The banking crisis blame game has gone official. In the court of public opinion, Sean FitzPatrick is the villain of the piece. But is he being used as a scapegoat? Nick Mulcahy reports Despite the construction bust, nearly 1,000 volunteers travelled from Ireland to South Africa in November for the annual township building blitz. Jim Aughney sampled the mood of some participants Alan Carroll says that he practices what he preaches when it come to working Ryanair is the most notable Irish business success story of the past decade, and it wouldn't have happened without chief executive Michael O'Leary, our pick as CEO of the Decade. But where does he go from here? Boom To Bust: So how were the Noughties for you? Business Plus asked nine business people from a variety of sectors to look back on the boom to bust decade and reflect on where Ireland goes from her In this assessment of Budget 2010, the main points are summarised and experts from BDO examine the tax implications Companies implementing redundancies are legally obliged to pay two weeks' pay per year of service. Determined workers can extract much better terms from their employer, as Coca Cola HBC found out Sean Taaffe found that in his hairdressing business, passion makes the cut Thinking of opening a restaurant, such as Linda Byrne's Diep Chain? A new study of the sector explains why it's so difficult to turn a profit Cork firm Mary Coppinger has been manufacturing work uniforms for three decades. Business Plus finds out from Noreen Dukelow (pictured) how she changed the business after she bought it from her sister nine years ago Indian-born academic CK Prahalad recently topped a respected ranking of the world's Top 50 management gurus. Yanky Fachler explains why Prahalad is so influential, as well as listing his top ten thinkers Broadcaster Matt Cooper's new book argues that a moneyed crowd, in close association with politicians like former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, did the country down through dodgy dealing. Terence McDonough argues that as a more holistic analysis it must prove t Ambitious Irish companies, such as Berkley Recruitments Fergal Brosnan (pictured), know that China should be on their radar map for expansion. Business Plus talked to four Cork companies who are looking east The New Economy is thousands of individuals or small groups scratching out a living in service sector startups. Most of their focus is digital and they're not afraid of starting a business in the gale of a recession Kieran Allen's new book Ireland's Economic Crash recounts how a miracle economy turned into a disaster zone and proposes a radical agenda for change. TCD academic Charles Larkin takes issue with some of Allen's Marxist analysis Brody Sweeney's O'Briens sandwich bars business model of owning its franchisee properties worked in the good times. But it proved the company's undoing when the recession struck Years of national pay agreements and benchmarking have resulted in the gap between private and public sector pay widening dramatically Dromoland Castle took a big risk when it bought over the troubled Castlemartyr Resort in Cork. BP finds out from Mark Nolan (pictured) about how the enlarged group has been coping with recession Is Niall O'Cleirigh's Macalla's sale to American buyer Roamware a coup for the Irish software sector or merely another indication of its weakness? Probably both Robert Craige explains how the early bird catches the work The banking systems in Iceland and Ireland collapsed as a result of madness and collective myopia. John Sweeney explores why sufficient agreement to take away the punch bowl did not develop in either country to support pre-emptive action While Colm McCarthy (pictured) has advised that the goverment cuts taxpayer funding for grant aid, Nick Mulcahy reports on some of the firms that have done best from government funding The way I work: Blueface co-founder Feargal Brady explains how he juggles work with family life and his views on Ireland's present economic crisis UK airline bmi believes the new terminal being built at Dublin Airport should be mothballed until the economy improves, according to Ireland sales manager Dave Walsh Every SME has had to make adjustments to cope with the recession, from reviewing overheads and supplier costs to looking at new ways to generate turnover. BP sampled the views of a range of small firms, such as Select Digital's Tara Wilson-Black (photo) Corporate finance veteran Martin Cole was a poacher turned gamekeeper when he left Mazars for Boundary Capital. Now he's back in the finance counsel game The global recession was triggered by the financial crisis. But American economist ROBERT BRENNER argues that it is symptomatic of a more fundamental crisis in the capitalist system. Brenner explained his views recently in an interview with Korean journal Iarfhlaith Kelly explains that his work is a daily adventure in code Changes in consumer behaviour in utilising digital platforms and technologies such as online communities