He Shoots, ClubApp Scores

In a world where sports fans can follow professional big match action from anywhere across the globe, followers of local, amateur games are left short-changed. And yet the goal-mouth action or leap-frogging leaderboard on the local field of play may be even more important to them than those games being played out under a global gaze. The dedicated follower of the unfashionable who's unable to follow the action live is typically consigned to phoning in to a friend on the sideline to keep them updated.

Dedicated Follower Of Local Sport

When local sports fan Barry Nestor, our guest on Kickstart Your Business, grew frustrated at not being able to find up to the minute results for his favourite local sports competitions, he resolved to design and develop a service to deliver just that.

ClubApp offers sports clubs and competition organisers the facility to update followers on key events and action from the field of play via their mobile devices, and promises to bring the up-to-the-minute coverage that's typical of professional sports to the local playing pitch.

Local Heroes

As perhaps Ireland's greatest local sports fan, George was understandably excited about what ClubApp might offer him in terms of following his beloved 'Pres College' in Cork, whilst also enabling him to follow the leaderboard at golfing competitions at his own club, Milltown.

Meanwhile, I suggested that although they may see themselves in a different league, amateur sports do compete with professional outfits for the eyes and ears of sports fans. ClubApp is a real game-changer, and the benefits are likely to be obvious to local sports clubs and organisers across the world.

However, like many emerging entrepreneurs, Barry is a little reluctant to ask for the sale early in his sales pitch. On their website, ClubApp.ie for example, a lot of energy is expended introducing the various features and benefits, rather than offering the readily-won over visitor the option to 'Buy Now'.

Standing By For Your Report

What advice would you offer Barry and his colleagues at ClubApp to get sports fans all over the world following their favourite, local club in real time?

Listen back to Barry on Kickstart Your Business (July 28) and tell us what you think? We'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business broadcasts every Thursday at 6.25pm GMT on Newstalk, and is available for playback immediately afterwards on Newstalk.com.

Standing Out From The Crowd

"I was there'. That's a phrase we hear time and time again from fans of music and sport all around the world. It's one of the many pleasures of attending an exciting event or festival, knowing we were in that crowd on that day, part of the unmissable experience.

So how can fans capture that feeling and share it with friends and family on social media? And for the sponsors of the event, how can they bring their customers closer in a way that reflects the tribal nature of their brand?

A Huge Hug For All Of You

How powerful it would be if someone could take a picture of the crowd that it would enable someone who was in the crowd to zoom into the photo, tag themselves and send their image to family and friends via social media. Everyone likes to stand out from the crowd in some way and be, even briefly, the centre of attention.

And that's exactly what our featured guest on Kickstart Your Business Mike Sikorski is doing through his business Huggity . Big brands commission Huggity to deliver a service using amazing technology that enables fans to zoom in on their own image whilst enabling the brand to 'tag' the content with their own branded messages.

Close Up And Personal

Mike enables brands to customise the individual fan experience, allowing them to engage with fans and potential customers in a personal and unforgettable way. 'I was there' becomes 'We were there together'.

As Gerard said during the show, with the modern user and fan's endless appetite for reliving the moment and sharing those images on social media, Huggity is addressing this need in a very effective way.

The Next Big Hug

What events do you suggest Mike might target over the coming year?

Listen back to Mike on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think.

Kickstart Your Business is broadcast on The Right Hook on Newstalk every Thursday around 6.25pm and is available for playback immediately afterwards on Newstalk.com.

Pleased To Greet You With CleverCards

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, card companies and postal services the world over are rubbing their hands together in glee at the prospect of their projected sales' figures for the month.

We still love to buy and get cards but for many of us, finding the time to go out and pick a card, queue at the till, buy the stamp and post it, can seem like too much bother and we end up with all good intentions but nothing to show for it!

Send The Perfect Card In Minutes 

This week's Kickstart Your Business feature CleverCards was founded by Kealan Lennon to make it easy for people to emotionally connect with family and friends both online and offline. With twenty years' experience in the design, publishing and media industries, he wanted to shake up the traditional card sector by adding some new technology magic to the mix in order to help people connect better using digital and printed greetings.

Stamp Of Approval

Gerard admired CleverCards truly intuitive offering, which seamlessly draws on the immediacy of Facebook, whilst George was excited at the prospect of never missing another important date in the lives of his family and friends, with the lovely Ingrid set to receive her first Valentine card from the normally-forgetful broadcaster.

On the business front, Gerard suggested that CleverCards needs to develop a more distinctive visual identity, that will enable the start-up to 'own' this online space and ward off cheap imitators in this highly-competitive environment.  
                                            

Over To You

What other ways can Kealan help people around the world to make those emotionally-charged connections through CleverCards? Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think. 

