Head of Digital Marketing – Kollect
I’m originally from Tramore but like most teenagers I was itching to move away as soon as possible and have my own independence. I moved to Dublin when I was 17 to go to UCD and at that stage I felt the world was my oyster and I would never return to Waterford. I lived in Dublin for the best part of ten years and Sydney for one year before I came to the realisation that I had enough. I realised that there really is no place like home. I decided to move home to Tramore about five years ago and have not looked back since. Although I miss Dublin sometimes, I am much happier now.
It’s nice to feel like you are part of a community rather than just an “outsider” living in Dublin. I have my family and friends here and like they say “home is where the heart is”. I also have a one year old son and I am glad I will be bringing him up in the South East. It’s a good quality of life and he can live his summers playing on the beach just like I did growing up.
I have been working in digital marketing for about six years now and I’ve a background in web design and sales so I feel the amalgamation of these skill sets work well together. I currently work for Kollect, a waste management company based in Waterford. The business has really flourished since I joined in 2017. Kollect’s philosophy from day one has always been good customer service and this has allowed us to stand out from the crowd with our strong social proofing and online presence. Sometimes, when you work for a company that you know is doing good work, you want to shout it from the rooftops – but it’s even better when your customers do that for you! Kollect started with a mere handful of staff in one office to now having four departments which is expanding every day. My role as head of digital marketing means I wear many hats, I predominantly develop, implement and manage digital marketing campaigns but also oversee team efforts in relation to all the fun stuff… website development, SEO and social media.
I bought a house here last year and if I was still living in Dublin I would probably be finding it hard to buy a house due to the overly competitive and expensive property market. You get way better value in the South East. It’s a no-brainer for me.
Where do I start? The South East has so many hidden gems. I will start with Tramore of course, if you want to escape the crowds on the beach during the summer, the Pier is a nice spot to watch the boats bobbing on the water or another favourite of mine is a nice stroll along the Doneraile to catch the sun setting. A nice spot for a Sunday walk is to go to the Crough Woods at the foot hills of the Comeragh Mountains! You can follow the river all the way to the Mahon Falls. Just listening to the river alone is enough to clear your mind and relax. And lastly there are many good foodie spots, both Kilkenny and Dungarvan are only a short spin away so you are never short of options.
The slower pace of life. I was always in a rush in Dublin. I used to feed off that kind of energy but it wore thin. Feeling like you are constantly in a rush can lead you to feeling overwhelmed or burnt out after a while. I prefer the steadier pace of life that the SE has to offer.
“We have made this a nice home for ourselves and are surrounded by friends.”
Dean Caron, Unum
“The South East is a great place to build a business from.”
Jim Hughes, Innovate
“You just can’t beat the work life balance.”
Aoife O’Brien, Taxback Group
