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Barry Chandler
Introducing Americans to the world of Irish whiskey, its people and its places through events and custom experiences.
Professional Background
Barry Chandler is a passionate entrepreneur and visionary leader who has dedicated his career to shaping positive change in the business world. With a fundamental belief that businesses can be a force for good, Barry founded Storyforge to help founders and their teams align their visions and strategy effectively. Over the years, he has cultivated a diverse portfolio of experiences, from his early days in hospitality to several successful ventures in the tech and food industries. His expertise in guiding startups through complex decision-making processes has made him a sought-after advisor among fellow entrepreneurs.
Throughout his career, Barry has been involved in various organizations that champion ethical business practices and support emerging businesses. With positions such as the Founding Board Member of Conscious Capitalism Central Ohio and a member of the Board of Directors at the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio, Barry has consistently demonstrated his commitment to promoting responsible business practices. His journey has also taken him into the world of Irish whiskey, where he co-founded Irish Whiskey Experiences and Stories & Sips, showcasing the richness of this cultural heritage.
Barry's experience as Chief Marketing Officer at NTN Buzztime and his entrepreneurial spirit shine through his multiple successful ventures including Chandler Interactive and ManageyourBar.com, both of which were acquired. His proven track record of building companies and fostering innovation highlights his ability to navigate the complexities of the business landscape.
Education and Achievements
Barry Chandler’s educational background is rooted in hospitality management, where he studied a Diploma in International Food & Beverage Management at the prestigious Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management. This strong foundation in hospitality seamlessly transitioned into his various entrepreneurial ventures in the food and beverage industry, particularly in promoting Irish whiskey.
Barry completed his secondary education at Colaiste Muire, Cobh, which set the stage for his subsequent achievements in both the corporate and entrepreneurial realms. His commitment to continuous learning and adaptation is evident through the numerous roles he has taken on, allowing him to gain invaluable insights into the intricacies of entrepreneurship, marketing, and team dynamics.
Achievements
- Co-Founder and Partner at Storyforge: At Storyforge, Barry has made a significant impact by helping businesses clarify their mission and streamline their operations. He encourages founders to recognize the challenges inherent in scaling their vision and works with teams to foster a cohesive work environment that drives success.
- Founder and CEO, Chandler Interactive: Barry founded Chandler Interactive, a company that gained traction and was subsequently acquired, demonstrating his ability to build and grow successful startups.
- Promoting Irish Whiskey: As a co-founder of both Irish Whiskey Experiences and Stories & Sips, Barry has played a pivotal role in enhancing the appreciation and understanding of Irish whiskey, turning cultural heritage into a shared experience for enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
- Chief Marketing Officer, NTN Buzztime: In this role, he led marketing initiatives and strategic developments that contributed to the organization's growth and brand recognition in the competitive tech industry.
- Advisor and Board Member: Barry's advisory roles and board memberships showcase his dedication to supporting businesses in their early stages, providing valuable insights that can prevent common pitfalls and accelerate achievement.
Barry Chandler’s career is a testament to his commitment to creating a different world through entrepreneurial endeavors. He has effectively uplifted both individuals and businesses by embracing a collaborative approach and fostering innovation across various sectors.
Call to Action
If you are an entrepreneur or a startup founder looking to align your team and clarify your vision, consider scheduling a quick chat with Barry Chandler through Storyforge. By leveraging his extensive expertise, you can gain fresh insights that may redefine the trajectory of your business and its impact on the world.
Highlights
I couldn’t be happier to share that our Festival of Midleton Whiskeys, which took place this week in Ohio managed to raise $70,000 for end of life hospice care for the homeless at the incredible Malachi House in Cleveland.
More than 150 whiskey fans, donors and friends attended our festival at the Clifton Club in Lakewood, Ohio over two nights culminating in the tasting of the oldest and rarest Irish Whiskey to ever land in Ohio - the 47 year old Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Chapter Three.
Midleton Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman led the tasting each night and enthralled the audience with his knowledge, wit and kindness as he led us on a journey of 10 of his amazing whiskeys, including two whiskeys drawn straight from casks in Midleton especially for our event - a 27 yr old all-port single pot still and a 35 yr old single grain whiskey.
To see what started as an idea less than two years ago turn into this record-breaking fundraiser that managed to get worldwide press for Irish whiskey and Malachi House was the the proudest moment of my whiskey journey to date.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support from the team at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Liberty Division in Ohio, Gormley’s Pub owner, Sean Gormley, who took the leap for a second year to purchase the most expensive bottle of Irish Whiskey ever sold in the United States in the hopes of leveraging it to fundraise, to Kevin O'Gorman, Midleton Master Distiller for traveling so far to support us and the team at Irish Distillers who trusted us to pull this off and to all the friends of the Stories & Sips Whiskey Club who turned out, many of whom drove long distances, to support this important cause, including Kieran Quinn and Jim Murphy who were kind enough to allow us raffle and auction off their tickets so we could raise even more money.
I’ve long maintained that Irish whiskey brings people together and to hear so many stories from those in attendance on how friendships, relationships, partnerships were all started because of Irish whiskey was heartwarming. One such example began 5 years ago when I met Shane Moore, a Dubliner living in Cleveland, through a Facebook conversation and a friendship was born. 3 years later Shane introduced me to Sean Gormley who I pitched the Festival of Midleton Whiskeys to and the rest is history. We couldn’t ask for a better partner in Sean for this event.
Two festivals under our belt, yet there are still three more Chapters of Silent Distillery yet to be released between 2023 and 2025. You better believe we’re not stopping now. Next year we’re going to do it all over again with more events, a higher fundraising goal and more chances to enjoy Irish Whiskey with friends new and old in Ohio.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the support for Irish whiskey and for Malachi House.
#irishwhiskey #silentdistillerycollection #midletonveryrare
A great share from Hinda, founder of Inspire PR Group. It's time for some tough conversations for businesses as a new reality sets in.
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Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
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