Brendan Kenny says the entrepreneurial culture in Galway is second to none.
What’s your role?
I am the owner and managing director of BK Marketing – a new creative agency with offices in Galway and Berlin.
What are you most interested in?
I’m interested in developing and executing genuinely creative marketing communication plans using visual and audio to target specific audiences. I’m also fascinated by the challenge of building brands with personality – to deliver results by fusing creativity with business.
What are your ambitions?
Our vision is to make BK Marketing one of the leading creative agencies in Ireland and Germany.
What drives you?
I’m really driven by new experiences in all aspects of work and life. Variety and travel have taught me that new experiences really are the fuel that drives creativity – in life and in business.
“On the back of the entrepreneurial culture, there is now a genuine community spirit in the business community which can be seen across all aspects of life in Galway.”
Who do you admire in business?
I have a lot of admiration for Gary Vaynerchuk, Pat McDonagh, Tim Ferriss, Arianna Huffington and Richard Branson – five business people who stamp personality and creativity on their own businesses, and deliver results time after time after time.
What are we doing well in Galway?
After decades of going about our business a little too quietly, Galway and its inhabitants (blow-ins and Galwegians alike) have done a great job over the past number of years in finally blowing our own trumpet – much to the envy of many outsiders. I believe that the city is finally beginning to maximise its potential as a centre for tourism, business (particularly as a tech hub), sport and ultimately, a brilliant place to live.
This exposure can be seen in all aspects of life here. In business, the SME and startup scene has never been brighter, and we continue to attract jobs to the big multinationals. The Galway2020 campaign was a phenomenal success, one that I expect us to take full advantage of over the coming years. Meanwhile, the Arts Festival continues to export its brilliance to the international stage while Macnas also delivers its unique brand of magic to a global stage. And of course, not forgetting our hurlers finally bringing Liam home, following up on the unforgettable success of Connacht Rugby in 2016. It has never been a better time to live in this wonderful city.
“Nothing would make me more proud than to see Galway set an example as to how a community can come together to deliver solutions to what is a complex, and worsening, problem.”
What way could the city improve?
To allow for the continued success of the city and its growth, it’s patently clear that the transport infrastructure needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency, with a long-term view considered given the changes on the horizon to the automotive industry. I also believe that littering has become a real stain on the city’s beautiful landscape – with Galway clearly unable to cope with increased numbers in recent years. An improved system of waste management – particularly around the inner city – and enforcement of littering laws cannot come quickly enough. Finally, we must as a community continue to fight the disgrace that is homelessness. Nothing would make me more proud than to see Galway set an example as to how a community can come together to deliver solutions to what is a complex, and worsening, problem.
What makes Galway unique?
Galway is such a unique place to live, work, study and play. It has always had creativity at its heart, boasting the most vibrant arts community in Ireland, if not in Europe. However, in the last ten years, we’ve witnessed a real fusion of the creative and business communities – much of which has been driven by locals who have cultivated and championed our flair for entrepreneurship. On the back of the entrepreneurial culture, there is now a genuine community spirit in the business community which can be seen across all aspects of life in Galway. All of this gives us an unrivalled quality of life, but keep that to yourself.