and social networking sites have seen consumers taking control over where when and how content is consumed, writes Simon Hughes The findings of a review of bank lending to the SME sector in the June 2008 to February 2009 Looking for a snowy winter break with more than queues for ski lifts? Lillehammer in Norway offers a range of activities for active types Technology, healthcare and pharma/bio ventures attract the big grants from Enterprise Ireland and most of the attention from VCs. But there are lots of other ideas which receive backing from EI, enterprise boards and BES investors Andrew Doyle, managing partner of Maples and Calder, is taking on Dublin's legal establishment by hiring in top talent The Diary of a Sinking D4 Socialite Furniture giant Ikea has finally opened in Dublin Here are some of the financial and stock numbers of the behemoth Could You Be Your Own Boss? With unemployment on the rise, more people are thinking about starting their own business. But think it through very carefully before you take the plunge, writes Brian O'Kane Fran Rooney's niche broadband venture has cash investment of €1.6m, and in charge day-to-day is his daughter Yvonne. The Rooneys told Business Plus how they work together Pat Gunne wasn't the only company vendor who sold out before the crash. Business Plus recalls some other companies, such as Gerry McCaughey's Century Homes, and entrepreneurs whose timing was immaculate Can small Irish manufacturers compete on the world stage? Yes we can, Smallwares managing director Ann Jevens tells Graeme McQueen Though some of his former clients are now over-stretched, estate agent Pat Gunne Jnr called the top of the property market very well. Now he has teamed up with Stephen Vernon to relieve banks of rubbish securities An Post was profitable for the fifth consecutive year in 2008, but even Ireland's post boxes aren't immune from the economic downturn Finance minister Brian Lenihan's supplementary Budget risks sending the economy into a tailspin from recession to depression The three founders of OpenJaw Technologies built an equity investment of €215,000 into a company net worth of €4m in six years. Chief executive John McQuillan explains the success factors to Business Plus Lots of guys dream about changing career in mid-stream. Jason Sheehy actually did it, swapping Excel sheets at BDO Simpson Xavier for mozzarella and pepperoni Tax Breaks For IP: Tax experts such as Eoin Whelan from BDO Simpson Xavier discuss the new intellectual property tax regime, the future for allowances on health-related projects, VAT treatment of secondhand cars and the impact of levies on incomes PLC millionaires like Fyffe's David McCann are helping to prop up the Exchequer coffers Derek Brawn, author of Ireland's House Party, gives his views on why the property market bubble burst and the lead up to it Yanky Fachler sat down with Dr Edward de Bono recently to discuss how creative thinking can signpost business through the recession The Etihad Airways daily service from Dublin to Abu Dhabi has caught on in a big way for Irish people flying east of Suez Outside of the HSE, it's rare that a State body gets the sort of kicking that Ger Deering's (pictured) National Employment Rights Authority received from TDs recently. Nick Mulcahy explains why small business is fed up with NERA With no sign of residential and commercial property markets improving, Nick Mulcahy examines just how stretched are the balance sheets at Bank of Ireland, AIB and Irish Life & Permanent Dragons' Den contestants would love to emulate the lifestyle of dragon Niall O'Farrell. But the business cycle brings challenges for even the most successful entrepreneurs Golf club professionals John and Michael McGuirk were never Ryder Cup class. But they're no slouches in the retail game The Diary of a Sinking D4 Socialite Many young entrepreneurs naturally gravitate towards music and television. But developing a successful business model centred on youth culture can be difficult, as Balcony TV's Stephen O'Reagan (pictured) found out He's the TV tough guy who humiliates his aspiring apprentices. But what's Bill Cullen's own track record in business? Extracts from 'Over The Counter: Cork's Retail Heritage', a book dealing with small shops and retailers Business Plus canvassed the opinions of entrepreneurs and managers - such as Shoe La La MD Maria Smith (pictured) - for how they're preparing to cope with the worst the new year can throw at them Jim Aughney joined the annual migration of Irish volunteers to South Africa to build new homes in the townships. He caught up with Niall Mellon (pictured), the man responsible for the biggest ever humanitarian aid project from Ireland Audi survived the carnage in the car market last year better than most. Diesel was a big reason, John Hayes tells Olive Keogh Entrepreneurship and innovation in Ireland are held back by our political class. The closer you get to government, the more obvious it is that you're looking at a cardiovascular system whose arteries are