12th June 2025
Tech founder turned mentor Andrew O’Shaughnessy reflects on the transformative power of the Entrepreneur Experience organised by AxisBIC, the tough decisions that led to Poppulo’s growth, and the lessons that still guide his approach to business. He talks to Ian Kehoe of The Currency.
Andrew participated as an Emerging Entrepreneur in the very first Entrepreneur Experience in 2011 and has since returned many times as a Seasoned Entrepreneur where he coaches and mentors an Emerging Entrepreneur. He describes in detail how the Entrepreneur Experience is different than other initiatives and events.
“What happens in the Entrepreneur Experience is, the seasoned guys in the room if you’re in a group session – and there are six or seven people there – they’ve been through it, they sniff that out. They’ll throw it at you straight. Not to show you up. It’s not like Dragons’ Den or Shark Tank. It’s just facing reality. They’ll pick the bit, and they’ve just put it to you straight,” he says.
The way O’Shaughnessy sees it, many entrepreneurs know the mistakes they are making, but are often afraid or unwilling to do something about it. This is where good advice and mentoring can help, he says.
