In this episode of "Wellth Talks," host Garry Kelly is joined by Niall Leyden of Atlantic Wealth Management and Pádraic Ó Máille of Smácht, to discuss the vital role of customer focus in business. Using the example of Galway’s Kenny’s Bookshop, they explore how genuine customer care, purpose, and passion drive long-term success. The conversation highlights the importance of nurturing existing client relationships, delivering consistent service, and staying true to core values, rather than chasing growth or technology alone. Listeners are encouraged to prioritise people and purpose to build resilient, thriving businesses.

Please visit: GK Media https://www.gkmedia.ie

Atlantic Wealth Management https://atlanticwm.ie

Pádraic Ó Máille Smácht https://omaille.ie

Disclaimer: Niall Leyden is the Founder of Atlantic Wealth Management Limited, a firm that is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland to advise on and arrange a range of financial products. Please note that Niall’s comments in this podcast are made in a personal capacity and are not recommendations or financial advice and do not form part of Atlantic Wealth Management Limited’s regulated activity.

Podcast Introduction (00:00:00) GK Media and Creators Network introduction; host Garry Kelly welcomes Niall Leyden and and Pádraic Ó Máille.

Customer Focus vs. Business Growth (00:00:17) Garry discusses the tendency of business owners to focus on growth and technology over customer experience.

Kenny’s Bookshop: A Case Study (00:01:14) Introduction to Kenny’s Bookshop as a successful, customer-focused, multi-generational business.

Des Kenny’s Story & Purpose (00:01:33) Pádraic Ó Máille shares a personal story about Des Kenny, highlighting family, purpose, and customer service.

Learning from Family and Mentors (00:03:00) Des’ apprenticeship in the book trade, emotional intelligence, and customer journey lessons from family and Sonny Molloy.

Innovation and Customer Service at Kenny’s (00:05:13) How Kenny’s innovated with book clubs and exports, and their commitment to knowing and serving customers.

Adapting to Change & Surviving (00:07:12) Discussion on Kenny’s evolution, adaptation to technology, and survival against global competition.

Valuing Customers: Personal Experience (00:08:16) Garry shares a negative customer service experience, emphasising the importance of making customers feel valued.

Purpose Over Profit: The Ten Commandments (00:10:14) Niall discusses focusing on purpose, not sales, and shares a story about a client conversation centred on life, not money.

People First, Money Second (00:11:08) Emphasising understanding clients emotionally and financially, and the importance of basics and consistency in business.

Team Reflection and Goal Setting (00:12:52) Describing a team meeting focused on reviewing, planning, and setting intentional goals for the future.

The Power of Passion and Purpose (00:13:41) Reflection on the role of love and passion in business success, using Kenny’s as an example.

Resilience and Client Experience (00:14:40) Importance of resilience, discipline, and regular, agenda-free conversations with clients for exceptional service.

Business Challenges: Costs and Customer Focus (00:15:31) Discussion on rising business costs, minimum wage, and the need to focus on customer relationships during tough times.

Mapping the Customer Journey (00:16:41) Advice on proactively mapping and improving the customer journey to encourage retention and repeat business.

Leveraging Existing Clients (00:18:26) Niall explains the value of focusing on existing clients for business growth and the benefits of slowing down to improve.

Client Retention and Referrals (00:20:09) Examples of high client retention and how satisfied clients become ambassadors, leading to referrals.

Passion-Driven Business Transformation (00:21:06) Story of Brendan from Ethical Tours, illustrating a shift from finance to a passion-driven business.

Continuous Improvement and Learning (00:21:39) Discussion on learning from other markets (e.g., China) and bringing back ideas to improve local business.

The Best Marketing: A Job Well Done (00:21:54) A story emphasising that the best marketing is consistently delivering quality work.

Community, Passion, and Authenticity (00:23:53) Anecdote about business gatherings, highlighting the importance of passion, authenticity, and camaraderie.

Final Advice and Episode Wrap-Up (00:24:47) Closing thoughts: focus on doing your job well and prioritising customer experience for business success.