The Gift of Presence
As the year draws to a close, I’ve been reflecting on one theme that continues to shape every corner of my life: presence. Not the wrapped kind under a tree,…
Why Showing Up With Purpose – at Every Event or Engagement – Builds More Than Just Connections
Most of us attend business lunches, awards, or networking evenings with good intentions - we want to “show face,” support peers, maybe meet someone interesting. But too often, we leave…
Why Entering Awards Matters for Start-Ups: Validation, Visibility & Reflection
October is award season. Across Ireland and beyond, start-ups and solo entrepreneurs polish their pitches, submit applications, and await the outcome. At first glance, awards might look like gala dinners…
September is Strategy Month: Why Thinking Time is Your Secret Advantage
September Feels Like a Fresh Start After the summer pause, schools reopen and business rhythms begin to shift. For me, September is a natural strategy review month: a moment to…
Mentoring for Growth: A Speaker and Entrepreneur’s Perspective
By Cora Barnes – Speaker | Mentor | Entrepreneur In my experience, mentoring is one of the most powerful tools available to any professional—whether you're launching a business, developing leadership…
Reconnecting with What Matters
A Morning That Made Space for What Matters Last month, I stepped out of my usual Saturday routine and into a space I didn’t realise I needed so much—the Mastermind…
What Is Motivation? And Why Did I Choose to Become an Entrepreneur?
When I stood in front of a group of students at the School of Business in Maynooth University recently, I opened with a question I’ve asked myself many times over…
A New Chapter: Why I’m Writing a Book on Entrepreneurship
25+ Years in Business, One Book in the Making! After more than 25 years of building businesses, learning from brilliant minds, navigating both successes and setbacks, and continuously evolving as…
Building Lasting Customer Relationships: The Key to Business Success
I recently had the pleasure of joining Aisling Hurley on The SME Community Podcast to discuss what I consider one of the most crucial aspects of business success—customer relationships. As…
How to Find and Harness Your ‘Why’ for Entrepreneurial Success
As an entrepreneur, discovering and harnessing your ‘why’ is one of the most critical steps on the journey to success. Your ‘why’ is more than just a mission statement—it’s…