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Breeda Hurley of ABC Cleaning who is releasing her book next month.
A NEW book which explores Tralee businesswoman’s determination to survive and thrive in the face of life’s challenges will be launched next month in The Rose Hotel.
‘Survive and Thrive: The Journey of a Lifetime’ by Breeda Hurley, the owner of ABC Cleaning Services, the successful contract cleaning company, tells how she learned to face the challenges of a childhood of poverty to become a successful businesswoman, employer and public speaker.
In the book, Breeda gives a fascinating insight into the world of a woman who, over the journey of a lifetime, has juggled the demands of family and business life, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding but never, ever giving up.
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She writes with honesty, compassion and humour as she describes a life that, at times, tested her to her very limits.
“I am an ordinary woman who decided as a young mom to work for myself. From my early teenage years, I worked very hard for other people and then I thought: ‘Why don’t I do this for myself?’ I started a number of these businesses without any capital; all I had was the belief that I could do it. I did not become a success overnight. It took a lot of trial and error and necessitated a lot of sacrifices before I finally made it,” Breeda said.
Born into poverty, Breeda decided at a very young age that she would forge a better life for herself and ensure that her family would have what she never had – education, physical comforts, a secure home.
She got married at 20 and made her first forays into self-employment at the age of 30 when she had four children. She started running her first serious business when she was 37. Less than three years later, when she was 40 and the mother of seven children, she had lost everything.
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Breeda, however, was determined not to give up and moved to London with her husband and children, determined to work hard and save so that they could return home, pay off their debts and start over.
The challenge of resettling the family in a foreign country, of finding work and dealing with the emotional struggle of being away from familiar supports are all outlined in a manner that is simultaneously gripping, heart-rending and humorous.
The family’s return to Kerry is a moment of great joy tinged with great sadness but they started out again and, after a roller-coaster ride into the world of business before, during and after the boom, Breeda describes the place of contentment she found herself in, when, in 2016, she received a lifetime achievement award for 21 years in business.
“No matter what background, upbringing or personal challenges you have in your life, with self-belief, determination and hard work, anything you set your mind to will become a reality,” Breeda said.
Now a grandmother, Breeda is ready for the next part of her journey as an inspirational speaker ready to share her life story with both readers and audiences.
Survive and Thrive: The Journey of a Lifetime (ABC Publications), will be published on May 12 and can be purchased in local book stores or online at breedahurleycommunications.com
The official launch takes place at the Rose Hotel, Dan Spring Road, Tralee. Doors open at 7.30pm. All welcome.
