Starting a Business in Ireland|Brian O’Kane|Oak Tree Press
30 years supporting start-ups—Brian O’Kane on the changes and challenges of starting a business in Ireland
by Brian O’Kane
Late afternoon on 6 June 1993 found me in the Constitution Room of the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, waiting with a large group of people, all of whom worked in small business support in a variety of capacities, for the then Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment Ruairi Quinn to arrive to launch my new book – my second – Starting a Business in Ireland.
Ireland’s entrepreneurs have proved themselves, time and time again, through two recessions and a global financial crash
Over 30 years later, now in its 8th edition, Starting a Business in Ireland is still going strong. Somehow, it seemed to immediately strike a chord with the emerging class of Irish entrepreneurs, many of whom have found their way not just onto the national stage, but internationally too. Mick Finucane of Chapters Bookstore, who with his business partner Kevin Neary, developed Gamesworld, which became GameStop and later the subject of a significant buy-out, was one of these. He tells the story in the foreword.
For it is to them – and not to me – that the real credit must go. Ireland’s entrepreneurs have proved themselves, time and time again, through two recessions and a global financial crash. They have made a name for themselves – and for Ireland too – for innovation, forward-thinking, teamwork and clever execution.
Changes and challenges
In 2023, I am struck by how much has changed – most of all, in public attitude towards enterprise, small business and start-ups. Where previously the ‘proper job’ – one with a pension after a lifetime of service – was the be-all-and-end-all, there’s now a genuine interest across Irish society in entrepreneurship. In addition, where an entrepreneur’s ambition might extend to exporting at some future stage, thanks to the Internet many Irish businesses today are ‘born global’.
Nonetheless, starting a business in Ireland in the 1990s was frustrating, time-consuming and difficult. I know, because I did it myself. It has become easier – again I know, because I have worked with thousands of people who have also done it over that 30-year period.
But the key challenges still remain, as described in the book. In summary, they are:
- Understanding yourself, your skills and ambitions;
- Understanding your market;
- Planning your business and its future development;
- Writing a business plan;
- Financing the start-up stage; and
- Dealing with the necessary ‘paperwork’.
Support
The initial book was born out of the frustration of dealing with the bureaucracy and information dead-ends that surrounded starting a business at that time – and, sadly, still do to some extent today. That said, there is a plethora of support available to help would-be Irish entrepreneurs to shape and develop and grow their new businesses. And yet, with the increase in support has come an increase in the need for a guide through the maze to the appropriate support at the right time.
behind each of these sources lies a team of dedicated public servants and private sector businesspeople, all focused on supporting the development and growth of Irish start-ups
There was no Directory of Sources of Assistance in the first edition. It first saw life as a separate book, Enterprise Ireland, but was subsumed into later editions. From memory, that first Directory claimed over 170 sources, which quickly grew to close to 500. This new 8th edition records just short of 600! And behind each of these sources lies a team of dedicated public servants and private sector businesspeople, all focused on supporting the development and growth of Irish start-ups.
And that’s the final major change that I have seen over the past 30 years: the shift from getting businesses started, to helping them to grow – and in particular to help them to scale, internationally. It’s a most welcome development – and perhaps the subject of a future book!
Starting a Business in Ireland|Brian O’Kane|Oak Tree Press