We'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland every Thursday at 6.40pm and is available to listen back to on Playback.

A New Business That Wants To Give Us The Boot

The importance of brand as a emblem of the tribe we belong to is nowhere more obvious than in the world of sport. Wearing your club jersey, your club shorts and carrying your club sports bag, all allow players and their fans to identify with and show support for their team or county.

And of course the business of branded sports products in a very lucrative one with a readymade enthusiastic and loyal target market happy to purchase and wear with pride.

Put The Boot In

Last night on Kickstart Your Business, we featured RClub Sports, a company that's ready to put the boot in and enter the market of branded sportswear. Founded by Anthony Moriarty who, when standing on the sidelines watching his son play football, noticed that the team all had the club crest on the togs, socks and jersey, but not on the footboot boots.

Not letting his lack of knowledge in the area of branding deter him (Anthony's background is in construction), he set about developing a range of customised football boots so the crest could be displayed with pride from head to toe.

They're On My Team

By partnering with at least two of the largest sports organisations in Ireland, Anthony has cleverly created shop windows all around the country and customers can also buy direct from the website.

As Gerard pointed out on the programme, Anthony can now draw on the pulling power of his partners and display on the website, though well chosen imagery, his connection with the partners, thus adding value to the transaction that is above and beyond the branded products themselves.

Over To You

What other ways can Anthony draw on the pulling power of his partners through his website? Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think. 

We'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland every Thursday at 6.40pm and is available on Playback.

  

Meanwhile, for those of you Kickstarting your own business in 2015, why not check out our Raising A Brand Programme, a practical course (one afternoon a week) over six weeks during which Gerard teaches you all you need to know about researching, developing and building a brand that will make you the natural choice of customers.

Bags Of Irish Personality

We're used to seeing people from other cultures or tourists visiting, carrying bags that display iconic patterns such as the English Rose or The Eiffel Tower. A powerful symbol of tribal identity and belonging, these iconic patterns are instantly recognisable and easy to replicate. That's why it's rather strange that up to now, we Irish have been deprived of the pleasure of a bag that says Ireland with style and panache.

Say Ireland

The good news is that we are deprived no more! Our featured business on Kickstart Your Business, UrsulaCelano has come to our rescue. With a background in Management Consulting and IT, Ursula Celano, like many working mums, found it difficult to juggle a career and a young family. Noticing a gap in the market, she decided to create her own tribal motifs for the Irish market across a range of designer bags and stationary.

Design Of The Times

Gerard suggested that like many successful designers before her (think Orla Kiely), Ursula needs to develop an iconic design or signature style in order to establish the brand amongst customers - both current and potential. In many ways, her great variety, which should prove a source of longevity, may mean that she struggles in the short term to leave her imprint on the collective Irish mind.

Over To You

What other ways can Ursula manage her growth from one-woman business to a whole tribe? Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think. 

We'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland every Thursday at 6.40pm and is available on Playback.

  

Meanwhile, for those of you Kickstarting your own business in 2015, why not check out our Raising A Brand Programme, a practical course (starting February 11th for one afternoon a week) over six weeks during which Gerard teaches you all you need to know about researching, developing and building a brand that will make you the natural choice of customers.

Once More Into The Breach

"When the battle cry is spoken,
And the voice of war is heard,
The soldiers of the Allies
To battlefields do move."

Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to War Museums to see war memorabilia on display. Many of these enthusiasts are keen collectors themselves and have an extensive knowledge of the history and artefacts from WW1 and WW2. For many, holding a weapon and feeling the weight of the past heavy in your hand, is to bring history to life in a very real way.

Hands On History

Up to last June, Irish enthusiasts had to travel to France and elsewhere to get their history fix but thanks to this week's featured start-up on Kickstart Your Business, the Irish Military War Museum,  Co. Meath is as far as they need go to get their hands on history.  Founded by beef and dairy farmer William Sullivan, himself a keen collector of war memorabilia, the museum, unlike any in Ireland, allows visitors to hold the original WW1 and WW2 artefacts.

A Uniform Approach

William has put a lot of effort into building attractions like a playground and a petting zoo to keep the small cadets happy while their parents explore military history but as Gerard pointed out, it's vital to make sure all the attractions are aligned to his core product. Attractions like the opportunity to ride an original WW2 tank or visit the replica WW1 trench all promise visitors both young and old a unique and memorable experience.

Over To You

How might William align the supporting attractions around the museum to strengthen his core offer?Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think. 

We'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland every Thursday at 6.40pm and is available on Playback)