Lifestyle
The Galwayman with the Midas touch – and a social conscience
Interview with Mike Feerick republished from the Connacht Tribune of 20 May 2011
BY DENISE McNAMARA
HOWEVER he has managed it, Galway technology entrepreneur Mike Feerick has kept below the public radar for a long time. And that’s the way he would have kept it but for the doom and gloom.
Buoyed by the enthusiasm sparked by the Global Irish Economic Forum at Farmleigh organised by economist and broadcaster David McWilliams, Mike decided to progress his idea of ‘Ireland Reaching Out’.
As McWilliams explains on his blog: “This man had an extraordinary idea. Instead of waiting, he said, for Irish Americans and the like to come back to Ireland to trace their roots, how about we go the other way? How about we organise and enable, using the latest online communications and database tools and resources, local Irish communities at a townland, village and parish level to find out who was born in their area, where they went, and trace them and their descendants worldwide? That way, he suggested, we could systematically reunify our entire diaspora,
Creating ‘virtual communities’, expanding each local parish beyond its own physical boundaries and allowing them reach out across the world?”
Mike’s passion for the initiative – that is being piloted in south east Galway and culminating in a ‘Week of Welcomes’ starting on June 26 – has been brewing his whole life.
Over the course of two hours in his Parkmore office near the Galway racecourse, he recalls how his family ran a small country shop and a pub.
Business was always in his blood.
His parents, both originally from Ballinrobe, met in New York in the 50s and returned to live in Limerick City when Mike was four years old.
When he was eleven they moved to east Galway.
The six months he spent in a 24-pupil national school in Tiernascragh, north of Portumna, produced the happiest memories of his school days – there were just four in his class, and one of his classmates was his twin brother.
While still a student of Portumna Community School he showed himself to be a budding entrepreneur by organizing discos and dances.
He went on to do a business degree in the NIHE (now University of Limerick) where he ran several businesses on the side, including one selling tshirts promoting the college as Ireland’s technology university at a time when it was vying for university status.
He was President of the Business Society that opened the door to meetings with the then-College President Ed Walsh. It was at one of these that he first heard the name of Chuck Feeney, the university’s
billionaire patron, whose foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, has spent more than $5 billion since 1982 on health and social projects around the
world, with plans to spend its remaining $4 billion endowment by 2017.
He applied to do an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) in Harvard, a course that costs $100,000 a year at an institution that accepts just 7 per cent of applicants. He was accepted and told they
would help with the exhorbitant fees. But at 23 he was deemed too young.
“They said to go off and do something interesting and we’ll keep an eye on you but [being accepted] opened the Harvard door. I wrote a letter to Chuck Feeney in New York – my grandmother was a Feeney – I said I was reasonably talented, I could do things and was keen to return to the west of Ireland and make a difference.
Almost immediately he heard back from the businessman who had made his fortune after co-founding the Duty Free Shoppers Group, which was sold for $1.63 billion.
He became an intern at General Atlantic Corporation, where he got experience in hotels, sports clubs and venture capitalism.
“He put me under his wing for 18 months. The idea was he would teach me everything he knew. He owned all the Hiltons in Texas so I would
spend two weeks making beds, then two weeks with the CEO. I had to figure out how many chamber maids were working, how many pillows
were being used. The next day I might have to work in a clothes shop. It was an amazing, life-changing experience.
He was a tremendous mentor for me over the years and shaped my thinking and made me think about how to use money to address social ills.”
It was through savings, a loan, a fellowship – there are a number of foundations that are dedicated to helping Harvard students of Irish descent – he financed his MBA.
During his two years he networked like mad – “some of my closest friends are from Harvard” – and was first introduced
to the internet.
“Immediately it said to me: this is going to allow me to live in the west of Ireland. When I was getting out I was offered a job with Goldman Sachs. I could have made millions… managing the wealth of private clients. I decided that wasn’t what I wanted to do. Working with Chuck definitely
gets you thinking money wasn’t the most important thing. There’s a social responsibility – if you feel able to do it.”
