and aims to ‘bring the benefits of ballet to everyBODY’.Tori shared some of her advice on how to make it as a side hustler with Conor, books and podcasts that inspire her, and talked about what she hopes for the future for Torre Barre.Evolve but stay consistentTori spoke about how it is important to be consistent with your branding but it can evolve as your business and knowledge grows.She said, “I always knew in my mind that I wanted the branding to be pink… but that’s probably the only thing that has stuck the whole really. I’ve changed the logo as I’ve gone through and slowly developed things over time, so it’s always stayed consistent but definitely evolved from when I first began.”You’re not aloneWhen asked about how she manages everything, while also working full-time, Tori explained that she uses freelancers and outsources for help on her website to offload some of the work. She said: “If there are people available to you, use them.”Email marketing is imperativeTori emphasised how, despite attracting clients mostly from social media, email marketing is also important in connecting with people, and said “I get a few messages saying ‘I’m deleting the Instagram app but I still want to get involved’, and I always say join my mailing list and go from there.”Because social networking changes all the time, Tori wants to make sure she can always connect with her clients. “I’m also a bit paranoid that one day social media is just going to stop, or everyone is going to come off Instagram, and still want to be able to contact my customers.”Just go for it“My one bit of advice for everyone is just go for it… and if something fails, what is the worst that could happen? You might lose a bit of money maybe, might have wasted a bit of time, but in the long run it’s not a waste of time because you will have learnt so much from it and things you can take into whatever it is you do next!” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Daniel Kramer – Creator – Live Streamer – EntrepreneurIn a special episode, Conor spoke to Daniel Kramer who is an old friend from the US.Career ProfileDaniel is the Principal Creative for The Control Room, drawing on his unique background in music and motion design. He began his career at BBC Radio in London, creating music-oriented content for a variety of networks, including 6Music, 1Xtra, Radio 2, and The World Service. In 2005 he moved to Brooklyn, where he shifted gears from audio to motion design, crafting animated content for a range of clients from major brands (e.g, JPMC, Amazon Prime, Mike Bloomberg, etc.) to independent comic book artists. He has also art directed a variety of show packages for publishers, including Complex and Rolling Stone.In 2018 he launched The Visceral Glitch, an Instagram page with a distinct aesthetic. The page caught the attention of Mark Stewart of the legendary band The Pop Group, who commissioned Daniel to create digital content to promote Mute’s reissue of their debut album. After working with more music clients, Daniel launched The Visceral Glitch as a content studio. When COVID hit and shut down the live music industry, the studio partnered with A2IM to develop a livestream, UnderCover, that raised money for The Musicians Foundation.After Season 1 finished, he joined forces with Stephen Tucker from Live Stream Remote and Larry Burnet from Herculean to form The Control Room; a first-of-its-kind full-service content and livestream studio dedicated to the music industry. Their inaugural production was the Let’s Get Digital conference for A2IM. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Anthony Quigley – Educator – Entrepreneur – InvestorCareer ProfileAnthony Quigley is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years experience developing, managing and leading successful businesses. He is a senior board-level advisor to venture companies and start-ups.Anthony has a passion for education, which is why the businesses he founded are normally educational institutes. He founded and led Digital Marketing Institute (which was acquired in 2017) after creating the Global Certification Standard in digital marketing, with courses taught in over 80 countries. Anthony founded Code Institute in 2015 in an effort to fix the chronic programming skills shortage that exists in the tech sector.He has either founded or held director-level positions in eWare, Xanthal, iQuate, Microsoft, Net Results and Web Kitchen among others.Conor at Self Makers had the pleasure of interviewing Anthony and hearing about his successful career, as well as gaining insightful tips and advice that could be helpful towards your career journey and are listed below.The exitWhen Anthony and his business partner were proposed with an offer to buy the Digital Marketing Institute, they couldn’t help but wonder how much they could make. “We decided ‘well if somebody is that interested in this company, then let’s see what we could get should we exit.’ ‘Do I want to sell this? Is there more value here? Do I love this company? Do I really want my staff to move on to new owners?’