EE423 - From 25-Seater Café to National Brand: The Gourmet Food Parlour Story
In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox sits down with Lorraine Heskin, the trailblazing founder of Gourmet Food Parlour, one of Ireland’s most successful independent hospitality groups. Lorraine shares her journey from selling Irish foods on the streets of Manhattan to opening a tiny 25-seater café off a side street in Dun Laoghaire - without investors, key money, or a culinary background. She reveals how she grew a brand that now spans restaurants, catering, corporate hospitality, and even cross-country expansion, all while maintaining a fierce loyalty to her team, her customers, and her values. This conversation is a masterclass in brand-building, resilience, and trusting your instincts - especially when the world tells you otherwise. Whether you're in food, retail, or simply thinking about taking the leap to start your own business, Lorraine’s story will light a fire under you. ----- Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly inspiration on Business, Brain and Body, as well as exclusive events, courses and more, straight to your inbox. It's free! https://www.mrgaryfox.com/subscribe-1 --- Visit my partners: Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
In this Mentor Moment from Episode 365 with Laura Bonner, founder of The Muff Liquor Company, she opens up about the mental practices that keep her grounded in business and life. Laura shares her unapologetic belief in therapy, the importance of taking time to reset, and why legacy isn’t about being a great business person—but a great person. It’s a raw, real reflection on healing, perspective, and purpose from one of the most authentic voices we’ve featured. ---- Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly inspiration on Business, Brain and Body, as well as exclusive events, courses and more, straight to your inbox. It's free! https://www.mrgaryfox.com/subscribe-1 --- Visit my partners Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee ---
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EE421 - Email is King: How Rory’s Travel Club Hit 200K Members with a €12 Email Subscription
In this episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary sits down with Rory King, the founder of Rory’s Travel Club- a radically simple subscription business that’s quietly revolutionising travel in Ireland and beyond. With no investors, no fancy app, and no startup playbook, Rory turned a €10 Facebook idea into a thriving travel club with over 200,000 members, a 10-person team, and a blueprint to reach one million users. From sleeping in his car outside Applegreen Petrol Station to traveling to Sri Lanka with his customers, Rory shares his unfiltered journey of hustle, honesty, and high-impact email marketing. If you’ve ever wondered how to build a profitable business without venture capital - or how to make email sexy again - this episode is your masterclass. Show Notes: In this episode, we cover: 💡 How Rory validated his idea with a €10 PayPal experiment on Facebook 📬 Why email marketing (done right) is still king—with 70% open rates 🚀 The low-cost, high-impact subscription model fueling explosive growth 🤝 How Rory builds loyalty through real-life connection and 1:1 interaction 🌍 The plan to scale from Ireland to Scotland, the UK, and beyond 🎯 Why keeping the annual fee at €12 is part of the growth strategy 🧠 Repurposing old content + smart social media strategies 🔄 Retention, recurring revenue, and the beauty of a no-commission model 🛏️ How 5-star hotels and top travel brands now come to him with deals ☕ From sports science grad to group trip leader: Rory’s real entrepreneurial journey Links & Resources: Rory’s Travel Club Follow Rory on Instagram: @rorystravelclub Email Marketing Tool Rory Recommends: ActiveCampaign ___ Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly inspiration on Business, Brain and Body, as well as exclusive events, courses and more, straight to your inbox. It's free! https://www.mrgaryfox.com/subscribe-1 ___ Visit my partners Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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1:46:23
EE420 - Mentor Moment: From Stockbroker to Showroom - Nadia Adan’s Leap of Faith
In this Mentor Moment from episode 370, Nadia Adan shares how she left a high-paying corporate job in finance to launch her own car dealership, Ashford Motors, just before the pandemic. With grit, intuition, and a flair for social media, Nadia built a thriving business from scratch—even as others called her a "backstreet garage." This short episode is packed with powerful insights on betting on yourself, overcoming cultural expectations, and building a brand with both heart and hustle. ___________________ Visit my partners: Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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EE419 - The Painter That Became a Powerhouse: Sean Brett’s Accidental Empire
In this powerful episode of The Entrepreneur Experiment, Gary Fox meets Sean Brett – the unstoppable founder behind Steeltech Sheds. From painting houses with no experience to dominating Galway’s coal market and eventually building Ireland’s leading steel shed business, Sean shares a rollercoaster entrepreneurial journey packed with grit, hustle, and heart. With no formal education beyond the age of 14 and a background shaped by dyslexia and adversity, Sean embodies the very essence of resilience. He opens up about cold calling his way to success, reinventing himself through personal development, and why not caring what others think is the greatest entrepreneurial mindset of all. This is a must-listen for anyone who’s ever doubted themselves, questioned their path, or needed a reminder that the best businesses often start with zero resources and pure belief. 🎧 Show Notes: In this episode, we cover: 🔥 Sean’s first “Eureka” ad that kickstarted his painting business 🚛 How he went from one bag of coal to Galway’s biggest coal distributor 🏗 The origin story of Steeltech Sheds – and the pints-fuelled brainstorming that led to the name 🧠 Why overcoming dyslexia became one of his greatest strengths 🧰 The surprising power of rejection and how it built his sales resilience 📉 What he did when orders dried up overnight during the crash—and how expansion saved him 🎯 The marketing lessons he learned that still hold true today 🧍 Why being the face of your brand matters more than ever in the age of AI 💬 “If you could not care what other people think about you, your life would be so much happier, better, successful.” 🔗 Links & Resources: Steeltech Sheds — Learn more about Sean’s business: https://www.steeltechsheds.ie/ The Entrepreneur Experiment Newsletter — Stay updated with new episodes and insights: https://www.mrgaryfox.com/subscribe-1 --- Visit my partners Enterprise Ireland: https://bit.ly/EIreland Azure Communications: https://bit.ly/azureEE Nostra: https://bit.ly/nostraee
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