Higher Ground

Higher Ground, the rural entrepreneurial series, returns to our screens this summer.

The innovative series selects eight budding rural entrepreneurs from across Ireland and helps turn their business ideas into lucrative realities.

Once again mentors, Paul McCarthy from Teagasc and Peter Young from the Farmers Journal will advise and coach our candidates as they deal with issues such as marketing, branding, possible business investors, partnership development and also how to run and plan their business but not at the expense of family life.

But how will the candidates react to Peter and Paul's advice? Will they accept their criticisms and take on their advice? Will their product be imaginative and strong enough to survive in this difficult retail climate? Will the entrepreneurs be able to stick the pace? But importantly, will they succeed in taking their business to a "Higher Ground".

Click here for further information on the Higher Ground Series and Business Document Template Downloads......

Episodes

Programme One - Quickcrop.ie

Andrew Davidson and Niall McAllister both originally moved from Dublin to Sligo separately to find the good life and get out of the big smoke - they both met through the Steiner school their children attended in the local area. Niall is from a sales/business background and Andrew is from a graphic design background - they united their skills together in 2009 to form Quickcrop.ie, which is a web based business that provides ready built vegetable/plant beds for urban dwellers as well as providing instant gardens for people who just don't have the time or the knowledge! Peter & Paul have worked with them to bring new products to market but this time instead of concentrating on the web based products they want them to bring their new innovative products to the retail market.

Find out more about Quickcrop.ie......

Programme Two - Shasta

Ann Marie Durkin who hails from Granard near Mullingar has been an entrepreneur for over 3 years.

Her business idea was to create innovative and functional products for parents and babies. She developed the Steri Soother. She has since patented a new baby bottle sterilizer called the 'Seri Ova'. All these products are completely unique to the Irish Market.

Ann-Marie is at a difficult stage in her business as she needs investors to bring her new product to market. She also to bring her business to the next level. Peter & Paul are there to advise her on the best way to deal with potential investors.

Find out more about Shasta.ie......

Programme Three - Sligo Golf Academy

Tommy Bree has transformed his farmland into a new business called Sligo Golf Academy. His academy will enable customers to practice driving, chipping, putting and bunker shots protected from the elements. He intends to cater for all ages and standards of golfers from children to scratch handicappers.

His plan is to provide a state-of-the-art facility consisting of a 16 bay driving range with automatic tees that is both modern and user friendly.

This is a completely new venture for the former farmer. How will he get on turning this family dream into a viable business?

Find out more about Sligo Golf Academy..........

Programme Four - Electric Escapes

Paul Harmon was made redundant last November. He received job offers in Dublin and in the UK but decided that it was time for him to make a life choice and set up his own business.

Paul set up "Electric Escapes" that give bike tours around the beautiful Westport, Newport and Croagh Patrick region. But instead of the tourist puffing and panting during the tour they will be on bikes that can run on electricity also, so the tourist has the best of both worlds!

Paul has been an employee most of his life so setting up the business and making sure it will run smoothly on all sides has been a massive learning curve.

This week Peter Young and Paul McCarthy mentor him in sales, marketing, finances and negotiating with suppliers and tour operators who would want to use his unique tour service.

Find out more about Electric Escapes..........

Programme Five - Smart Sewing

Teresa Keogh has been teaching sewing classes to children and adults for the last couple of years. She has worked from a prefab at the back of her home in Tullow in Co. Carlow.

Due to its success she is at a stage where she should would like to franchise her Smart Sewing product around the country. However Peter Young and Paul McCarthy feel that she needs to walk before she can run. This week they work with Teresa on updating her business plan to bring her to the next level.

Find out more about Smart Sewing.........

Programme Six - Milkvending.com

Pat Talty from Kilkee and Matt Costello from Croom in Limerick were brought together by Enterprise Ireland.

They both had the idea for importing the hugely successful milk vending machines from Italy. They have formed a partnership together - not really by choice but by necessity. They have a difficult road ahead of them, as they must sell the product to the dairy farmer who are under immense pressure during these difficult times. The farmers must then install them in local shops, garages or wherever they see the potential of a customer purchasing fresh pasteurised milk direct from the farmer.

Peter Young and Paul McCarthy are advising them both about their partnership roles within the company and also on sales techniques.

Find out more about Milkvending.com.......

Programme Seven - Catalysis Consulting

Ned Burns is a farmer from Abbeyknockmoy who has a passion for Sport. Ned has been coaching GAA teams in the Athlone Institute of Technology for many years. He came up with an idea for measuring people's flexibility about two years ago. Since then he has travelled the length and breadth of the country with his prototype exhibiting the product and receiving a positive response.

Recently Ned convinced John Concannon from JFC, a manufacturing company, to make up a sample model of the device. He has been in touch with plenty of people from the sports community and the feedback so far has been encouraging. He is now at the stage where he needs to get the product to market and sell it to customers such as gyms, schools & sports clubs.

Peter Young and Paul McCarthy have mentored Ned in areas such as sales skills, organisational skills for starting up a business.

Find out more about Catalysis Consulting.........

Programme Eight - Island McGrath Eco farm

Eddie Connors is from Co. Clare and is a former wordwork teacher. He left teaching a number of years ago and set up his own kitchen manufacturing firm but due to the recession this slowed down dramatically.

He is now living on the family farm which is about 120 acres and from where he is running eco courses. Some of his courses include how to build your own wind turbine and DIY courses. They are also in the process of setting up a section of the farm on renewable energy displays, wildlife trails, vintage machinery, bird photography and crafts.

Peter Young and Paul McCarthy try to help Eddie with marking this new initative and to focus on what he really wants to do.

Find out more about Island McGrath Eco farm.......