Sail Away With Bags Of Style

They say that clothes maketh the man (or woman!) but it's also true to say that the bag perched on our shoulder, clutched in our hand or slung across our back can help tell the world something about who we are and the mark we wish to make on the world.

The shape and style, the range of colours and, most importantly, the materials used to fashion a bag, speak volumes about the wearer.

Sail Away, Sail Away

Mamukko, our featured business on Kickstart Your Business this week was founded by two Hungarian brothers Levante and Attila Magyar. After settling in Kinsale, they decided to build a  unique business inspired by the sea and their family tradition of leather craftsmanship. Fashioning their customised eco-friendly bags from up-cycled  canvas sails organically fused with leather, the brothers have created a product that is truly unique in the market.

The Sea, Oh The Sea

Behind every business is a story and Mamukko  tells us tales of sailing the high seas, riding the waves, arriving at far flung corners of the world. It's this wonderful story that needs to be captured on their website. Kinsale and the story of the sea needs to be writ large in their visual and written messaging. 

Over To You

What messaging might Levante and Attila display on their website to harness the power of the story behind their unique offering? 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)

Making Pingwaves In Energy Savings

"My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky.
It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street".

Robert Louis Stevenson's Poem 'The Lamp Lighter' harks back to a time when street lamps were powered by gas and as evening fell, the arrival of the lamplighter promised to banish the dark. Nowadays of course, light is provided by electricity and communal lamps are often illuminated night and day, wasting valuable energy which in turn increases costs for the consumer. The simple act of turning on the light when needed and off when not, seems lost in our modern age.

Shine A Light

Shining a light on this modern-day problem is Pingwave Lighting, our featured business on Kickstart Your Business this week. Entrepreneurs Kieran Griffin and Ken Long noticed that many lamps in the communal areas of public buildings and apartment block were illuminated 24/7.  Estimating a significant waste of energy with the consumer picking up the tab, they decided to design and sell SMART LED lighting that would save customers up to 85% in running costs.

Turned On

Kieran and Ken face the challenge of all business owners producing energy saving products; unless the benefits are immediately obvious to the end user, it's hard to catch their attention and even harder to influence them to take action.

Currently their website features a video that captures very effectively the lighting in action and the cost-saving benefits to the consumer. Gerard recommended a similiar approach across the rest of the website with written and visual messaging that attracts and excites, switching the visitor on to the benefits of this great product.

Over To You

What information might Kieran and Ken display on their website to immediately capture the interest of  potential customers ? 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)