A Charlie Cook Live Series

Built in Kilkenny

Honest conversations with the founders and builders behind Kilkenny.

I Lived Life When Life Was Real

Alberto Kupper is a musician, bass player and vocal coach from São Paulo, Brazil. He arrived in Ireland in September 2005 with a bass in one hand and a suitcase in the other, moved to Kilkenny on Christmas Day, and has built a life in music here for over 20 years. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny, Alberto tells the story of begging his father for a year for his first bass, an amplifier made from a car speaker in a wooden box, teaching himself entirely by ear, and the three years spent driving a top vocal coach to and from the airport — three years that accidentally transformed his voice and his life. We get into what a vocal coach actually does, why he says most of the vocal coaching market is a scam, coaching Stevie Mulrooney (last week's guest), and what a man who's spent 40 years on his craft makes of AI writing songs. He finishes on the bass, obviously. Looking for vocal coaching, or bass or guitar lessons in Kilkenny? Get in touch through the channel and I'll pass you on to Alberto. — Chapters — 0:00 Intro 0:31 Christmas Day 2005: arriving in Kilkenny 1:13 A musician since 1996, never a "proper job" 3:27 Growing up in São Paulo 5:15 Why bass: "the bass picks you" 6:05 The Iron Maiden intro that started everything 7:47 Begging his father for a year 9:47 A car speaker for an amplifier 10:30 Waking up at night to check the bass was there 11:24 Teaching himself entirely by ear 12:55 Ten years to get out of the bedroom 16:18 How the singing started 17:53 The vocal coach of the soap stars 20:10 Three years as the driver 22:49 The technique that changed his voice without him knowing 24:18 The band where nobody could sing 26:28 Antisocial, and fine with it 28:09 Thin Lizzy on illegal cable TV 31:25 A wedding in Belgium and a one-way detour 32:54 Disappointed by Dublin 34:12 Moving to Kilkenny, working immediately 36:21 Building the coaching by word of mouth 37:00 What a vocal coach actually does 39:45 The diaphragm, explained 41:22 The busker and the certificate 43:36 When talent doesn't match ambition 46:13 How often does a kid like Stevie come around? 47:47 Keeping the demons away from Stevie's voice 49:23 What Stevie has to watch out for 51:49 AI and music: "I lived life when life was real" 55:43 Social media, or the lack of it 57:15 One last piece of advice 58:44 Alberto plays us out — Built in Kilkenny — New episodes weekly. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Charlie Cook Live, Kilkenny, Ireland #kilkenny #ireland #music — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #IrishBusiness #Podcast

He Sang to 55,000 People at the Aviva

Stevie Mulrooney · Singer

Stevie Mulrooney is 10 years old, from Kilkenny, and he's already sung Ireland's Call to 55,000 people at the Aviva Stadium. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny I sit down with Stevie and his dad Seamus at Sullivan's. Stevie tells the story of the Late Late Toy Show, being surprised on stage by Peter O'Mahony and Bundee Aki, the phone call from Josh van der Flier that led to the Aviva, and everything since: touring with Phil Coulter, the Aldi ad with Kevin the Carrot, hosting his own radio show on KCLR, and recording at Steinway Hall in London with pianist Dominic Ferris. Seamus joins us to talk about watching his son walk out in front of 55,000 people, and how the family keeps life normal for a kid with a serious gift. And Stevie finishes with a song. — Find Stevie — @seamusmulrooney8600 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@seamusmulrooney8600 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seamiemul/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steviemul8 — Chapters — 0:00 Intro 0:28 A crazy two years 0:51 The Toy Show and meeting the two giants 1:26 How he got on the Toy Show 1:55 Singing as long as he can remember 2:22 Mam spotted the talent 3:18 Meeting Alberto 4:24 The call from Josh van der Flier 5:26 Walking out at the Aviva 6:13 The cold, the wait, and the moment 7:20 Radio: RTÉ, 2FM, BBC Breakfast 7:55 Three shows with Phil Coulter 8:14 The Aldi ad with Kevin the Carrot 8:38 Stevie's Call: his own radio show 9:12 Hurling advice for TJ Reid 9:43 Sport: rugby, hurling, martial arts 10:11 Acting camp at the Watergate 11:17 Favourite music 12:04 Dad Seamus joins us 12:30 Magic shows and always wanting an audience 13:26 Watching the Aviva as a dad 15:02 Handling the attention 15:43 Keeping him grounded 17:07 Recording for charity 18:07 Dominic Ferris and Steinway Hall 18:58 Learning piano 19:19 What his friends think 19:33 Stevie's advice 20:26 Quick-fire round 21:46 Stevie sings 23:27 Ireland v Australia — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #IrishBusiness #Podcast

