Q1. Tell us where it all began
It all started in 2011 when I was working as Head of Learning & Development for a large organisation. I was seeking some services from the market that didn’t appear to exist. So I decided it might be a good opportunity for me to start my own Training & Development company – something I had been harbouring dreams of for a few years.
So I took the plunge in those recessionary years leaving my permanent, pensionable job and set up on my own from my kitchen table. It started with me picking up the phone to companies and asking them if they would like some bespoke and unique training offerings. A couple of years later, there was enough work to take on an employee and that has grown to having 6 today. Clients include ALDI, Sisk, CluneTech, KPMG, The Central Bank, VHI, Homecare Medical, and many others as well as public companies who we have won work with through the tendering process.
We research, design, develop and evaluate innovative content for our clients. We use technology to aid the learning expeirence such as virtual reality games, the Learning Vault for secure access to curted content and CheckMate, our learning enagagement, testing and evaluation software.
Q2. What differentiates you from similar businesses in this area?
MONERE was established in 2011 during a time when Ireland was in the midst of a recession and the country’s economy was described as an “economic malaise.” At the time, I remember people telling me that it was “too risky” to start my own business, saying things like, “giving up a full-time job, are you crazy?” and “what if it doesn’t work out?”
Their warnings didn’t stop me and, to be honest, they gave me the determination to show that anything is possible when you set your mind to it. Having previously worked in Learning & Development Management roles across various different industries and countries, I gained in-depth knowledge and experience in this field.
As the founder and CEO of MONERE, with a PhD in Education, I believed I could bring something new and innovative to the Learning & Development market. Fast forward 12 years and MONERE is growing from strength to strength.
Q3. What would you say are the biggest challenges your business is currently facing?
Post covid, many businesses are still resolving the issues of remote working and in-office attendance. We have, from the beginning, tried to help and expand the ability to train and develop opportunities through our online services. To achive that, we pivoted our servies to fully online to adapt to the global pandemic and ensure we continued to provide a quality service for our clients. By doing this, it helped MONERE to stay in business and keep our employees in work.
As such, with many businesses still recovering from the pandemic, a big concern of ours is that companies don’t have adequate budgets for staff training & development. Because of this, we face a competitive market in terms of winning tenders, partnering with new clients and sustain revenue.
“We have, from the beginning, tried to help and expand the ability to train and develop opportunities through our online services.”
At present, MONERE is one of very few training companies in Ireland who hold a Quality Management System Certificate ISO 90001:2015 from the National Standards Authority of Ireland. We supply a learning experience for our clients combining an integrated use of online, in-person and hybrid training sessions.
With our customised courses & endorsed Learning & Development Institute Programmes for each client, and tailored content, our aim is to target the requirements of all our attendees in a sytle that suits their needs.
MONERE is continually envolving in line with the current market and trends to provide the best possible products and services for our clients. We pride ourselves in offering a wide variety of in-house Innovative Learning Technologies that complement our training course & programmes. These technologies include: The Learning Vault, CheckMate, Insights Personality Profile, E-learning Courses, Careers Portal Platform, On demand training support, 1:1 Coaching & Mentoring Support.
“At the time, I remember people telling me that it was “too risky” to start my own business…”
Q4. What are your top ‘moments of joy’ over the past 4-5 years?
As a company we have had a number of “moments of joy’ over the last few years. For us, as a global training provider, the positive feedback that we recieve from our new and exisiting clients and attendees on a daily basis is a key motivator for the team at MONERE.
Other highlights that we have experienced include growing the team, expanding our global client portfolio and relocating to a new and improved office space. In addition, we were awarded a Quality Management Certificate from the National Standards Authority of Ireland in 2020 and have maintained it every year since. We feel especially proud to hold this certificate as we are one of very few training companies in Ireland to have recieved this standard.
Q5. What does the future hold for your business?
The future is bright for MONERE – we will continue to grow and expand with new clients, revised technology and access to new markets given the online nature of work and training. We will continue to delight our clients and respond to their needs.
