In Search of the Best Practices of the Best Businesses of Ireland

To be featured as the subject of a half-hour television episode that will be broadcast throughout the country (and then re-broadcast throughout the world) is a great honor. Though it may be good publicity, the purpose of these episodes is to teach best business practices. Each episode is an in-depth study of the processes within that business that gives the business staying power. The insights, knowledge, and attitudes of the people are always the enduring focus. Their work with suppliers, customers, and employees will also be examined in depth. The products and services will be the third emphasis.  What makes their products and services unique? What sets them apart? Also, for this show, nobody and no company can pay to be on it. First, the business owner(s) have to be nominated. Then, there is a long vetting process. To get on this list for the producers to peruse requires years of good work within one’s industry and community.

Recommend or log in through Small Business School…   (.IE email addresses preferred)

Number of Businesses to the Number of People: 

Population: There are close to five million people in Ireland.  Of all the countries of the world, it has a very large presence for a relatively small country.  Much of this has to do with her deep and lasting legacies where many Irish businesses are among the oldest in the world.

Number of businesses: There are 137,654 officially registered businesses in Ireland.  That is about one business for every 33 people. If we assume there is a top 1% of that total, our goal could be to identify 1400 businesses that employ people, produce excellent products and/or services, and do it all very, very well.

The general criterion:  If we are in search of best business practices, who should be included?  Certainly the oldest businesses in the country should be on the list.  They have proven by their longevity and continuity that they are doing something right.  Ethics counts.  People who do the right thing help to create order in their community, the nation and our world.  And surely, the judgments of customers, employees, and supplies are all very important.  People who teach people to think, to understand the business, and to make it better, are key.  These people know how to talk about best business practices.  And, surely generosity within their communities is very important.

Key Question:  Of all the  businesses, which of the 137,654 are the best run, the most ethical, the best to their employees, the best to their communities, and the best within their industry?

Let’s find out.

To write to Bruce Camber directly, please use camber as the name and 81018.com as the address.  It should make its way to the USA.

On Finding The Best 1400 Irish Businesses

General lists (alphabetical): First, we will compile lists from every source we can find. Simple logic would suggest that there are several alphabetical listings. Lists are lists. There is no pre-qualification other than the fact that these are registered businesses within Ireland.  Quite possibly the alphabetical list could grow as large as 5000 businesses, a little less than 4% of the total.  This list is just a starting point.

A second list has been started by industry. The initial list was discovered within Wikipedia.  All businesses on the alphabetical list will also be sorted by industry.  And, here we will begin identifying leaders within the respective professional and trade associations.  That list has been started.

A third list will be sorted by Designated Market Areas (geography). Currently,  just six DMAs have been identified so there will be six lists for Ireland and two lists for Northern Ireland.  Each will focus on a county (or counties) and on the principal cities (or towns) of that region. Initially each of these lists will be circulated to all their Chambers of Commerce within that designated market area (DMA).  Then the appropriate list will also be sent to the regional economic development people.  These people will confirm the names on each list and they will have the option to add to it.

A fourth list has been started to identify the oldest businesses in Ireland.  Those businesses which have been passed down successfully from the founding family to someone within that family will be prioritized.

A fifth list will be started of the youngest businesses with the most employees.  Here we learn about new business formulas, new technologies, and new attitudes towards employees.

A Working Prioritized List. Each list is then recirculated to their respective Chambers and to other business leaders throughout the region and they are all asked to vote for three-to-five business owners who they would like to see “represent their county on national television and potentially on global television.”

Take A Sixteen-Day Tour of Ireland

The idea and goal is to find the best of Ireland.  What makes anything the best?  We will be evaluating just as soon as we clear customs!

Day 1:  Arrive in Dublin, Ireland at 6:30 AM from the USA

First-day business evaluations: The airport services, the hotel (luggage storage and concierge services – what is not to be missed today?), On-Off City Tour Service, first pubs, first music group…

Day 2:  Dublin.  The Book of Kells is a business metaphor.  In what ways? Where is there discordance and why? How can we find a better platform for concordance creativity and harmony?

