Every entrepreneur has a lightbulb moment . . .

What was your lightbulb moment?

My co-founder Prof Niki Ralph and I were operating our dermatology solo private practices in the same building in Ballsbridge. Our lightbulb moment came when we realised Ireland’s traditional model of dermatologists working in solo practices was limiting the level of care and expertise we could offer our patients, particularly for cosmetic treatments.

Having experienced the collaborative approach in the US, it was clear that by bringing dermatologists together under one roof, we could provide patients with a more comprehensive and cohesive experience – covering everything from medical dermatology to cutting-edge cosmetic treatments. It wasn’t just about improving care, but also creating a centre where innovation and patient-centred treatments could thrive in harmony and collaboration between colleagues would achieve the highest standards of dermatological care. That realisation drove the launch of the Institute of Dermatologists.

What’s one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to start or accelerate their own business?

Surround yourself with a strong, supportive team that shares your vision. No matter how passionate or skilled you are, you can’t do it all alone. Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint, and having the right people in your corner helps you stay on course, weather the inevitable storms, and celebrate the successes. Trust your team and delegate – collaboration is key.

What is the most important characteristic of being a successful and resilient entrepreneur?

Adaptability. In business, things rarely go according to plan, and being able to pivot, adjust, and learn from challenges is vital. Resilience is the ability to not only withstand tough times but to use them as a springboard for growth. If you can remain adaptable and open to change, while staying true to your core values, success will follow.

AI – friend or foe in business?

AI is undoubtedly a friend, as long as it’s used wisely. In dermatology, AI is already proving to be a powerful tool for diagnostics and patient care. It helps streamline processes, analyse data, and enhance decision-making. That said, AI should complement human expertise, not replace it. It’s essential to strike a balance where technology empowers us to be more efficient and innovative, without losing the personal touch that defines our relationships with patients.

What was the biggest challenge in business you had to overcome?

The biggest challenge we faced came just nine months after opening our doors – Covid! Like many businesses, we were suddenly confronted with an uncertain future. We had to close our cosmetic suite entirely, halting all cosmetic procedures, while still carrying the full costs of running the clinic. However, we were determined to continue providing essential medical dermatology services to our patients, which required quickly adapting to new safety protocols. The uncertainty was daunting, but our commitment to patient care, along with the resilience of our team, helped us navigate through those difficult times. It taught us the value of flexibility and community support, and we came out stronger on the other side.

Adebola Olomo, founder of Deefrent Media

What was your lightbulb moment?

My lightbulb moment came when I thought I had been knocked out of an opportunity because I was a minority. At first, I felt defeated, but then I had a revelation: this could be my superpower. Instead of seeing my difference as a disadvantage, I started embracing it as my strength.

This shift in mindset opened countless doors for me. I began to approach situations with the confidence that what made me different also made me powerful. That shift in perspective has created so many opportunities.

What’s one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to start or accelerate their own business?

Find at least one person to hold you accountable. The day after launching my business, I hired two interns. They worked from my livingroom and every morning when I saw them, it reminded me why I had to get up, go out and make the business work. For you, it might not mean hiring someone, but it could mean having a mentor, a friend, or even a goal that holds you accountable. This level of responsibility will keep you focused, motivated and moving forward when things get tough.

What is the most important characteristic of being a successful and resilient entrepreneur?

You need to truly believe in yourself. Confidence in your abilities is key, but so is the ability to be honest with yourself when things aren’t going well. Successful entrepreneurs are always learning and adapting. You must be willing to upskill, to unlearn and relearn when necessary, and to recognise when it’s time to pivot. Being real with yourself helps you know when to seek help, when to celebrate, and when to make changes. Those moments of self-awareness will keep you on the right track.

AI – friend or foe in business?

AI is absolutely a friend in business. It’s an empowering tool, a research partner, and an enabler that can help scale your efforts. In many ways, it acts like a full-time staff member, empowering your team to do more and accelerate results. When used responsibly, AI becomes a key driver of growth, innovation and efficiency. It’s definitely a friend, and one you want on your side.

What was the biggest challenge in business you had to overcome?

