As founder of Irvine Training was driven by necessity to start the company during the post-Celtic Tiger era, a time when many were seeking to retrain and upskill. Initially focused on training in marketing, governance, and funding, Irvine Training has evolved to offer bespoke courses tailored to various sectors, including social enterprises and traditional businesses. These courses often address unique challenges, such as limited budgets for social enterprises or a reluctance to embrace new technologies in traditional businesses. The company has successfully integrated AI into its training programs and maintains a strong emphasis on continuous learning and adaptability to stay ahead in the ever-changing training landscape.

1. What inspired you to start Irvine Training, and how has your vision evolved since then?

Poverty and necessity “inspired “me. I started in the thick of the post Celtic tiger era, which surprisingly was a good time to start a training business. There were a lot of people retraining, upskilling and looking for change. I don’t know if I would have had the courage to set up on my own had necessity not required it.

2. What services does Irvine Training provide? How has this evolved over time?

We offer training in marketing, governance and funding. This has evolved with advancements in technology and perhaps an emphasis on doing more Social Enterprise work specifically as it’s a sector we have a lot of experience in. We do bespoke training for organisations too and this can be IT related , so for example we have done a lot of IT related courses with disability organisations looking at advancements in technology and how certain technologies can enhance communication. A huge part of it too has been about awareness raising around staying safe online especially for vulnerable people around sharing personal information and understanding privacy options.

3. How do you tailor your workshops to meet the unique needs of social enterprises and traditional businesses?  

The difference between the two is key, Social Enterprises rarely have budgets for marketing so you’re training on doing everything on a shoestring budget with staff who don’t necessarily want to do the marketing, its just part of their job description. The focus for Social Enterprises too is very much around demonstrating impact and problem solving whereas with traditional business it can be much more about just the bottom line.

Traditional businesses understand the importance of investing in marketing and take it a lot more seriously in terms of investing in themselves and monitoring their analytics and return on investment. Some Social Enterprises are amazingly creative with limited budgets. 

4. What are the most common challenges you see in the training you provide for businesses?

Definitely a reluctance to embrace change and move with advancements in technology. I would say that this is only starting to change significantly in the last year or two with the emergence of AI and people feeling the need to understand what’s happening.  I also see in smaller businesses a lot of fire fighting and just trying to stay afloat rather than an overall strategy with growth as the main goal. I think its good for any business to get someone from the outside to take a look and remind them what they have achieved as it can be a lonely road for some, where sometimes all they can see is what’s not working.

5. Can you share some success stories from organisations and/or people that you’ve worked with?

 I worked with a company called Cubbie. During lockdown when they were look at expanding into the UK. This company is a wonderful example of an Irish company successfully trading overseas. They are not only creating jobs in rural Ireland, but they are providing a product with a huge impact on the quality of life for students in educational settings and public spaces. The motivation for starting the company was parents trying to solve their own problems and feeling frustrated with existing solutions. Through combining skills in product design and IT the founders created something really wonderful and were hugely resilient to get it to where it is now.

I’ve also worked with Original Irish Hotels delivering training for marketing staff all over Ireland. This company is quite inspiring and reminded me what can be achieved when Irish businesses join forces together to showcase what we have to offer on a global stage. The generosity of the hotel owners and the stories of how they grew their businesses is really quite inspiring.

6. How do you go about getting new clients, what marketing strategies do you employ to get your message out?

I would say that LinkedIn and Twitter (in the early days) have been really successful for me, I built up a good network on both and I stay in touch with people. I also invested in video marketing which can be expensive but pays huge dividends in the long run.

I’m helpful to people even when we are not actively working on a contract together. Word of mouth is also particularly useful too especially if you’re working with networks. I would say constantly evolving and coming up with new offerings has kept me relevant in an ever-changing Training landscape.

I listen to customers and I won’t take something on unless I can add value.

Every cent is precious to a business owner.

7. How do you integrate AI into your training for your clients? Are organisations still apprehensive about using new technologies? I developed a course on using AI for marketing and those working in marketing absolutely love it.

I’ve used AI in working with disability organisations, to show people with limited mobility or dexterity how they can design things. I’ve used AI with an Age Friendly organisation to show them advancements in technology. I’ve also used it in data analytics, creating portfolios of work and for showcasing advancements in video creation and text to speech capabilities. Organisations are starting to embrace AI and as long as you remember that people and creativity are really at the heart of what you do, then its not something to be so afraid of.

8. You place a huge amount of emphasis on your own self development through continuous learning in traditional education.

Why do you choose this approach and how does it impact your business? I know from my work how many people I meet everyday who left mainstream education completely unaware of their talents and capabilities. I love showing clients and students how we can broaden our horizons and try new skills and make work more meaningful and enjoyable. I also know that we can be pigeon holed and restricted in our thinking of what our career should look like. I’ve never had a linear path but I have a wealth of knowledge on a range of different subjects because I never had to ask my employer for the permission to learn them. I learn because of a natural curiosity and it’s made me more adaptable, more employable and much more creative around problem solving.

9. How do you stay updated on the latest developments in business systems and training methodologies?

January is always quiet, so I take time then to immerse myself in whatever new topic I’m interested in. I love a site called Appsumo, its like a catalogue of new products and tools filled with the next big thing. Age has taught me too about the transient nature of a lot of these tools and systems, so I am lot more sceptical now before going down a rabbit hole with new technology. YouTube still is my go-to for quick nuggets or definitions of a topic and LinkedIn Learning has also been really useful.

10. This list could be endless but who are some of the people, companies and programmes in the DEI in Ireland that you are big fans of?

I’m a fan of companies who practice what they preach. It’s not always about having a huge public image, it might be about just recognising and looking at the steps that each of us can take on a daily basis to support an organisation that is trying to change the narrative. So The Irish Social Enterprise Network helps support companies that are creating employment for people who may struggle to get access to employment. They have a directory called BuySocial.ie. Also Karen McCormick has a startup that she’s working on called In Charge which account to their social media is a “user friendly technology for managing self-directed and individualised funding. Personalisation in care”

All these organisations are impressive, and they remind you how many people are working towards creating a more inclusive society in Ireland. Working with businesspeople is inspiring, you’re always meeting people who view the world as being full of opportunity.