Off the Fence with Purpose

About Off the Fence with Purpose

A podcast for those seeking purpose in their work, whether staying in their current job or considering a career change. Hosted by communications expert Jim Walsh and Mettacomms data prophet Ellen Gunning Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Jim Walsh

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Feb 2025

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

34 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Success comes from focus

   What does it really take to be successful — and how can we make sure success doesn’t come at the expense of the rest of our lives? In this engaging episode of Off the Fence with Purpose, Jim and Ellen are joined by Maurice Cullen, a former senior executive with major international companies including Unilever, Avonmore, Vodafone and Zurich, and now a leadership and people-development specialist with Leadership Management Ireland. Maurice shares practical lessons from decades of experience helping managers and successful professionals become more focused, effective and fulfilled. At the heart of the conversation is a deceptively simple idea: success comes from focus. The conversation challenges listeners to identify the small number of high-payoff activities that genuinely make a difference in their roles — and to stop confusing being busy with being productive. Maurice explains why tackling the easiest items on a long to-do list can create the illusion of progress, while the most important work remains untouched. Explore how to take greater control of your time, protect your priorities, deal constructively with interruptions and learn to say “not now” without alienating others are all touched on. Maurice also explains why lasting change requires more than good intentions: new behaviours need time and repetition to become genuine habits. But this isn't simply a conversation about workplace productivity. It covers the broader idea of “life balance”, rather than the familiar concept of work-life balance. It will encourage people to think about their “ideal week” — both professionally and personally — and then ask themselves: How can I make next week one per cent better than this week? The conversation also explores stress, working from home, the importance of switching off, leadership in an age of AI, and why human interaction and communication may become even more important as technology advances. Thoughtful, practical and full of memorable stories, this episode offers a refreshing reminder that career progress doesn't necessarily require dramatic change. Sometimes, identifying what really matters, protecting time for it and moving one per cent closer to the life you want can make all the difference. The central message is simple: stop running on autopilot, decide what matters, and deliberately make space for it — at work and in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   7 Sept 2026

   An experienced entrepreneur at 18

   The guest in this episode is Mac O’Brien an 18 year old entrepreneur who began building businesses when he was just 13. If you listen once you will want to go back and listen again and again. His stories and the lessons learned for someone so young in business will keep you enthralled. He comes from an entrepreneurial family, his grandfather was the founder of Funderland which is said to be possibly the largest travelling Amusement Park event in Europe. Mac began his business career at 13 by reselling sneakers and clothing, eventually moving into bulk buying and wholesaling. Then he moved into door-to-door window cleaning, where he knocked on approximately 4,500 doors and built a team of eight friends. He focused heavily on efficiency, reducing cleaning times from around 45 minutes to roughly 20 minutes and generating significant weekly revenue. Website development, came next offering local businesses free websites in exchange for recurring monthly fees. This evolved into his current AI-focused company, ACMR, which helps SMEs identify opportunities to use AI, automate processes and improve operational efficiency. Rather than relying on subscription software, Mac's approach emphasises building customised systems that businesses own as assets. He estimates that the business will hit its first million euros in sales shortly. A major theme is Mac's ability to identify knowledge gaps and turn them into business opportunities. He secured an early €3,000 AI consulting deal after meeting a group of solicitors and explaining how AI could improve their businesses. He subsequently built a team, including a technical co-founder, and expanded internationally to recruit talent. Mac is strongly focused on bootstrapping rather than venture capital, preferring experienced advisers and sustainable growth. He aims to build an Irish-native technology company before potentially expanding internationally. His ambitions extend beyond business, including robotics and eventually entering politics and going for the Irish presidency. Some of the lessons you will hear from Mac’s short but extensive careers are: Start early and learn by doing: Practical experience can develop valuable skills faster than theory alone. Turn skills into scalable systems: Mac repeatedly looked for ways to improve efficiency and create recurring revenue. Listen to experienced people: He believes conversations should be roughly 80% listening and 20% speaking, with strong follow-up questions. Identify genuine market gaps: His AI business grew from recognising that companies knew they needed AI but lacked the knowledge to implement it. Ambition requires focus—but balance matters: His intense commitment has driven rapid progress, though his 16–18-hour workdays also highlight the importance of considering sustainability and personal wellbeing. Mac’s enthusiasm is infectious Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   18 Aug 2026

   Bumps and successes in a portfolio career

   Coming from a family with a strong work ethic provided Sarah Carey with the necessary strength to overcome adversary and learn many life lessons which benefitted her in her business career. Her family business encompassed auctioneering, retail, teaching, farming as well as a strong involvement in local politics, her father William was a councillor on Meath County Council for 47 years. These life lessons stood her well through a range of careers which included: marketing roles with Esat Telecom and Cape Clear, strategic consultant and writer with Cuil, the internet search engine, radio presenter with national station Newstalk, newspaper columnist with Irish Times, Sunday Times and Irish Independent, a Director of Strategic Communications with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) as well as chair, MC, facilitator and speaker at many national conferences and events. In this conversation with Jim and Ellen she discusses the ups and downs of this varied career. She entered Trinity College to study history aged 17 and although always wanting to be a journalist, immediately on graduating she went to work with the Education Building Society (EBS). On advice from a friend, she wrote to entrepreneur Denis O’Brien seeking work with the newly formed Esat Telecom. She went through some intense interviews and was given the choice of three jobs; she chose one in marketing. When she told her boss in the EBS he told her that if it didn’t work out there would always be a place for her at the EBS. Although she later saw examples of misogyny in various workplaces this was one of the many men, she worked with who had no such attitude towards woman. Describing her career, she said that there were lots of bumps along the way but also events that energised her. Writing a blog while at home following the birth of two of her children led to becoming a columnist with the Sunday Times. It was something she was reluctant to take but the Irish Editor at the time would not take no for an answer, say that as she was writing a daily blog called GUBU- “An Irish woman’s social, political and domestic commentary” she would be well capable of writing a weekly column. Her lessons and advice from what she terms her portfolio career included: *Get involved. Her involvement in debating, research and networking in Trinity College stood to her in her working career, particularly now when chairing, MCing and facilitating at conferences and events. * If you are facing adversary, keep going, you have no choice. * Understand what’s on social media is only a tiny tiny part of life. * Don’t stay in a negative environment. * For management. If having an issue with staff, listen to them. * Stay calm under pressure. This is an energetic conversation covering a whirlwind of a career. _________________________________ #Career tips #Trinity College #Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School #Marketing #Overcoming adversary #Irish Independent #Irish Times #Sunday Times #Newstalk #Appeals Board of the Architects and Chartered Surveyors #Denis O’Brien #Philip Boucher-Hayes #Tom McEnaney #Fiona McHugh #Terry Prone #Enda Kenny Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Who has been a guest on Off the Fence with Purpose

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Liam O’Dwyer
• Michael Patten
• Martina Byrne
• MICHAEL O'DONOHOE
• Margaret E Ward

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 23 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

46

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact Off the Fence with Purpose

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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