not just clogged, but caked and calcified The State saved a bundle when Finance Minister Brian Lenihan (pictured) seized control of Anglo Irish Bank. And now Fianna Fáil appointees will decide the fate of property kingpins Independent News & Media is highly profitable but its share price is on the floor. Nick Mulcahy explains why Irish shares are on average 75% cheaper than two years ago. Nick Mulcahy and Graeme McQueen run the rule over some leading counters to see if any of them offer value Oakline has been making and selling furniture in Dublin for half a century. Bill Roche, chief executive of the family firm, tells Roisin O'Sullivan about the challenges the firm currently faces Bord Gáis is looking to challenge ESB by launching itself into the domestic electricity market, John Mullins (pictured) tells Graeme McQueen To boost trade, Seamus Griffin has installed a Subway counter in five of his Londis outlets The cost to taxpayers of paying for social welfare will escalate sharply in 2009. NICK MULCAHY examines where some of the money is going and wonders how long before Social Welfare Minister Mary Hanafin makes the welfare class take their medicine too Having a famous name may help in politics but it means little in the world of exhibitions, Sean Lemass tells Business Plus Waterford is home to one of Europe's top pilot training colleges. Now promoter Mike Edgeworth has bolted on a third level degree to the venture The business model for indigenous Irish airlines is point to point. Alan Sparling, Ireland manager for Scandinavian Airlines, tells Business Plus that business fliers should give more support to the alliance alternatives Sean FitzPatrick stepped down from the top job at Anglo Irish Bank three years ago but now he's back in the limelight Concern of the amount of capital Irish banks will have to raise have decimated their share prices. Trying to work out if there's an upside is next to impossible In this assessment of Budget 2009, experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers summarise the main Budget measures, discuss the impact on business and examine how the tax changes affect individual incomes Internet discussion forum Boards.ie has meagre revenues but an investment by Daft values the site at €3.3m. Gerry Shanahan tells Business Plus about the site's commercial potential In 1958, Brother was the first Japanese multinational to establish a presence in Ireland. Business Plus recounts how the sewing machine company ended up on Howth Pier Hotels may be facing tougher times but that hasn't deterred the Camden Court in Dublin from investing in its facilities The McGettigan family has re-positioned the Regency Hotel in Whitehall to attract more conference and meetings business from around the city Insolvencies are on the rise because of the economic downturn. Business Plus canvassed the experts, such as Mazars' Simon Coyle (pictured), for advice on what steps ailing firms must take to avoid going bust and facing the consequences Lads who get fresh with female colleagues in the pub after work can cost their company a fortune if proper policies are not in place Convenience food retailer The Butler's Pantry is on the expansion trail, but the cost of new premises is proving to be a bugbear Liam Griffin took his family hotel business in a whole new direction with a big investment in Monart, a luxury spa resort near Enniscorthy The government's attempt to bail out distressed builders in the Budget is unlikely to stop house prices tumbling through 2009 Rookie Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan faces a baptism of fire with a make-or-break Budget Despite plummeting share values all round, there isn't much sign of pay restraint among plc chief executives, such as CRH's Liam O'Mahony. Business Plus reports on how the top fat cats are rewarded Hoteliers are being urged to get a grip on financial and operating information systems as the sector faces into tougher times AT Cross shuttered its factory in Ballinasloe at the start of the decade. The firm hasn't looked back since The new tag-licensing system has shot Ciara O'Brien's eTrip Services to the forefront of the motorway toll tag business Even though it has its supporters, such as DCU professor Brian McCraith, what benefit has the economy reaped from the €1 billion ploughed into Science Foundation Ireland? As the property slump rolls on, Upstage's Sinéad Considine is hoping that more vendors will turn to her for home staging Hotels west of the Shannon are facing tough times, Lahinch hotelier Michael Vaughan tells Business Plus Sean Quinn dropped a bundle with his CFD play in Anglo Irish Bank. However the extent of his loss is mostly a matter of conjecture The decision by café chain Kylemore to move into the contract catering arena is paying dividends for Brian Hogan, he tells Business Plus Denis O'Brien is nursing big paper losses from his stake-building in Independent News & Media Farmers would be in the poor house without handouts from the EU and Irish taxpayers. Yet still they