Founders Friday was in Mullingar on April 17th, bringing together a full room of founders, business owners, and professionals for an evening of honest conversation and practical insight. Hosted in Canton Casey’s Bar, the event featured Denise Buckley of Sugar Plum Sweetery and John Mee of Sidero, who shared their experiences of building and scaling businesses from the Midlands. From the outset, the atmosphere was friendly, engaging, and focused on real-world learning, with attendees gaining a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions, challenges, and opportunities that shape growing businesses.

What is Founders Friday

Founders Friday is a business event series created by AllPro Recruitment, designed to bring founders, business owners, and professionals together for real, honest conversations about building and scaling a business. It is not a typical networking event or panel discussion. Instead, it focuses on practical insights from founders who have actually built companies, sharing what worked, what did not, and the decisions that made the difference. Set in a relaxed environment, it creates space for meaningful conversations, valuable connections, and the kind of perspective that helps people make better decisions in their own business.

Inside Founders Friday With Denise & John: What We Learned

The event in Mullingar was not about theory. It was about real experiences with ups and downs and stories of cleaning chocolate off the walls and floor after taking your eye off the machine for a minute!

1. When Opportunity Comes, Move Fast

Denise Buckley shared the moment demand took off and how they made a conscious decision to go all in. Demand for Sugar Plum Sweetery increased by over 500 percent. Instead of slowing down, they leaned in.

• No time off over Christmas
• Immediate investment in equipment
• Scaling production instantly

The lesson was clear:

Opportunities like that do not come often, and when they do, you need to move quickly and commit fully.

2. Be Willing to Pivot

John Mee described his journey as a “pinball machine”.

When a key investor pulled out, the original business model was no longer viable. Instead of forcing it, they pivoted that same weekend into a services business.

That decision led to Sidero scaling to 240 employees and eventually being acquired.

Do not stay locked into an idea that is not working. Flexibility is not a weakness; it’s a growth strategy. 

3. Revenue Means Nothing Without Margin

One of the most practical lessons from the night was around financial awareness.

High revenue does not equal a strong business. Understanding margins, controlling costs, and driving profitability is what allows a business to scale sustainably.

Staying close to your numbers and understanding margins is critical at every stage of growth.

Why Founders Friday Is Becoming a Must-Attend Event

There is a reason these events sell out. It is not just the speakers; it is the room with;

• Founders at different stages
• Business owners dealing with real challenges
• Professionals supporting growth across the Midlands
• Speaker sharing the honest, messy journey of their business’s growth

This mix creates something rare: real conversations and actionable steps you can implement into your business immediately. That is exactly what Founders Friday is all about.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We would like to extend a sincere thank you to Local Enterprise Office Westmeath and MidlandJobs.ie for their support of this Founders Friday event. Their involvement helped make the evening possible and reflects their ongoing commitment to supporting business growth, entrepreneurship, and local talent across the Midlands. They played such an important role in bringing the business community in Mullingar together and creating opportunities for founders to learn, connect, and grow.

Want to Speak or Get Involved?

Founders Friday is growing, and we are always looking for:

• Founders with real stories and practical lessons
• People who want to come along to Founders Friday

If that sounds like you, we would love to hear from you.

Contact us to be the first to hear about the next event or speak at a future event

If you are serious about growing your business, don’t just work harder. Put yourself in better rooms.