In the High Flyers spotlight this week is John MacMahon, managing director of remote CCTV monitoring company RE:SURE (www.resure.co). To take part in the High Flyers Q&A, get in touch via business@irishnews.com.
What was your first job?
I worked as a building site labourer during summer months, but professionally it was as an engineer for JB Barry Consulting Engineers in Dublin.
What qualifications do you have?
B.E. Mechanical Engineering (UCD), M.Sc Computer Aided Engineering (DCU) and an MBA (Smurfit UCD).
What do you attribute your success to?
I’m not sure I’m in that bracket just yet, but so far, resilience, hard work, a decent brain and an ability to get on with people.
How would you describe yourself to someone who’d never met you?
Honest, energetic sports loving, and talkative!
Who do you look up to in business?
I don’t have any one single person, its more attributes from multiple people. My old man taught me a thing or two about work ethic, quality and relationships. Outside of him, some people that spring to mind are the likes of Elon Musk, who I would say is both a grafter and a visionary.
How do you get the best out of people who work for you?
Never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself (within skill level limits) and fairly decent empathy levels. I am grateful and openly thankful. It is vital that everyone knows they are appreciated, and in our company, every person is, and I hope they all know it!
If you could change one thing about doing business in Northern Ireland, what would it be?
I think there is too much fear of getting an idea or concept stolen, which ultimately prevents companies rubbing off each other and prospering accordingly.
What website or app could you not do without?
Of course it’s www.resure.co. We specialise in stopping theft and damage before it happens. This is done via remote CCTV monitoring with immediate audio intervention the moment an intruder steps foot on your premises. We provide complete peace of mind from SMEs to the likes of Aldi, Kingspan and NIE.
What was the last book you read?
Overstory by Richard Powers
What car do you drive?
Tesla Model S
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
I speak Spanish fluently, with my wife being from Argentina. I have an All-Ireland minor medal from 1998 with Tyrone. Mickey Harte was coach and while I never kicked a football again after that campaign, I can safely say he was the best coach I have ever had in any sport.
What’s your greatest passion outside work and family?
The environment - we need to get a better balance with how we treat the rest of the living world and its resources. We live on a finite planet that clearly cannot support infinite level of growth. We need to start looking after it better we do now, in order to ensure there is a decent world for future generations.