We talk to women forging innovative businesses in rural Ireland. Today, we talk to Bríd O’Brien who is now leading a team of seven at her HR company Albatel.
Bríd O’Brien always wanted to run her own business and after working as a leader in HR for over 25 years, she made the leap and set up Albatel in November 2019. Less than two years on, Bríd is leading a team of seven, providing outsourced Human Resources Management for companies all over Ireland.
Based in Celbridge, Co Kildare, Albatel offers services under five key areas which are HR, recruitment, payroll, coaching, and training.
“They made it fun and easy to make decisions about my business while at the same time I got a wonderful opportunity to learn from such wonderful female entrepreneurs with such diverse backgrounds”
The firm’s goal is to help other companies build profitable teams, reduce risk and facilitate business growth. Albatel do this by working closely with their clients as a cohesive expert team providing a “one-stop shop” service.
Future of work
When the global pandemic forced everyone to move from office to home, many organisations didn’t set up new ways of working for their employees. Bríd had extensive experience in managing organisational transformation and partnering with business leaders to optimise performance, making her perfectly placed to address these new challenges in the pandemic.
Albatel works closely with businesses to help their employees adapt to new technology, and navigate communication challenges, leading to an increase in productivity.
Bríd found taking part in ACORNS to be a fantastic experience and says the programme provided her with her own board of directors, all from totally different business backgrounds. One of the aspects she enjoyed most about ACORNS was that there was no competition and everyone was there to help each other thrive.
ACORNS is a Government-supported programme designed to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland through a peer learning approach.
Women in rural Ireland with new businesses or at least with well-developed ideas are being invited to join ACORNS 7. The ACORNS programme is designed to support early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland through a peer learning approach. Thanks to the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the voluntary contribution of time by Lead Entrepreneurs, there is no charge for those selected to participate.
“The ACORNS programme gave me the time and space in a structured and safe environment to concentrate on my business. It was almost as if I had my very own Board of Directors led by an exceptional chair that I met with on a monthly basis,” says Bríd.
“They challenged, guided, educated and supported me and my business. They made it fun and easy to make decisions about my business while at the same time I got a wonderful opportunity to learn from such wonderful female entrepreneurs with such diverse backgrounds.”
Since setting up, Albatel has been consistent in what they do and Brid credits the hard work of her team members for the company’s consistent growth. She says that quickly adapting to the changes brought about in the pandemic, has shown what Albatel is all about. Her main goals now are to continue to strive to do excellent work and partner effectively with more businesses.
The call is now open for applicants for ACORNS 7 and 50 female entrepreneurs from across the country will be selected to participate. Anyone interested in receiving an application form ahead of the September 10, 2021 deadline for ACORNS 7 should register their interest here
