Cathal Kearney

Empowering Potential

Course: Health & Leisure with Adapted Physical Activity

Year of study: 4th year

College: Institute of Technology Tralee

Business name: Empowering Potential

Sector: Disability Training

Business idea: Empowering Potential works with families and support services to design and deliver custom-tailored physical activity programmes and coaching for a range of disabilities in specialised indoor, outdoor and aquatic environments.

Plans for September 2019

  1. Trial the programmes that have been designed.
  2. Finalize the processes that will enable us to get our programmes to people with disabilities.
  3. Organise a showcase event to communicate the value of the work we do.

Student Inc. Programme Highlights

Day to day discussions with the other Student Inc participants, staff and businesses in the Tom Crean Centre. Maria Coakley’s workshops and advice on lead generation, value pitches and sales processes which helped me define and redefine the brand and how I communicate it.  Creation of the Work Breakdown Structure as a means of guiding the business. Tony McCarthy’s workshops and advice helped me fully define the service I was trying to offer and how to communicate the value of the work I’ll be doing.

Any previous entrepreneurship experience before you joined Student Inc.?

I had my own personal training brand before coming on board whereby I would run bootcamps and train a variety of individuals with ranging abilities from beginners to under 18 and under 20 Munster Rugby players.

What connections did you make on the programme?

Primarily with legal professionals on how to set up a business efficiently and effectively, namely; Antoinette Glavin and Eileen O’ Sullivan. Other professionals in the health sphere; Aoife Quill and Cliffe Fee.

 

What advice would you give to someone thinking of applying to Student Inc.?

Define your project or business fully before moving onto the practical elements such as buying equipment or securing locations. Don’t be pressured into sales or selling the product, the purpose of Student Inc is to develop your idea and change elements if needs be. Make as many connections as you can. Everyone you meet has a skill or piece of advice which can benefit your business or idea. Don’t expect to have a full-fledged business by the end of the 3 months!

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