Someone I haven’t seen in a while – even before my move to London – is Conor Lynch, the founder of online / offline social networking business Connector.ie. Which makes me feel extra bad, considering he seems to be turning into one of the most active networkers in Ireland! I first met Conor in 2005 (I think), at the IIA Net Visionary awards. We had planned to meet up for a pint at the awards after some emailing back and forth, but the ‘pint’ at the awards turned into many more after Conor promptly won an award for ‘Internet Marketer of the Year’. At the time he was heading up the online marketing department for Rabodirect, Ireland’s first online bank.
After the awards, Conor made a few moves through different agencies, from Cybercom to EightyTwenty Interactive, and worked with clients like Toyota, Coca Cola, Guinness, Aer Lingus, and Glanbia. Not bad. But then he decided to knock it all on the head and focus on his newest project, Connector.ie.
I have to admit, I thought he was mad!
As a typical ‘entrepreneur’ (I HATE calling myself that), I usually take a big long look down my big long nose at business ideas when they’re described to me. I always look at the ‘damage limitation’ element of things – and look for the worst possible scenarios. I was an eternal optimist when I was younger, but learned the hard way that even the best ideas – particularly those that are fermented all too quickly in your head – need some negative thought directed towards them so you can figure out if they’re rubbish ideas or not. What can go wrong usually will go wrong, and it’s important to figure out in what position you’ll be should it all go tits up.
The problem I had with the Connector.ie concept was… it didn’t seem to have any way of making money. I didn’t think there was a revenue model. The Dragons on Dragons Den didn’t think there was a revenue model. And, a lot of the time, it appeared to me that Conor wasn’t even sure of a revenue model himself. At least if he did, he couldn’t get it across to the Dragons or I.
I should have known better. Of course Conor had a revenue model being constructed bit by bit in his brain. He seems to be able to create a buzz around Connector.ie, and manage to build a team of dedicated volunteers around him, eager to help him build his personal brand, and theirs in the process. And he’s a digital marketer – one of the best Ireland has, apparently.
So, why not use those connections, experience of connecting, and digital marketing experience to train business owners and solo entrepreneurs to connect themselves? Oh, and charge them for it. Bingo! The simplest ideas – despite a sometimes lengthy gestation period – are usually the best.
Today Conor seems to have turned his ‘big idea’ into an even bigger idea that makes money training small business owners the ins and outs of marketing themselves and their businesses online. In an environment where companies are cutting back on advertising spend and starting at the source – axing creative agencies and planners – a service which teaches business owners how to market themselves online is particularly genius.
So, fair play to Conor for a great idea and a happy ending to his Connector story. Actually, for him, it’s probably just the start.