Business Builders

Conor Kearney
  • 5.0 (1)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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 takeaways, fresh perspectives, and real inspiration to help you on your own path to building and growing a business. 

  1. 2D AGO

    “I Built a Multi-Million Euro Business With €1,000” | Troy Armour, Junk Kouture

    🔔🔔 Troy Armour reveals how he built Junk Kouture from a €1,000 idea into a global movement, and why he believes most entrepreneurs are driven by trauma, creativity, and the need to stand out 🔔🔔 Join the movement to help spread 1 Million good deeds at Mo Chuisle: https://30daysofgooddeeds.com/ Troy Armour joins Business Builders for one of the most wide-ranging and unconventional conversations we’ve ever had, covering entrepreneurship, creativity, trauma, AI, identity, leadership, and the deeper psychology behind building businesses. What began as a small creative idea with just €1,000 in the bank grew into Junk Kouture: a global platform spanning more than 100,000 young people across 74 nationalities, helping students express themselves through creativity, fashion, storytelling, and performance. But Troy’s story is about far more than building a successful business. He explains why he believes most entrepreneurs are “addicts” driven by feelings of not being enough, how childhood experiences shape ambition, and why creativity often emerges from pressure, pain, and constraint. Along the way, Troy shares the early hustle behind Junk Kouture; writing letters to nearly 1,000 schools because he couldn’t afford marketing, persuading venues to host events for free, and figuring everything out in real time with no roadmap and almost no money. The conversation also explores Troy’s deeply personal journey of self-discovery: from leadership struggles and burnout, to ayahuasca retreats in Brazil, vulnerability, shame, and learning to accept himself. He also discusses the future of AI, why he believes we are entering “the age of creativity,” and how artificial intelligence will fundamentally reshape business, software, and work itself over the next decade. This is a conversation about ambition, identity, creativity, healing, and what really drives people to build. “If you don’t fit in, then maybe you were born to stand out.” 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn 🎧:  How Troy built Junk Kouture starting with just €1,000    Why constraints and lack of money can create better businesses    The unconventional early growth story behind Junk Kouture    Why Troy believes most entrepreneurs are driven by trauma and insecurity    The similarities between entrepreneurial obsession and addiction    How creativity and pressure are deeply connected    What Troy learned about leadership after nearly burning out    Why vulnerability and shame shape so much of human behaviour    The personal story behind Troy’s ayahuasca experience in Brazil    Why he believes “most people leave school broken”    How Junk Kouture helps young people build confidence and identity    Why AI will transform business and usher in “the age of creativity”    Troy’s predictions for the future of software, SaaS, and entrepreneurship    Why environment and proximity changed the scale of his ambition    What success, happiness, and fulfillment really mean to him now

