I’ve become a mentor for Network Ireland, specializing in business systems, automation, and operational processes.
If you’re a Network Ireland member struggling with scattered systems, manual processes, or operational overwhelm – you can now book a free mentoring session with me.
Here’s what that actually means and how it works.
Why I’m Mentoring on Systems
Network Ireland members need practical help with an area most Irish small businesses struggle with: building proper systems and getting off spreadsheets.
Over 15 years, I’ve built and managed operations across multiple industries. I’ve implemented CRM systems using GoHighLevel and Airtable. I’ve automated workflows that save businesses 10-20 hours weekly. I’ve fixed the operational chaos that keeps Irish business owners working 60-hour weeks.
Most importantly, I’ve done this specifically FOR Irish small businesses – not enterprises, not massive corporations. Businesses with 1-10 employees who are running on WhatsApp and Google Sheets and know there’s a better way but don’t know where to start.
That’s the expertise Network Ireland wanted to make available to their members.
What I Mentor On
My mentoring sessions focus on three core areas:
1. Business Systems
The Problem: Your customer information lives in spreadsheets, notebooks, email, WhatsApp, and your memory. Nobody can find anything. Leads get lost. Follow-ups are forgotten. Your team asks you where everything is.
What We Work On:
- Whether you need a CRM and which one fits your business
- How to centralize customer information properly
- What systems to build first (and what can wait)
- GoHighLevel vs Airtable vs other platforms for Irish businesses
- Integration strategy – connecting your existing tools
- Realistic implementation timelines and costs
Real Example: A Network Ireland member came to me running a service business entirely on WhatsApp and Excel. Leads were getting lost. She couldn’t track which clients she’d followed up with. Her team couldn’t access customer history.
One mentoring session: We mapped out exactly what CRM she needed (GoHighLevel), what needed to be connected (website forms, email, calendar), and a 4-week implementation plan.
She went from “I know I need something” to “I know exactly what to do” in 90 minutes.
2. Automation & AI Workflows
The Problem: You’re doing the same tasks repeatedly. Responding to similar emails. Copying information between systems. Creating the same reports. Following up manually. Work that should take seconds takes hours.
What We Work On:
- Which tasks are actually worth automating (vs which aren’t)
- Tools that work for Irish small businesses (not enterprise complexity)
- Email automation and response systems
- Data flow between your business tools
- AI integration opportunities
- ROI calculations – what you’ll actually save
- Implementation without breaking current operations
Real Example: A coaching business owner was spending 8 hours weekly on client onboarding admin – sending welcome emails, creating documents, scheduling sessions, collecting information.
Mentoring session: We identified what could be automated using Make.com and AI tools. Mapped out the workflow. Calculated she’d save 30+ hours monthly.
Cost to implement: €897 one-time. Time saved annually: 360+ hours.
3. Operational Processes
The Problem: Your business depends entirely on you being available. Your team can’t make decisions without asking you first. Everything sits waiting for your input. You can’t take time off without things falling apart.
What We Work On:
- Documentation strategies that people actually use
- Decision frameworks so your team stops asking permission
- Process mapping for recurring work
- Team coordination and accountability systems
- What to delegate and how to delegate it properly
- Building operations that don’t require you in every decision
Real Example: A business owner was getting the same questions from her team 10-15 times daily. “What do I tell this client?” “How do I handle this situation?” “Where is this information?”
Not because her team was incompetent – because nothing was documented. Everything lived in her head.
Mentoring session: We built a simple documentation plan using Loom (screen recordings) and Notion (central knowledge base). Created decision frameworks for common scenarios.
Three weeks later: Questions dropped from 15 daily to 2-3 weekly. Her team could solve problems independently.
Common Patterns I’m Seeing
After several Network Ireland mentoring sessions, the same issues keep appearing:
“I’m too small for proper systems” No. You’re too busy NOT to have them. The businesses struggling most are the ones still on spreadsheets thinking they’ll “upgrade when they grow.” You can’t grow UNTIL you upgrade.
“I don’t know which tool to choose” That’s normal. There are hundreds of options and most are marketed terribly. We cut through the noise and identify what actually fits YOUR business, not what’s popular.
“I tried setting it up myself and got overwhelmed” Of course you did. This isn’t your expertise. That’s like me trying to do my own accounting – technically possible, practically a disaster. Some things are worth paying for proper implementation.
“My team won’t use new systems” Usually because the systems don’t fit how they work, or they weren’t trained properly. When systems actually make people’s lives easier (not harder), they use them.