voted to banjax Europe's progress Brian Cowen is in charge of a €62 billion spending budget. The only problem is that the new Taoiseach is having to borrow to keep the show on the road System Dynamics boss Tony McGuire believes the only way his company can compete with the big boys is to scale up. He talks to Business Plus about growth through acquisition Executive women need to look sharp and their clothes have to be hard-wearing. Tyrell & Brennan has the bespoke solution Ryanair's annual profit of over €500m could be wiped out if oil prices continue their current upwards trend. Like Ryanair, Aer Lingus is battening down the hatches as its faces a profit wipe-out this year Third level colleges now provide all sorts of assistance for entrepreneurs. Who offers what, and advice from entrepreneurs who've been through the mill A stockmarket bubble, soaring inflation and a jittery property prices have put a dampener on what was supposed to be a triumphant year for China CityJet chief executive Geoffrey O'Byrne White tells Business Plus why the Irish government needs to be much more robust in defending the interests of the Irish aviation sector Young people with an entrepreneurial urge shouldn't waste time doing third level degrees, writes former Fine Gael politician turned bookie Ivan Yates Abrakebabra is one of the country's most successful franchise businesses. Now founder Graeme Beere is going for growth by rolling out franchise concepts from the UK Festa Fine Foods was rescued from a near death experience but trade creditors still took a big bath Meg Whitman did a super job during her decade at the top of eBay - except for wasting a fortune on the Skype hype The Carlton Group believes that Ballinasloe's location on the much improved Dublin-Galway road can attract conference business to the Shearwater Hotel Are all online banking services for business the same? Mostly yes, but there are some differences in functionality Eighteen years ago, Colin Culliton started a printing business focused solely on the marketing sector. The strategy paid off but this year there are no low-lying plums, he tells Business Plus The package holiday market in Ireland is worth around €650m. Nick Mulcahy finds out from Falcon Holidays boss Damien Mooney about the recent musical chairs in the sector Maurice Hennessy is the eighth generation of the family employed by the cognac firm, and he may be the last Jim Treacy has built a hotel and golf facility on the shores of Lough Erne to rival the K Club If you've got €330,000 to spare, Bill McCabe's Oyster Circle is a gateway to luxury getaways around the world Experience counts for a lot in business but Duolog chief executive Ray Bulger found there are times you need to go back to the classroom It's always a good idea to start the business year with good intentions. Business Plus canvassed the views of entrepreneurs and senior executives for their counsel on how to stay ahead of the competition In this assessment of Budget 2008, experts from PricewaterhouseCoopers summarise the main Budget measures, discuss the impact on business and examine how the changes affect individual incomes The Doyle and Roche families saw their hotel and utility interests sweep up billions of euro during 2007 The new hotel at Cork Airport has opted for an aviation theme to provide atmosphere for its guests, Eyebrows were raised when Liam Casey was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, as few people had ever heard of him A change in sales strategy has paid dividends for oyster producer Seabreeze Traders, Guns & Money provides a compelling insight into the recurring pattern of greed and indiscipline in derivatives trading Red Circle founder Ger Dowling has hit the jackpot after selling his business to Zamano Irish entrepreneur Tom Sheehy is playing a leading role in transforming the tropical backwater of Cape Verde into an upmarket tourist trap The normally humdrum business scene was enlivened by some entertaining clashes through 2007. A brief review of some of the highlights, including O'Brien v O'Reilly; Ryanair v Aer Lingus; and EBS v Ethna Tinney E&Y's entrepreneur of the year programme spans companies of all sizes. Alternative's Sandra Lawler recounts her experience of mixing with some big hitters The capital of the midlands is benefiting from major investment in quality hotels What Salesforce.com did for sales, CustomerMinds.com plans to do for marketing. But while it is well funded and its product almost ready to go, can it pull it off? William Doyle of Newbridge Silverware believes it makes business sense to shun fossil fuels The annual Irish Design Effectiveness Awards showcase design firms who deliver real commercial benefit The benchmarking of top public service posts against the private sector resulted in huge pay increases only two years after a previous top-up. Business Plus reports that the workings of the review body are shrouded in secrecy Virgin Megastores, where it all started for Richard Branson, is soon to lose its virginity after