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Sunday 26 March 2023 Dublin: 7°C

# SME focus

All time
# way out west
Inside the Irish restaurant in an old boat shed where places sell out in hours
We take a look at the one-of-a-kind Dillisk Project in Galway.
# hearsay festival
Inside the 'Woodstock for radio' about to take over a small Limerick village
“We were literally looking at it and telling people there wasn’t anything else like it in Europe.”
# Up and Away
This conference is trying to turn the west into a hub for drones
And it involves Achill Island and kitesurfing.
# fast lane
How one small group of people is building Ireland's most high-tech town
Skibbereen in west Cork is about to be put firmly on the business map.
# wine not?
This Irish company may have finally found an answer to crap pub wine
WineLab want to bring wine-on-tap to the masses.
# lager than life
How two men built a pub and brewing empire from the depths of the recession
We talked to one of the brains behind the Galway Bay Brewery about pub closures, craft beer and the Wetherspoon effect.
# get off the couch
Sick of the gym? Maybe try pole dancing, trapeze or laughter yoga
There’s more than one way to get in shape.
# squeezed
The incredibly stressful launch of an Irish company's high-tech stress-beating device
Galvanic crowdfunded its way to market with the Pip. Here’s why.
# an apple a day
How an Irish startup could revolutionise the way everyone looks at health
Nuritas is mining ‘nature’s wealth’ from the most everyday of sources – food.
# whiskey business
This Dingle whiskey distillery is selling vodka and gin to help fund the business
You have to play the long game if you want to get into the whiskey business, which is why the Dingle Whiskey Distillery is thinking outside the box.
# brown is beautiful
People around the world could make a tidy sum by sending one startup their soil
“It’s sort of like a lottery, but it’s going to save humanity at the same time.”
# Game on
How one Irish sports-technology startup is taking it to the likes of Adidas
Playertek thinks it can help everyone train like a pro.
# idol thoughts
Why Richard Branson isn't a good role model for would-be startup founders
Budding entrepreneurs need to have more realistic goals.
# yoink
We asked a top corporate headhunter just how easy it was to poach rivals' staff
The stakes are high when it comes to recruiting the best talent.
# looking ahead
These are the jobs with the brightest futures in Ireland right now
But there are also skills that can help you in almost any career.
# bad connections
The 5 big mistakes you should never make on LinkedIn
No duck-face selfies, please.
# POwer Lunch
An Irish startup wants tech workers to go for lunch and come back with jobs
Everyone’s gotta eat, right?
# sharing space
How co-working offices are changing the way we do business
Shared workspaces can lead to great things – as long as everyone keeps the noise down.
# Carmageddon
Why ridesharing has run into some major roadblocks in Ireland
The movement is a global phenomenon – but here it has stalled before even getting started.
# the whiff of money
6 reasons why people should embrace peer-to-peer lending
We talk to the head of Grid Finance, one of Ireland’s two peer-to-peer loan platforms.
# let's hear it for the girls
Thousands of women are making friends with complete strangers because of a Dublin trio
Welcome to the ‘slightly-organised chaos’ that is GirlCrew.
# making a difference
Want to start a childcare business with a difference? This man knows how
Ciaran Flynn’s Childpaths sprung from his experience as a parent. There’s plenty of room for original ideas in Ireland’s childcare industry…
# rock and a hard place
Why are Irish creches going out of business?
Ireland has some fairly progressive childcare measures in place, yet still child-minding businesses are going to the wall.
# storytoys
Ten million downloads and counting - inside a Dublin games studio with a difference
How do you convince parents to buy apps for their kids? StoryToys has found a way.
# bundles of joy
There's an awful lot of money being made through infertility...
Not everyone conceives easily. In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is huge business worldwide, but what kind of future has it in Ireland?
# rock and roll
Ever dreamed of starting your own record label? Here's how one duo did it
We talk to Dublin’s Paper Trail Records about having the ‘best job’.
# taking the plunge
'If I hadn't taken this chance I wouldn't be able to sleep at night'
Rory O’Farrell’s Melosity is looking to redefine how Irish musicians record their sounds. A product ‘with the wow factor’ is the first priority.
# MySpace
Why the original social network refuses to die
It’s like the mid-2000s all over again – but this time it’s all about the music.
# smart music
Want to jam with a Rolling Stone? Now you can
A new app called WholeWorldBand is making all kinds of new things possible in the music industry.
# future stars
How to be the next Hozier
A layperson might be surprised at just how good a system Ireland has in place for its aspiring musicians.
# Wax on
How vinyl is saving the humble record store
The format has been going through a renaissance with music fans.
# lean and green
Why being sustainable makes for good business
For March’s in-depth coverage of SMEs, we looked at business and the environment, and making enterprise more sustainable.
# Dirty water
An Athlone company is helping solve a big problem for the world's growing population
Oxymem has overhauled waste-treatment processes which have barely changed in a century.
# sme book club
Businesses don't have to scrimp on quality - a little innovation can go a long way
‘Frugal Innovation’ is a book for businesses that want to do great things with less.
# how to guide
These are the reasons why every business should think about sustainability
It can save you money – and help you earn more.
# no spin zone
Poll: Should more be done to develop renewable energy in Ireland?
There has been a lot of debate about the country’s energy mix for the future.
# tilting at windmills
There are some major holes in Ireland's renewable energy plans
And the country could have to pay penalties worth up to €400 million a year if things do go wrong.
# The Big Idea
This startup wants to save companies a tidy sum on their energy bills
Energy Elephant’s big idea is deceptively simple.
# traceability
There are lots of good reasons to get behind Irish products. Here are some of them...
For February’s in-depth coverage of SMEs, we looked at how buying local matters and the importance of traceability.
# sme book club
Setting up a food business is a lot more doable than you think
‘Money For Jam’ should be a bible for anyone culinary-inclined who wants to strike out on their own