Create teams of people that ‘get’ each other. The force of like-minded people working in unison is unparalleled.
Patrick Noel Daly, the star of today’s little feature, is a global entrepreneur that has been involved in the building of products, technologies, and businesses for the past 20 years — with a strong focus in the medical, healthcare, sleep technologies, and aerospace industries (while dabbling in several other sectors as he travels around the world.)
His current ambition is to create Entrepreneurship Academies where he can impart all that he’s learned over his many years of experience to young entrepreneurs worldwide. A goal he’s already put into practice with his new book called “Just Start Up: A Guide to Building Startups from An Entrepreneur Who Has Learned the Hard Way.”
What else does he have in store for us in the future? Learn more below as we unearth all of the intricate details of his journey as an entrepreneur:
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What was your journey as an entrepreneur like? (How did it progress over the years?)
Patrick Noel Daly: My journey as an entrepreneur started when I was 14 years old — selling burgers and fries in a food van in Southern Ireland (a one-man business endeavor that, ultimately, ended up being a great learning experience for my younger self.) Not long after that, in 1996, I founded AutoLink, which was a search engine company (that was developed two years before Google launched!) In 1998 I launched and scaled a medical product company. In 1999 I was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Ireland. And so on.
By the time I was 18, I started traveling the globe — and haven’t stopped since! I consider myself a global entrepreneur as much as I am a global citizen. And, for over 20 years, I have been developing products that are for the people and put “new age” business structures around them to make them work better than ever. On the side, I mentor both entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs around the world. And I’m in the process of setting up entrepreneurship academies around the world to help entrepreneurs make it through the precarious “Year One”.
What have you been working on recently? (Don’t spare any details for our readers!)
Patrick Noel Daly: We have loads going on, but I am particularly excited by a few key developments that we are working on and/or scaling right now:
- New Wound Dressings designed to speed up wound healing.
- Infection Control Enclosures for the protection of healthcare workers and to allow loved ones to be near their ill relatives.
- And, lastly, we’re looking to scale up our sleep technology products. I was involved in the invention of a product called SimCair about 8 years ago. This is a mattress topper for healthcare use and hospitals, and it prevents pressure from damaging skin tissue — it’s also super comfy and it can be disinfected easily to help prevent cross-infection. With COVID, we have adapted these products to provide a washable and hygienic solution for all mattress surfaces (Home, Healthcare, Hotel, Resort, Cruise Ship…. everywhere).
As mentioned, I’m also excited about the entrepreneurship academies that I have in the works. And I recently started a Podcast, which is titled “PND Podcast – Empowering through Entrepreneurship.” (I didn’t realize I’d love doing the podcast as much as I would, but after the first one, there was no stopping me. I am looking for guests to join me on the podcast, so if you’re an entrepreneur looking to get your voice out to the world, you are welcome to contact me to chat and make arrangements.)
What has pushed you to continue as you are today? (Was there any point wherein you wanted to give up?)
Patrick Noel Daly: I am infinitely grateful to my parents for giving me the drive and ability to keep going through hard times. As an entrepreneur, things can get pretty hard — as I’m sure you would agree.
In the beginning, I had been mostly winging it — learning as I went along. And I can’t fault that method even now because I’m a firm believer that no theory or textbook will prepare you for the on-the-ground reality of competition, sales, negotiating deals, etc. It’s something that you have to experience.
Anyways, I never considered giving up. I do, however, restructure and revise. For example, if Plan A doesn’t succeed, then I look to Plan B or maybe C.
As a tip, remember that there is no secret recipe for overcoming difficulty. The key, then, is to stay focused. See and hear what’s going on and map ahead accordingly.
What is one common beginner mistake that you see Entrepreneurs make time and time again?
Patrick Noel Daly: They take too much time to think and plan.
Yes, it’s good to plan and know your space. It’s good to be able to see the road ahead. But, as an entrepreneur, you need to be quick! Map it and then do it!
Time is money and delaying will only give your competitors a chance to overtake you. So, just do it!
Please give us your definition of resilience. (What is resilience to you?)
Patrick Noel Daly: Resilience is having the EQ and IQ to know where you stand and how to stay strong. If you believe in yourself and your plan, you remain resilient.
What sets your company apart from your competitors?
Patrick Noel Daly: One word: Innovation! We’re always thinking ahead.
Innovation is a mindset that is encouraged, nurtured, and rewarded every day in my businesses.
How do you deal with staff, colleagues, senior management, and customers? (What’s your hidden secret to success?)
Patrick Noel Daly: Friendliness and Friendship. I believe that all people in an enterprise need to like and trust each other, particularly in smaller businesses. Same for the link to customers. If they don’t like you and trust you, they won’t work with you or buy from you.
How important is the personal branding of a leader to a company?
Patrick Noel Daly: Hugely important! The leader or CEO is the human face of the company. They must represent the company properly and appropriately. The value of the company depends upon it.
How would you define “leadership”?
Patrick Noel Daly: Leadership is the ability to operate without hierarchy within a business, to be a trusted source of guidance, and to do as well as say.
We have quite a few aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs for readers here at ValiantCEO. What advice can you give that would help them on their journey moving forward?
Patrick Noel Daly: Prepare, talk to experienced entrepreneurs, don’t be afraid to ask questions, put in safety nets in case your first venture doesn’t fly, be choosy in who you work with. These are all the things that I am hoping to teach in the Entrepreneurship Academies that I build to help give young entrepreneurs a chance to succeed.
Please share with us your favorite business-related quote!
Patrick Noel Daly: This is my own quote: “Create teams of people that ‘get’ each other. The force of like-minded people working in unison is unparalleled.”
ValiantCEO would like to thank Patrick for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Patrick or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
