Enterprising Irish: Irish entrepreneurs thriving in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has always been a city built on the ambitions of immigrants and their descendants, and the story of the Irish in LA is no different. With 113 Irish-owned enterprises supporting over 4,500 jobs across an array of industries according to the report by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, the entrepreneurial footprint of the Irish diaspora is evident.
113
Irish-owned enterprises in LA
4,500+
jobs created in LA by Irish businesses
$539.8M
estimated wages generated
While Irish businesses in LA have a focus on professional services and trade for the most part, there have been a growing opportunities within the creative and recreational sectors. Entrepreneurs are taking advantage of their Irish mentality to provide a refreshing approach to business in this city. In a place where everyone has ambition, it is the unique perspective of the Irish diaspora that is lending to connections, opportunities and success for entrepreneurs.
The 'Enterprising Irish' series looks to five Irish businesses in Los Angeles that are thriving in the growing creative and recreational sectors.
Discover their stories
Caterina Coyne
Caterina Coyne is a fashion designer from Galway fostering her passion for design in LA, utilising its culture of ambition combined with her grounded Irish nature to curate looks for the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the IFTAs.
Studio Grania Murray
Award-winning, Dublin-born designer Grania Murray, brought her interior design business to LA, drawn to its scale and appetite for luxury and reinvention. She brings the Irish tradition of storytelling into her design to create a warmth and empathy to her services.
Auld Fella Pubs
Donegal-man Kevin Kearns is the founder of the Auld Fella pubs in Culver City and Brentwood that seek to bring an authentic Irish pub experience to Southern California, while elevating it for the modern audience.
Mary Little
A sculptor from County Down, Mary Little uses canvas and cloth to create sculptural forms that harken to the Irish landscape and textiles. The open-minded environment of LA encouraged Mary to pursue her craft and she now runs a successful art studio and collaborates closely with interior designers in the U.S.
Murlyn Creative Publishing
Filmmaker Murray Cummings travelled from his home in West-Cork to LA to pitch his documentary “Songwriter”, which he successfully sold to Apple. In recent years, he’s turned his attention to writing children’s books. He founded his own publishing company where he works alongside Irish illustrator Willow Rose Liao.