    1h 35m

  2. APR 20

    “You Can’t Build a Business Without Hard Decisions” | Colin Culliton, Kith&Kin

    🔔🔔 Colin Culliton reveals why you can’t build a successful business without making hard decisions - and the realities of scaling through crisis 🔔🔔 Colin Culliton joins Business Builders to share the story of how he built and scaled a multi-million euro print and communications group, and the hard decisions that defined his journey. What began as a small “me too” printing company with six people grew into a €20M group of businesses spanning design, marketing, events, and more. But the path from startup to scale was anything but smooth. Colin explains how he approached growth in a traditional, highly competitive industry, starting with organic growth before using acquisitions to accelerate scale and expand into new areas. Along the way, he learned that business success isn’t about avoiding problems; it’s about facing them head-on. Nowhere was this clearer than during the 2008 financial crisis, when Colin made the counterintuitive decision to cut headcount while the business was still booming - a move that ultimately saved the company. In this episode, Colin breaks down what it really takes to build a long-term business: from making tough calls under pressure, to trusting your instincts, to building teams that can solve problems better than you can. He also reflects on leadership, the realities of managing multiple businesses, and why the fear of failure never truly goes away - no matter how successful you become. This is a conversation about resilience, decision-making, and the truth behind what it takes to survive and scale a business over decades. “If you think you can avoid hard decisions and build a business over the long term - you just can’t.”  🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why Colin started his first business - and why the idea itself mattered less than taking action  How to grow a company in a traditional, competitive industry  The role of acquisitions in scaling a business faster  Why making hard decisions quickly is critical to long-term success  What founders get wrong about growth during good times  How Colin navigated the 2008 financial crisis and protected his business  Why trusting your instincts is one of the most important skills in business  The challenges of managing multiple businesses and leaders  How to build teams with diverse thinking and strong problem-solving ability  Why fear of failure never goes away - and how it drives performance ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Cold open  01:00 - Introducing Colin Culliton  02:00 - Starting a “me too” printing business  05:30 - Winning early clients and building trust  10:30 - Dyslexia as a problem-solving advantage  15:00 - Early growth and first acquisition  20:30 - Scaling through acquisitions vs organic growth  25:00 - Spotting risk before the 2008 crash  27:00 - Cutting headcount before the downturn  31:00 - Surviving the financial crisis  34:00 - Lessons from competitors failing  38:00 - Leadership, learning, and self-development  41:00 - How to approach buying a business  47:00 - Managing multiple companies and leaders  53:00 - Why business is always a fight  56:00 - Success, money, and what really matters  59:00 - Sacrifices and work-life balance  01:01:00 - Fear of failure and final advice Topics covered: Entrepreneurship, business growth, leadership, acquisitions, scaling a business, financial crisis, decision-making, founder mindset, SME strategy, resilience, Colin Culliton

    1h 5m

  3. APR 13

    "This Is What It Takes To Really Scale a Business" | Ciaran Burke, Swoop

    🔔🔔 Ciaran Burke, CEO and co-founder of Swoop, shares how he built a global fintech platform helping 300,000+ businesses access over £2BN in funding - and the brutal realities behind scaling a startup 🔔🔔 Ciaran Burke joins Business Builders to share the story behind Swoop and the realities of building and scaling a fintech company in the modern funding landscape. What started as a simple idea - helping small businesses navigate the complex world of finance - has grown into a global platform operating across multiple countries, connecting businesses with loans, equity, grants, and financial insights. But the journey from early-stage startup to international scale was anything but smooth. Ciaran shares the often unseen side of entrepreneurship; from sleepless nights during funding rounds to the pressure of keeping a team motivated while facing uncertainty behind the scenes. Along the way, he learned one of the most important lessons in business; not all revenue is created equal. Growth can look impressive on the surface, but without understanding margins and key drivers, it can actually hold a business back. In this episode, Ciaran breaks down what it really takes to scale a company: understanding your numbers, making tough decisions about where to focus, and navigating the emotional and operational challenges that come with growth. He also explains why many founders misunderstand funding, how businesses limit themselves by relying on a single source of finance, and why being “funding ready” is more important than ever. This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, fintech, and the reality of building a business in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. “Not all revenue is the same… some of it looks good, but you’re actually giving most of it away.” 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Ciaran co-founded Swoop and the problem it solves for businesses  The hidden realities of fundraising and founder pressure  Why not all revenue is equal - and how to think about margin  How small improvements in key metrics can drive massive growth  What it really means to be “funding ready”  Why many founders give up too early when seeking finance  How to understand and track the most important numbers in your business  The challenges of building a two-sided marketplace  Why having a co-founder can be critical during tough periods  What it takes to scale a business across multiple countries ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Cold open  01:00 - Introducing Ciaran Burke and Swoop  03:30 - The problem with business funding  08:00 - How Swoop works and makes money  12:00 - Early days and building the business  15:30 - The challenge of two-sided marketplaces  26:00 - Why not all revenue is equal  30:30 - Being funding ready and understanding your numbers  40:40 - Founder pressure and fundraising stress  42:00 - The importance of co-founders  48:30 - Building a business internationally  55:00 - Lessons from scaling Swoop Topics covered: Entrepreneurship, fintech, Swoop, startup funding, business finance, scaling a business, founders, cashflow, revenue vs profit, two-sided marketplaces, leadership, startup growth.

