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Artwork for Business Builders

Business Builders

Conor Kearney
Entrepreneurship
Ireland
Mental Health
Covid-19
Sustainability
Art
Business Growth
Corporate Video Production
Neurodiversity
Private Equity
Storytelling
Orphan Drugs
Sky Ireland
Contemporary Art
United States
Social Media
Pharmaceutical Industry
Rare Diseases
Leadership
Local TV Stations

I created Business Builders as a weekly interview series to have honest conversations with business owners, entrepreneurs, and investors about their journeys; their successes, setbacks, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. As a growing business builder myself, I want to learn directly from my guests and share those insights with you. My goal is to provide listeners with practical takeawa... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes140Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessEntrepreneurshipCareers

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Business Builders

Latest Episodes

🔔🔔 Emmet O’Neill reveals how StoryToys nearly collapsed after years of venture capital funding, how he cut the business from 45 people to 15, and how that turnaround ultimately led to a €35 million children’s media company with more than 300 millio... more

🔔🔔 Cathal Friel explains how he built five public companies, turned a $20 million business into a $1.45 billion exit, and why IPOs may be making a comeback for ambitious entrepreneurs 🔔🔔

Cathal Friel joins Business Builders for a fascinating con... more

YouTube

🔔🔔 Ciarán Mulligan explains how he built and sold Blue Insurance, why crises create opportunities in business, and how becoming a father completely changed his perspective on success 🔔🔔Ciarán Mulligan joins Business Builders for a powerful and de... more

YouTube

🔔🔔 Ed Murphy explains why most businesses fail to scale, what franchising taught him about systems and growth, and why founders themselves are often the bottleneck inside their own companies 🔔🔔

Ed Murphy joins Business Builders for a fascinating... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Cathal Friel
Serial entrepreneur, co-founder of five public companies via Raglan Capital
Raglan Capital
Episode: “I Turned a $20M Company Into a $1.45 Billion Exit” | Cathal Friel, Raglan Capital
Ciarán Mulligan
Irish entrepreneur, founder of Blue Insurance and YES Insurance
YES Insurance / Blue Insurance
Episode: A Big Exit, Confidence & Resilience Ciarán Mulligan, Yes Insurance
Ed Murphy
Founder of GreenTech HQ; former franchise executive with Snap Printing and Home Instead
GreenTech HQ
Episode: (RE-RELEASE) “Why So Many SMEs Get Stuck at €1M–€5M Revenue” | Ed Murphy, Greentech HQ
Troy Armour
Founder and CEO of Junk Kouture
Junk Kouture
Episode: “I Built a Multi-Million Euro Business With €1,000” | Troy Armour, Junk Kouture
Colin Culliton
Chairman of the Kith and Kin Group; former owner of a printing/design business
Kith & Kin Group
Episode: “You Can’t Build a Business Without Hard Decisions” | Colin Culliton, Kith&Kin
Ciaran Burke
Co-founder and COO of Swoop
Swoop
Episode: "This Is What It Takes To Really Scale a Business" | Ciaran Burke, Swoop
Willie McMahon
Entrepreneur and EOS coach
Former Calyx founder; EOS Implementer
Episode: “You Don’t Need More Hustle, You Need This System” - Willie McMahon, EOS
Gowri Subramanian
Entrepreneur and angel investor, CEO and co‑founder of Aspire Systems
Aspire Systems
Episode: “There Is No Finish Line in Business” | Gowri Subramanian, Aspire Systems
Laura Dowling
Former community pharmacist turned entrepreneur; founder of Fabu and Viva La Vulva show
Fabu (functional edible mushrooms supplements)
Episode: Viva La Vulva! with Laura Dowling, fabÜ

Hosts

Conor Carney
Host of Business Builders, consistently guiding interviews with founders and operators to extract practical growth insights.
Connor Carney
Co-host and interviewer with focus on practical business building and entrepreneurship themes.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 100 ratings
  • Great first , Irish second

    This might be a slightly controversial take, but some podcasts here in Ireland seem to me to more interested in being local that being great. Conor is an excellent interviewer who asks really humble questions, and draws out the most amazing stories from his interviewees. Thanks Conor, it’s unmissable.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dkenny
    Ireland6 months ago
  • My new favourite