the loss-making chain was sold by the tycoon. Other ventures aren't going too well either It's a big move for a partnership to bring in an outsider as chairman. At DPS Engineering, they've turned to a lawyer for the role Frank McGowan and Thomas McGowan of Frank McGowan furniture both hope to keep the business in the family in future generations The 'commerce' bit got dumped, that's what, in a radical break with over two centuries of tradition. BP reports on why commerce is deemed to old-fashioned for the country's largest business organisation Internet entrepreneur Tom Kelly has sold his internet service provider business to Americans for the second time A Supreme Court judge has poured scorn on the Moriarty Tribunal for taking so long to conclude Tanya Airey heads up a 40-year-old family firm that is pushing for growth in a rapidly changing marketplace Norkom Technologies started out making CRM software and got nowhere. Now it has developed into a niche player in financial security software. Founder Paul Kerley explains the journey so far Why did Getty Images pay €110m for a Kerry company which made €3.5m last year? Robert Chambers is one of Dublin's most successful hairdressers, and his daughter Tamara is following in his footsteps SME owners take note. If your marriage breaks down, just because your firm is cash poor won't stop your wife receiving a huge separation settlement The country is coming down with tax-driven new hotels. Philip Gavin explains how the Talbot Hotel Group is facing the competition by expanding to compete more efficiently Best known as the online gateway for Superquinn, Ali Murdoch's Buy4Now looks like rewarding investors' patience Delta Index has gone through €1m in funding as it seeks traction in the spread betting market. But it's getting there Ready to go salads company Nature's Best had surging sales and meagre profits. Then Paddy Callaghan decided to focus on cashflow The margins in reselling and distributing IT are low but Cork entrepreneur Ger Scrivens is doing his best to add scale Want a celebrity to give your brand a boost? Noel Kelly in CMS Marketing is the guy to talk to Owning the business premises can make a big difference to profit margins, as evidenced by electronics retailer Power City The super-sized profits at Dwyer Nolan Developments makes one wonder about the Dublin housing market As big companies muscle in on the Fairtrade space, coffee minnow Java Republic has found itself in the firing line Industry expert Colin Campbell warns that the second half of the oil age will herald a discontinuity of unprecedented magnitude, undermining the vary fabric of society and economic wellbeing Garry Moroney's software firm Similarity Systems has found stunning success, where investors have made a 600% return on their investment in three years Golden Discs is checking out of Grafton Street at a big profit. But what will the owners do with all their cash Smart internet ideas can reap big dividends for entrepreneurs like Alan Scroope There are big margins in advising Tiger Cubs where to park their surplus cash The growing popularity of business process outsourcing has turned Abtran into one of Munster's star performers Publicity surrounding Donal Kinsella's sleepwalking in Mozambique has distracted attention from a strategic rift at Kenmare Resources Who would have thought that a website for eight-year-olds centred on penguins would be worth €500m after two years. Is it too late to join the party? Directors of insolvent companies who act irresponsibly can be restricted by the High Court. But is the sanction tough enough? Michael O'Leary's success is based on a full-frontal assault on anything that stands in his way Microsoft's huge profit margins on Windows and Office mean that it can shrug off its Xbox fiasco The new Ritz-Carlton hotel in Powerscourt, Co Wicklow, looks set to do well for social functions Freezer-maker Novum, based in Coolock, exports 98% of its output. Joe Jordan, managing director and shareholder, tells Business Plus about the challenges facing this SME manufacturer After ten years in business, Digiweb has secured its first outside investor. Colm Piercy tells Business Plus about how he grew the company and what he plans to do with €20m The Wine Buff is an Irish franchise operation that has fast-growth ambitions Ted O'Neill and Maurice Healy are new to the plc scene but that hasn't stopped either from grabbing the headlines with a string of acquisitions eTel has grown its revenues from zero to €100m-plus in seven years and is now looking for an exit for some investors. Founder Sean Melly could net his second big pay day in less than a decade Dublin firm Luzern Technologies has built a multimillion euro business just by selling on eBay. Founder Ken Doyle explains why more Irish SMEs should follow their example Startup Asavie has a low-cost solution for remote access to office networks. It's a good idea but will the customers come? First Ireland Spirits was recently named the country's best SME, despite a recent dent