    1h 1m

  4. APR 6

    “You Don’t Need More Hustle, You Need This System” - Willie McMahon, EOS

    🔔🔔 Willie McMahon built, scaled, and sold a 45-person engineering business - then walked away to help other founders do it better. 🔔🔔 Willie is giving away 10 copies of the book Traction on a first come first served basis. If you’re running a company with between 10 - 250 employees, contact Willie to get your free copy: willie.mcmahon@eosworldwide.com Willie McMahon, EOS Implementer and founder of CalX (exited) joins Business Builders to share how he went from a one-man operation to building and exiting a scaling engineering business - and what he learned along the way. Starting with no plan, no funding, and no support network, Willie built a calibration and instrumentation business from scratch. What began as a solo operation grew into a 45-person company, navigating cash flow pressure, hiring challenges, and the realities of bootstrapping - before eventually merging and exiting. But the journey wasn’t smooth. Growth nearly broke the business multiple times. Hiring mistakes, cash constraints, and operational complexity forced hard decisions - including turning down major opportunities that could have destroyed everything. Willie shares how 90-day execution cycles and relentless problem-solving helped them scale - even before formally discovering EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System). The conversation dives into what actually drives business success: people, structure, and clarity. Willie explains why most problems are not what they seem, why founders are often the bottleneck, and how systems - not effort - create scalable companies. He also opens up about the emotional side of building and selling a business: risk, fear, responsibility, and the moment you realise you’re responsible for other people’s livelihoods. Now working with founders through EOS, Willie helps businesses break through growth ceilings, build stronger cultures, and create structure that enables freedom. This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, scaling, leadership, and building a business that actually works. “It's not the person - it's the system around them.” 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: How Willie built and scaled a business from 1 to 45 people  Why most businesses hit growth ceilings (and how to break through them)  The reality of bootstrapping and managing cash flow  Why hiring “another you” is a mistake  How to think about risk as a founder  Why short-term (90-day) thinking drives long-term growth  The importance of culture and hiring the right people  How to structure a business for scale  Why most problems are systems problems, not people problems  The emotional reality of selling a business  How EOS helps founders gain clarity, control, and freedom  Why you must grow as a person to grow your business ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Cold open  00:55 - Introducing Willie McMahon and EOS  02:00 - What calibration and instrumentation actually is  05:00 - Early career and falling into the industry  08:30 - The moment he decided to start his own business  11:00 - First hires and early hiring mistakes  14:30 - “I didn’t need another me”  16:00 - Bootstrapping and surviving on cash flow  18:00 - 90-day targets and early growth  21:00 - Becoming an employer and responsibility for people  23:00 - Turning down a huge opportunity  26:00 - Fear, risk, and decision-making as a founder  30:00 - Discovering EOS and business frameworks  33:00 - Why founders must grow to scale their business  37:00 - Building culture (and the fictional character hiring test)  42:00 - Merging the business and scaling rapidly  46:00 - Managing operations, hiring, and field teams  53:00 - Marketing tactics that actually worked  57:00 - Growth during COVID and scaling chall

