60 Seconds With

“Try to be the best at everything you do,” — 60 seconds with Ken Kinsella of The Wine Buff

By Business & Finance
13 December 2022
Pictured: Ken Kinsella, Franchisee, The Wine Buff

Ken Kinsella is the latest franchisee of The Wine Buff, a wine shop with 12 locations across Ireland. Kinsella also owns sustainable bulk food and lifestyle store, The Source Bulk Foods.


What was your first job?

I started with Kelkin ltd as a merchandiser in supermarkets.

What pushed you to pursue a career in this field? 

I opened my first retail store in 2006 and my main motivation was to be independent and to grow a business from the ground up.  I entered wine retail as I loved the wine buff story and wanted to be part of it.

What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date? 

Selling my Juice Bar business in Belgium after 10 years of extremely hard work and many bumps along the way.

Career wise, would you do anything differently? 

No, I don’t think I would.

In one sentence, how would you define success?

Success is when you can do a job that you love to do and that your role gives you great satisfaction.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

To be the best, try to be the best at everything you do.

How do you motivate yourself and your staff?  

By trying to bring a small amount of creativity and humour to all tasks.

How do you handle adversity?

Head on is normally my way with mixed results.

How do you relax?

Swimming and hiking and of course some nice wine from The Wine Buff.

What are your aspirations for the future of the business?

Short to medium term it is to ensure that the local community and surrounding suburbs of Rathmines are aware of our presence and to carve out a sizeable portion of the market.


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