My biggest challenge was people – training them, investing in them . . . and then watching them leave. At first, I took it personally, but I shifted my mindset. I now see my business as a learning ground, a place to grow. When people leave, it’s because they’re ready for the next level. Many come back or bring new opportunities. By focusing on creating the best environment for growth, I turned a challenge into a legacy.

Donna Reilly, founder of Donna Reilly People & Wellness 

What was your lightbulb moment? 

This is an easy one for me. I found wellbeing in 2015 and instantly fell in love! In love with the concept, with the research and with the impact it can have. I was very fortunate to be able to integrate wellbeing into my role as a HR Business Partner at the time which was phenomenal. However, as my role became more senior, I moved more away from the ‘doing’ part of wellbeing – designing the programmes, meeting and selecting facilitators, creating and measuring impact – and I really craved this. I was fully invested in wellbeing and saw the positive impact an investment in wellbeing could have on an individual’s life, so I took a leap of faith towards the end of 2019 and left my role to build a business around my passion. Four and a half years later, we are still here and wellbeing is still the cornerstone of our business at Donna Reilly People & Wellness.

What’s one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to start or accelerate their own business?

This is a great question. I spend a lot of time meeting with, talking to and offering advice to women who have just started their business or are looking to accelerate their business. To be honest, the answer is different depending on their circumstances and I would never claim to have the golden ticket answer to starting or accelerating a business. Instead, I will always share what worked for me. There are lots of things that worked but the biggest thing was determination – holding firm, believing in your idea, your business, your concept and most importantly believing in you.

You will be hit with so many knocks along the way (sorry, it’s true!) from no’s from potential clients; advice on what to do, which isn’t right for you or your brand; people’s opinions on whether what you are offering is needed, etc. Stand your ground, know your ‘why’ and remember this along the way.

Some of the advice you will receive will be magic, will open doors and will lead you down paths you never imagined. But, on the tough days (believe me, I have plenty of them!), dig deep and keep going. Even if it doesn’t work (which it most likely won’t) you can look back and say you did everything, tried everything and that’s amazing.

What is the most important characteristic of being a successful and resilient entrepreneur?

Have a growth mindset – easier said than done I know. What I mean by growth mindset is to try to see any failures as opportunities to learn and grow and don’t let the failures consume you. Likewise, see challenges as obstacles to overcome and to help you to grow and see feedback in this light too, it is there to help you to learn and advance.

Be curious, always! Want to learn, want to know, want to immerse yourself in new groups, situations and concepts.

Finally (and this is probably the biggest struggle for me when it comes to having a growth mindset), be inspired by the success of other and see it as an opportunity to learn and create your own success. We can quite often look over the fence at others people’s achievements and successes and become envious and wish we had that too. However, if we flip that and strive to learn from their journey and their success, it is much more beneficial and impactful for us.

AI – friend or foe in business?

It should be a friend and it’s on the ‘to do’ list to become a friend, but at the moment I’m a bit of a ‘fear the foe I don’t fully know’ mindset!

What was the biggest challenge in business you had to overcome?

Trust. 100%. It can be lonely growing a business, particularly as a solopreneur.

Trust is, and can still be, a huge challenge for me personally and professionally. Trust in terms of who I can fully open up to without fear of their opinion of me changing in anyway. Trust in terms of whose opinion do I trust. As mentioned earlier, we can get so much advice as business owners – which advice do we trust, which advice do we not trust?

And finally, trusting myself. I’m gut-led and know this, but sometimes the head can get in the way and I lose trust in myself. We are the ones who know our business the best and the gut never lies so it’s remembering to tune into this always.

The Pitch 2024

The Pitch 2024, an IMAGE Media and Samsung Electronics Ireland partnership, that supports Irish entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs.

Entries for The Pitch are now officially closed. Our esteemed judging committee is diligently reviewing all submissions to ensure a thorough evaluation of each entry. We are excited to announce that the successful finalists will be unveiled on Friday, November 1st.

This is a pivotal moment in the competition, showcasing the innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit that participants have poured into their applications. Stay tuned for the announcement, as we celebrate the exceptional talent within our Irish community and look forward to the next phase of this inspiring campaign.

Finalists will then have the chance to live pitch their business in front of a panel of five judges in Dublin City Hall on Monday, November 11 at 6pm.

Don’t just dream it, PITCH it!

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