Teaching Kids Across Ireland to Read Music

Ciara O'Connor · Ceoil Cliste

Ciara O'Connor is a secondary school music teacher who spotted a gap: kids arriving at school unable to read music, and teachers who didn't feel equipped to teach it. So she built Ceoil Cliste, a hands-on programme that travels to primary schools all over Ireland making music fun, and a set of resources to help other teachers do the same. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny I sit down with Ciara at Sullivan's in Kilkenny. She tells the story of growing up playing music from the age of five, busking and playing weddings as a kid, training as a teacher, and the moment in Australia that gave her the idea. We get into knocking on school doors when emails got nowhere, the TikTok that hit 500,000 views and sold out her whole year, burning herself out, and being nominated for business awards in her first year. It's a brilliant story about backing yourself, spotting a gap, and just going for it. — Find Ciara / Ceoil Cliste — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oconnorsmusicschool/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ciara_oconnor_ — Chapters — 0:00 Intro 0:31 Why music matters (and the recorder everyone hated) 1:04 The idea, and the lightbulb moment in Australia 2:06 Growing up playing music from age five 3:04 Studying music and training as a teacher 3:50 Following her father into teaching 4:23 Why music is like learning a language 5:33 Reading sheet music at five, and how Ceoil Cliste started 7:04 What Ceoil Cliste means: the smartness of music 7:16 Inside the classroom: Super Mario and making it fun 9:40 From idea to actually doing it 12:30 Knocking on doors when emails failed 13:07 The TikTok that hit 500,000 views 13:26 Selling out the whole year 14:12 Coping with the chaos, and hiring 14:45 Travelling the country and burning out 15:57 Teaching the teachers: the resource shop 17:01 Summer camps 17:51 Where it's going next 18:50 Running, marathons and Everest Base Camp 19:22 Starting kids young 20:03 Getting into secondary schools 21:30 Local support and award nominations 22:24 The moments of doubt 23:37 Advice for anyone sitting on an idea 24:37 Music, family and the violin 25:23 The song that got her through 25:48 Imposter syndrome and what she's achieved — Built in Kilkenny — New episodes weekly. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Charlie Cook Live Kilkenny, Ireland #kilkenny #ireland #music — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #IrishBusiness #Podcast

I Walked Out the Back Door of School

Declan Buggy The Irish School of DIY

Declan Buggy left school with no qualifications and taught himself trade skills in his parents' shed using his late granddad's old tools. Today he runs the Irish School of DIY, teaching people all over the country how to do it themselves. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny I sit down with Declan at his place in Castlecomer. He tells the story of teaching himself to build furniture as a kid by robbing motors out of broken washing machines, bunking off school to make and sell tables, his apprenticeship as a farrier cut short by injury, and the moment he realised he could build a business teaching people the simple skills tradesmen were charging a fortune for. We get into going from a one-man renovation business to camps and courses all over Ireland, women-only DIY classes, getting young people into trades, writing a book, and the honest reality behind the polished Instagram, the graft, the scrambling, and the luck. — Find Declan / The Irish School of DIY — Website: https://www.theirishschoolofdiy.ie/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theirishschoolofdiy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_irish_school_of_diy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Irish-School-of-DIY-61583998376152/ — Chapters — 0:00 Intro 0:30 What is the Irish School of DIY 1:14 Leaving school, horses, and becoming a farrier 2:48 Making hurls 3:33 Teaching himself in his granddad's shed 5:05 Bunking off school to sell furniture 6:47 The renovation business and his uncle's leg-up 11:54 The smoke alarm job that sparked the idea 14:31 No plan, just go for it 15:39 One video, 10,000 followers in a week 16:17 Starting with schools 17:36 Growing fast: camps and courses all over Ireland 19:37 The honest reality behind the Instagram 21:38 Learning to take on staff 22:08 The age groups and the red tape 25:42 Adult and women-only courses 27:15 Today FM, the Farmers Journal, and writing a book 28:29 What's next: franchising the school 29:40 The hardest part 31:45 Advice for anyone sitting on an idea 32:26 The song that got him through — Built in Kilkenny — New episodes weekly. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Charlie Cook Live Kilkenny, Ireland Built in Kilkenny — honest conversations with the founders and builders behind this city. No gurus. No overnight-success stories. Just real people talking about what it actually takes to build something. New episodes regularly. — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #IrishBusiness #Podcast

