My Business Life: Owen Murray, URHired

Owen Murray, founder of URHired, a recruitment platform for people with anxiety and/or ADHD, shares his life and his business lessons.

As the founder and CEO of URHired.ie, Owen is on a mission to empower job seekers to find their dream job, including those with anxiety and/or ADHD.

Having experienced redundancy himself during his career, Owen has deep empathy for people facing the emotional and mental challenges that come with interviewing. He is committed to supporting his clients on their journey via interactive workshops.

Now in business for two years, Owen has helped job seekers all over the globe. And his testimonials attest to the positive impact he makes in people’s lives.

Tell us about your background and the journey you took to arrive at where you are today?

I have a background in sales and transitioned into recruitment in London, as there were a lot of synergies between sales and agency recruitment. I worked for two agency recruitment businesses in London over a six-year period. In 2016, I returned home and wanted to be closer to the business side of things, so I took up a recruitment role at Accenture. From there, I moved on to Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and most recently, Polly, which is now part of Hewlett Packard.

Throughout my 13 years in recruitment, I’ve been made redundant three times. That experience gave me a deep understanding of the anxiety and challenges people face when looking for jobs. When I was made redundant from my last role, I decided to use my expertise to help others navigate the job market. That’s how URHired.ie came to life – a job interview preparation service designed for everyone, with a special focus on helping individuals with anxiety, ADHD, and similar conditions succeed in their job search.

How did you fund your business, and what are your growth plans?

I used my redundancy package, so the business is completely self-funded. It didn’t require significant investment since I didn’t need office space or major infrastructure. I was a one-man band in the beginning. I also completed a Start Your Own Business course with LEO (Local Enterprise Office). They were incredibly supportive and assigned me a mentor who guided me for 18 months at no charge.

For growth, I have hired three interview coaches based globally, who are trained in my methods and sell packages for me. I want to strategically expand the team and the aim is to grow my work within the education sector, offering more workshops on mastering job interviews while managing anxiety.

Who has helped you most along the way? Who was your greatest mentor or inspiration?

Without a doubt, my wife. She has been my biggest supporter, believing in me when I had doubts. She also designed my logo and played a key role in the early stages of my business. Her encouragement kept me going, especially in the slower months when I questioned whether it would all work out.

What was the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever received?

One piece of advice that has stuck with me from the Start Your Own Business course at LEO is: If you don’t have a paying customer, you don’t have a business.

It’s easy to get caught up in branding and marketing, but at the end of the day, sales are what sustain a business. That simple but powerful advice has shaped my approach to growing my company.

What has been the most challenging aspect of growing your business?

Getting my name out there was tough at the beginning. I now understand that face-to-face networking is the key to success for my business – people buy people and, while it can sometimes be tiring to network, it really makes an impact on the growth of the business. I joined The Sandyford Network last April, and I wish I had done so earlier – it is full of great people who have a similar mindset and we all want to help each other.

The first year of business is always challenging, and I had to accept that growth would be slow initially.

How has digital transformation played a role in your business?

Digital tools have been crucial. I use Canva for content creation and leverage AI for brainstorming ideas, though I never directly copy from it. My podcast, The Interview Expert, has been a game-changer, allowing me to reach audiences in places I never expected, including the U.S. and beyond.

Do you think Irish companies are utilising digital strategies effectively?

It’s a mixed bag. Some companies are embracing digital strategies, while others are lagging behind. Many are embracing digital tools for marketing, sales and customer experience platforms but resources and skills to ensure effective usage of these tools can be hard to come by. 

We’re all still learning how to use these tools effectively, including AI – there is a lot more to come in this area and I believe there is a place for the human and the robot in business. Figuring out how both elements work best for your business is the interesting part.

What was the inspiration for naming your company URHired.ie?

I wanted a name that immediately resonated with my clients and reflected the outcome they were looking for. URHired.ie is exactly what job seekers want to hear, and that’s the result I help them achieve.

In your opinion, what qualities mark the difference between success and failure in business?

The number one factor for me is networking. Sitting in a room with fellow entrepreneurs, making real connections, and being referred to by others is essential. Hiding behind a laptop isn’t enough anymore and, despite the opinion that “everything is done online” these days, people want that connection, especially when they’re choosing someone to work with.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of growing your business?

Seeing my clients succeed. When I notice a client updating their LinkedIn profile with a new job title or I receive a five-star review thanking me for my help, it reinforces why I do this work.

How has networking contributed to your business growth?

I cannot over-emphasise just how key networking has been to my growth. Networking has been the most effective strategy for growing my business, particularly on the B2B side. Irish people are natural networkers, and leveraging those connections has been key.

Who inspires you in business today?

I’d say Steven Bartlett from Dragon’s Den and The Diary of a CEO podcast earlier episodes. I’ve read his book multiple times and built a lot of my business strategy around his insights. I also admire Bill Walsh, the former coach of the San Francisco 49ers, who transformed a failing team by focusing on the small details. I apply this approach to URhired.ie – build good foundations, sweat the small stuff and the big deals will start to come through.

What advice do you give to new hires to nurture talent in your organisation?

The customer is king.

If you do a great job for one customer, they’ll refer you to the next one. I always tell my team that if you can get two referrals from every client, you’ll never struggle for business.

What business books would you recommend?

I highly recommend:

• The Diary of a CEO – Steven Bartlett
• The Score Takes Care of Itself – Bill Walsh
• The Magic of Thinking Big – David Schwartz

I also use Blinkist, which summarises books in 15 minutes— it is great for getting key insights on the go.

What tools or technologies do you use to stay organised?

I use Monday.com. It keeps finance, marketing, sales and operations in the same place and is very user friendly. It is also not overly expensive.

What advice would you give to your 21-year-old self?

Be kinder to yourself.

In my 20s, I struggled with anxiety but didn’t fully understand what it was. I would tell my younger self that many others feel the same way and that talking about it is important. You don’t have to struggle alone.

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