Richard Forde

🚀 How to make every word count ⬇️ In this episode Richard talks to Jack Murray , entrepreneur and the CEO of MediaHQ, a leading Irish SaaS company that has revolutionised the PR and communications industry. Jack shares his passion for storytelling in business and we explore how you can land your mission, and your message, with real logical and emotional impact. In this conversation, you’ll learn: - The insidious ways corporate culture is reducing your impact – and what to do instead. - Specific tools to help you clarify your mission - How to use the "Magic Slice" to land your message with impact - How to change your presentations so they benefit from the latest neuroscience findings on how to win hearts and minds (and what not to do) There's lots of actionable insights in the full episode tune into the Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts (or find it on YouTube) 🚀 Want to 10X your financials, 10X your positive impact and 10X your fun? Join 17000+ and learn the secrets of exponential impact from top CEOs: https://vist.ly/353vt

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Anyone wondering how credible or sophisticated a scam can sound should have a listen to this segment on RTE Morning Ireland this morning. https://lnkd.in/dwdPaMNz For the first half of 2024, the volume of investment fraud attempts has surged by 76% compared to the same period in 2023. Investment fraud happens when fraudsters, posing as legitimate firms, offer consumers investment opportunities on social media or in a sponsored search result. The majority of investment fraud cases begin on social media with customers then receiving phone calls and messages to continue the scam. We have launched another fraud awareness campaign this week to warn more consumers about this issue. Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of fraud should contact their bank immediately so that the bank can try to stop the fraud and try to recover funds. Bank of Ireland customers can call the Fraud Team 24/7 on the Freephone line 1800 946 764.

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I wonder when NZ will be able to report a result like this from Ireland? 'There are now over 1,800 client operations in Irish Development Agencies portfolio of multi-national corporations who have chosen Ireland as a place to grow and succeed, with one-third of client operations in Ireland for 20 years or more. Direct employment by IDA Ireland clients in 2023 was 300,583, accounting for 11% of total national employment. Combined direct and indirect employment by IDA Ireland clients totals more than 540,000 jobs, with an estimated 8 jobs supported in the wider economy for every 10 jobs in an IDA Ireland client company...' https://lnkd.in/guNT8-h4

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Today, Fine Gael launched our manifesto for #GE24, setting out our stall in how we will continue to invest in our economy & provide for our people, putting money back in your pocket, improving public services & securing your future to deal with unforeseen events. More here 👉 finegael.ie/manifesto

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Last week, The American Chamber of Commerce Ireland launched the results of its quarterly FDI Insights survey. This survey highlights the views of members on Ireland as an investment and growth location. Key findings of AmCham’s FDI Insights survey include: - 97% of respondents said that Ireland is competitive when compared to other advanced global economies. - 56% said they expect the number of employees in the Irish operations of their organisation to increase over the next 12 months. - 9 in 10 said their corporate headquarters have a positive view of Ireland as an investment or growth location. - 40% said housing is the most important challenge for Ireland to overcome for their company to invest and expand here. 19% identified cost competitiveness as the most important challenge with 12% saying skills shortage was the number one challenge. - 52% of respondents said Ireland’s highly educated and skilled talent pool is its main competitive advantage. Full detail on the key findings from this survey are available here: https://lnkd.in/e2ZVJUcT

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Ireland 🇮🇪 we have an opportunity to be more outspoken in shaping regulation as we are the center of gravity for tech in Europe. See below: Enterprise Ireland Nordics IDA Ireland Marie Large Enterprise Ireland

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PR Professionals in Ireland - say hello to the Public Relations Institute of Ireland new strategy VISTA. We are so pleased to launch this new 5-year strategic plan today to guide the PRII and the direction of the industry for the future, to support the elevation of this great and diverse profession. VISTA's five key pillars: 📣 Voice: Championing truth, diversity, and inclusion while advocating for our profession on the national stage.   📖 Insights: Establishing PRII as a hub for cutting-edge research, equipping members with the knowledge to navigate the evolving communications landscape. This includes fostering a platform for member-driven research and insights sharing.   🙌 Support: Identifying and addressing members' educational needs by offering timely and relevant professional development opportunities.   👥 Together: Cultivating a collaborative environment where members can connect, share expertise and celebrate collective achievements.   🎓 Accreditation: Upholding the highest standards of practice, ensuring PRII remains the gold standard for professional accreditation. If you're a PRII member, whether its consumer PR, corporate, the charity sector, the public sector, freelance, or the many other segments of the PR industry, I encourage your active participation as we strive to progress the PR and communications industry in Ireland. Find out more at www.prii.ie. #PRII #PRIIVISTA #PublicRelations #Communications

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Baldwin Digital released interesting data this morning on Ireland’s best counties for SMEs: Wicklow is the best county in Ireland for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), representing 72.4% of all businesses county-wide. Donegal took second place in the study, ranking among the top nine counties for small businesses per 10,000 residents, percentage of small businesses and percentage rise in start-ups from 2019 to 2021. Connacht is the only province in Ireland without a county in the top 10 ranking Despite ranking top for SMEs per 10,000 residents, Dublin missed out on the top 10, coming in 11th place overall.

