From humble beginnings as a one-man painting and decorating outfit to the employer of 2,000 domestic care staff as chief of Connected Health, Dougie Adams has experienced it all as one of West Belfast's best-known entrepreneurs.
Without a phone in his Ballymurphy home, Dougie started out with an ad in the Andersonstown News classified pages promoting his painting and decorating service via a neighbour's phone. When calls came, the neighbour would dispatch one of the children up to alert Dougie.
No transport? No problem. Dougie would take his ladder and bucket and hop on a bus to the stop closest to the customer's home.
40 years later, Dougie would build the trailblazing Connected Health domestic care agency with the mission of improving healthcare for the elderly while offering enhanced training and better wages to staff.
Nominated for the EY Irish Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2023, Dougie praised his employees across Ireland for "delivering compassionate, quality care".
Dougie and his team grew Connected Health from a small acquisition of a traditional homecare company employing just 47 staff to a business employing over 2,000 staff across multiple service lines, ranging from home care and supported living to hospital discharge and augmented technology care solutions.
Now Dougie will reflect on his entrepreneurial journey at the November gathering of the West Belfast Small Business Breakfast — convened by Aisling Events — in An Chultúrlann on Tuesday 24 November.
And, Dougie says his key message to small business owners will be to ensure they enjoy the entrepreneurial journey. "Everyday is a school day," is how our view it. "Business owners should be open to learn and not be easily offended if a customer or team member points out where they got something wrong. And remember, as an entrepreneur, you should listen twice as much as you talk — and have some craic along the way."
Previous speakers at the West Belfast forum have included Colm Warren, CEO of Natural World Products, Tina McKenzie, founder of Staffline and Rich Davey, CEO of the Massachusetts Port Authority.
Tickets for the West Belfast Small Business Roundtable are available online.