He hunted for a job nearer home that involved the internet.
He accepted the job of executive assistant to the chairman of the BMG music label, John Preston, where another budding music empresario
Simon Cowell was making a name for himself.
“I didn’t have an awful lot to do with Simon. I’d see him in meetings. My role there half the time was looking at mergers and acquisitions and the other half examining the impact on music of the internet. We came up with the strategy that artists would have to focus on live performances.”
He left to run an internet company for a Harvard classmate, Interactive Investor International, which was sold after a year making him “a bit of money”.
By 1997 it was time to move back to Ireland. He had met Eileen, an Irish American travel agent and sometime fiddler at a music session in the Sunny Hill pub in New York after sitting down beside her with his guitar. The couple married and after having their first child decided to move to Loughrea.
He acquired the Irish rights to Jfax, a US-based unified messaging system, then selling it to the Denis O’Brian’s company Esat.
“That was really handy. I had two hits really, really quick and it gave me a bit of capital”.
He set up a development centre for e-learning, which at one stage employed 50 people. It was later downsized to five people as it could not compete with India. It did however sow a seed in him that online education was where he wanted to be.
In the meantime he had set up another unified messaging company, this time called YAC, where 60 people were employed in Galway.
YAC allowed users to redirect calls and faxes around the world and enabled calls to be diverted to voicemail and sent as sound files to an e-mail inbox.
Mike clinched a $12m (€8.4m) round of funding, days before the market collapsed in 2000. He sold it to Nasdaq-listed J2 Global Communications
for an undisclosed sum.
By 2005 the cost of services to run an online business such as broadband had come down while the ability to raise money through advertising on a webpage had improved.
“It was a Eureka moment – I thought if I you could produce efficiently an online platform to allow all learning to be free it had all the social elements.”
And so Advance Learning Interactive Systems Online (Alison) was born. The company could potentially transform the business of education, worth $3 trillion worldwide, second only to healthcare.
This year Alison is offering 200 courses to students around the world on subjects such as the fundamentals of law and how to set up an online business.
So far they have signed up 600,000 students globally, making it the largest company of its kind in the world. There are 100,000 users in the Arab world.
“We have to laugh in the office when they say the ‘spring revolution’ came about as a result of Facebook and Twitter. Where did they learn about Facebook and Twitter, only through Alison. We are a player in education across the middle East,” he enthuses.
When asked about whether the courses are certified by various professional bodies, he points out that computer courses are to a microsoft standard and English courses are set by the British Council.
Online certification is provided for free.
“Is it accredited? No. We don’t want to be,” he insists.
“We’re more about really learning the stuff and giving people the skills instead of giving you the cert that says you have the qualification. When employing somebody you need to know if they really know what they are saying they know. We concentrate on people’s employability.”
The company’s biggest market is the UK, where it has 200,000 users and is installed in public libraries and used by trade unions. In America it has 100,000 users and the United States Department of Labour is using it in 18 states.
He believes Fás could save a fortune if they directed those on the dole to Alison instead of forking out for courses which cost €500 a head.
“We’ve approached the government with a proposal which I believe is being seriously considered. They could save tens of millions on IT training. That could release funds for more engaged teaching, such as funding for special needs teachers for students with ADHD.”
The business makes money through advertising and offering premium services. Each time Mike is asked a question that involves money he answers vaguely, as if talking about it is bad manners.
According to the Sunday Times, Mike and his business partners made an investment of €2 million to set up and it now generates about €1m a year through selling ads.
Ferrick has been made a fellow of Ashoka, a network of social entrepreneurs, and was one of 15 companies worldwide which last March received the support of the group to help it grow on a
global scale.
Next month over 500 volunteers will gear up to stage a series of events across 48 parishes in the south east of the county.
Visitors will stay in their native parishes, dine in local restaurants, attend local GAA matches and socialise in local pubs. The event is being covered by the New York Times.