    1h 36m

  5. MAR 30

    “There Is No Finish Line in Business” | Gowri Subramanian, Aspire Systems

    🔔🔔 Gowri Subramanian built a $200M global software company over 25 years - without venture capital 🔔🔔 Gowri Subramanian, CEO of Aspire Systems, joins Business Builders to share how he built and scaled a global technology services company from zero to $200M in revenue; entirely bootstrapped. What started as a group of seven friends with no clear plan or funding became a 4,500-person software and technology services business working with global enterprises across the US, Europe, and beyond. But the journey was slow and difficult. It took years to find product-market fit, pivot away from a non-scaling business model, and reach profitability. Gowri explains how Aspire evolved from an industrial engineering consultancy into a software product engineering company, a pivot that unlocked growth. Instead of raising venture capital, the company reinvested profits and used debt funding to scale, taking a long-term approach.  Moving from $10M to $100M required one set of capabilities; but, scaling beyond that meant competing with global firms like Accenture, Capgemini, and Infosys. Gowri shares why every stage requires a different company, strategy, and mindset. The conversation also explores AI and its impact on the software industry. Gowri explains why AI threatens traditional time-and-materials models, while also creating opportunities in legacy modernisation, enterprise transformation, and custom software. Beyond strategy, this episode dives into leadership, culture, and long-term thinking. Gowri shares why people and open feedback are critical to scaling, and why he’s focused on building a business for the long term - not for exit - including creating impact through philanthropy in India. This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, scaling, AI disruption, and building something that lasts. “Business is a rat race - there is no finish line.” 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: How Gowri built Aspire Systems into a $200M global company  Why the first 7 years of business were the hardest  The importance of pivoting when a business isn’t scaling  How to grow without venture capital  Why scaling from $100M to $200M is so difficult  What changes at each stage of growth  How to compete with global firms like Accenture and Infosys  The real impact of AI on software businesses  Why AI is both a threat and an opportunity  How culture and people drive success  The role of persistence over decades  Why teaching skills creates more impact than charity ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Cold open  00:55 - Introducing Gowri Subramanian and Aspire Systems  02:00 - What Aspire Systems does  05:00 - Moving from India to Singapore and Ireland  06:00 - Starting with no plan or funding  09:00 - 7 founders to 3  12:00 - Early business model and pivot  13:30 - Shutting down one business  14:30 - Road to profitability  18:00 - Early ambition  21:30 - Bootstrapping vs VC  22:30 - Growth to $100M  25:30 - Scaling challenges  27:30 - “Business is a rat race”  29:30 - AI and the future  34:30 - Culture and leadership  37:00 - Open feedback  40:00 - Founder mindset  47:30 - Angel investing  50:00 - India’s growth  59:30 - Philanthropy  01:05:00 - Long-term vision Topics covered: Entrepreneurship, scaling a business, bootstrapping, venture capital, AI and business, software industry, technology services, leadership, company culture, global expansion, startups, India economy, product engineering, long-term business building, philanthropy, founders

    1h 9m

  6. MAR 23

    Viva La Vulva! with Laura Dowling, fabÜ

    🔔🔔 Laura Dowling, founder of fabÜ, built a business by talking about topics most people avoid; and it changed everything 🔔🔔 Laura Dowling joins Business Builders to share how she turned women’s health - one of the most overlooked and under-discussed areas in healthcare - into a fast-growing brand, a platform, and a movement. What started as years of frustration working as a pharmacist and seeing women suffer in silence with issues no one was talking about, evolved into a business, a movement, and a platform for education. Laura explains how she spent over a decade developing formulations before launching fabÜ from her couch, without retail backing or a traditional business plan. By building an audience on Instagram and speaking openly about topics many considered taboo, she created demand first - and the business followed. Along the way, she uncovered something deeper: women’s health has been historically misunderstood, under-discussed, and often dismissed. From menopause to intimate health, many women simply aren’t given the language, knowledge, or confidence to understand their own bodies. In this episode, Laura shares how she turned that insight into a brand, a live show, and a bestselling book - all while staying true to her voice and refusing to sanitise the message. She also opens up about failure, launching without a plan, living with ADHD as a founder, and why building a business doesn’t always follow a straight line. This is a conversation about entrepreneurship, identity, and the power of saying the things no one else is willing to say. “People are embarassed  to talk about it - but that’s exactly why it matters.” 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Laura started fabÜ and the problem she saw in women’s health  How she built a business without a traditional plan  The realities of launching a product with no retail backing  Why Instagram played a key role in growing her audience  How taboo topics became her biggest advantage  What women’s health issues are still not being talked about  How to build a brand by being unapologetically yourself  The role of ADHD in her entrepreneurial journey  Why founders should trust instinct over “perfect” market research  How purpose and mission can drive long-term business growth ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - Cold open  00:55 - Introducing Laura Dowling and fabÜ  02:10 - Launching the business from her couch  05:30 - Preventative health vs “sick care”  08:45 - Building an audience on Instagram  14:00 - ADHD and the entrepreneurial mind  21:00 - Why we don’t talk about women’s health  24:45 - The talk that changed everything  27:30 - Turning taboo into a business  30:15 - Breaking stigma and building a brand  35:30 - Growing without a traditional plan  39:15 - Ask for forgiveness, not permission  43:15 - Trusting instinct over market research  53:00 - Hiring, team building and culture  01:00:00 - Asking for help and final advice Topics covered: Entrepreneurship, women’s health, fabÜ, supplements, startup founders, personal branding, Instagram marketing, ADHD and business, health education, building a brand, taboo topics, consumer products.

