This week, I had the pleasure of attending Frank Talk from Founders at AIB Headquarters, hosted by Scale Ireland. It featured four seasoned founders who didn’t sugar-coat the realities of scaling, fundraising, hiring, and leading companies in the Irish and global tech space.
Whether you're running a tech startup or managing an SME in a traditional sector, their lessons hit home for any ambitious business owner.
🔍 Here are four standout insights from the event:
🚀 1. Peter Coppinger – CEO @ Topper Coding | Founder of Teamwork.com & Success.co
Peter lasted just 3 weeks into “retirement” before launching his next startup. A born founder, he stressed two points:
Do proper due diligence on your executive team — it matters more than you think.
Bootstrapping worked for them for years, but eventually, scaling globally required venture capital.
Insight for SMEs:
Bootstrap while you can — but be ready to bring in funding when the opportunity to scale is bigger than your bank balance.
🚀 2. Leo Mac Canna – Co-Founder & CEO, Ocuco Limited
Leo has been CEO of Ocuco for over 30 years, growing it to nearly 400 staff. His growth strategy? Bold M&A moves, driven by instinct — even when his financial advisors urged caution.
Insight:
Don’t ignore your instincts. Conservative advice has its place, but real growth often requires bold decisions, especially when you see long-term potential.
🚀 3. Emma Meehan – Founder & CEO, KinetikIQ
Emma offered one of the most candid takes on fundraising:
From pitching to 40 angel investors to securing backing from an Austrian bank and Slovenian VC, it was a time-intensive, challenging process — especially as a female founder.
She also spoke about Ireland’s incredible overseas talent pool — many of whom came here for education and stayed — and the hard-earned leadership lesson: hire fast, fire faster.
Insight:
Don’t hesitate when you know someone isn’t the right fit. Delaying tough people decisions can cost you time, morale, and momentum.
🚀 4. Julie Garland – Founder & CEO, Avtrain
Julie showed the power of the pivot. Her company evolved from drone pilot training into certification and consultancy — a move that aligned better with market needs.
She credited Enterprise Ireland for supporting their funding strategy, cap table structure, and partner selection. Outsourcing software development was also key to scaling quickly and affordably.
Insight:
Be open to evolving your business model — and lean on the support systems available in Ireland, from EI to local partnerships.
🔚 Final Word
This wasn’t your usual pitch-fest or polished panel. It was a genuine conversation with founders who’ve been through the highs, lows, and hard calls.
Irish business owners — whether you're tech or trades — can learn a lot from the grit, strategy, and adaptability on display here.
Need funding to take your next big step?
Talk to us at BusinessLoans.ie — we’ll help you find the right solution, fast.
