#FollowGenysysEngine
Introducing Emma McClenaghan, the co-founder extraordinaire behind Genysys Engine. Emma's relentless pursuit of excellence has positioned her as a true trailblazer in the world of innovation.
Emma has made significant strides with Genysys Engine and their revolutionary creation, Wally, the friendly website assistant. Emma is a graduate of SheGenerate2.0 and was recently honoured with the prestigious 'One To Watch in the Future' award at the Women in Tech Awards, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the field. You can read more about Emma and her founder journey below.
To get us started - how would you describe yourself in 6 words or less?
Passionate, ethical, and tenacious visionary.
Describe your business and what prompted you to start it.
Genysys Engine is an AI tech startup based in Dromara, Northern Ireland, creating AI software solutions for small businesses. We have developed an intelligent website assistant named Wally, designed to help small businesses easily create and manage their websites. Wally performs tasks and processes similar to those done by teams of designers, developers, and marketers, but in a faster timeframe and with fewer expenses. Businesses can communicate with Wally through speech, text, and media, making it accessible and valuable in both personal and professional environments. Wally becomes smarter and more capable as it learns new information about the business, its audience, and competitors, adapting and evolving to help the business achieve its goals. Our aim is to support small and micro businesses, such as dance teachers, photographers, florists, tour guides, and others, who form the heart of our community. By allowing them to focus on their businesses and customers, we strive to create a beautiful internet that enables these businesses to connect with their target customers online.
Tell us a little bit more about you.
I studied philosophy at the University of Dundee and developed a passion for the philosophy of technology during my time there. I have always been involved in community initiatives, starting from a young age when I served as the youth council chair, advocating for mental health awareness and cross-community relations. In university, I was the disability representative, president of a philanthropic society, and part of a team that established a drop-in centre for the homeless. Leading others, solving problems, and organizing events came naturally to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After university, I took on an unpaid events internship at a local charity, and within six months, I was leading their digital marketing department. I am self-taught in digital marketing, with a particular interest in search engine optimization (SEO) as I saw Google's algorithm as a puzzle to solve. This led me to customer-focused website development, and eventually, I started my own business. While traveling the world, I met my fiancé and co-founder, Matthew Eaton, in Thailand, and after working together for six months building websites, we realized we could automate the process, giving rise to Genysys Engine. Besides my work, I have interests in my border collie, Crumpet, Irish dancing, board games, gardening, and skateboarding.
Fill us in on your female founder journey.
My journey as a female founder has been filled with both ups and downs. The highs come when everything falls into place, and I get to experience the joy of creating and solving problems. Through my business, I can make a direct impact on my community, and I can measure the results through data and customer feedback. I know the time and effort I invest and the rewards I receive. Waking up every day to do what I love and knowing that the technology I've built can change someone's life forever is incredibly rewarding. However, being a female tech founder also comes with many challenges. The industry moves at a rapid pace, and due to a lack of expertise and resources, we often have to work overtime to keep up. I dedicate at least 10 hours a day, seven days a week to my work, finding it difficult to make time for anything unrelated to my business goals. I'm aware that my competitors can achieve what took me four days to accomplish in less than a minute. Despite the difficulties, being a female founder brings a unique perspective and a focus on social impact to improve the customer experience, making it all worthwhile.
How has being part of the AwakenHub community and SheGenerate helped your business?
Being part of the AwakenHub Community has been a dream come true for both me and my business. Prior to joining AwakenHub, I had applied for grants, programs, and support from various organizations throughout the UK over a span of two and a half years. Unfortunately, I was repeatedly told that my technology lacked innovation and that my product had no market need. Simultaneously, industry experts were telling me that our technology would revolutionize the internet. This left me confused. I knew my product had a market and that it was innovative, but there seemed to be a disconnect between my business and these organizations. AwakenHub bridged that gap for me. For years, I had scoured the internet, watched countless YouTube videos, and read numerous books, trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. But with conflicting information, I needed someone to cut through the noise. Additionally, testing these theories across various applications was time-consuming and emotionally draining. My business was ahead of its time and didn't fit into a neat little box. In a nutshell, AwakenHub helped me simplify my technology and product so that these organizations could understand them. They helped me identify the key features to highlight the impact of my product. Sometimes, when you're immersed in something, it's hard to see it clearly from the outside. The AwakenHub community came together to provide that outside perspective and share their opinions, making my product and business better. Being a female founder is a challenging journey, but it becomes easier with friends who are on the same path. I have made lifelong friends through AwakenHub who will support me, and in turn, I will support them.
As a founder, what are your non-negotiables?
As a founder, I refuse to compromise on moral courage, ethics, and customer experience.
Where do you see yourself in 12 months and 5 years' time?
In 12 months, I envision myself leading the industry community in Northern Ireland. In 5 years, I see myself as a global leader in my field.
What are your top three tips for other women founders?
- Use Wally, your friendly website assistant, to alleviate the worry of finding enough customers to cover your bills.
- Find a motivational song that uplifts you. If you need a starting point, you can use mine, "Almost There" from Princess and the Frog.
- Give everything you do 110% effort and let nothing stand in your way. Many policies in the UK have remained unchanged for over 20 years, and some are outdated and nonsensical when applied collectively. I have encountered many founders, both female and male, who identify problems but choose to say nothing. This costs them time, revenue, and compromises their goals, ultimately contributing to the high business failure rate. Find your moral courage and break down barriers for those who will follow you. Don't let anyone hold you back, and never accept "no" as an answer. This is your business, and you must be the one to make it happen.
You recently participated in our Big Sister workshops. What have you learned from these sessions, and what actions are you taking based on the insights gained?
I thoroughly enjoyed the Big Sister sessions as they provided an opportunity to ask in-depth questions and gain clarity on complex concepts, enabling me to make more informed decisions.
Do you have an 'ask' that we can share with fellow #Awakenhubbers?
We are currently seeking investment to scale Wally. If you or someone you know is interested in investing in the UK's next biggest tech company email emma@genysysengine.tech for more information. If you would like to use Wally, please fill out our application form at genysysengine.tech.
Anything else whilst you have our attention?
I would like to express my gratitude to all the funders and founders of AwakenHub for providing much-needed support. AwakenHub organization saw something in Genysys Engine and myself that other organizations did not. We are now scaling our business every month, alongside our clients who are opening new premises, creating jobs, and expanding their product and service offerings.
#FollowGenysysEngine
Facebook: @genysysengine
https://www.facebook.com/genysysengineltd
Instagram:
@genysysengine
@entrepreneur_emma
https://www.instagram.com/genysysengine/
https://www.instagram.com/entrepreneur_emma/
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mcclenaghan-66326a126
https://www.linkedin.com/company/genysys-engine-ltd/
Youtube:
@genysysengineltd4954
https://www.youtube.com/@genysysengineltd4954/videos
Twitter:
@genysysengine