    1h 9m

  7. MAR 16

    From SAAS to Snacks with Jayne Ronayne (OAC Snacks | Talivest)

    My guest today is Jayne Ronayne, Co-Founder and CEO of OAC Snacks, an e-commerce company focusing on high protein snacks that are simple, delicious and made for real life.  Jayne previously founded employee experience platform Talivest, which raised over €3 million in its lifetime (from some very big named investors) and was acquired by the Australian tech company Go1 in 2022. In this chat, Jayne talks about: Why she’s turning her back on the business “holy grail” of SAAS, and getting into the difficult & competitive food industry  Starting and Growing Talivest to a successful exit Why she views being dyslexic as an advantage in business  Burnout, fund raising, and the importance of healthy food in our lives.  Much moreTopics covered: Entrepreneurship, SAAS, software companies, raising venture capital, food startups, OAC Snacks, protein snacks, food manufacturing, consumer brands, startup founders, healthy snack industry, product development, building a food brand.

    1h 6m

  8. MAR 9

    Building Silicon Republic: How Ann O’Dea Built One of Ireland’s Leading Tech Media Companies

    Ann O’Dea joins Business Builders for a wide-ranging conversation about entrepreneurship, technology, artificial intelligence, and building a media business at the dawn of the internet. As co-founder of Silicon Republic, Ann helped launch one of Ireland’s leading technology news platforms at a time when almost nobody was reading news online. Advertisers didn’t believe in digital media, the audience was tiny, and the future of the internet was still uncertain. Instead of waiting for the market to catch up, she built for where the world was going. From cycling floppy disks between newsrooms in the early days of digital publishing, to navigating the 2008 financial crash, media disruption, and the rise of AI and the modern tech industry, Ann explains what it takes to build and sustain a niche media company for more than 25 years. But this episode goes far beyond journalism. Ann reflects on the emotional reality of founding and running a business - worrying about payroll even decades into entrepreneurship, learning the hard lessons of hiring, and the importance of having a co-founder when building a startup. She also shares her views on the future of artificial intelligence, technology, and digital media, and why diversity in STEM is essential if we want the best minds solving the world’s biggest problems. This is a conversation about resilience, curiosity, leadership, and building a business that evolves alongside the technology shaping the modern world. 🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Ann launched Silicon Republic when almost nobody was onlineWhat it was like building a digital media startup in the early internet eraThe realities of entrepreneurship - even after 25 years in businessWhy having a co-founder can make or break a startupThe difference between chasing clicks and building real audiencesHow the 2008 financial crisis nearly destroyed the businessWhy curiosity is one of the most important traits in journalism and leadershipThe risks and opportunities of AI in media and technologyWhy purpose matters more than money for long-term entrepreneursWhy women in STEM are essential for the future of innovation⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 - The early days of the internet  01:17 - What Silicon Republic actually does as a business  05:22 - The realities of entrepreneurship  12:16 - Why founders should consider having a co-founder  17:53 - Why niche audiences beat clickbait  25:36 - Lessons from the 2008 financial crash  29:32 - Why purpose matters in business  31:46 - Hiring the right people  42:49 - The future of AI and technology  59:32 - Why women in STEM matters Topics covered: Entrepreneurship, startup leadership, Silicon Republic, technology journalism, artificial intelligence, AI and media, digital publishing, founders, building a media company, tech industry trends.

    1h 6m
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About

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 takeaways, fresh perspectives, and real inspiration to help you on your own path to building and growing a business. 

Information

  • Creator
    Conor Kearney
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Business Builders
  • Show Website
    Business Builders

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