My Business Life: Karl Flannery, Storm Technology

Karl Flannery, chief executive of Storm Technology, shares his life and his business lessons.

Founded in 1995, Storm Technology is one of Ireland’s most trusted business technology consultancies, delivering digital solutions and market-leading customer service across hospitality, construction, utilities, sustainable energy, and the public sector.

As CEO Karl Flannery has led the business for over 25 years, watching client needs evolve as digital transformation became central to business success. In addition to his role at Storm, Karl was former chair of the Irish Software Association (now Technology Ireland).

He has also leveraged his experience to contribute to the wider tech sector in Ireland, contributing to a number of national initiatives including the IP Protocol Implementation Group, Tech/Life Ireland, Space Strategy for Enterprise, and Advanced Manufacturing Research (Industry 4.0). Karl also held board positions for the Innovation Hub at ATU, Irish Manufacturing Research, ITAG, Knowledge Transfer Ireland and various other technology-related initiatives under Enterprise Ireland and IBEC.

Tell us about your background, what journey did you take to arrive at where you are today?

I started out as a software developer after studying Applied Physics at UCG (now University of Galway). Early in my career I worked in software development for a Canadian telecoms multinational, and then Digital Equipment Corporation, an American mini-computer manufacturer which gave me a strong grounding in engineering discipline and how technology scales in real organisations.

In the mid-1990s we were provided the opportunity to setup a software services organisation, so I co-founded Storm Technology (1995) to provide contract software development services. Over time, my role shifted from hands-on technical work to shaping strategy, building teams, and strengthening partnerships (particularly in the Microsoft ecosystem) while staying closely connected to what clients actually need.

Why are you doing what you are doing and what need are you meeting? What is your USP?

At its core, we help organisations turn digital technology into operational outcomes: better service, better decisions, and better experiences for customers and employees.

In the early days Storm tried to be “all things to all people”, building solutions across many platforms. We learned that focus matters, so we doubled down on being exceptional in a defined ecosystem and became deeply aligned to one strategic vendor, Microsoft, while keeping a strong consulting mindset.

Our USP is a blend of client-centric delivery and governance: we communicate clearly, surface issues early, and we stay focused on measurable impact – not technology for technology’s sake.

How did you fund and start the business and what are your growth plans?

Like many service businesses, we started by funding the company through the work we won, delivering contract development services, reinvesting profits, and being disciplined about cash and margin so we could hire and build capability in line with demand.

Over time, maintaining a healthy net margin has been critical because it gives you the fiscal space to invest in people, new offerings, and opportunities as markets shift. In terms of growth, our focus has been on expanding our service portfolio and the impact we can make for clients.

Storm is focused on building deeper specialisation, investing in skills, and evolving from technology consultants into trusted partners for our clients, providing expertise within business-impact conversations as clients move to automated intelligence underpinned by human judgement.

What key skills or qualities have helped set you apart?

A few qualities have made the biggest difference for me: the ability to keep learning as the industry changes; the discipline to focus, and say no, when the business needed clarity; and a consistent emphasis on building resilience, financially and operationally so we can take advantage of opportunities when they appear.

Additionally, maintaining strong external relationships, with customers, partners, advisers and industry bodies, has helped us stay close to market signals and keep Storm relevant through multiple technology cycles.

Who has helped you most along the way? Who has been a mentor or inspiration?

I’ve been fortunate to learn from many people; customers who challenged our thinking, colleagues who raised the bar, and peers across the Irish technology ecosystem. Industry involvement has also been a big part of my development; working with associations and initiatives connected to Technology Ireland/IBEC, Enterprise Ireland related programmes and advisory boards has exposed me to different perspectives and helped me sense where the sector is heading.

Inside Storm, I’m continually inspired by leaders and teams who execute with professionalism and care for the client outcome. I don’t think mentorship is always one person; it’s often a network of relationships that keep you honest and moving forward.

What is the best piece of business advice you have received?

Probably the most valuable advice I’ve received is to stay close to the fundamentals: focus on solving real customer problems, protect your margin and cash, and build a culture where the truth travels fast.

I also like the idea of having a “high tolerance for bad news but zero tolerance for surprises”. If you can surface reality early, you can act early, and that’s often the difference between a small course correction and a costly crisis.

What factors make the difference between success and failure in business?

Success usually comes down to a few repeatable behaviours: a clear purpose and focus, disciplined execution, and the humility to adapt. Markets move, technology moves, and customer expectations move, so resilience matters as much as growth.

I’m also a big believer in investing in people and creating a culture where teams are empowered to make decisions and keep learning.

On the failure side, the patterns are just as consistent: overpromising, lack of governance, weak communication, and underestimating the importance of cashflow. In my experience, you can recover from a lot, but you rarely recover from losing trust, internally or with customers.

What was the most challenging aspect of starting or growing the business?

The hardest part of growing any services business is doing two things at once: delivering brilliantly today while building the capability you’ll need tomorrow. Recruiting, developing, and retaining the right talent is always challenging, particularly when the skills landscape changes so quickly.

Choosing where to specialise, and then saying no to work that doesn’t fit, takes discipline. Finally, maintaining operational excellence as you scale is non-negotiable: clear governance, transparent communication, and a constant focus on client outcomes.

How did you navigate the pandemic and what lessons did you learn?

The pandemic was disruptive for everyone, but it reinforced a principle I’ve always believed in; resilience is built before you need it. We focused on three priorities, supporting clients through uncertainty, protecting our people and culture, and keeping the business operationally and financially sound.