“I can’t afford professional setup” You can’t afford NOT to. If you’re losing 10 hours weekly to disorganization at €100/hour, that’s €52,000 annually. Professional CRM setup costs €1,500-2,500. Payback period: 2-3 weeks.
How Network Ireland Mentoring Works
For Network Ireland Members:
You get one free 60-minute mentoring session with me per membership year.
How to book: Head to the Network Ireland mentoring page. Jump to the Business Development category, look for me (Mandie), and request a mentor session. Remember, you have to be a Network Ireland member to avail of the free mentor session.
What to prepare: Think about your biggest operational challenge right now. Is it scattered information? Manual processes eating your time? Team asking constant questions? Come ready to discuss specifics.
What you’ll walk away with:
- Clear understanding of what’s actually broken
- Specific recommendations for your situation
- Tool suggestions that fit your business
- Implementation roadmap with timeline
- Decision on whether to DIY or get professional help
- Next concrete steps
What happens after: Some members take the roadmap and implement themselves. Others realize they’d rather have it done professionally and book paid work with me. Both are fine – the goal is getting you unstuck.
For Non-Members
Not a Network Ireland member but need help with systems, automation, or operations?
Operations Review (€347) – 90-minute deep dive into your business. You get a complete operational audit and 90-day action plan.
AI Workflow Audit (€249) – 3-hour analysis of which tasks can be automated and how much time you’ll save.
System BNetwork Ireland mentoruilds (€1,497-€2,497) – Complete CRM setup, automation, and integration. 3-4 weeks. You get working systems, training, documentation.
What Makes This Mentoring Different
I don’t do motivational speeches or mindset work. I do practical, technical guidance on systems and automation.
You won’t leave with vague advice about “working on your business instead of in it.” You’ll leave knowing:
- Exactly which tool to use
- Exactly what needs connecting
- Exactly what it costs
- Exactly how long it takes
- Exactly what to do first
No theory. Just implementation roadmaps.
According to Enterprise Ireland research, only 34% of Irish small businesses have implemented proper digital systems for customer management. That means 66% are still on spreadsheets, losing leads, and wasting hours daily.
Network Ireland recognized this gap and brought in mentors who can actually fix it. That’s where I come in.
The Real Value of Systems Mentoring
Here’s what happens when Irish small businesses fix their systems:
Cork service business – Implemented proper CRM after mentoring session. Captured €67,000 in revenue from leads they would have lost in the first 3 months.
Dublin coaching business – Automated client onboarding after identifying opportunities in mentoring. Saved 8 hours weekly. Reinvested that time in selling. Revenue up 30%.
Galway e-commerce – Built proper inventory and customer management systems. Reduced errors by 80%. Team stopped asking constant questions. Owner took first proper holiday in 3 years.
This isn’t about fancy technology. It’s about building operations that work without you being the center of everything.
What I’m NOT Mentoring On
To be clear about what falls outside my expertise:
❌ Financial planning or accounting advice (get a proper accountant)
❌ Marketing strategy or branding (not my area)
❌ Sales techniques or closing deals (plenty of other mentors for this)
❌ HR policies or employment law (consult a solicitor)
❌ General business coaching or mindset work (not my thing)
✅ Building systems that centralize information
✅ Automating repetitive work
✅ Choosing and implementing the right tools
✅ Creating processes that don’t depend on you
✅ Getting off spreadsheets and onto proper platforms
If it’s operational, technical, or systems-related – I can help. If it’s not, I’ll tell you honestly and point you to someone who can.
Why This Matters for Irish Small Businesses
Most business advice for Irish SMEs is generic. “Delegate more.” “Work on your business.” “Build systems.”
But nobody shows you HOW. Which CRM? Which automation platform? How do you actually connect GoHighLevel to your website forms? What does implementation really cost? How long does it take?
That’s the gap I fill.
I’ve implemented these systems for Irish businesses. I know which tools work here. I know Irish business structures, GDPR requirements from the Data Protection Commission, payment processors that work in Ireland, and platforms that integrate with Irish accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks.
This isn’t American business advice transplanted to Ireland. This is systems implementation FOR Irish businesses BY someone working with Irish businesses.
Ready to Fix Your Systems?
Network Ireland Members: Head to the Network Ireland mentoring page to book your free session.
Non-Members: Book an Operations Review or contact me directly to discuss what you need.
Because running your business on spreadsheets and WhatsApp isn’t a system. And you can’t scale what isn’t systematized.
Let’s fix what’s broken.