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This month creative company, Folk VML VML released a report on the Family Fallacy, which covers how different realities are shaping Irish culture and modern family dynamics. The report highlights some interesting stats that marketers and brand owners should keep in mind when planning campaigns to make sure to reach a wide range of audiences. Some key take aways we learnt from the report are: -      Overrepresentation: The traditional family structure only accounts for 36% of Irish households, yet it is the most overrepresented group when it comes to advertising and marketing products and services. -      Know your audience: Only 38% of people in Ireland feel brands and companies are in touch with their family’s life and needs as they are today. -      ‘Family’ has been on a journey: Nearly 80% of people in Ireland agree that you don’t have to have kids to be a family. 78% of people say that family is no longer defined purely by blood or marriage. 61% of blended and divorced families believe brands in Ireland should help to normalise non-traditional family structures. 80% of same-sex families want brands to understand how their family works, while 1 in 4 families with children in Ireland is a one-parent family. Are all of these various families being catered for in marketing campaigns? -      Housing shifts: Brands need to adapt to meet the needs of co-living and multi-generational living. 68% of Ireland’s young adults are currently living at home and the average homebuyer is now 39. -      Motherhood and fatherhood:  73% of people in Ireland think that becoming a mother makes career progression harder and 68% of mothers in Ireland feel the portrayal of family structures in advertising and marketing is old school traditional and stereotypical. In other European countries, such as Sweden for instance, 90% take paternity leave. In Ireland, less than half of fathers entitled to paternity take this leave. 25% of respondents in the report also stated they do not want children, which leads to a new demographic, DINK ‘Double income no kids’. Are marketing and communications campaigns making content relevant for this market? The overall take away from the report is that consumers trust, prefer and support brands that understand their needs and where consumers can see themselves and their peer group truly represented in campaigns. 

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Ibec published its new Economic Outlook today. Its forecasting GDP growth of 2% in 2024 and 2.7% in 2025. The report highlights that while the Irish economy is experiencing some moderation in growth after five years of remarkable expansion, the economic outlook remains positive. However, the Outlook also notes that under-delivery in critical infrastructure—such as water, housing, energy, transport, and skills —is constraining the potential for growth in both domestic businesses and foreign direct investment. 

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What is a GOOD LIFE? We asked the people of Ireland and here are the life-affirming results. DOWNLOAD this nationally representative survey and report for FREE and join this conversation. A 2030 Good Life is ours to create. Creative Ireland, Purpose Disruptors, THINKHOUSE, Ipsos B&A. #creativeIreland #CreativeClimateAction #collaboration

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Where are you in your relationship to the office and what does a good office or home day mean for you? Annie and I have pretty different takes on some aspects to this question. For me, the office is a social place of serendipity and relationship building, and home is the place for deep work and better snacks. (Though an important shout out to BBC Studios for free breakfast, the Wednesday morning marmite toast has become a sacred ritual.) But I haven't always felt that way, and it's very much circumstantial to team structures and locations, where you learn, and what work you actually *shouldn't* do in the office. And I'm clearly not the only one in a state of reflection on this given the policy pendulum swings in the last 4+ years on whether the office is the best or worst, mandatory or discretionary, and face-time creeping (or crashing) back in some industries. How does trust, and performance, and fairness all fit into this hybrid working equation? We unpick some of these dimensions, and consider how flexibility in working conditions is a feminist issue given the prevalence of women undertaking unpaid care. Have a listen and let us know what you think - would love to hear the diversity of views - and I'm sure some won't agree with me/us! 🎧

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⏰ Time is running out! Have you signed up yet! ⏰ This workshop is your chance to dive deep into the Pre-Seed Start Fund process and learn about the criteria from Enterprise Ireland. Secure your spot now: https://lnkd.in/eHBDeBsU #getinvestorready

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Together with Near Media, Siinda has conducted a very interesting market study on how consumers in Germany, France and Ireland are looking for home services after the new Digital Markets Act. Find out more at the Siinda conference in Split! #marketstudy #conference #smemarketing

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Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) are running an online SME Business Briefing on Tuesday 23rd July 10-11am. 👉🌍 https://bit.ly/4f68oZu   This webinar will businesses understand:   🌍How to understand your energy use and save energy costs across areas of your business and home. 🌍The immediate actions that have little to no costs and will help your business save energy and money. 🌍The benefit of completing an Energy Audit and SEAI’s Support Scheme for Energy Audits. 🌍SEAI supports and grants to help you further reduce costs and move away from fossil fuels. 🌍An overview of the Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme (GSLS) offered by the (SBCI) Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI).   Register for the upcoming webinar here: https://bit.ly/4f68oZu   Ali Donnellan #SME

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Ireland’s employment market showed more positive signs in the second quarter of the year, as vacancies remained steady compared to the previous quarter. This was the first time that quarterly vacancies have not declined since 2022, and 19 sectors showed gains.

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