.When I started ‘Code Institute’, I started with the end in mind. The end was ‘let’s sell it’. Even though we don’t have a business, we don’t have a start, I don’t have any money, I don’t have any products, I don’t have any people and I have no income, but we’re going to sell this. If you start with that in mind then you know where you are going but if you don’t start with that in mind then you’re just in the business of running and growing business for no reason.”Business pioneer“I’m good at starting and growing a business to between €10 – €50 million capitalisation.I am like a builder who can dig the ground, get the foundations in, get the first block up and get the apartment block to a point where somebody else can take over and do all the shuffling bits and the filling in. Then they can manage that apartment block for the next 10 to 50 years.” Continuing on from this metaphor about constructing apartments, Anthony stated “collecting rent doesn’t excite me, putting the foundations in excites me”.Opportunities are everywhere“You could go into any area and find opportunities. There is no lack of opportunities.”“All education is going through a disruptive time at the moment, and it is being accelerated because of the pandemic. I would suggest looking five to 10 years out and that’s where you should be thinking. ‘Will the universities figure out how to go online?’ ‘Will they share their knowledge and information?’. All I am doing is picking away at tiny pieces of the education world globally.Top advice for becoming your own boss“The internet is full of stuff. It’s choka block with stuff. It is actually hard to find what you want. If I was to ask you for recommendations you would give me half a dozen. The only recommendation I ask people for is Netflix and that’s just for entertainment.I don’t have to read a lot of stuff around what I do but I would possibly read books around culture and governance itself. In terms of podcasts, I tune into David McWilliams from time to time. He makes a great effort and he does really well at explaining economics in layman’s terms.If I was to give advice to any start up, it would be to understand what your audience is and stop trying to be everything to everybody. We pay a lot of money to Google because if somebody types in ‘I’d like to do corporate governance certification’, I want to be found for that. However if somebody types in ‘I’d like to do certification’, I don’t want to be found for that. Or ‘I want to find out about how to become a non-executive director’, I want to be found for that. It is understanding exactly what your customer is but more importantly, who your customer is not. If you can understand who your market is not, then you’re not targeting them.”How do you identify the right people to bring in?“Hiring is not one of my strengths – I don’t always get that right. In fact I quite often get it wrong. What we did in Digital Marketing Institute and in Code Institute was hire a really good CEO. It takes a few goes, and sometimes you don’t get it right. We got it right in Code Institute. Hire a few good people in the beginning, but try and find somebody that is going to help grow the company. Someone who is better at hiring and better at managing individuals than I am. I’m good at certain things, hiring individuals and managing individuals is not one of my core strengths. I like to find people who are really good at what I am not good at.”Tips for becoming a better sales person“Finance – you just have to learn it and you’re going to make mistakes along the way. Individuals sometimes find sales difficult. People love a good sales person. Don’t ever not ask for business. Here’s the hardest part of sales… to sell the first 10 items. Or sell the same item 10 times for that matter.Give yourself an environment where you feel comfortable that you are selling something of value. You have to believe in that. If you are on your own and have built something, I would strongly suggest you try and get somebody to give you money for it. If they give you money for it they believe in you and if they give you money a second time, you’re on a winner. Now not only have you proven yourself once, you have proven that actually they will come back for more which is really good.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Mark Duffy – Photographer – Designer – EntrepreneurCareer ProfileMark Duffy is a hugely talented landscape, product and commercial photographer. Previously a graphic designer, Mark now has a fantastic personal brand, sharing high-energy content with his large Instagram following. Mark’s “rollercoaster of trying to make a name for himself, failing at it and then trying something else” shows his resilience and passion for what he loves doing the most.We chatted to Mark to hear more about his highs, lows, and the traits that helped him on his journey to success as a photographer.A professional mindset“I had no intentions at all of going full-time with photography. It was an obsessive hobby that I had. I have one of these personalities where I won’t put my name to something unless it meets my standards. Even though I was an amateur and doing landscape photography for fun, I still had the professional mindset. And once you keep that high standard, then you know, it translates.”No excuses“Don’t get in the habit of making excuses. Too many people, especially in photography, come with the attitude of ‘I’m only an amateur’ or ‘It’s only my first time’. So when I hear people make excuses it drives me insane because with photography, you can take your time. You can edit, you can re-edit. You can re-learn, you can go back, you can re-visit.”Working hard“If you are getting into this, take your work extremely seriously. You don’t have to take yourself seriously, but take your work seriously and better than the next person.”A strong reputation“Reputation is the strongest currency. I want my name higher than what people see in me. You know, I’m sitting here in a hoodie. I wouldn’t be one for wearing suits, but my work wears its suit. That’s where I wear my suit.”Being a chameleon and not falling victim to trends“When you’re working for someone else’s brand, you need to be a chameleon. [You should think] ‘I’m not photographing for me, I’m photographing for them, for their brand, for their look. I should be a chameleon.’ So if you’re one of these ones that loves the trends, you’re only going to pigeonhole yourself. So that’s why I say to people, don’t fall victim to trends. I try not to fall victim to trends because trends die.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Johnny Beirne – Online Course CreatorThis interview is with Johnny Beirne, who is an expert in online course creation. Johnny is the Author of ‘Say it Once. Sell it Often’ – get it while it’s FREE at johnnybeirne.com Here is a summary below of some of his tips, but enjoy the full interview to get the rest.Career ProfileJohnny uses his expertise in social media and online course creation to teach professionals how to effectively deliver and monetise their own online courses.He shared some of his considerable expertise with Conor from Self Makers, giving advice on using platforms such as Udemy, Kajabi and Teachable.Here are some of his key insights; scroll down to watch the full interview, or listen to it on the Self Makers podcast.Why teaching online courses is ‘a dream business’‘You could have 1,000 people on an online course, and it doesn’t have a major impact on your time, but it has a great impact on your income.’Find the pain point‘What problem do you solve? What transformation does your course bring to people? And what people have that pain and are willing to pay for it?’Keep it simple‘The formula that I suggest to people is five sections, with five lessons in each section with five slides in each lesson. And that just makes it quantifiable for you, as the online instructor or the trainer.’Don’t overwhelm your students‘Nobody wakes up in the morning going, “wahoo, I’m going to buy an eight hour course today!” If you could teach them in five minutes they’d be delighted.’Get on camera‘I would highly recommend that you need to be on camera as much as possible. It’s a great, engaging experience for the student because they feel like you’re there with them. And they get to know, like, and trust you a lot quicker.’ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

John McGowan – Educator – Coder – EntrepreneurCareer ProfileJohn McGowan, product developer, is CEO of Automagical Apps – where he manages and scales app products which make people’s lives easier. John was a maths teacher for 15 years, and after creating a product for himself to help edit equations with his students, he ‘accidentally’ made his first stab into entrepreneurship. G(Math) went viral and acquired around 15 million users at its peak.An Accidental Product DeveloperAfter his success, John started to face the problem of teaching full time whilst fully supporting his product. He realised ‘everything I love about being a maths teacher is what I love about entrepreneurship – the problem solving and how to find a creative solution or multiple solutions and sort out which ones are the best’. John made the leap to full time entrepreneurship and has been hugely successful since as a product developer. He sold his first product and now tends to his other apps at automaticalapps.com.Conor from Self Makers chatted to John about his entrepreneurial journey as a product developer and going through unexpected career change. Check out his great advice.Taking the leap“The tipping point for me was being like, ‘this is the thing that I really want to do.’ If I could [I would] bottle up that feeling for entrepreneurs – just to taste that little bit of success. It just really keeps you going.”Problem Solving as a Product Developer“Whenever somebody would say ‘can you build this feature?’, I would just go and Google search for it and try to figure out how to do that. Then really the hard part was figuring out ‘which question do I need to ask to find out the answer to this?’ And it really became an aspect of applying those skills and problem solving to really figure out how to solve this problem. So I learned all that coding from the internet for the most part, which is astounding.”Taking feedback“As my teaching evolved, it really made it easier for me to become a better product manager in a sense. I would be willing to listen to the feedback critically because the first time I would get someone saying ‘I hate your product’, it was horrible. But then I realised that they were caring enough to give me feedback. So I had to put aside my personal feelings, and then act on that. And so to really see every piece of feedback as critical, even if it was the ones that made me cringe or take a breath before and really see what they’re trying to communicate to me.”Don’t be afraid to adapt“I think the other biggest piece of advice I learned there was don’t be afraid to change your plan. Because I had millions of free users who are happy customers, and then I needed to turn them into paying. And I was surprised. I thought everybody would be upset, but I was surprised to see how many people were willing to buy a subscription because they love the product. They were saying ‘thank you, I loved your product. Thank you for letting me pay for it.’ Which was a shock to my system.”Believing in yourself“I think the biggest difficulty for me was the imposter syndrome of ‘I’m sure somebody else will be building that. I’m sure somebody else will do that. Why should I?’. So it was taking that first step of ‘well, I’m gonna do that’.What makes a good chrome extension?“You have to really thread the needle that if you build something that is too useful then a bigger company might come along and do that. Like Google, for instance, might say, ‘Hey, that’s a great feature. We’re going to incorporate that into a native feature in Google Chrome’ – for example, screen recording.So I think, how you defend against that is get a really rabid user base that loves your product. Then they give you that feedback so you can stay more nimble and fast, and then you can become that brand standard.”Inspiration and podcasts“A big inspiration for me was Sean Gallagher. He has a book ‘Secrets of Success’ where he took a lot of his articles that he had written and put them into a book format. And so that was nice because they’re all success stories of companies.Some weekly podcasts I like are – the NPR in the US has one that’s called ‘How I Built This’. That is a great one because they’ll take companies that had success and they go through that process. And a lot of times those stories there’s some failure points. You can see how they overcame something.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Kingsley Aikins – Entrepreneur – Expert Networker – EducatorCareer ProfileKingsley Aikins is an expert networker and is CEO of The Networking Institute. He has had an extensive career of working in Trade Promotion, Philanthropy and Diaspora Engagement. Having lived and worked in six different countries, Kingsley became passionate about the importance of networking skills to build business relationships.He describes networking as the ‘glue’ that made everything happen for him, and helped him to thrive in challenging times. Kingsley’s mission at The Networking Institute is to teach networking skills that schools, colleges and companies simply do not. Kingsley has also been involved in other non-profit bodies. They include the Scottish Business Network, Lessons for Life, the Hunger Project and the Clinton institute in University College Dublin, to name a few.In a world where ‘everybody spends their lives doing urgent things that they forget about the fundamentally important things’, a.k.a networking, we chatted to Kingsley about effective networking. Kingsley made it clear that networking is not an art or a science. There is a process to it. Here are his top tips for making networking work for you.1. Be proactive“One introduction or conversation can change your life, but they don’t happen lying in your bed or sitting at your desk. They happen when you’re in motion, when you’re out and about. You do stuff, you talk to strangers, when you put your talents on display. Self starters have to buy into this notion.”2. You can’t go it alone“The funny thing is, you can’t go it alone. You can’t achieve what you want to achieve in life on your own. Opportunities don’t float around on clouds, they are associated with people. We often buy into this myth of individualism – to achieve in life its you against the world, you and your personal character. It’s actually about collaborating and cooperating, it’s working with other people. I realised that at an early stage but I also realised that people who build strong and diverse networks live longer, they’re stronger mentally and physically, they earn more money and they’re happier. Networking is an antidote to the big crisis of our times, which aside from covid, is loneliness. It’s the way you are going to get your next job.”3. Adapt and make use of your situation“There is real fear out there that we are going to lead to a certain degree of social recession, in other words looking into ourselves. I took a low-tech high-tech attempt at resolving this challenge when lockdown happened. Low-tech was that I just made an effort to reach out to people and make those calls to older relationships which I let slip. Then I took a slightly more high-tech approach and really focused on Linkedin, realising that we might be able to develop a tribe of people who have an interest in what we’re doing. It’s a good idea to generate lots of material, filming lots of snippets, or start doing webinars.There’s an old irish saying which says, ‘when business is down, that’s when you paint the shop’. Now is the time to get yourself ready for when things will come back. There’s going to be a lot of churn and disruptions and turbulence, but also a lot of opportunity.”4. Be curious, listen and ask“It’s really important to be curious, but we live in a world where a lot of people are strangely incurious. Curiosity is about asking questions to begin with; who, what, when, where and how? The number one skill of networking and generally in life is to be a world class listener, but we live in a world where nobody listens. We live in a world where the only reason that people listen is to prepare what they’re going to say next, not to hear what others are saying.Being a listener who listens to what someone is saying and what they are going to say next is hugely powerful. The other element is a concept which I call funnels of serendipity, random chats – how random chats can change your life. But the question is, can you make random chats happen for you? If you do the right things, speak to the right people, go to the right places, put your talents on display and get out and about, luck enters your life.The most powerful marketing tool we all have is to ASK. It’s really important to become good at asking. It’s also important to get over the notion of ‘stranger danger’, we won’t build a diverse network unless we get over the fear of talking to strangers.