Roisin Cahill Of Emerald Sage: Five Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Launched My Business or Startup

…Learning never stops. The learning you gain from doing is vastly different from book learning. There’s no end to the growth you experience through running a business…

I had the pleasure of interviewing Roisin Cahill. Roisin is the founder of Emerald Sage Property Buying Consultants, which offers valuable insights from her journey in life and business. As a dedicated advocate for property buyers, Roisin supports clients through every step of purchasing property in Ireland, making the process smoother and more manageable.

Thank you so much for joining us. Can you tell us a story about the hard times you faced when you first started your journey?

Starting out, I quickly learned that clients weren’t just going to come knocking on my door. I had to go out and find them, and it hit me that getting my business on the first page of Google wasn’t automatic. SEO, backlinks, all those elements that push you up the rankings, well, they’re incredibly time-consuming and often feel like a full-time job in themselves. I’m not a marketing expert or an SEO whiz, but I’m still responsible for generating leads. Doing the work, which for me means taking care of clients, conducting property searches, that’s the easy part. The real challenge is bringing those clients in.

Where do you get the drive to keep going, even when things get tough?

I have a little whiteboard in my office with my personal “why” and my company’s “why.” My personal why centers on flexibility and freedom; things I didn’t have in past roles. The why for my clients is about helping people make smart property decisions. Emerald Sage saves our clients time and takes away the stress of buying property in Ireland. I’ve seen so many people make choices I wouldn’t recommend, like choosing an investment with a low return or buying a retirement property far from amenities. And I had my own experience of the complexity of buying my house in Ireland. These examples motivated me to set up my business and reinforces my drive to guide people toward decisions that align with their long-term needs and goals.

How have grit and resilience led to your success today?

Business is growing, and I’m seeing returning clients, which is a huge confidence boost. My resilience has grown a lot too. I’ve faced challenges that, a year ago, would have really thrown me. Now, I can handle obstacles with a lot more composure. I’ve also learned to approach setbacks with curiosity rather than defensiveness. Having mentors and people in my corner has helped me separate the emotional from the objective, and that skill has been invaluable.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you first started, and what lesson did you learn from it?

Funny mistakes! My one goes all the way back to the start of my business and the name I gave it. Originally the name of my business was PAD House. The PAD stood for personalized, affordable dream house. I even got a logo made up for it! But when I told people the name of my business, no one reacted with great enthusiasm. Then I got some marketing advice, and the marketing expert asked me what I thought of when I heard the word “pad” and I said “bachelor pad”. She asked me if this was my target audience, and I said no. She then strongly encouraged me to reconsider the name. And Emerald Sage was born! Emerald as Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle and sage is another word for expert.

What tips would you recommend to colleagues in the property industry to help them thrive and avoid burnout?

One thing I always find surprising is how little information estate agents sometimes include in property ads. Basic details like rental yield, construction year, and management fees can save so much back-and-forth if they’re right there in the ad. Also, keeping offers updated could save agents a mountain of unnecessary calls.

Is there a particular person who helped you get where you are today?

There isn’t just one person; there has been and is a whole network of support. My close friends, family, and some surprising champions have really boosted my business by sharing my posts, commenting, and engaging with my content. The support from Fingal’s local enterprise office, while varied, has also been beneficial. I’m so grateful for the encouragement I’ve received from my community.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

For me, helping clients make informed property decisions is a big part of it. Recently, I spoke with two women, who were not Irish but were in the country on critical skills visas, who were buying homes solo in Ireland. Our team helps plenty of non-Irish people navigate the market.They were daunted by the whole process, but by the end of our conversations, they felt more confident in their decisions. I love seeing people feel empowered in their choices, knowing they’ve made the right move.

What are five things you wish someone had told you when you first launched your business?

1. It can be lonely. I underestimated how much I’d miss the camaraderie of working with colleagues.

2. Flexibility is a gift. I value the freedom to rearrange my workday to spend time with family, especially my new niece and my nephews!

3. You have to keep pivoting. Running a business means constantly adapting and pushing through unforeseen challenges.

4. Pride in what you build. The pride I feel in my work keeps me motivated. It’s grown far beyond the small business I initially envisioned.

5. Learning never stops. The learning you gain from doing is vastly different from book learning. There’s no end to the growth you experience through running a business.

How do you successfully ride the emotional highs and lows of being a founder?

For me, success is about helping people, not just financial gain. When I help someone find the right property or empower them to feel confident in their decision, it makes the ups and downs feel worth it. It’s a grounding experience that reminds me why I do what I do.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?

I’d focus on renovating Ireland’s substandard properties, not for profit but for the well-being of the Irish people. We have so many dilapidated houses that could provide quality, warm homes. If money weren’t an issue, I’d restore these homes for people who need them, without worrying about the financial return. It would create better living conditions and help reduce the reliance on building new homes on our green spaces.

I have figures that really illustrate the actual extent of what I’m talking about.

In the 2022 census there were 166,752 vacant or derelict homes recorded in Ireland. As of August 2024, there are 14,449 homeless people and 31,473 asylum seekers living in emergency accommodation in Ireland, at a cost of almost €2 billion per year to the Irish tax payer, and the loss of 1/3 of the tourist accommodation in Ireland.

Fine Gael, one of the biggest political parties in Ireland, have just announced a plan to build 300,000 new homes by 2030.

If we renovated the existing vacant and derelict homes, we’d have over half the target completed. Plus we would inject life back into towns and villages that have become run down over the years, without losing any green space.

A revision of the grants currently in existence could make a world of difference to the housing crisis in Ireland.

This is the movement I would start.

Thank you for sharing this with us.