Shane is one of top under 40s in the US

Shane is one of top under 40s in the US

AN entrepreneur who swapped the quiet life in Ballydrain, near Comber, for Washington DC has been named one of America’s ones to watch.

Shane Greer, co-owner of the Campaigns & Elections publication, which services the massive political campaign industry in the US, was selected as one of the ‘Top 40 Under 40 Irish in America’ by the Irish Echo.

A media entrepreneur and investor, the 33 year-old helped run the successful Total Politics magazine in Westminster and, after the sale of his UK media business in 2012, moved to the American capital where he acquired Campaigns & Elections with business partner Shane D’Aprile. 

In 2011 Shane was recognised as one of the ‘Top 30 Under 30’ in London by Square Mile magazine for his success in media, and in 2012 he received the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s 

highest honour — a commission as a Kentucky Colonel. 

The Irish Echo’s annual 40 Under 40 awards are a celebration of Irish and Irish Americans who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of work before reaching the age of 40.

Speaking after the glamorous awards ceremony at the Manhattan Club in New York City, Shane said it was “humbling” to have made the list.

“I’m particularly proud to be one of the few from Northern Ireland to ever receive it,” he said. “But the real credit goes to all those who’ve supported me over the years, in particular my wife Brittany [from Texas]. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”

A former pupil of Ballykeigle Primary School and Lagan College in Belfast, Shane went to university in Liverpool and Glasgow. He started his media career with an online television company before conceiving of the Total Politics magazine in a Westminster basement with colleague Iain Dale.

This positive take on UK politics could have been seen as having only a very small market amongst MPs, but Shane had successfully spotted an opportunity. He explained that it was not necessarily about selling tens of thousands of copies but building on their product with conferences and events. He also admitted that it wasn’t about a particular passion for media or politics but more about spotting a business opportunity.

“It was about identifying a niche market where there is a lot of opportunity to make a lot of money,” he said.

Shane was an early digital evangelist, singing the praises of Amazon kindle, BBC iPlayer, Twitter and Skype before they became mainstream, and when he took over Campaigns & Elections in the US, which started in 1980 as a quarterly publication, he ended their print version to concentrate on the digital market.

“People still want the content but in a different format,” he said. “It is a big thing to end print, but the reception was very good and I spend a lot of time looking at the analytics.”

Shane’s love of technology started at the age of 13 when he played around with web design with school-friends creating comedy websites, later trying to persuade local businesses to let him create them a website.

“I also remember some terrible ideas I had,” he said. “Everyone was playing Sega Megadrive and I wrote a book explaining how to complete the games. I think it was part of a Young Enterprise programme.”

But the ideas kept flowing, and Shane said he was motivated by thoughts of a better quality of life.

“I remember from a very early age. I remember growing up in Tullycarnet in Dundonald — I would later be in Comber and Ballydrain — and I just remember thinking, wouldn’t it be great to have more money and have the opportunity to move to a different country.”

Despite this Shane says he has “huge respect” for members of his family who have chosen a different way in life and their commitment to their home, family, churches and community.

“I have not been able to get back the last five years particularly as I have a two year-old but I definitely want to bring her back and show her where I grew up,” he said.

“I think my mother is very proud.”

Talking about the entrepreneurs who inspired him on his career path, Shane added: “Back when I was a kid and I was in my late teens I was very struck by Richard Branson, the things he would come up with were so quirky.”

And while it is important to have such role models, Shane has a bit of advice for young entrepreneurs seeking advice which he thinks is more important.

“Never be afraid to someone an email or pick up the phone,” he said. “I find that more often than not people are very open to that.

“I have seen this time and time again. People normally are normally generous with 

their time, and if they’re not you haven’t lost anything.”