Why Founders Friday Is Becoming a Must-Attend Event

What do you get when you bring together ambitious business leaders, real founder stories and honest conversations about growth?

That was exactly the atmosphere at the latest Founders Friday, hosted by AllPro Recruitment in Tullamore as the finale to Enterprise Week on March 6th 2026.

This time, the spotlight was on Paul Mahon, CEO of Watt Footprint, a Mullingar-based energy technology company helping businesses take control of rising energy costs.

If you are a business leader, this is exactly the kind of room you want to be in.

The Big Promise: Why This Event Matters for Business Leaders

Founders Friday is not about theory. It is about real stories, real challenges and real solutions from people who are building businesses right now.

At a time when energy prices in Ireland remain among the highest in Europe, and margins are under pressure across every sector, the insights shared on the night were not just interesting. They were immediately useful.

This is what makes Founders Friday different and why it continues to grow as a must-attend event for business leaders across the region, with plans to expand into Mullingar and Dublin.

The Reality: Rising Costs Are Putting Pressure on Every Business

For many businesses, energy has quietly become one of the biggest threats to profitability.

• Costs have surged over recent years
• Uncertainty in global markets continues to drive volatility
• Many SMEs still lack visibility over where energy is actually being used

As Paul Mahon put it on the night:

“If you can’t see it, you can’t control it.”

And that is the challenge.

Most businesses are making decisions about energy spend without the data to back them up.

From Midlands Startup to International Energy Tech Company

Paul Mahon’s story resonated strongly with the audience, not just because of the scale of Watt Footprint, but because of where it started.

Originally from Coolderry, Co. Offaly, Paul founded Watt Footprint five years ago with his co-founder Paul O’Reilly, with a simple goal: to help businesses make better decisions about energy.

Today, the company:

• Employs 42 people across Ireland, the UK and the UAE
• Works with over 1,000 clients
• Secured €7 million in funding in 2024
• Operates from its headquarters in Mullingar

How Watt Footprint Helps Businesses Reduce Energy Costs

Watt Footprint’s approach is simple but powerful.

They install monitoring hardware that tracks energy usage every five minutes, giving businesses real-time visibility into how energy is being used.

From there, the platform:

• Identifies inefficiencies
• Highlights cost-saving opportunities
• Supports better investment decisions

This is backed by their team, who actively monitor usage and flag issues.

The result?

Immediate reductions in energy usage and cost

One standout example shared was the Mullingar Park Hotel, where energy costs were reduced by approximately 40%, alongside the removal of fossil fuels from the system.

For many businesses, those kinds of savings are the difference between standing still and growing.

The Formula That Stuck with Everyone

One of the most talked-about moments of the night was Paul’s leadership philosophy:

Event + Response = Outcome

You cannot control every event in business.

But you can control how you respond. This hit home with the room because every business leader has faced:

• Unexpected costs
• Difficult decisions
• Moments where there is no clear right answer

Paul’s message was clear:

• Make decisions quickly
• Do not avoid problems
• Back your team
• Learn and move forward

It is simple. But not easy.

The Role of People in Scaling a Business

A strong theme throughout the evening was people.

No matter the industry, every founder faces the same core challenges:

• Hiring
• Retaining talent
• Building the right structure

Watt Footprint experienced rapid growth and to meet this growth, they invested in their people:

• Building an internal graduate programme
• Developing young talent
• Creating a strong culture from the Midlands outward

This aligns closely with AllPro Recruitment’s mission: Helping businesses build the teams they need to grow. Because no matter how strong your strategy is, it is your people who deliver it.

The Power of Local Enterprise Support

The event also highlighted the role of Offaly Local Enterprise Office in supporting businesses across the region.

From GradStart, which provides funding for hiring graduates, to Green for Business, which offers free energy audits and grant support, the message was clear: There is real support available for businesses that want to grow.

3 Key Takeaways Every Business Leader Should Take Away

1. Visibility Drives Better Decisions

If you cannot measure something, you cannot manage it. This applies beyond energy. It applies to people, performance and growth.

2. Decisive Decision Maker is Key

There is no perfect decision. When you are a leader, you need to take the information you have and make a decision fast. Waiting for perfect decision slows you down. Make the best decision you can with what you have and move.

3. Every Business Is a People Business

No matter your sector, your biggest challenges will always come back to people. Hiring, leadership, culture and decision-making define your success.

Why You Should Attend the Next Founders Friday

Founders Friday is growing for a reason. It gives you:

• Access to real founders
• Honest insights you can actually use
• A high-quality room of business leaders
• Real conversations that can drive your business forward

If you are serious about growing your business, learning from others and building strong connections, this is where you need to be.

With plans to expand into Mullingar and Dublin, Founders Friday is quickly becoming more than just a Midlands event.

Final Thought

In a time where energy costs are rising, markets are shifting and pressure is increasing, the businesses that succeed will be the ones that:

• Make better decisions
• Move faster
• Invest in their people

Events like Founders Friday give you the insight and network to do exactly that.

Want to Join the Next Founders Friday?

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Because the room matters. And this is one worth being in.