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Episode 59 with Marc O'Dwyer, Founder and Entrepreneur

21st August, 2025

We are delighted to bring you the 59th episode of the podcast series 'Everyday Business with Aidan Donnelly' with guest Marc O'Dwyer, Founder and Entrepreneur. 

 

 

This podcast brings you insightful conversation between Aidan Donnelly and entrepreneurs and business owners/management with their own unique story to tell. A new episode of the series will be released biweekly. You can listen to 'Everyday Business with Aidan Donnelly' via any of your usual podcast providers.

About Marc O'Dwyer

After completing a Graduate program in Marketing, Marc O’Dwyer began his sales career at Allied Irish Banks, Pitney Bowes and Panasonic, before succumbing to his entrepreneurial spirit in 1992 when he set up his own business, Irish International Sales (IIS).  Initially, this company was a reseller for Take 5 Accounts and Payroll software.  Within four years, IIS became the largest reseller of Take 5 in Ireland, acquiring four other Take 5 resellers. He also found time to set up two mobile phone shops under the Cellular World brand and a web design company offering website design services for small businesses.

In 2001, he bought the majority share in a small Irish software business, Big Red Book.  At that time, the company was losing money.   The company became profitable within six weeks, and Marc then acquired a payroll company to compliment Big Red Books Accounting products. In 2003, IIS were appointed as Channel Partners with SAP for their new SME product, SAP Business One.  Marc sold his Take 5 business and concentrated on developing this new market for SAP, and in 2008, IIS was bought in an MBO.

He launched Big red cloud in June 2012, the online version of big red book, which has been a huge success with a customer retention rate of 94% and unparalleled customer support. Marc sold both Big Red Book and Big Red Cloud in April 2025 at which stage the companies had supported over 75,000 businesses.

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The participants in this podcast have done so for the purpose of sharing their own individual business experiences.  Some are clients of Davy and some are not.  They have not received a gratuity or other payment for their time in making the Podcast.  The views expressed throughout are their own. 

WARNING:  The information in this Podcast is not a recommendation or investment research.  It does not purport to be financial advice.  You should speak to your advisor, in the context of your own personal circumstances, prior to making any financial or investment decision.