While he insists that that numbers of returning emigrants and their ancestors may not be huge for the inaugural Ireland Reaching Out event, it is the start of something huge.
There are plans to roll out the model across the country and eventually create a database of the global Irish diaspora.
“The simple idea behind Ireland Reaching Out is economic. If we systematically go after the diaspora I think it can be phenomenally impactful for Ireland. It unleashes enormous energy in parishes if they
reconnect with their disaspora.
You have to give before you get. You have to give them a sense of belonging. In return they may invest in the community and they may look after your emigrants…”
Almost every second week Mike travels abroad to look after his business interests, which include some other internet companies.
He insists the country is not on its last legs.
“I’m not in agreement that we should be accepting that we should be accepting all the debt. But at the end of the day I’ll be accepting what Enda Kenny believes the country can take. Someone has to start thinking positively and articulately about the good things that are going on.
“There’s a lot of positive stories, a lot of companies like Alison doing really well overseas – 4% of our traffic on Alison is from Ireland – we have 15,000 learners in Yemen. We put out a call last January asking for volunteers to help market it worldwide last January. We got 4,000.”
It still gives him a thrill that he can run an international company from Galway.
“The amount of blessings I’ve got from the Middle East saying thank you Mr Alison. We are changing lives all over the world. That’s a lot of fun,” he grins.
“At the same time I can come home and play with the kids and go to a hurling match then go to a music session on the weekend.”
Health, Beauty and Lifestyle with Denise McNamara
A native of Ballinasloe has expanded his baby clothing business and created a range of unique tableware and cutlery – all made from bamboo. Entrepreneur Enda Barton, who set up BambooBaby during the lockdown when he lost his job, has recently taken the huge leap of leaving his job in a computer company to work full-time in the business.
While there are some companies that sell baby tableware made from bamboo, this is the first Irish company to produce tableware themselves.
“I started BambooBaby with clothing, and the idea of having a tableware range made from 100% bamboo came to me when I was thinking about what our customers would want,” explains Enda.
“This makes it particular attractive for those who are gifting because now they can order a bundle of clothes, and add a beautiful sustainable feeding set to go in with the clothes which makes a really unique gift.”
Each item has smooth edges that are gentle on little gums and easy for babies to hold, facilitating their seamless transition from liquids to solids. The plates are divided into sections to encouraging them to eat varied foods and develop healthy eating habits from an early age.
An FDA approved silicone suction base is attached to secure the tableware in place, minimising spills and messes. Though silicone is a synthetic material, it outshines its plastic counterparts in terms of durability, temperature tolerance, and environmental impact. Unlike plastic, silicone does not degrade into harmful microplastics, which means it’s better for the environment.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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Positivity, empowerment, encouragement and hope will be the focus in schools this Thursday, when children will get to celebrate National Confidence Day in classrooms right across the country.
A host of Irish celebrities have come together to participate in an inspirational and motivational half hour show, produced by STARCAMP with Gala Retail for the children of Ireland, with contributions from An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, Alisha Weir (Matilda in the movie by the same name), Rory’s Stories and Cillian O’ Connor, an Irish favourite in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent. “If children watch only one thing this year, let it be this”, stated Principal Sean Cummins.
Earlier this week, ahead of National Confidence Day on Thursday, STARCAMP with Gala Retail carried out a national survey about confidence and children’s well-being in children. Just under 2,000 parents from all 26 counties across Ireland with primary school aged children took part. The research uncovered that:
- 66% of parents said that they would like their children to be more confident.
- 97% believe that it is very important that life skills such as handshakes, resilience and the importance of losing be taught to children.
- When asked if parents would like the school environment to be changed in any way, (they were allowed to choose up to 2 options), only 6% believe that the it is fine as is. 64% believing more life skills should be taught in school. 52% would like to see more creativity, 32% would like to see more emphasis on their holistic development, 10% would like to see more sport.
- 75% of those whose children use devices believe that it has a negative effect on their confidence.
- 42% of parents admit that they problem solve for their children too much.
