In this episode of the NI Business Podcast, we feature Kieran McCormack — registered nurse and managing director of the Balmoral Group, which includes Balmoral Healthcare and Balmoral Home Care. With over 17 years in nursing and a passion for values-driven leadership, Kieran shares how he successfully transitioned from frontline healthcare to running a leading care business in Northern Ireland.
Kieran opens up about the challenges of managing a saturated healthcare market, balancing operational leadership with personal values, and driving innovation in home care services. He reveals lessons on resilience, consistency, and building a trusted team, offering insights for healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and business leaders navigating complex industries.
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In this episode of the NI Business Podcast we feature Tony Ward. Tony is the founder and Managing Director of Cornerstone Technologies, a specialist training company serving the automotive repair industry across the UK and Ireland. With nearly a decade of growth, Tony has built Cornerstone into a leading provider of advanced repair and safety training, helping technicians, insurers and manufacturers work smarter, safer and more sustainably. Drawing on lessons from years of trial, collaboration and resilience, Tony emphasizes the power of partnerships and continuous learning in business. As Cornerstone marks its 10th anniversary, Tony’s focus is firmly on expansion into Europe, innovation in sustainable repair practices, and developing the next generation of skilled automotive professionals.

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#business #advice #podcast #businessowner #businesstips #growth #businessgrowth #businesslesson #businessessentials #howtostartabusiness #businessstrategy #businesspodcast #motivation #success

In this episode of the NI Business Podcast we feature Aideen Duggan. Aideen is the founder and director of Keenan Recruitment, a Belfast based recruitment agency established in 2013 and named in honour of her grandfather. With over two decades of experience in recruitment, Aideen has built a business known for connecting people with meaningful careers across sectors including health, HR, logistics and sales. Her latest venture, Rec Direct, has quickly become Northern Ireland’s leading Rec2Rec division, recruiting recruiters for other agencies. Aideen credits her success to resilience, continuous learning and openness to feedback - values inspired by her entrepreneurial family. Looking ahead, she plans to expand Keenan Recruitment with new divisions while continuing to make a positive impact on Northern Ireland’s employment landscape.

In this episode of the NI Business Podcast, we feature Olga McAteer. Olga is the founder of McAteer Solutions Estate Agents, now one of the top estate agencies in Mid Ulster with branches across Northern Ireland and new locations opening in London and beyond. With nearly 30 years’ experience in the construction sector, she built her business on integrity, hard work and delivering real value - choosing to be the best, not the cheapest. Her biggest lesson as a business owner has been the importance of resilience: bouncing back stronger after every challenge while staying true to her values of service and reputation. Looking ahead, Olga’s vision is to expand McAteer Solutions across Ireland and the UK, while continuing to innovate with technology like AI to offer clients an unmatched, people-first service.

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In this episode of the NI Business Podcast we feature Caroline McKenna. Caroline is the founder of A County Down Under, Nurturing Minds, and most recently Alara Pilates, building businesses that combine her passions for community, education and wellbeing. After starting her career as a teacher in Australia, she discovered the power of storytelling through podcasting and has since grown into a multi-business entrepreneur. Caroline’s biggest lesson as a business owner has been to “do one thing and do it well,” focusing on clarity and consistency instead of trying to be everything to everyone. Looking ahead, she plans to grow her ventures into an empire - franchising Nurturing Minds, expanding Pilates studios, and ultimately building businesses she can one day sell while still creating meaningful impact along the way.

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#business #advice #podcast #businessowner #businesstips #growth #businessgrowth #businesslesson #businessessentials #howtostartabusiness #businessstrategy #businesspodcast #motivation #success

In this episode of the NI Business Podcast, we feature Zach Willis. Zach is the co-founder of Ka-Boom Post Production, a Belfast based company delivering high end editing, sound, and finishing for TV and film, with clients ranging from BBC and ITV to international projects. Drawing on his background in engineering and IT, Zach has learned that resilience and adaptability are essential in an industry where every project brings new challenges and opportunities. His biggest lesson as a business owner has been balancing the demands of running the company with working in the creative process, all while building strong relationships that drive success. Looking ahead, Zach is focused on embracing new technologies and remote workflows to expand Ka-Boom's global reach while continuing to showcase Northern Ireland as a world-class hub for film and television production.

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#business #advice #podcast #businessowner #businesstips #growth #businessgrowth #businesslesson #businessessentials #howtostartabusiness #businessstrategy #businesspodcast #motivation #success

In this episode of the NI Business Podcast we feature Ryan Loney. Ryan is the Director of BNL Productions, a company he co-founded 20 years ago that now delivers film production, live events and event management across Northern Ireland. What began as community projects teaching people how to tell their own stories has grown into a thriving business with a team of 10 staff and 20 trusted freelancers. Ryan’s biggest lesson as a business owner is that you can’t do everything yourself and building the right team is key to long-term success. Looking ahead, he’s focused on sustainable growth and embracing new technologies like AI to strengthen BNL’s creative impact over the next five years.

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#business #advice #podcast #businessowner #businesstips #growth #businessgrowth #businesslesson #businessessentials #howtostartabusiness #businessstrategy #businesspodcast #motivation #success

In this episode of the NI Business Podcast, we feature Chirag Kumar. Chirag is the co-founder of Lumion Labs, a company helping grid-scale battery owners maximise their revenue by optimising how they charge and dispatch to the electricity grid. With deep expertise in renewable energy and a passion for solving hard technical problems, Chirag is driven by the mission to make power grids more resilient and prevent blackouts. His biggest lessons so far? Know your blind spots, get the right support and stay anchored to a big vision that keeps you going through the highs and lows.

We hope you enjoyed this episode!

#business #advice #podcast #businessowner #businesstips #growth #businessgrowth #businesslesson #businessessentials #howtostartabusiness #businessstrategy #businesspodcast #motivation #success