Down To Business

Wink with Mink Lashes won Arnotts' Pitch '24 competition, securing their brand's place in-store and online at Planet Beauty in Arnotts & Brown Thomas, allowing customers to experience Wink with Mink's innovative lash solutions firsthand. Shona Mahon, the owner of Wink and Mink, joins Mandy Johnston to chat about how things are going so far. Pitch ’25 is open to founders, makers, and innovators living in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, across fashion, beauty, jewellery, lifestyle, food, circular goods, or technology. You must have a developed product or service, and the ability to scale for the peak Christmas season. Apply now to pitch your brand and bring your vision to life at Arnotts this Christmas.

This week Weight Watchers filed for bankruptcy. At one point Weight Watchers was the go-to place for those looking to shed the pounds but that was before the advent of Ozempic. Writer with the Guardian Doona Ferguson has been looking at this and joins Mandy Johnston to discuss.

Joining Mandy Johnston to run through the main stories in the Saturday papers is Linda Daly, Business Reporter with the Sunday Times & Robert Whelan of Rockwell Finance.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Ashley McDonnell, Founder of Tech Powered Luxury & Ireland Fashion Week.

The Global Economic Summit 2025 is taking place at The Europe Hotel in Kerry on 26-28 May. The weekend retreat will host a number of economic heavy hitters from around the globe, including NASA’s first chief economist, Alex MacDonald, who joins Bobby to chat about the economics of space flight.

Bobby was out & about at The Flight Club, an establishment that combines a fine cocktail & food menu with high-tech social darts.

 When it comes to our green spaces, the more attention we give them, the more we get out of them.And what with the nice weather we’ve been having this week, Bobby thought it would be timely to explore the realities of working in garden design with three of Ireland’s leading lights in this space.Joining Bobby is:Renowned garden designer, Diarmuid GavinIngrid Smyth of Ingrid Smyth Garden DesignAlan Rudden of Alan Rudden Garden Design

It's an uncertain time for business with talk of tariffs and trade wars, not to mention that businesses are finding that they need to focus on sustainability, but how are businesses interacting with banks? Michael Lauhoff, Head of Specialist Banking - Corporate & Commercial Banking at Bank of Ireland.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Stephen O’Leary of Olytico & Joan Mulvihill, Digitization Lead at Siemens.

Bobby's guests this week were Vinny Browne from Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Liam Donnelly, Bookshop Manager with Hodges Figgis & Louisa Earls, General Manager of Books Upstairs.

It is sad to say but there is still some hesitancy around allowing women to realise their full potential in the workplace. Elizabeth Willets has made challenging these perceptions and helping women maximize their careers a passion. Her new book Flex is a practical guide in negotiating today’s work spaces where flexible work can become more than a buzz word. 

Joining Bobby on the Executive Chair this week is Adrienne O'Sullivan - CEO ARAG Legal Protection Ltd

Bobby spoke to Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times about Market Turmoil in the US

Bobby went out to meet Anne Marie Feighery of Feighery's Farm

Susan Hayes Culleton and Declan Ralph sat down with Bobby to talk through all the business stories hitting the headlines.

Zoe Sinclair, founder of Employees Matter, joins Down to Business to share why companies need to take staff wellbeing seriously — and how her work helps bridge the gap between work and life.Listen here.

Paul Candon of United Hardware, Sean Moran of Home Project Centre, and Colin Baker of Decwells Expert Hardware join Down to Business for this week’s Industry Review — looking at the hardware and DIY sector amid rising costs and shifting consumer habits.Listen here.

Cathal Friel, pharmaceutical entrepreneur and founder of Raglan Capital, joins Down to Business to explain why Trump’s trade talk is making waves in Ireland’s life sciences sector.Listen here.

Bobby visits the Diamond Rocks Café in Kilkee to find out how a seasonal seaside business manages to stay open all year round.Listen here.

Norah Casey, broadcaster and businesswoman, and James Loutit of Impactful Ltd join Down to Business to review the week’s biggest business stories and what’s making the headlines in today’s papers.Listen here.