in the bottom line At the age of 44, Chris Foley thought his chance of running his own business had gone. Now the boss of Dansk Window Systems has a shot at becoming Entrepreneur Of The Year Ernst & Young organised a trip to Shanghai for former and present finalists in its Entrepreneur of the Year competition. Colm Lyon, founder and MD of Realex Payments, joined the delegation and brought his diary William O'Brien Snr and his son William talk about passing the family business from one generation to the next Signing up for Enterprise Ireland's Scaling Programme is paying off for Sean Giblin's Cylon Controls David Langan learned about selling furniture from his parents in Cabra. Then he did his own thing After he left school in Galway, Michael Kearney was a shop assistant. Now he's the driving force behind the fast growth Carlton Hotel Group Entrepreneur of the Year Anne Heraty may be Ireland's most successful business woman ever Jeweller Dermot Rock says it isn't easy to grab a patch on Grafton Street. But patience paid off in the end The Digital Hub in the centre of Dublin is an incubator for creative companies that focus on the digital future. Four of the hub's entrepreneurs took time out to discuss their prospects Sports retailer Elverys turned to consultants Bradley McGurk to differentiate the brand from flash rivals Smart Telcom has recovered from its near death experience last year, thanks to risk taker Brendan Murtagh Will the current slump in house prices accelerate into a meltdown or will the market enjoy a soft landing? Business Plus weighs up both sides of the debate and the implications for the economy How has a textile manufacturer based in the Liberties in Dublin, founded in 1934, morphed into a global player in its sector Family firm Butlers Chocolates has grown to a new level after going down the retail route with its own cafés Niall McFadden's deal-making skills have made him a paper fortune. But can he add value to his motley collection of assets? Former media executive Peter O'Rourke knows a thing or two about growing a business and he is applying that knowledge at Access Accounting Ten years after the introduction of divorce, business owners who separate from their spouse can never be sure of a full and final settlement Olga Gashi is one of Ireland's most successful immigrant entrepreneurs. But access to funding remains a key issue for others who want to emulate her success Sandwich and coffee business Munchies has been on a slow growth path since it started. Now the firm is trying to accelerate by going down the franchise route Regina Mangan founded Book A Room ten years ago. She tells Business Plus that only in the past two years has the business come good The Sunday Times and RTE say tycoon Sean Quinn is Ireland's wealthiest man. That may be the case - but he also owes €2 billion Dermot Desmond says his cash donations to Charlie Haughey were personal gifts. The Moriarty Tribunal says they weren't. Who's right? Heard about the security firm operating in Carlow that's protecting Arizona water treatment plants from Islamic terrorists? Business Plus hears from founder David Walsh how the internet platform is helping Netwatch expand worldwide Jane McDonnell was rebuffed by her employer over the issue of equity participation. Now she is taking him on directly with a rival woman's magazine Business Plus asked some leading executives and entrepreneurs about the best piece of advice they received during their business careers Bookies chain Boylesports shows how bank debt can be a viable alternative to equity capital to fund fast growth Business Plus canvassed the views of top managers in large corporates and SMEs about what single business mantra they've come to appreciate and follow Sam McCauley and Paddy Hickey are leading the charge of chemists chains who hope that scale will one day reap Unicare-type rewards Filling in the employer's P60 is a chore for most firms. Intelligo Software has a nifty new form that eases the burden slightly Clarion Consulting is enjoying rapid growth and founder Pat Millar has plans to double the firm's turnover. A bit more even-handedness from the government would help Digital photography has impacted significantly on Spectra Photos fortunes, but founder Xavier McAuliffe has many other new business ventures to keep him busy Paddy and Bernadette Smyth started Smyths Toys in the backwater of Claremorris in 1986. Now their kids have taken the toy retailer into practically every new suburban retail park It's some achievement to build up a chain of six shops in prime locations on the back of €125 in equity. For Brian Sheehan and Robert Hallam, it helps that Sony is their partner Who says manufacturing in Ireland is dead and buried? Autolaunch in Carlow is a case study on how ex-pats can bring home the bacon RTE has broadened its definition of what constitutes Public Service broadcasting to justify a taxpayers' subsidy for just about everything that the organisation produces inhouse How do you move your operating profit up from 