Estelle Power is the Director of Irish Door Systems, one of the most innovative and dynamic door manufacturers in Ireland. The company can design, supply, fit, service and locally manufacture an extensive range of automatic and bespoke entry solutions for a diversity of industries. Within this vibrant working environment, there is plenty of exciting activity occurring throughout each and every department, ensuring for an exciting workplace, created and curated by the entrepreneur herself.
How do you define success?
I would define success as being happy with your life, to have feeling that you have achieved something worthwhile and enjoyed the journey.
Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
No, I don’t think there certain type of pattern or secret formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur, as every person is completely different and every entrepreneur has their own unique way of doing things.
I do, however, know that it does take a certain type of person to be or become a successful entrepreneur. Firstly, you need to be risk taker, be extremely determined and have total believe in yourself.
An entrepreneur sees opportunities where others may not. You must be confident, positive and have an excellent rapport with people. Most importantly, a true entrepreneur never ever gives up! Even when the hard times hit, a successful entrepreneur just keeps on going.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
It is easy to give up when the going gets tough, but the most successful entrepreneurs persist because of their ambitious nature. The three most important skills would be: incredibly focused, confidence and self-reliance and the ability to take risks.
What tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day schedule?
I have a clear plan of what I need to achieve each day and prioritise that the most important things get done first. I write out my schedule the day before and work my way through each element. I always work best under pressure. I’m at my sharpest when time is of the essence. That’s when I am at my peak performance.
At the end of each day I review what I have accomplished and then start the plan of action for the following day, all the while working in alignment towards the goals of the team and the business.
How did you originally raise funding for your venture?
Raising funding for any business starting off is probably the hardest issue to overcome. For [Irish Door Systems] we simply ensured that we made a profit from day one. We are very proud that by reinvesting the profits back into the business it has enabled the company to continue grow year on year since it was first established.
Having a good relationship with your bank in also very important. We have additionally received tremendous support from the Local Enterprise Office and Enterprise Ireland. There is a abundance of help and support available to businesses to assist in future growth, which then generates further employment, which has a positive effect for the entire region.
What kind of culture exists in your organisation and how did you establish it?
We continuously encourage a culture of collaboration, innovation and continual improvement. We promote this across the entire business, with our clients, suppliers and our team. We have a wonderfully dynamic and energetic team at IDS.
We really promote open communication, honesty and integrity. We want each member of our team to thrive, to grow and develop both personally, as well as professionally. We are very passionate to create an environment where each individual is fully supported and encouraged to advance by continual learning.
Our company culture initially stems from both myself and Marlon’s belief that if you provide a safe environment where people are given an opportunity to learn, supported and encouraged then great things can be accomplished.
What trait do you most value in a business partner?
Drive and ambition; a person who thrives on challenges and is an innovative thinker. Luckily, my partner, Marlon, has all these traits in abundance, so we work very well together!
What is unique about you as a business person?
That is a difficult question to answer. I’m not sure what is unique about me as a business person. I can confirm that from my 20 plus years in the industrial door sector it was definitely unique to be a female in this type of industry, selling door products around the world. At the very beginning of my career I rarely ever met another woman in this industry. I am delighted that now, 20 years on, this has changed.
What can you offer as a mentor?
As a mentor, I could offer someone advice and guidance from the vast amount of experiences I have encountered. As a mentor, I would offer support and encouragement to someone to help them develop their specific skills and knowledge, which would maximise their potential and hopefully improve their performance, thus helping them achieve their goals. By harnessing their unique strengths and values, they would discover their purpose and true passion.
What has been the most significant event in your business journey thus far?
Over the course of the past 20 years there have been quite a number, however, I think the most significant event was returning home to Ireland after spending many years living and working abroad. My aim was to start a viable business here in Cork, promote doing business locally and offer employment to people within the region.
I am extremely proud that we have accomplished that and work with a great team of people in IDS. The business continues to rapidly grow. I am proud that we have achieved this and made a contribution our local economy.
How does ever-changing technology affect how you do business?
Technology is advancing at an extraordinarily rapid pace and it can bring huge benefits within our company, to our clients and to the products we offer. Irish Door Systems continually utilise new technologies across a multitude of sectors within our business. This begins internally by using specialised software to design, draw and model of products. Our manufacturing plant and production processes have been streamlined using cutting edge advancements in machine technology. Our service engineers working out the field use mobile apps, which link them back to the IDS internal teams, thus providing all parties with real-time links to each and every department. Utilisation of new technology enables IDS to produce innovative solutions to achieve groundbreaking advances in door production and entry solutions for all our clients.
You seem like a very outgoing individual, both on a personal level and as a business person; what takes you out of your comfort zone and how do you handle those situations?
I am indeed a very social person! I love interacting with people both on a personal level and professionally. I believe that we need to push ourselves out of our comfort zone in order to challenge ourselves and push our boundaries in order to grow and learn as individuals.
Recently, I have put myself forward to become more involved, promoting more female entrepreneurs to start their businesses and take the leap in becoming great leaders. This involves some public speaking, which is definitely out of my comfort zone but I push myself to get involved, as it is always a worthwhile thing to do. It is great feeling to help someone starting out.
Irish Door Systems
Little Island Business Park, Little Island, Cork
info@irishdoorsystems.ie
irishdoorsystems.ie