From Hoof to Good Luck

Anne Healy · Biddy's Good Luck Horseshoes

Anne Healy turns genuine worn Irish horseshoes into good luck gifts that get sent all over the world. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny I sit down with Anne, founder of Biddy's Good Luck Horseshoes. She tells the story of leaving her job at AXA in 2019 to chase an idea people told her was mad, how a 30-second video filmed in her back garden during COVID turned the whole business around, and what it's like being trusted with pieces that carry huge personal meaning, from weddings and new babies to horseshoes passed down from people who've died. We get into the centuries-old Irish tradition behind the lucky horseshoe, why every piece is unique, building a family business, winning Network Ireland Businesswoman of the Year three times, and her advice for anyone sitting on an idea they're too scared to start. — Find Anne / Biddy's Good Luck Horseshoes — Website: https://www.biddysgoodluckhorseshoes.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biddysgoodluckhorseshoes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodluckhorsesshoe/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biddysgoodluckhorseshoes — Chapters — 0:00 Intro 0:44 The Irish tradition behind the lucky horseshoe 1:49 Life before: AXA, horses, and family 3:37 The wedding horseshoe that started it all 4:14 Where the name Biddy's came from 4:43 Leaving AXA in 2019 to go for it 5:52 The people who said she was mad 6:02 Lucky breaks: Nationwide, Ireland AM, and 75,000 followers 7:05 Being trusted with pieces that carry real meaning 8:14 From hoof to finished piece, and learning to outsource 11:01 The COVID pivot that changed everything 13:26 Working as a family business 14:38 The awards, and why she applied for them 16:08 The stories behind the horseshoes 18:48 What's next: the US, corporate, and hotel wedding gifts 22:51 Her advice for anyone afraid to start — Built in Kilkenny — New episodes weekly. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Charlie Cook Live Kilkenny, Ireland — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #IrishBusiness #Podcast

What Most People Get Wrong in Interviews

Decky Casey · Ace That Interview

Decky Casey has spent nearly two decades helping people through job interviews. A year ago he turned it into a business, Ace That Interview, while still working full-time in the HSE and raising his daughter. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny we get into his story: from working in bars and studying social care, to senior healthcare roles in Ireland and Australia, to building a side business in the evenings and weekends. We also cover the practical stuff: the biggest mistakes people make in interviews, why how you perform on the day matters more than your qualifications, the STAR method, cleaning up your social media before you apply, and what AI is doing to the job market. His mantra: preparation plus confidence equals results. Decky is also running a free webinar on Saturday 20th June, 10am to 1pm, for anyone who needs help with job interviews. No cost, no sign-up fee. — Find Decky / Ace That Interview — Website: https://www.acethatinterview.eu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acethatinterviewirl/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575168924948 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-casey-570879120/ — Chapters — 0:00 Intro 0:23 From bars to social care: Decky's early career 2:03 Coming back from Australia, into the HSE 3:09 Balancing a full-time job, the business, and family 4:04 Where the idea for Ace That Interview came from 6:05 Helping people informally before it was a business 8:14 What makes the service different 10:09 The client who landed a CEO role 11:16 The biggest mistakes people make in interviews 12:47 Why scripted answers fail, and the STAR method 15:45 Decky's top advice for anyone preparing 16:23 Your social media footprint and your CV 20:38 What AI is doing to the job market 24:07 How he prepares people, and the free consultation 26:30 Practical interview-day tips 28:47 Giving back: free school talks and the June webinar 31:09 Preparation plus confidence equals results 33:28 Advice for anyone on the fence about starting 36:03 Protecting the brand, and what's next — Built in Kilkenny — New episodes weekly. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Charlie Cook Live Kilkenny, Ireland Built in Kilkenny — honest conversations with the founders and builders behind this city. No gurus. No overnight-success stories. Just real people talking about what it actually takes to build something. New episodes regularly. — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #IrishBusiness #Podcast

