Ciara Crossan

Ireland

Trip:

Dublin, Ireland

Mentored by:

Holly A. O’Neill

Business

Founder & CEO, WeddingDates

Connect with Ciara Crossan

Ciara Crossan founded WeddingDates in 2008 with a family background in hospitality and a degree in business information systems from University College Cork. WeddingDates’ mission is to make planning and booking a wedding easier online. The goal is to connect newly engaged couples with venues and suppliers who are available on their preferred wedding date.

Ciara says it is the “marriage” of the two that lead to the concept of WeddingDates (pardon the pun!). She is passionate about improving user experience both on and offline and Ciara sees the hospitality industry as one of the most interesting sectors to operate in – the fundamentals of hospitality haven’t changed in decades yet the pace of technology development has brought vast changes, both positive and negative.

Ciara believes in the power of technology to improve the customer experience while also recognizing the fundamentals of hospitality – it is a people-powered industry. As a mother to five year old twin boys, Ciara is an advocate for flexible working and encourages her own staff to fit work around family or other external commitments.

WeddingDates was the winner of the Irish Social Media Awards in 2011, and is a graduate of Enterprise Ireland's High Potential Start-Up program. Ciara is a regular speaker at UK national conferences and events and was shortlisted as “Outstanding Entrepreneur” in UK Women 1st SHINE Awards in 2013.

Mentored by:

Holly A. O’Neill

United States of America

Trip: Dublin, Ireland