Events
Young Entrepreneur Blue Sky Day.
The Young Entrepreneur Blue Sky Day presentation in the Brandon Hotel Tralee (18th Sept 07) will be remembered for a lifetime by many of the young students who attended.
Aimed at second and third level students, the Blue Sky Day highlighted the varied and innovative entrepreneurial activities of Kerry’s leading business people. The Young Entrepreneur Programme encourages young people to consider entrepreneurship as a career choice – it is an investment in the next generation of business people.
Inspiring Young Kerry Entrepreneurs
Some of the students attending The Blue Sky Day presentation already knew they were destined to be entrepreneurs; for others it will have been a day of awaking. It is likely that many of them related to the inspiring stories from members of the panel about their early attempts at enterprise.
John
Rice of JAM Media described how, when he was a child, he sold soft drinks
and sweets on a fair day at exorbitant rates. His products sold out in a short
time and he had pocketed well in access of 200% profit (not a bad return on
investment if you can get it!).
Alison
Boardman, Unique Voice, combined her love and knowledge of horses with her
entrepreneurial tendencies. She charged £1 per lesson to tutor her
neighbour’s
children to pony ride. Alison is the founder and CEO of Unique Voice, a language
and translation service operating internationally.
Most entrepreneurs have similar stories from their childhood. No doubt some of the students in the audience, listening intently to every word, have their own enterprising tales to tell.
The Bllue Sky Day Programme
Síle Seoige hosted the day long event.
| 10:00am | Entrepreneurs make the world go round Introduced by Síle Seoige |
| 10:15am | Dreams do come true Jerry Kennelly, founder, Stockbyte |
| 10:30 | How our transition year project became Ireland’s biggest website Eamonn & Brian Fallon DAFT.ie founders, interviewed by Síle Seoige |
| 10:50am | How I started Aer Arann Founder Padraig O’Ceidigh |
| 11:10am | Entrepreneurship – Is it a real career option? Síle Seoige hosts a discussion with Brian McCarthy, founder FEXCO, Alan Berrington, founder, Delpac, Brain Mehigan, CFO, Kerry Group and Alison Boardman, founder Unique Voice. |
12:00pm – 12:50pm Lunch |
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| 12:50pm | Kerry’s hidden entrepreneurs revealed by Síle Seoige |
| 1:10pm | How I made my art a global TV business John Rice, founder JAM Media |
| 1.25pm | How I made mobiles work on planes and ships Mike Fitzgerald, founder of Altobridge interviewed by Síle Seoige |
| 2:05pm | How we built Ryanair.com John Beckett, founder, Adrenalin |
| 2:25pm | How Elave became market leader Joanna Gardiner, Elave founder, interviewed by Síle Seoige |
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| 3:00pm | I quit my job and became a CEO Sean Gallagher, founder, Smarthomes |
| 3:20pm | Best pals who became business whizz kids Cully & Sully founders Colum O’Sullivan and Cullen Allen, interviewed by Síle Seoige |
| 3:45pm | How we became Ireland’s biscuit kings Michael Carey, founder, Jacob Fruitfield Group |
| 4:00pm | Questions & Answers Hosted by Síle Seoige with all speakers and Brian O’Kane author ‘Starting A Business in Ireland’ |
| 5:00pm | Blue Sky Day concludes |
Find out more about Young Entrepreneur Programme and Awards