Emerging category - Alternatives

Entrepreneur: Aldagh McDonogh & Sandra Lawler
Business Activity: Marketing

Alternatives was set up in 2000 prompted by their own need in their corporate roles for flexible marketers. The company provides access to the finest marketing talent and training available throughout Ireland. In six years they have developed a business from zero to a turnover of in excess of €4million and expect this to double by 2009.

They created a new model of working marketers in Ireland providing a rigorously screened flexible panel of over 400 top marketers that clients can access on interim, consultancy or permanent basis to speed up projects or cover a temporary resource gap. The company recently signed an agreement with the world’s largest marketing training company, CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK) enabling them to provide unrivalled marketing training and marketing skills benchmarking in Ireland.

Alternatives work with most of Ireland’s medium-large companies across a number of industry sectors on resourcing, consultancy and training. Their client list includes Diageo, Glanbia, Coca-Cola, Ulster Bank, Hibernian, O2, and Eircom.

Entrepreneurial Questions

What vision prompted us to start up in business?
Prompted by our own need, in our senior corporate marketing roles, for flexible marketers. Our vision was to create a new model of working in marketing, which would add value to companies and to marketers in their careers in Ireland. We successfully developed a profitable business, delivering on this vision.

Our progression from start up to your current status?
From a zero base in 2000, just 2 people on our panel (Aldagh & Sandra) and no clients, 6 years later Alternatives has developed into a €4m business, with over 400 marketers on its panel, a great team, an unrivalled training offering from the largest marketing training organisation in the world, and an incredible list of blue-chip, satisfied clients.

The biggest risk we have taken?
Leaving our international corporate careers for an unproven business idea and model.

Who or what has most contributed to our success?
Our relentless belief and focus in our idea, our commitment to excellent service and long-term relationships with both clients and candidates, and most importantly our team - all of whom are experienced marketers and who are passionate about Alternatives.

Our biggest business achievements?
We have created an entirely new and differentiated talent model, which 6 years later is now an accepted and mainstream way of working for marketers in Ireland. We brokered the first ever, international deal with C.I.M and entered into a long-term business venture with them in 2005. As the Enterprise Strategy proposed-developing the best sales & marketing talent and skills is critical. Our talent & skills model has the power to significantly improve Ireland’s competitiveness in this key area. Being finalists in Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year!

The best piece of advice we have ever received?
The one piece of consistent advice we got was never to go into business with a friend. Luckily we ignored that!

The biggest challenge we see our industry facing?
The marketing industry needs to ensure it is a driving force in companies. Rather than being seen as solely the ‘ads and brochures’ people, the marketing industry needs to ensure it has a broad base of business skills, being ‘owners’ of customer understanding, driving brand, product and market developments and being key players in developing business strategy. We believe that our unrivalled marketing talent & training combination will further professionalise marketing for competitive edge.

A famous international entrepreneur we most admire and why?
Dermot Desmond. Operating on a truly international scale, Dermot Desmond not only is an incredible entrepreneur in his own right, he identifies and then supports many highly successful, entrepreneurial ventures. Everything he touches seems to turn to gold! 

How do we recharge our batteries?
Travel! New places, new culture, new food, new shopping! We chose international marketing careers, which involved years spent working overseas. The love of travel has stayed with both of us and we try to get away whenever we get a chance. China was on the ‘must visit’ list, so we’re jumping at the opportunity!