- Out of 7 traits that were listed that parents would wish for their child going forward, including academic excellence, sociability, creativity, confidence, resilience, sporting ability and street smartness, 40% chose resilience, 35% chose confidence, 13% chose being sociable, 5% chose street smart, 3% rated creativity as the most important trait, 2% chose academic excellence and 1% chose being sporty.
- Further analysis from the survey showed a concern that the majority of parents share for their children. When asked about their children’s anxieties and worries, a concerning 13% of parents said that their primary school child suffered from anxiety. A further 38% said that their child worries too much, with less than half, 46%, stating that their child had normal worries in life and a further 2% that don’t seem to worry about anything.
- 43% would like if their child’s social skills were better.
- 85% believe that group activities (such as performance and sport) are extremely important in their child’s development, a further 14% find it important. Less than 1% state that it is of no importance.
Commenting on the findings, Aideen O’Grady, Founder of Starcamp says:
“Research clearly shows that parents across all 32 counties of Ireland desire a more holistic lifestyle for their children. An overwhelming 97% would like to see more emphasis on life skills, with a strong desire for more balance in the classroom and not for the main emphasis to be on academia. As always, excessive technology is playing a negative role in our children’s lives and sadly, the majority of parents feel that their child is not confident enough. The fact that the majority are genuinely concerned with their children’s anxiety and stress levels is quite disturbing, particularly with a group of children so young and innocent. I always appreciate these findings, whatever the outcome, because it gives us the opportunity to make changes.”
STARCAMP recently decided to take baby steps towards encouraging positivity, confidence and growth in children outside of their camp environment. This Thursday, for National Confidence Day, they have produced a special half hour show which will be available to watch in all classrooms and homes across Ireland. Over 300,000 are expected to tune in on Thursday. Over 270 STARCAMP with Gala Retail camps will take place this summer across Ireland, with almost 30,000 children attending. The theme is resilience and there is a new section on life skills. “From small acorns grow mighty oaks. If we can start with a positive little seedling like this show in the classroom or home, and build on it little by little, focus on the positive and laugh, dance and rejoice more – just imagine how our children could feel about themselves. And then, just imagine what they could achieve!”
The “I BELIEVE IN ME” Confidence Show for Children will be available for all to watch and can be streamed on Thursday, May 25th, from the Starcamp website www.starcamp.ie for a limited time.
Country Living with Francis Farragher
Sometimes, I’m taken aback a bit, by some of the younger acquaintances that I enjoy a few scoops with. They’re kind of surprised that I’m not a fan of Donald Trump; that I’ve no problem with gay rights; and that I have sympathy for the plight of the Ukrainians who have come to Ireland to avoid being slaughtered by the Russians.
There is, I feel, some lingering gene from famine times which clicks in with me – and a lot of other Irish people too – where a little alarm bell of the mind rings and transports me back to a time of only a few generations back when the Great Hunger ravished our land, killing around one million people with at least as many more, taking the emigrant boats, mainly to America, to try and survive.
At times, it’s worthwhile to have a little historical reflection, on the greatest catastrophe to have ever hit our island when we were a colony of the United Kingdom following the 1801 Act of Union. We were a largely tenant population – the poorest of the poor – relying almost exclusively on the potato crop to feed the general masses.
Although the penal laws had largely been repealed during the Daniel O’Connell era, there were only two classes of people in Ireland during those days of the 1800s: the English and Anglo-Irish families and landlords who owned practically all of the land and then at the other end of the ladder, the far greater majority of the population, the native Irish, who had to pay rent and eke out a living from two or three acres of often poor quality land.
As bad as things were up until 1845, at least the potato crop managed to keep the people fed. Potatoes ironically had been introduced by the landed gentry about a century before that as a garden crop, with one main variety grown, known as the Irish Lumper. Disaster though was to strike through 1845 in the form of potato disease with the name of Phytophrthora infestans, which in simple wordage translated into a word that’s now part of the Irish psyche – the blight.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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