Day 3:  Dublin. Museums, parks, pubs, restaurants, brews, and …

Day 4.  Portrush Northern Ireland through Belfast (with a two-hour visit within the Titanic Park) and onto Portrush

“The Antrim Coast — the north of Northern Ireland — is one of the most interesting and scenic coastlines in Ireland along the famous Giant’s Causeway. ” -Rick Steves

Day 5  Antrim Coast

Day 6  Westport via Derry, Letterkenny (Donegal), and Sligo with a goal to get to Westport

Day 7   Galway  Athlone,

Day 8   Galway area

Day 9   Ennis, Tralee with a goal to get to Dingle

Day 10   Dingle, Killarney

Day 11   Cork

Day 12 Kinsale.   One of the most picturesque little villages in Ireland.  Just 15.5 miles outside Cork city, near the Old Head of Kinsale, the village sits on the mouth of the River Bandon.

Day 13  Clonmel, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny

Day 14 Waterford

Day 15 Open

Day 16 Dublin Airport

Notes:

DMA #2.  Cork

DMA #3: Limerick

Castle Leslie, County Monaghan

Bunratty Castle, County Clare

The Best Film & Television Producers Of Ireland

We are in search of the best film and television producers in Ireland.  To date we have only found about 25 companies.  Some of these people will commit to do an episode of The Best Businesses of Ireland; and we hope, so enjoy doing it, that they continue to do as many as they can each year.

Once the list of 1400 businesses (the top 1% in Ireland) is posted, the process will commence.  Most of the businesses will be small businesses (up to 100 employees) but the list will include medium-sized  businesses (up to 1000 employees) and big businesses (over 1000).  It will also include non-profits and quasi-government groups.   The producers will select (and reserve) those business owners and/or leaders about whom they would like to tell their story.

There are no time restrictions.  There is just the integrity of people working with people who will chart their course.

The owners/leaders and producers will be the first affirmation. The next will be from any one of many possible funding sources. Once that affirmation is in place, the three parties will determine the production schedules and the post production results. An initial production toolkit will be provided, however, it is expected to evolve quickly (more about that later).  In the course of a year (maybe two or more), that group will produce a half-hour about that business owner’s best business practices.  It will be an in-depth, artistic, heart-warming production that could be proudly shown on any television anywhere in the world.

There are literally thousands of producers in Ireland.  After all, today, everybody is a producer.  However, there are a few truly insightful professionals who, although being very, very busy — they really have no time —  will make time to tell a story about the deep spirit of Ireland and the greatness of her people.  Many producers have already told parts of some of these stories so with very little additional shooting, they could easily turn out a half-hour episode.

There will be an in-depth discussion about rights and fair use of legacy materials

So, the Producers’ List will slowly evolve here. We realized that some of these production companies will end up on the listings for best businesses in Ireland. Another production company will opt to do that production and there will be an affirmation or not.

This initial list is just that; it is a public list and just an alphabetical listing by last name of a key person within a production company. There has been no consensus and affirmation to be among a highly-select group who opt-in to produce these documentaries. So in time, you will see some of these names drop off and new ones being added. It will be followed by a listing by business name. Your comments and recommendations will always be welcomed.

Some of the resources to find as many producers as possible to list here:
Film Ireland, filmbase, Irish Film and Television Network, irishfilmmakers.com,
Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Producers Ireland (formerly Irish Film Board), Barbara Galavan, CEO, and  TV3 (Owen McArdle).

• Larry Bass, Screentime ShinAwiL Productions Ltd
• Pierce Boyce, Abú Media
• Patricia Carroll, Tyronne Productions
• Ciarán Ó Cofaigh, ROSG
• Bernadine Carraher and Bill Hughes, Mind The Gap Films
• Evan Chamberlain, Good Company Productions Ltd
• David Collins, Samson Films Also: Eoin O’Faolain
• Linda Cullen,Coco Television
• John Cummins, Independent Pictures
• Paul Cummins, Telegael Teo
• Adrian Devane, 2000 AD Productions
• Paul Donovan, Deadpan Pictures
• Andrew Fitzpatrick, Monster Entertainment
• James Flynn, Octagon Films
• Cathal Gaffney, Brown Bag Films
• Michael Garland, Grand Pictures
• Brian Graham, Adare Productions
• Ed Guiney, Element Pictures Also: Andrew Lowe
• Gerald Heffernan, Frontier Films
• Philip Kampff, Vision Independent
• John Murray, Crossing the Line Films
• Martha O’Neill, Wildfire Films
• Stephen Rooke, Tile Films
• Máire Ní Thuathail, Eo Teilifis
• Jannine Waddell, Waddell Media Ltd