    Conor is a great host. He makes people feel at ease.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    St John Mc
    Ireland10 months ago
  • Irish Business Builders

    Top podcast for insights, strategies and learning about what it’s really like to build a business in Ireland

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SamAtkinson
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Great find

    This is a really interesting insight into what drives people in a professional capacity, while also tapping into the person behind the profession. Conor draws out the thought processes that drives these businesses from the starting blocks, to where they are now, to their aspirations for the future, with a fresh and honest approach. This podcast is a haven for inspiration.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cate1804
    Ireland4 years ago
  • Five star podcast

    Such an interesting and insightful podcast with a magnanimous host.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TF
    Canada5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is a haven for inspiration with actionable takeaways.
Listeners appreciate practical insights and varied guest backgrounds.
The host asks humble questions and draws out amazing stories from guests.
Great for entrepreneurs; down-to-earth and informative.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#3
Ireland/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#21
Ireland/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Big Exit, Confidence & Resilience Ciarán Mulligan, Yes Insurance
Q: What's the biggest lesson you learned through crises and exits?
Crises are inevitable; the key is to stay innovative, negotiate smartly on costs, diversify product lines, and keep the long-term vision in sight. Exits are not just about the money but about building something sustainable with the right people and a clear purpose.
A Big Exit, Confidence & Resilience Ciarán Mulligan, Yes Insurance
Q: How did you handle growth and leadership as YES Insurance scaled?
I focused on bringing in a senior management team early, delegating responsibilities, and creating a culture where the customer is first. We invested in leadership development, standardized processes, and ensured alignment across marketing, IT, and operations to move quickly without losing control of quality and customer service.
A Big Exit, Confidence & Resilience Ciarán Mulligan, Yes Insurance
Q: What led you to pivot from Blue Insurance to launching YES Insurance?
The motivation came from a mix of market signals, a desire to diversify beyond traditional travel insurance, and a belief that there was a gap in niche, consumer-friendly insurance products. The pivot was also shaped by personal experiences and a readiness to build a lean, scalable operation with a strong leadership team.
“Why So Many SMEs Get Stuck at €1M–€5M Revenue” | Ed Murphy, Greentech HQ
Q: What does success look like beyond financial metrics?
Success is about sustainable growth, meaningful partnerships, and achieving results that align with personal values and long-term impact rather than just chasing revenue.
“Why So Many SMEs Get Stuck at €1M–€5M Revenue” | Ed Murphy, Greentech HQ
Q: How do you compare the risk profiles when moving from manufacturing/printing to healthcare?
Healthcare introduces higher stakes due to patient outcomes and regulatory scrutiny, which demands rigorous quality control and risk management compared to more straightforward manufacturing risks.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Business Builders

What is Business Builders about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Business Builders delivers candid conversations with founders, operators, and investors about building and scaling ventures. Episodes center on growth strategies, funding options, leadership, organizational culture, and navigating regulatory or market challenges across tech, manufacturing, and consumer spaces. The show often highlights practical takeaways, real-world lessons from fast-growing companies, and the personal dynamics behind leadership journeys, making it useful for aspiring founders, growth-stage leaders, and marketing partners seeking authentic storytelling with a practical edge.

Where can I find podcast stats for Business Builders?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Business Builders. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Business Builders and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Business Builders get?

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What are the audience demographics for Business Builders?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Business Builders, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Business Builders have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Business Builders has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Business Builders?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Business Builders:

1. Inside Business with Ciaran Hancock
2. Ask About Wealth
3. The Other Hand
4. The High Performance Podcast
5. The David McWilliams Podcast

How many episodes of Business Builders are there?

Business Builders launched 6 years ago and published 140 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Business Builders?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Business Builders?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Business Builders from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Business Builders?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Business Builders. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Business Builders?

Recent guests on Business Builders include:

1. Cathal Friel
2. Ciarán Mulligan
3. Ed Murphy
4. Troy Armour
5. Colin Culliton
6. Ciaran Burke
7. Willie McMahon
8. Gowri Subramanian

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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