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.

In this episode of "Wellth Talks," host Garry Kelly is joined by Dan Haylett of TFP and Niall Leyden of Atlantic Wealth Management to explore the emotional and behavioral aspects of retirement. They discuss the challenges of shifting from saving to spending, the psychological impact of retirement, and the importance of health and purpose. The conversation emphasizes aligning financial planning with personal values, enjoying experiences over possessions, and maintaining well-being. Listeners are encouraged to rethink retirement as a fulfilling, balanced phase of life, integrating family, health, wealth, and meaning.

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

Dan Haylett https://www.humansvsretirement.com

The Retirement You Didn't See coming (book)

https://www.humansvsretirement.com/book

Humans vs Retirement (Podcast)

https://www.humansvsretirement.com/podcast-1

Atlantic Wealth Management

https://atlanticwm.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 Wellth Talks podcast introduction, host and guest introductions, and episode overview.

Emotional and Behavioral Aspects of Retirement (00:01:05) Discussion on the emotional and behavioral challenges of spending time and money in retirement.

The Challenge of Spending in Retirement (00:02:20) Exploring why retirees struggle to spend their savings and the psychological barriers involved.

Societal and Family Expectations Around Legacy (00:03:56) How societal norms and family expectations influence saving, spending, and leaving inheritances.

The Guilt Complex and Rationality in Retirement Decisions (00:06:50) Debate on whether underspending is irrational, and the real reasons people want to leave a legacy.

The Value of Giving with a Warm Heart (00:07:49) Encouragement to give money away during life for greater happiness and impact.

Visualizing the Perfect Retirement Day (00:09:38) Dan Haylett describes his ideal retirement day, focusing on presence, environment, and feelings.

The Importance of Feelings Over Appearances (00:12:03) Advice to focus on how retirement feels rather than what it looks like.

The Three Kinder Questions and Vulnerability (00:12:24) Discussion of George Kinder’s life planning questions and the need for vulnerability in planning.

Finding Balance: Saving vs. Living (00:13:50) Historical perspective on economic cycles and the challenge of balancing saving with enjoying life.

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivators (00:15:27) How people today value experiences and meaning over possessions, and finding personal balance.

Health and Reverse Engineering Retirement (00:18:42) Emphasizing the importance of health and starting retirement planning with the end in mind.

The Myth of the Magic Retirement Number (00:19:20) Challenging the obsession with a specific retirement savings number and advocating for scenario planning.

Peak Knowledge, Purpose, and Health in Retirement (00:20:03) Encouraging continued contribution post-retirement and the link between purpose, health, and longevity.

Behavioral Strategies for Spending in Retirement (00:21:55) Practical strategies to empower retirees to spend confidently and enjoy their savings.

The Importance of Physical and Mental Health (00:23:02) How retirement highlights neglected health issues and the need for strength and mobility.

The Four Pillars of Wellth Talks (00:23:56) Summary of the podcast’s focus on family, health, wealth, and business for a fulfilling retirement.

Closing Remarks and Farewell (00:24:45) Final thanks, guest promotions, and episode wrap-up.