Andrew Lambe, managing director of Company Bureau, shares his life and business lessons.
Established in 1997, Company Bureau/CompanyFormations.ie is Ireland’s leading company formation business.
The business provides company formation, company secretarial and compliance services to firms.
“As a business starts to scale, getting the right people on the bus and retaining them can be challenging. You also need to have the right systems and structures in place in order to grow”
The 100% Irish-owned and managed organisation can register a company within just two to three working days due to a long-standing relationship with the Company Registrations Office.
Tell us about your background, what journey did you take to arrive at where you are?
Like many people, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school. I tried a business degree at first and dropped out. My first job was working as a clerk in an oil distributor. I was working closely with the sales reps and this piqued my interest in sales and marketing.
“A hard work ethic was instilled in me from a young age by my dad, who had me working in the golf club bar cleaning and stocking shelves from when I was 13”
After a while, I moved into the sales office, moved through a couple of sales roles and eventually joined Company Bureau as a sales and marketing executive in 2002. I applied for the job on the basis of a tiny newspaper advertisement and had no idea what the company did until the first interview!
Alongside this, I went back to college at night and completed my marketing degree. I was promoted to director of Company Bureau in 2005 and by 2013, Paula Horan and I were equal partners in the business, having bought in and earned equity. In early 2025, Paula retired and I bought her interest in the company.
Why are you doing what you are doing? What need are you meeting? What’s your USP?
At Company Bureau, we are passionate about making company formation and compliance as easy as possible. We know it’s an exciting time for entrepreneurs, but can also be stressful. We also work with Accountants, Solicitors and Tax Advisors who outsource company secretarial, company formation, and company law expertise to us. Our USP is combining deep technical expertise in corporate services with a very responsive, service-led approach. Clients get the confidence of specialist knowledge, but with fast turnaround times and clear, practical advice.
How did you fund and start the business and what are your growth plans?
Company Bureau has always been self-funded since it was founded in 1997. Paula and I grew the business together, brick by brick.
“You have to be accountable to yourself for your decisions and not get caught in a trap of making excuses or blaming others or circumstances”
Growth was steady in the early years and when I joined in 2002 we only had three employees, but we had a couple of growth spurts around 2015 and again in 2021. Today we have a team of 45 across the group and we are aiming to reach €10m turnover within the next seven years.
What are your key skills and qualities that set you apart?
Honesty and integrity are key. We have a high level of trust in our organisation and the management team appreciate my openness. Experience is also essential and I have been working in this area for 24 years now. Hard work, mental agility and a positive mindset have also been pivotal.
A hard work ethic was instilled in me from a young age by my dad, who had me working in the golf club bar cleaning and stocking shelves from when I was 13.
What (or whom) has helped you most along the way? Who was your greatest mentor/inspiration?
I believe a desire to be the best version of myself and to succeed has driven me to where I am today. You have to be accountable to yourself for your decisions and not get caught in a trap of making excuses or blaming others or circumstances.
“If the fundamentals aren’t right, scaling just magnifies the problems”
I’m a firm believer that you reap what you sow and you make your own luck most of the time. I haven’t had a single standout mentor, but I’ve learned a lot from peers and people I’ve worked closely with over the years – particularly my former business partner, who played a big role in shaping how I deal with people and culture in the company.
What was the greatest piece of business advice you ever received?
I’ve received a lot of good advice over the years and attended many conferences and events listening to the views of thought leaders. I remember Denis O’Brien speaking to the Sales Institute many years ago and emphasising the importance of attention to detail. That has always stuck with me and has been a cornerstone of my success, I believe.
What circumstances/qualities/events can mark the difference between success or failure in life or business?
Tenacity is critical, along with desire and self-belief. You also need resilience – things rarely go to plan, so how you respond is often what determines the outcome.
What was the most challenging aspect of either starting or growing the business?
As a business starts to scale, getting the right people on the bus and retaining them can be challenging.
“Companies that don’t embed AI into their workflows over the next 12–18 months risk falling behind – not just in efficiency, but in client expectations”
You also need to have the right systems and structures in place in order to grow. In our business, we are constantly dealing with regulatory changes which is also challenging, but this usually creates opportunity for us. If the fundamentals aren’t right, scaling just magnifies the problems.
How did you navigate your business through the pandemic and what lessons did you learn?
At Company Bureau we adapted really well. We’re in the corporate services business so everyone just pivoted quickly to work from home. Thankfully, we had the IT infrastructure to do this quite easily and we were well positioned to grow coming out of the pandemic. The biggest personal lesson for me was creating a better work/life balance.
How has digital transformation been a factor in your scaling journey and do you believe Irish firms are utilising digital technologies sufficiently?
We’ve always believed that we need to be early adopters of the latest technology to stay ahead of the competition and this sharp focus has helped us scale. Companies that don’t embed AI into their workflows over the next 12–18 months risk falling behind – not just in efficiency, but in client expectations. For us, the focus is on using AI to enhance speed, accuracy, and customer experience rather than replacing human expertise.
If you were to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
Maybe try to enjoy the ride a little more! Some of those stressful moments feel huge at the time but are water under the bridge three months later! We perhaps could have scaled slightly more aggressively in the early years, but we were gradually growing our skills and experience as well.
Who inspires you in business today?
I’m inspired by many of the founders and professionals that we work with and by friends, colleagues and entrepreneurs within my own network. Two that come to mind are Dave Beggs from Pure Pharmacy and Gerard Kiernan from Icon Accounting. Both keep a low profile but are great leaders building fantastic businesses.
What advice/guidance do you give new hires and how do you nurture talent in your organisation?
We just reassure them that it will all make sense in a couple of months. It’s quite a niche business so most new starters are like a rabbit in the headlights at first. We believe in recruiting for attitude and training skills. We promote and support every team member’s personal and professional development and encourage the pursuit of further qualifications through educational grants.
What business books do you read or would recommend?
Reading a cross-section of business books is invaluable – anything from Rich Dad Poor Dad to How to Talk to Anyone by Leil Lowndes. The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss is a great book for anyone self-employed. I also enjoy sports autobiographies and there is so much crossover between business and high level sport. Arsene Wenger’s My Life in Red and White is an excellent read.
What technologies/tools do you use personally to keep you on track?
My iPhone, Outlook calendar, Copilot and Microsoft Teams!
What social media platforms do you prefer and why?
I try to minimise my time on social media platforms although I have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
What are your thoughts on where technology overall is heading and how it will apply to business generally and your business particularly?
There are a few hypotheses about where AI and technology are heading, and I believe the roles available in 10 years will be a lot different from the jobs of today. Whilst AI will continue to advance, it won’t replace the importance of people or the value of strong relationships.
Finally, if you had advice for your 21-year-old self – knowing what you know now – what would it be?
Save more, drink less, eat better, travel, and live life to the full! Believe in yourself and have faith that opportunities will present themselves and be ready to grab them with both hands!
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