IPBN member company Konnect is led by a group of industry experts and thought leaders who are in the privileged position to equip businesses with insights and knowledge on the national and global business trends that impact their future. With a strong focus on business and technology, Konnect can help identify and explore crucial disruptive trends and deliver actionable insights informed by strong research and intellectual rigor, and so far, the company has enjoyed many success stories. But who are the minds driving it all?

The IPBN caught up with company Founder Mairead Kearns, a relative newcomer to the network, to find out more. Mairead's background is in publishing, having been involved in Ireland's independent news and media industry for 28 years. Promoted to the head of sales position in 2018, Mairead realized it was time for a change. She said, "I had been in the business forever, I had run department transformations, mergers, amalgamations, digitalization, and more, and I was ready to bring my skillset somewhere else. My children were already reared and it was my time. I took a trip to Asia for two months and upon returning, realized that you can listen differently when you have a different hat on."

Mairead decided then and there to build on her extensive experience and her deep knowledge of how to connect brands to the best content creators. She founded Konnect in 2019 to connect journalists with businesses to provide content. The results were instantly amazing, and then...Covid hit and, according to Mairead, some things continued on and other things fell apart. 

"By 2021 into 22 we fell into a bucket of financial services and tech, so we decided to specialize in that area and we've been doing that ever since, even though we have a lot to add in almost any sector. We began doing more strategy for bluechip companies and others so I only worked with subject specialists and academics to create the content. We found that we were bringing in a different view to companies because even experts can't always see the forest for the trees. We help companies clear the pathway to see where they are going."

Konnect is currently focusing on working with more mid-level companies so they can bring this type of value and huge support to the little guys whose pockets aren't so deep.  

Mairead said, "I joined the IPBN to help Portuguese companies that have thought of having a footprint in Ireland to have boots on the ground. I want to help guide people and companies by telling them what the marketplace is like, what's happening, and what opportunities there are." It's clear that this kind of guidance is a huge asset to companies in this position, especially if they aren't sure where to begin or even what questions to ask. 

She added, "Ireland may not have the weather that Portugal enjoys, but we have everything else: the community, the friendliness, the helpfulness. It's what makes Ireland an inspiring place with lots of potential for companies to reinvent themselves as needed."