Living and working the American dream

In 1999, Clodagh Boyle graduated in communications studies from DCU and went to Boston for a six-month internship with the American Ireland Fund. Five years later she left the organisation, having risen through the ranks to become director of communications.

Boyle returned to Ireland at the height of the Celtic Tiger in 2004 and began working in the marketing communications department of Bank of Ireland.

“I came home at this time mainly because I felt it was time for a change and I wanted to broaden my experience,” she says. “But I was also curious about Ireland in the boom. Dublin seemed to have become such a vibrant place and I was attracted by the buzz.”

Two years later, affairs of the heart drew Boyle back to the US. She returned to Boston to be with her Irish-American boyfriend Andy (whose grandfather was from Ballyporeen) and to join the marketing department of corporate law firm Foley Hoag. The couple later married and now have two children, Sadhbh (5) and Marc (3).

Business network

“It was easier for me to move back to the US as I already had a business network and a circle of friends and was offered a good position with Foley Hoag from Dublin,” Boyle says. “A lot of my graduating class went abroad to work and, for me, moving away was about the experience and adventure of living abroad rather than the need to find a job.

“I had always been interested in experiencing life in the US and there is certainly a level of ease and convenience to living in a US city that I’ve become used to from having 24-hour supermarkets to same-day delivery and pretty much everything online.

"I also love where we live and the fact that the geography and weather allow beach visits in the summer, while skiing and winter getaways are only a drive away. The flipside is finding the time to take the trips. Americans struggle with work-life balance and always being 'switched on'."

In 2012 Boyle moved from Foley Hoag to join litigation firm Manion Gaynor & Manning as director of marketing. Three years later she moved to InkHouse Media & Marketing as vice-president for marketing. The agency, which was set up in 2007, has 100 staff in offices in Boston and San Francisco.

“With the decline in traditional advertising, PR, social media and content have become the primary tools to get consumer attention and persuade buyers to choose one brand over another,” Boyle says. “We work with early- stage companies and Fortune 100 enterprises to increase their marketing effectiveness and drive brand growth. The digital channel is changing the very nature of business as well as marketing and communications.”

Mobile age

Working for an agency gives Boyle the kind of diversity she thrives on. “I love learning about new businesses and their competitive landscapes, their needs and pain points and figuring out where we can improve and innovate. I direct all InkHouse inbound and outbound marketing activities with an emphasis on new business activity. Essentially, marketing the marketers,” she says.

Boyle believes the differences that used to exist between how US and Irish companies do business are narrowing.

“This is the mobile age and the ‘always-on’ entrepreneurial style now exists in both places. This lends itself to the vibrant, tech start-up culture that is growing both here and in Dublin,” she says.

“However, I see a noticeable change in corporate culture here in the US due in no small part to the rise of tech behemoths like Google and Facebook. Work-life balance and perks such as onsite childcare have now become really important when attracting and retaining staff.

“I’m fortunate to work in a company with a CEO who champions work-life balance. So we have a ‘no email’ rule between 7pm and 7am which means you can have a family life. We also get parental leave and unlimited vacation time in order to recharge our batteries. In turn, staff turnover is low, communication is strong and productivity is high.”

Knowledge economy

Boyle identifies the main job opportunities for Irish people in the US as being in software as a service(SaaS), IT, biopharma and cloud computing.

“These sectors are all growing fast with corresponding employment possibilities,” she says. “The knowledge economy means that the bar is now higher for everyone but I think Ireland has an edge due to its highly educated workforce.

“I’m a big believer in having a strong network and good connections to assist your career. Of course, it’s a lot easier to do this now as you can use the power of social channels to maintain your global network.”

Boyle is still in contact with the American Ireland Fund and is involved with its Young Leaders programme.

“I was given my first job opportunity by Irish-Americans so I strive to be active in the Irish business community in Boston, while keeping my finger on the pulse at home,” she says.

“By being here I continued to grow professionally during the recession which would probably not have happened had I been in Dublin. The downturn was much less severe and austere on the east coast of the US and I’m grateful for that.”