Matthew Kirwan’s business is the production of Rich Visual Media for Social Media and Television. Helping companies present and promote their business in the best possible light.
- Give a brief description of your company.
Hedgehogs vs. Foxes is a video production company, based in Dublin, Ireland. We produce rich, visual media which helps companies explain their products and services to their customers. We like to think outside the box to produce great quality video to be used for social media and television.
- How did you get the idea/ concept for your business?
I was going to set up a brand activation business and we made a video to promote the new venture. This video became very popular and on the back of its success we decided to focus on video which was becoming very fashionable due to the growing influence of social media.
- Give a brief account of your education background.
After leaving school I did an event management course for a year. Then I set up my own business. After which I enrolled in the school of life! I’m still learning!
- Did you always know/ ever think you would become an entrepreneur when you were younger?
Yes, I always had big ideas in a small village and was always up to something. From mowing gardens to being a DJ, organising parties and events, creating my own business was always in my blood.
- Is entrepreneurship a common trait in your family?
Yes, my father and mother run their own fishing export business. On my mothers side, my grandfather had multiple business too, so it’s safe to say it is in the family!
- Did you have prior knowledge of the industry before setting up your company?
Yes, I had a similar experience through my event management company so I had an idea of what to expect.
- What was your previous work experience (if any)? Do you think this gave you an advantage when setting up your business?
In my previous role in event management, we had a studio which developed visual media for the event industry. This gave me the advantage of knowing the pressures involved with the video industry, client expectations, timelines, costs etc.
- How did you initially fund your business? (self-funded, government funding, etc)
Initially we were self funded but grew in time through the clients we gathered.
- Looking back, would you have changed the method of funding you chose?
No!
- What difficulties, if any, did you encounter when securing funding?
We didn’t get any funding and we are looking for investors at the moment.
- Did you encounter any financial difficulties in the first year of operation? If yes, what did you do to surpass them?
When you are self-funding a business, there is always cash flow restraints. What we did was meticulously manage the money, so we knew where every penny was going.
- What characteristics do you feel benefited you most when starting your business?
A hunger to make my dream become a reality. My passion to create is a natural part of me and so it is easy to incorporate that passion into the business world.
- To what do you attribute your company’s success/growth to?
Our hard work and attention to detail. We are focussed on good customer partnership/care, and I feel our clients can see that and appreciate it.
- What is your opinion on the importance of a professional network for an entrepreneur?
It is important to have a community of people that you can draw upon and learn from their journey. We would not be where we are today without the community of business partners in our network. We learn, we advise, we support each other. So in short, it’s very important!
- Do you think entrepreneurship has changed in recent years?
I feel it’s the same as it’s ever been. Hard work and persistence and having a great network is always the core of entrepreneurship.
- Would you ever consider starting another company or involving yourself in new start-ups again?
Yes I would! I love the experience of setting up a business, but I would only do it if I felt passionate about the project.
- If you had one piece of advice for a new entrepreneur, what would it be?
The best piece of advice I would offer is always be willing to change and grow.