3% to 5%? Carpet czar Noel Furlong shows that taking a slicer to production costs can pay real dividends The Gleeson Group beverage business is one bright spot in Tipperary's industrial wasteland Jim Leyden celebrates 21 years in the office equipment and furniture business this year.And Bizquip has never been in better shape Soaring rents are the bain of all retailers, including coffee shops. But shareholders in Insomnia are taking the pain as they build a scale business that could attract a buyer Padraig and Kieran McLoughlin have taken their father's business to the next level David Ellis' big new restaurant on St Michael's Pier in Dun Laoghaire has been a learning curve for the experienced restaurateur Inside the Public Sector Gravy Train - Is Bertie Ahern really worth €249,000 p.a. IFSC veteran Michael Cullen, who heads up Investec in Ireland, sees property and private banking as a growth area for his merchant bank The Jackie Skelly gym chain grew turnover by 66% last year but margins didn't keep pace. The strategy is on building a scale business that could attract a buyer Brody Sweeney is an exceptional entrepreneur who's told his story in a new book. He'll need a second volume to deal with O'Brien's expansion into the UK Banks have lent Michael Whelan an estimated €550m to play with in London and to fund Dublin's suburban sprawl Greg Turley's Argus Car Hire has developed a global car hire booking engine. The jury is out on its profitability but the spin-off benefit for the core business is plain to see Ongoing training and strict lines of demarcation are keys to the success of Rachel Doyle's garden centre Arboretum in Carlow The serial fast food entrepreneur has turned her talents to coffee shops. This time Lorraine Sweeney is going down the franchise route with Barnie's Gourmet Coffee Louis Copeland Snr and Louis Copeland Jnr reveal how they get on together in their men's clothes business For generations the Conran family in Wexford sold wool and potatoes. Now they source furniture from Chinese factories. Inside an amazing transformation Sharon Mohan and Monica McGinn started their boutique Shamon with a bank loan of €70,000. The business is treading water but they say that being self-employed is more fun than corporate life Prestige Group is the leading player in sourcing overseas property for Irish investors. Founder Paul Coghlan accelerated his company's growth when he stopped trying to do everything himself The death of his wife Thecla last year wasn't just a personal tragedy for Shea O'Dwyer - she was also his business partner in the family-owned cakes firm, Coolmore Fresh Foods A bad back led entrepreneur Noel May to venture into the retail footwear sector with an innovative 'shoe'. So far he's having more luck than with his previous high-tech venture Time Warner shareholders took a bath when the media giant merged with AOL. Now it appears that much of AOL's success was a scam Paul Overy and his partner Aidan McLoughlin have grown their financial advice firm from 12 to 40 employees in two years. But to get there they had to hire someone new to call the shots According to the SFA National Business Awards, Mr Crumb is the best small business in Ireland. Here's why Property website Daft.ie started off as a hobby for brothers Brian and Eamon Fallon. Now they've learned how to make money from the site Bewley's Oriental Cafés was operated by the Bewley family "for the good of mankind". Patrick Campbell took a less sentimental view when he closed the Dublin cafés in 2004 Doner kebabs made millions for Wyn and Graeme Beere. But the partnership couldn't last forever, as Wyn Beere recalls He's Ireland's most successful entrepreneur by a long shot. An in-depth report on how Sean Quinn uses insurance premia to finance his empire The Anglo Irish boss is Ireland's most successful ever banker. A revealing interview on how he did it Dairygold boss Jerry Henchy is one of the new breed of ruthless young managers who don't let sentiment stand in the way of building profits. And rural Cork is reaping the whirlwind More and more Dublin law firms are hitting on sale and leaseback property deals that deliver millions of euros for the partners Investigators claim that newspaper publisher Hollinger was "looted" to the tune of more than $400m by Conrad Black and others. But how did the Canadian tycoon do it? For the past 150 years, oil helped fuel the growth of the world's population, trade and commerce. But but supplies are declining. Ireland and the world need to look at the alternatives, writes Colin Campbell When Patrick Coman decided to gift half his business to his six sons, to the exclusion of his six daughters, he sowed the seeds of a row that would rip the family apart The rules governing the use of invoice discounting to facilitate company buyouts need to be tightened up, as the liquidation of Doherty Advertising clearly demonstrates Grand Prix legend Eddie Jordan is used to losing. But the scale of his defeat in a High Court action against Vodafone was overwhelming