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Jass Foley – Cinematographer – Photographer – EntrepreneurCareer ProfileJass Foley is a hugely talented freelance photographer and cinematographer. After 22 years of building his personal brand, Jass has worked at the highest level in advertising, online, TV, music videos, and documentaries. Jass’ technical mindset and love for the industry from a very young age has propelled him in his career, giving him an impressive client list of global brands.Conor from Self Makers was lucky to hear about some of his exciting experiences within the film industry and his journey from making Bebo skins for Conor, to self-made success as a cinematographer! Here is some of his advice for those interested in working in the film industry as a cinematographer:Leveraging technical and relationship skills“First and foremost, you need to develop that skill set and master the technical aspects, keeping a mind that you will never [actually] master the technical aspects. There’s no end goal. There’s no point where you get to and you go ‘that’s it, I know everything there is to know’. You don’t get there. So you’re continually trying to improve your skillset. And then it comes to a point where you get a reputation that you’ve created work at a certain scale.At that point, the technical goes out of the window. Then it comes down to your relationships. In terms of how that happens, for film, It’s going to film festivals, it’s going to industry events, it’s going to premiers. It’s going to different mediums. It’s being part of a member of the Irish Film and Television Academy.”Being proactive“Here’s the thing. Anyone who is working for themselves or someone working in a creative industry knows that there’s no way to just set up like ‘okay, I’ve put out a newspaper ad and a radio ad, and I will sit back and wait for the work to come in.’ Doesn’t work like that. You have to have so many different prongs of attack, so many hooks in the water. You have to have so many avenues open. It is a hustle.”Owning your brand as a cinematographer“You have to realise that you have full control over how you’re presenting your product. It might be simple where you might not think it’s a big thing – say your day to day social media posts. But maybe have a sit-down and have a think and plan, ‘how do we want our brand to be perceived?’. And maybe put together a little brief for whoever is doing your social media.”Recommended Resources“The one person that really was a big influence on me when I was starting out was Chase Jarvis, he’s a commercial photographer based in the States. He started a brilliant creative online resource book.If you wanted to learn more about the film industry and look behind the curtain a little bit, look up some podcasts. Maybe the Team Deacons podcast, which is absolutely fantastic, and the Go Creative Show. Those two podcasts are absolutely fabulous for gaining insight into the world of film.“ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Danielle Curtis – Barrister – Creator – EntrepreneurCareer ProfileIrish barrister Danielle Curtis is the founder of the social media platform Legal Diaries. Legal Diaries provides support for small to medium enterprises and non-profits across Ireland with legal and communication. Danielle herself is a barrister who specialises in human rights and public interest law.Here are some of her key legal insights; enjoy the full interview to learn more.How do you stay organised?Danielle uses the ‘Ivy Lee method’ to track her tasks and prioritise them. She writes down 6 tasks every night that she needs to do the following day. This is a useful tactic to help switch off from work mode and relax, knowing that the next day has been organised.Legal advice for new businessesWhen asked about legal complications in regards to setting up a new business, Danielle highlighted issues surrounding sole trading. ‘If you were to try and gain finances for the business it’s your name on the line, your assets that are attached to the business.’ Danielle stressed that if an organisation tried to sue a sole trader then it would be the individual that would be sued, not the company.Get insurance coverThe barrister pointed out a key fact in relation to insurance, recommending to ‘act within your scope.’ Explaining further she said, ‘if I was to consult someone in relation to say, interior design, then I would not be covered.’Contracts are criticalDanielle commented that ‘people hear the word contract and think it sounds legally binding and scary, but all it is, is a document setting out the expectations of both parties.’ So, to help alleviate this fear of contracts, Danielle has created contract templates that are available for use on the Legal Diaries website.Danielle also made an important point about the wording and technical aspect of contracts. She said “make sure your contracts are executed properly because they don’t legally mean anything otherwise. If they’re not executed correctly then they cannot be enforced.”Privacy PiracyOther legal areas that many people overlook are their website terms and conditions and privacy policy, according to Danielle. She made the rather worrying revelation that ‘a lot of people say to me that I don’t need a website [privacy policy] as I can just go to another website and steal their privacy policy.’ This practice is illegal, however luckily Legal Diaries’ privacy policy template is legal and easy to use. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Maria Betts – Food Producer – CoachCareer ProfileMaria Betts, food entrepreneur, is the self-made owner of Maria Lucia Bakes, a gourmet and gluten free food brand which specialises in tasty granola and muesli cereals. Before leaping into the food industry in 2013, Maria enjoyed a varied career in business coaching and even dabbled in trading. Now with a wealth of experience under her belt and almost seven years of building a business from scratch, Self Makers was lucky enough to chat to Maria about her career and what helped her succeed. Here are some of her entrepreneurial tips and see which ones resonate most with you.1. Get inspired“I brainstormed 300 names when I was creating my brand” Maria said, “I did an awful lot of desk research, I looked at cereal companies from all over the world and tried to get a feel for smaller brands. I looked at how they tend to package and brand themselves and I met lots of other food businesses as part of my wider research. Then I went to Harrods to look at everything; I took lots of photos and bought products where I liked the packaging. It’s important to get the whole look and get inspiration, because it all coincides with picking a name and developing an overall brand and story.”2. Engage in trends“We have had a massive breakthrough in one of our products because we’ve successfully hit on trends. Reading and studying industry publications is a big help – most of these are free and you can just sign up to get them once a week. Innovation, new products, mergers and acquisitions within your industry are important to know. So, I think carry out wider research and then niche research in your specific area. Don’t look so closely at your own product that you miss everything else around you. That’s really important.”3. Make use of resources“In the food industry, there’s Bord Bia with a ‘Thinking House’ and a wonderful team in the library. Here you can learn absolutely anything about trends and competing products in other countries. They will gather together valuable information that would cost a lot if you tried to do it yourself or got a third party to do so. We also use the Bord Bia offices in other markets which is a wonderful resource and I’ve used them all along the way.”4. Research, research and research!“Research has been something we have focused on since the beginning and that will never change. Look beyond the immediate, engage in deep research and be analytical. From day one I knew I would need to export to make the business viable, so from the very start I would look at what’s happening in America and the UK, and since then have looked at other markets.I didn’t spend enough time at the beginning with my food product, really analysing what was on the shelves. What I ended up with was a product that was unnecessarily premium. I would say to anybody, really be an expert in your customer and your competition. What is it about them? Have a spreadsheet, benchmark all of the USPs, and understand that it’s not all about the price – what makes you different?”5. Trust others“Other than that and in ways of working, our business is an outsource model so we contract other people or separate businesses. This has been a good model and allowed us to scale up. It involves trusting others – doing it yourself is a good way to start but when growing a business it means hiring people or outsourcing. I coached a lot of managers and noticed that some people are afraid to delegate and afraid to let go which signals the underlying message to their employee is ‘you need to be told or I don’t trust you’. I’ve learnt that people will rise to a challenge generally, so I hire for attitude and I train for skill.”6. Maria’s book recommendations“A great book is The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. In essence, it says that if you run your business as if you’re going to sell it, even if you don’t ever sell it, you’ll have a really good business. When you start a small business, you can be sloppy because it’s just you. Adopting the idea that you’re a much bigger business, or that you report into a scary MD, and having systems and strategies in place means that when you want to scale up or you need finance, everything is in apple pie order. This way you’re going to come across as a lower risk business, as opposed to being all over the shop where you are not going to instill confidence.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Dr. Domingo Sanchez – Innovator – Networker – EntrepreneurDr. Domingo Sanchez is the President of ISAAAC, a non-profit initiative whose mission is to build global alliances and ecosystems of high-profile partners in academia, the industry and national governments, with a background in geology. Completing a PHD in Business Administration at Trinity College, Domingo carried out research in networks and innovation, and is now an expert in business acumen.In an interview with Conor, Domingo talks about the roadmaps of business and opportunities, and how important connections are in growing your business.Business is verticalDomingo’s recommendation is that, as a business owner, you need to look ahead and understand the plans in the environment around your sector, in order to make good business