Simon Mould’s Blog

I decided to call the new business Volcano.  I have the domain volcano.ie and I will be populating a website there soon.

The Oven has arrived courtesy of Chris and Luby (Bil and sis) and is currently with Pat Cronin who is building me a buggy to sit it on.  Pat is like an elusive but charming rare woodland creature.  He appears when he wants, but when you want to see him he is effing impossible to find.  Nice as pie when you do.   I am beginning to see that this kind of business behaviour is normal in Cork so the trick is to stay calm and not get stressed.

Philip at Ballymaloe is giving me some great tips and recipes, I work there on Saturdays  for free pizza, the experience is invaluable.

Well I have completed my food safety course and have insurance etc in place.  Matty and I made paddles at Finny’s hurley factory, I have a peel from Forno Brave.  Will gave me a canopy, I have restored my landlords old knackered trailer, just need a trade mark piece of headgear and I am offski.

Simple recipes initially, all good local ingredients (Gubbeen for meat and cheese from the Market cheese stall).

First market will be Cobh on Friday the 23rd October (assuming  Pat pokes his nose out of the trees) then hopefully the following Thursday at Mahon Point and the Garden centre in Glanmire Sunday after that.

I completed the sea kayak trip for MS societies in UK and Ireland.  It was great, I ended up doing 107 miles in pretty much glorious conditions.  In an Attenborough moment I witnessed a  seal chasing salmon which were leaping well clear of the water.  This was on day two of  a two and a half day trip. The last day was a bit hard, tired some wind against tide made it a tad lumpy off Cobh, but on the whole enjoyed it.  Looking like I will achieve my target of £2k so pleased. Thanks an awful lot to all those who supported me.  A special mention to my Dad who got up very early every day to drop me at my start points and to Colette and my mother for holding the fort in my absence.  I will post links to photos in the next day  or so.

The job in Kinsale did not work out despite bringing in some great business and some fab leads.  The owner did not manage to garner support from Enterprise Ireland so the hope of a job there has evaporated despite my very best efforts on all fronts.

So…

I have applied for a stall on the local farmer’s market producing gourmet pizzas in situ.  Let’s see what develops!

The Cork examiner today reports on the outlining of five crises facing Ireland by the economic group advising the government.  The crises are: Banking, Fiscal, Economic, Social and Reputational.  What is the point of an economic advisory group that tells us the depth of the mire that we are in without any suggestions of how we might climb out? Continue Reading »

The assessment panel will look favourably on projects which:

are innovative, generate economic activity, are of benefit to the community, have a clear market, that do not displace existing jobs.

Continue Reading »

The team as SECAD have successfully secured substantial funding (over ten million Euro)  to support new business and community projects in the South and East Cork rural area under the Rural Development Programme. Continue Reading »

If in Ireland the link click HERE to support me.

or if you are in the UK

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Now is a good time to go to your landlord and renegotiate your rent.  

Arm yourself with the facts.  Quote national figures and regional figures. Daft.ie are quoting a 12% reduction in rentals over the twelve months to February. Estimate the falls in your local rental market - the situation may very well be more dramatic.   Continue Reading »

To feel fear and uncertainty is reasonable when faced with a recession after an extraordinarily long period of growth and prosperity.  

Why not take the energy from the fear and use it to reignite your business.

Now is the time to pose difficult questions like: Continue Reading »