Scaling for Success – Strategies, Systems & Solutions Event 09th of April 2025
Hosted by South East Skillnet Networks, this ‘scaling for success’ event will bring a panel of industry leaders together to share their experiences, systems and strategies to help bring your business to the next level!
Date: 9th April
Venue: Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Price: €30 per person
Why Attend?
Gain valuable insights from industry leaders, network with like-minded professionals, and learn strategies to boost your business.
Our MC for this event is Founder & Managing Director of The Forest, Teresanne O’Reilly & we have an exciting panel of inspiring speakers lined up who will equip you with the tools to scale for success!
Panel of Speakers
1. Aimee Connolly
Aimee is one of Ireland’s most recognisable and loved beauty entrepreneurs and she can usually be found hard at work on her award-winning cosmetics range, Sculpted by Aimee. Sculpted by Aimee is one of the fastest-growing Irish beauty brands in the market. The company currently employs more than seventy staff and it plans to soon become a globally recognised brand. Winner of the 2021 EY Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and now sitting on the EY Entrepreneur of the Year judging panel, Aimee is a qualified makeup artist with more than 12 years of experience. Sculpted by Aimee now has stores in Dublin, Kildare, Belfast and London.
2. David Walsh
David is one of Ireland’s most renowned entrepreneurs. He co-founded Netwatch and as CEO grew it from a small start-up to a truly global organisation employing 560 staff and serving 250,000 customers across four continents. A graduate of UCD and Stanford University, David was voted Irish Times Business Person of the month in April 2018, the In-Business Magazine Businessman of Year 2019 and was awarded the inaugural National Enterprise Awards Outstanding Achievement Award 2021. At Netwatch, David assembled a world class team and developed a unique culture that led to 68 quarters of continuous growth and impacted the lives of customers across the World. He has since established another disruptive technology company called HaloCare with a vision to empower people to live independent and healthy lives at home for longer.
3. Dave Flynn
Dave is Director of Business Networks at Skillnet Ireland. He is responsible for national, industry and regional talent initiatives that advance business productivity and innovation. Working closely with partners in industry, education and Government, he oversees the delivery of Skillnet Business Networks, which address the skills and talent needs of over 26,000 businesses in Ireland each year.
4. John Fogarty
John starting his career in finance in 1987, where he quickly established himself in the top 10 out of 600 Financial advisors, John harnessed his skill and knowledge to open his own financial and mortgage advisory business – Fogarty Financial 1997. In 1999 John joined Property Partners Estate Agency Network, where he was Marketing Director and IT Director. In 2010 John acquired the Master Franchise for RE/MAX in Ireland and Northern Ireland and now has 14 franchised RE/MAX branches throughout Ireland. Most recently, John has founded the successful Homebidding.ie and Mortgagebuddy.ie, further expanding his entrepreneurial portfolio in the real estate, mortgage, and property sector as well as Videosmile.io, digital platform which gathers and adds client testimonials to businesses websites.
5. Gerry Duffy
Gerry is a dynamic speaker who inspires audiences to act – making him the perfect choice for senior leaders, conference organisers, and event planners. With 14 years of delivering keynotes and workshops across Ireland, Europe, and the USA, he has inspired teams in industries like tech, pharma, food, finance, construction, hospitality and more. His engaging style fosters connection, encouraging audiences to take ownership of the ideas and concepts he shares. Gerry integrates key experience and lessons learned into his talks, emphasising how determination leads to transformative outcomes. He shares practical, straightforward tools/ideas that audiences can implement immediately. He has also authored four books including Lessons for Leaders – 27 Things to Think About for Senior Leaders and CEO’s.
6. Brendan Crowley
A native of Wexford Town, Brendan is Managing Director of Wexford Bus. Established in 1996, the company operates a network of public bus services connecting the southeast and typically carries in excess of 1 million passengers per year. Brendan has grown this business to being the largest public transport provider in County Wexford, and one of the largest commercial bus companies in Ireland. Prior to this, Brendan spent 28 years working as Chief Ambulance Officer for the Southern Division of the National Ambulance Service (NAS). He is experienced in collaborative working and has worked closely with key leaders of various hospital groups and extensively with emergency services in areas of emergency preparedness. Brendan is a member of the Executive Committee of the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland which is the largest representative body for the private and commercial bus sector. He is a Board Member and past President of the County Wexford Chamber of Commerce.
7. Leah O’Dwyer
Founder and CEO of ZeroMission brings more than 16 years EV industry experience following prior roles at Siemens Energy, Siemens Mobility and ChargePoint. Leah has built business units from the ground up in the international electromobility sector and pioneered innovative technology, project and business models from concept to deployment for all EV’s from passenger cars to heavy duty trucks and buses, including optimized system design, Fleet Software and Energy Management.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs and innovators.