Zero Fillers, Zero Funding, Zero Salary

Odhrán · Second Self Life

Zero fillers in the product. Zero outside funding. Zero salary since September. In this episode of Built in Kilkenny, Charlie Cook sits down with Odhrán, co-founder of Second Self Life, a premium protein brand built from scratch in Kilkenny with his partner Amy-Leigh. They had enough money saved to go to Australia. They put it into a business instead. Manufacturers laughed them out of the room. Their Belgian partner told them their formula wasn't ambitious enough. They made three sales in January. And they kept going. This is the real story of building a clean supplement brand with no funding, no safety net, and no shortcuts. 00:00 Intro 00:23 Who came up with the idea 01:09 Breaking into a 60 billion dollar industry 02:12 Clean ingredients and why the big brands use fillers 03:24 Choosing the right ingredients 04:56 The Belgian manufacturer who said "not ambitious enough" 05:56 Leaving the 9 to 5 07:27 We were going to go to Australia 08:06 The product was supposed to be ready in September 09:31 What tipped you over the edge 10:45 Constantly learning 11:14 Market research advice 12:30 The Eton Mess flavour 14:06 Bootstrapped with no funding 14:31 First batch arrives in January 15:02 Mortify yourself 16:33 Learning meta ads the hard way 17:39 The Wild Tales partnership 19:23 How the cafes are receiving it 20:32 Distribution over profit 22:00 The pricing and why it costs what it costs 24:33 Tasting it live 28:48 What's next for Second Self Life 30:09 Helping Irish farmers 31:25 Working together as a couple 33:44 The dark early days 34:22 Social media comparison trap 36:06 Moving back home at 25 40:35 Advice for anyone thinking of starting Built in Kilkenny — honest conversations with the founders and builders behind this city. No gurus. No overnight-success stories. Just real people talking about what it actually takes to build something. New episodes regularly. Follow Second Self Life: Website: https://www.secondselflife.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondselflife TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@secondselflife — Follow the journey: charliecooklive.com TikTok: @charliecooklive Instagram: @charliecooklive

The Man Who Brought Brewing Back to Kilkenny

Dan Smithwick

For over 300 years, two brewing families called Kilkenny home. Then it all disappeared. In this first episode of Built in Kilkenny, I sit down with Dan Smithwick — descendant of one of Ireland's most famous brewing families — to talk about how he brought brewing back to a city that had lost it. We get into: - The 300-year history of Sullivan's and Smithwick's - The horse bet in France that cost a family their brewery - What it was like watching the last brewery in Kilkenny close in 2013 - Reviving Sullivan's from nothing in 2016 - Building a beer now sold across the US, Europe and Australia CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro — brewing has come back to Kilkenny 01:09 1702 — Sullivan's, before Smithwick's and Guinness 02:42 Two big brewing families, one city 03:34 Growing up with the nostalgia of a lost brewery 04:37 The famine soup kitchens and the Breweries Club 06:07 Daniel O'Connell and the woman who built Sullivan's 07:41 The Deauville horse bet that ended Sullivan's 09:00 James Smithwick buys the trademarks 10:38 Walter, going public, and Guinness taking over 13:29 2012 — Diageo closes the last brewery in Kilkenny 15:32 The starting gun — deciding to revive Sullivan's 17:57 Building the export footprint in upstate New York 22:45 Building the Sullivan's Taproom 25:48 The hard times and bootstrapping 27:14 Carrying the Smithwick name 28:35 The first pint of Sullivan's at Langton's 29:34 Sullivan's in Cape Town, Finland, all over the world 30:53 The brewery build — purpose-built in Hungary 35:42 What he'd say to anyone following their dream Okay, so — Follow Sullivan's: Website: https://sullivansbrewingcompany.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sullivanstaproom TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sullivanstaproom — Built in Kilkenny is a series of honest conversations with the founders and builders behind this city. New episodes regularly. Subscribe so you don't miss one. Follow the journey: TikTok: @charliecooklive charliecooklive.com #BuiltInKilkenny #Kilkenny #SullivansBrewing #IrishBusiness #Podcast

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