decisions in the future, as they will have a knock on effect on you and your business too.He said, “I think there are a lot of verticals that they need to be aware of, you know, I think is important to understand opportunities as cross value chains.”Connections are enginesSpeaking with Conor, Domingo emphasised the importance of connecting with like minded people and avoiding “characters that are sucking your energy” and focus on “people that are providing you with a lot of good motivation for your work and your project.”Domingo uses the metaphor of connections as engines when discussing development in your career and says “it’s like fueling energy” to keep you motivated to keep going in your path.Be organic“I think to create a proper environment to be successful, is something valuable,” says Domingo. He reinforces that you need to build a business around something that you enjoy, and says that this way “you are starting organically to develop something.”Look out for funding opportunitiesDomingo says, “Don’t be afraid to use the public funding available” to help start-up your business. You can use these opportunities to network and connect with professionals with the same interests and experience.“You will be surprised that the accessibility right now of people that want to collaborate, the public funding schemes, and the public funding programmes are a good opportunity also to start collaborations.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Conor Cogan – Craftsman – Designer – EntrepreneurConor is a Masters graduate in Design Innovation. He’s been making and selling products since he was a teenager.In an interview with Conor, Conor Cogan talks about how he made a self-made career as a craftsman with his business, Beardedman Ireland.Be InquisitiveSpeaking with Conor, Conor admitted to always having an inquisitive mind which drove him to eventually become his own boss. “When you work for yourself, you can kind of work on your own basis and your own time” and also stated that he’s never worked well under standard 9 to 5 as he has “never really suited [it].”He said, “Everything is completely bespoke[…]we rarely make the same thing twice.”Don’t Be Afraid To Have FunConor says, “When a customer comes to me and says, ‘oh can I get a bottle opener with this logo’ and I say ‘well okay, grand that’s no worries. But can you tell me some more about the brand and we can figure put something much more interesting that actually sells better’. Then I have fun in making and doing something different and then it means that you hopefully get bigger returns, bigger orders, bigger re-orders and also it elevates the whole experience.” This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Amanda Scott – Networker – Author – EntrepreneurAmanda Scott is a career coach and co-founder of Personal Boardroom, whose mission is to help people build their networks effectively to succeed in their careers. To this aim, she has co-authored the book ‘Who is in your Personal Boardroom?’ alongside business professor, Dr Zella King.Amanda shared some of her advice about networking with Conor, building on her decade of experience as a career coach. Specifically, she highlighted how to identify the people that can help you succeed.Three Key RolesFirstly, the Personal Boardroom team has established three types of roles that people can play in your network. These are Information, Power, and Development roles.Information: ‘people that are a source of new knowledge, new insight and new information’.Power: ‘people that give you access to other people or resources, who can help you make decisions, and who enable and catalyse you’.Development: ‘people that see you as a work in progress, who provide courage, balance, improvement and challenge’.Diversify Your NetworkIn addition, Amanda highlighted the importance of connecting with people who ‘can disrupt your habitual ways of thinking and unlock new ways of thinking about problems that you might have’.She commented that ‘we tend to focus and cluster on relationships which are similar and familiar to us’, but that these ‘don’t necessarily bring the kind of freshness and difference that a really flourishing or expanding network can do.’Catch the full interview below to find out more about building the most effective network for your career. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Ekaterina Solomeina – Educator – Designer – EntrepreneurCareer ProfileEkaterina Solomeina is the co-founder of Future London Academy, a fantastic learning organisation that creates innovative design events and short courses. Ekaterina is from Russia and began her journey in design and programming. After moving to London, she started speaking at universities and conferences to share her professional expertise with others. She became in high demand for advising others, despite having a full time job as a creative director. With the help of her co-founder, Ekaterina Solomeina grew her expertise into a full time job and highly successful business. This stemmed from her passion for connecting people in the design industry.We chatted to Ekaterina about her journey to becoming co-founder of Future London Academy, and about how she mastered her skills to become successful enough to share them with others.Constant learning“I will never stop learning. I’m definitely still learning and I will keep learning. Lots of skills are never taught to us, especially being from a creative background. It’s not something you learn at university. There