Additional resources of note:
Morgan O’Sullivan, World 2000 Entertainment Ltd

Some Of The Primary Reasons Ireland Is A Good Place For Business

There is a very basic decency within the Irish people.  Though many do not appear to harbor strong convictions about their deep and rich Irish history, nevertheless, it seems to pervade the air, the land, and the water.

We are on a path to begin to test and study the idea that there are deep religious concepts that  have a very positive causal effect on the people of Ireland.

Perhaps one of the long-standing influences is The Book of Kells which is housed at Trinity College Dublin. These manuscripts,  among the oldest surviving illuminated writings, are over 1200 years old.  A very early transcription of the Christian Gospels, these writings have set a tone for Ireland.  Looking simply for the universals and constant, these writings help to focus one’s ethics, vision (hope for the future), and philosophy.

Business requires all three.

Business requires trust and a special symmetry.  Within this scripture is a revolutionary idea;  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  You can find that passage in the Book of Kells within Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12
Business is built on symmetries also known as ethics. If there is no trust, there can be no business.

Business is also built on a vision of the future that essentially believes that anything can be improved.  That is the essence of competition. In the scripture it is said,  “Love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” That statement can be found in Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27 and Matthew 22:37.  Here the very nature of God, perfection, becomes a challenge for every business person to do things just a little better.  It is a deep part of the business psychology and ethos.  Yes, business is built on a faith that reaches for perfection, always striving for the better.

One of the most revolutionary ideas comes from the statement, “Love one another as I have loved you.” It is found in John 13:34 as well as Leviticus 19:18.
Love in business is a word for symmetry, a balanced relation. It should be the essence of any and all agreements and transactions.

In much the same way, another lasting influence on the ethos of the Irish people is their patron, Saint Patrick.  Since sometime around 480 AD, he is the most revered person of Irish history, “The Patron Saint of Ireland and the “Apostle of Ireland.” He is venerated as “Equal-to-the-Apostles.” The celebration of his life, March 17, is a sacred day and a celebration of the country of Ireland itself. The spirit of St. Patrick permeates the country and this accentuates the Book of Kells.There are also the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and Saints Brigit and Columba.  From the 6th century, these twelve monastic saints of the Clonard Abbey at Cluain-Eraird (now Clonard in County Meatha) are also a part of the deep, active fabric of Ireland.

The Six Designated Market Areas of Ireland and Two of Northern Ireland

Currently the areas that define the historic Ireland are: Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway,  Waterford and Letterkenny-Derry.

#1  The Greater Dublin Designated Market Area,  1.8 Million.  Based on the largest  and oldest city, (530,000 people), Dublin is Market #1 with an approximate broadcast-market population of 1.8 million people, clearly one-third of the country’s population of about five million people.

#2 The Greater Belfast Designated Market, 1.2 million.  The city population of 334,000 includes over 560,000. The broadcast market is about 1.2 million which includes the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, and ther largest part of of the 1.8 million people in Northern Ireland.

#3 The Greater Cork Designated Market Area, 550,000.  The city of Cork, the county of Cork plus significant part of the counties of Clare and Tipperary.  This area includes key significant towns of Dingle, Tralee, Killarney, and Kinsale. The total estimated population is around 550,000.

#4 The Greater Limerick Designated Market Area, 450,000. The city of Limerick, the county of Limerick and parts of the counties of Clare and Tipperary, this market area includes key significant towns of Ennis, Adare, and Newcastle.