Like many organisations, we accelerated remote delivery, tightened communication rhythms, and stayed close to cash and forecasting so we could make decisions early.

The other big lesson was opportunity: shocks change customer needs quickly, and if you can remain agile, navigate and communicate while others are still reacting, you can help clients make confident moves to come out stronger on the other side.

How has digital transformation influenced your business?

Digital transformation is the context Storm has operated in for most of our history, but the pace and expectations have changed dramatically.

Clients now expect faster time-to-value, better user experiences, and solutions that evolve continuously rather than being “one-and-done” projects. That has influenced everything: the platforms we focus on such as deep Microsoft alignment, how we deliver including strong governance, discovery up front, and adoption focus, as well as what we measure across client impact and not just outputs.

It has also moved the conversation from technology choices to operating model choices, how organisations work, serve customers, and make decisions in a digital-first world.

If you were starting again, what would you do differently?

I would have focused earlier and been even more disciplined about sequencing big bets. In our early years we tried to mix services with product development, and we learned the hard way that you shouldn’t move ahead of secured funding or give away equity cheaply.

I’d also invest sooner in repeatable delivery methods and in leadership capacity, because scaling a services business is as much about consistent execution as it is about winning work.

Finally, I’d worry less about being “ready” and spend more time testing assumptions with customers. The market will tell you quickly what’s valuable, if you listen closely enough.

Who inspires you in business today?

I’m inspired by leaders who combine ambition with integrity, people who build enduring businesses by doing the right thing for customers and employees, not by chasing headlines.

I also pay attention to organisations that stay curious and adapt: the best operators treat learning as a core capability, not a side project.

In Ireland, I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from many people across the wider technology ecosystem through industry bodies and national initiatives, and what consistently stands out is practical leadership, clear priorities, strong governance, and a willingness to make difficult decisions early. Those are the people and cultures I take inspiration from.

How do you nurture talent within your organisation?

For us, nurturing talent starts with creating a culture where people can grow and feel a sense of agency in their work.

We try to give people variety, meaningful responsibility, and the support to keep learning, because in technology, skills decay quickly if you’re not developing.

What business books would you recommend?

I tend to recommend books that are strong on fundamentals and decision-making rather than trend-driven “hacks”.

A few I come back to are Good to Great, by Jim Collins which discusses focus and disciplined execution, The Lean Startup, by Eric Ries which tests assumptions and learning fast, and High Output Management, by Andrew Grove on how to scale through systems and management.

On the strategy side, Playing to Win by Alan G.Lafley is a good framework for making clear choices. And because technology businesses live or die by communication, anything that improves clarity like Made to Stick, by Chip and Dan Heath is a worthwhile read. The best book is always the one you actually apply.

What technologies or tools help you stay organised?

I’m fairly disciplined about staying organised, and I’ve learned over the years that simple tools used consistently beat fancy systems that you don’t stick with.

Microsoft 365 is my home base: Outlook is where I manage email, and my calendar is non-negotiable, it’s how I protect focus time and make sure I’m spending my week on the things that actually matter.

Teams is where most day-to-day collaboration happens, and OneNote is where I capture decisions, quick thoughts, and follow-ups as they occur. Increasingly, I lean on AI and Copilot as a practical assistant: I’ll use it to brainstorm, summarise long threads, draft a first pass of a message when I’m short on time, and turn messy meeting notes into clear actions.

Beyond the tools, what keeps me on track is a steady rhythm: regular 1:1s, a short list of priorities, and lightweight dashboards that give me an early read on delivery, sales, people, and cashflow. Technology is key, but it’s the cadence, and the habit of reviewing the right signals, that lets you act early and avoid surprises.

Which social media platforms do you use most?

I’m not a heavy social media user, but I do use a couple of platforms purposefully. LinkedIn is the main one, it’s useful for staying connected with the business and technology community, following what customers and partners are doing, and sharing company milestones and insights in a professional context.

Beyond that, I’m more selective; I prefer channels where I can learn something or keep up with industry signals without getting pulled into noise. In general, I think social platforms are best used with intent: as a way to build relationships, support your brand, and contribute constructively to the conversations that matter in your sector.

Where do you think technology is heading?

I think we’re moving into a period where technology becomes less about individual tools and more about systems that continuously learn and assist.

AI will mediate everyday workflows, helping people write, analyse, summarise, and automate routine tasks – while organisations place a much stronger emphasis on governance, security, and responsible use. In parallel, the SaaS vendors are re-thinking their product strategy in the world of agentic AI.

For example, Salesforce, the company that defined the modern SaaS playbook, has just announced Headless 360: a platform rebuild that buries the UI and exposes everything as APIs, MCP tools and CLI commands. Their co-founder asked out loud: “Why should you ever log into Salesforce again?” That’s not a rhetorical question.

What advice would you give your 21-year-old self?

I’d tell my 21-year-old self to stay curious but be more patient and deliberate about the long game. Skills compound, relationships compound, and reputation definitely compounds, so invest early in doing excellent work, communicating clearly, and treating people well.

I’d also worry less about having the perfect plan and spend more time getting real feedback from customers and mentors; momentum and learning usually beat certainty.

Practically, I’d also say: look after your health, because leadership is an endurance sport; learn basic finance earlier than you think you need it; and don’t be afraid to say no.

Focus is a competitive advantage, personally and professionally. Finally, remember that setbacks are part of the job: if you can stay calm, learn quickly, and keep moving, you’ll be amazed at what you can build over time.

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