is no finance class at university. And all the other things that you actually will have to experience – most of us will have to experience no matter if we will run a company or not. We do need to understand how to manage people, how to lead people and all the other aspects of running successful teams.I read lots of books and I am obsessed with learning. I don’t know how many courses I attend myself. And I suppose that’s why I run a learning company because I believe that our programmes improve lives.”Growth mindset“Something that was crucial for me on this journey was one misconception that I had, that if you’re creative, you can’t be business-minded. I keep mentioning Carol Dweck, who is my favourite psychologist. I know she is probably over quoted a little bit, but I urge you to read Carol Dweck’s book ‘mindset’. A growth mindset can actually improve the way we live our lives. The book essentially proves through research that people who have growth mindset achieve much more in their lives.Try harder and practice more. The more you do it, the better you get at it. It’s all about learning and just finding information where you can, but also just trying and failing and learning from that.”The Importance of Planning“I’m on the planning side, I am definitely slightly over obsessed with operations, which is, I suppose, quite unusual for a creative person. It comes from my engineering background that I like things to be in the right places. We do a yearly plan with the team, we see where we want to be and what’s important for us. Both financial, team and personal goals. It’s important to run the business that you want to be part of. It’s good to have a plan and then adjust as you go.”Emotional strength“The magic and the success of the business actually doesn’t depend as much on the product and your knowledge, but as on the emotional strength to stomach it all. All of us have had days where it wasn’t easy. Psychologically, all of us have days where you have to get yourself out of bed, and having someone else who understands you, who can go through these things with you, is really great. I’m very glad that my co-founder is an incredible human being and I can be there for him and he can be there for me.”Podcast Recommendations“I’m obsessed with podcasts. Listening to things is such a brilliant life hub for me because I sit all day, so If I have an opportunity to stand up and go for a half an hour walk, I would always do that. I recommend ‘Happiness Lab’, it’s from a Yale University professor, and essentially all about the job of happiness.”Register for email updates to receive more of Conor’s profiles of the best Irish and international personal business success stories. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe

Michael Kelly – Food Grower – Social EntrepreneurOne day, Michael Kelly found himself in a supermarket in Ireland, gazing at a bulb of garlic imported from China. This bulb of garlic, and the realisation that 90% of Ireland’s food was imported from abroad, led him to set up social enterprise GIY (Grow it Yourself). A social enterprise, GIY has grown from a local gardening group to a global social movement.A Global Social MovementGIY’s mission is to educate and enable people to grow their own food, helping to rebuild a sustainable food system. Alongside a cafe and education centre, GIY’s TV series on RTE and Amazon Prime, ‘Grow Cook Eat’, is helping to spread their message globally.Conor had the privilege of talking to Michael on the Self Makers Show; here are some of his key insights.The Importance of the Company’s MissionGIY aims to create ‘food empathy’, giving people ‘a better connection with food’ and ‘a better understanding of how food works’. As a result, they will become empowered to make ‘healthier and more sustainable choices in their own lives’.Michael therefore highlighted the importance of keeping this founding mission central to everything the organisation does, even whilst scaling up. So, GIY take an ‘etch-a-sketch approach’ to their community groups, allowing people to define membership however they want, in order to ‘keep it as accessible and open as possible’.Although this is ‘a slightly scary, risky approach’, in terms of intellectual property, it all comes back to GIY’s original mission. ‘It’s ultimately way more successful in terms of getting people growing, which is the reason we’re doing it’.Handing over Control in a Social EnterpriseMichael then discussed the ‘mistakes and challenges’ that arose throughout his career from employee to side hustler to employer. Specifically, he emphasised the unique journey that a founder of a social enterprise has to go on.‘There’s a sort of giving over control at some point that has to happen as part of creating that structure as a social enterprise. You effectively give control to the voluntary board of directors who could fire me potentially tomorrow, if they’re not happy!’Take the LeapFinally, Michael’s advice to others thinking of starting a social enterprise was to ‘just go for it’.‘It’s a big leap into the unknown, but it’s such a privilege to get to work on something you’re passionate about…So if you have that opportunity ever, just grab it with both hands.’Catch the full interview below to find out more about Michael’s fascinating career journey.Register for email updates to receive more of Conor’s profiles of the best Irish and international personal business success stories. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.conorlyn.ch/subscribe