#5 The Greater Galway Designated Market Area:  400,000.  The city of Galway (80,000), the county of Galway (220,000), Mayo (130,000), Sligo (65,000) and Roscommon (63,000).  It includes key significant towns of Athlone Westport, Castebar, Ballina, and Sligo.

#6 Waterford Designated market: 300,000. The city of Waterford (50,000), the county of Waterford (120,000), and pafrt of the counties of Tipperary, Kilkenny , Carlow and Wexford  (180,000).  It includes key significant towns of Kilkenny, Clommel, and Wexford.

#7 Donegal County, Letterkenny by itself would be the smallest market.  For geographical reasons alone, we add Londonderry and a additional 300,000 population from the general area. The seventh market will be County Donegal; the principal town is Letterkenny with a total population of 147,000.  In Donegal county there are approximately 4454 businesses and we will have  a goal to find the best 44 businesses.

The Methodology and Processes to Find 1400 Businesses

General lists (alphabetical): First, we will compile lists from every source we can find. Simple logic would suggest that there are several alphabetical listings. Lists are lists. There is no pre-qualification other than the fact that these are registered businesses within Ireland.  Quite possibly the alphabetical list could grow as large as 5000 businesses, a little less than 4% of the total.  This list is just a starting point.

A second list has been started by industry. The initial list was discovered within Wikipedia.  All businesses on the alphabetical list will also be sorted by industry.  And, here we will begin identifying leaders within the respective professional and trade associations.

A third list will be sorted by Designated Market Areas (geography). Currently,  just six DMAs have been identified so there will be six lists.  Each will focus on a county (or counties) and on the principal cities (or towns) of that region. Initially each of these lists will be circulated to all their Chambers of Commerce within that designated market area (DMA).  Then the appropriate list will also be sent to the regional economic development people.  These people will confirm the names on their list and they will have the option to add to it.

A fourth list has been started to identify the oldest businesses in Ireland.  Those businesses which have been passed down successfully from the founding family to someone within that family will be prioritized.

A fifth list will be started of the youngest businesses with the most employees.  Here we learn about new business formulas, new technologies, and new attitudes towards employees.

A Working Prioritized List. Each list is then recirculated to their respective Chambers and to other business leaders throughout the region and they are all asked to vote for three-to-five business owners who they would like to see “represent their county on national television and potentially on global television.”

The Agricultural & Farming Communities

The agricultural and farming community, from fresh produce to a wide variety of livestock including poultry and farmed fish, all being prepared for the grocery stores and restaurants, is a key part of Ireland’s goodness and charm. This effort to find the best businesses of Ireland will include the entire agricultural and farming communities.
Ireland, where harvesting silage is an art form.

Letters: The Book of Kells

TO:  Trinity College Dublin,

         Book of Kells

         Preservation, Education,

         Interpretation

FM:  Bruce Camber

RE:  The place and role of Book of Kells in the hearts of the people of Ireland

To whom it may concern:

You all have a huge responsibility for harboring a key element of the Spirit of Ireland.

We are coming on our first visit late in August and early September and the first stop will be your library.  Entitled,  Some of the primary reasons Ireland is a good place for business, here is how that summary begins:

“The Book of Kells”
“These manuscripts, over 1200 years old, are the most revered documents in all of Ireland.  This early transcription of the Christian Gospels has been a focus of the Irish people.  It focuses their ethics, faith, and philosophy.  Business requires all three.”

Too much? I hope not. I will be asking people all over the country, on every stop, “How important is the Book of Kells to you personally?”  Then, “Do you think it effects the spirit and energy of the Irish people?”

We will report the results! Thank you for all that you do.

Most sincerely,

Bruce
————————
Bruce Camber,
http://smallbusinessschool.org/
http://smallbusinessschool.org/page2799.html
New Orleans (USA)

PS.  At one time the USA, based on her founders and their writings, was thought to be a Christian nation.  The current president doesn’t like to think so and is attempting to re-write that history.  For those of us who respect history and the importance of faith, hope and charity, his efforts have become a great source for concern.My working hypothesis is that the success of a country is bound by their belief systems; the more open and gracious those systems are (though some might argue the faith-hope-charity are not the largest possible visions),  the more it will be judged to be successful.  -BEC