“Nothing is more important than family”
Clearhill’s John McAreavey is leveraging his accounting expertise to support a thriving family business that continues to go from strength to strength
As co-director of Clearhill, John McAreavey is at the helm of a scaling second-generation family business with a healthy footprint in Ireland and the UK, and a growing workforce.
Established in 1992 by McAreavey’s father Brendan, Clearhill has carved out a successful niche as a provider of leisure vending machines, children’s entertainment equipment and gift cards to retail customers on both sides of the Irish Sea.
At a time when shopping centres are pursuing new strategies to boost footfall, Clearhill is offering innovative solutions to entice customers, including its Funhub range of kiddie rides for young families, massage chairs for weary shoppers and Cleargift, which allows shopping centres to attract patrons with their own private-label gift card.
“In all, we have over 420 retail customers,” says McAreavey, “We are the number one operator in our market in Ireland and we have the second biggest share of the UK market.
“We are a family business and a lot of our focus is on bringing a new dimension to the shopping centre experience for families looking for imaginative, memorable activities, particularly for kids.”
Important milestone
This year marks an important milestone for Clearhill, following the recent completion of a sizable £850,000 investment in the company’s Banbridge headquarters ahead of plans for further expansion in Ireland and the UK. Clearhill’s workforce, which currently stands at 41, is also growing in areas including sales, marketing, customer service and technical.
“Our aim is to have grown our team by about 40 percent in the next three years, taking into account our business aims and projections for 2025 through to 2027,” says McAreavey.
“Our new facilities have significantly enhanced our pre-existing headquarters for machine preparation, allowing us to expand our headcount and supporting our ambitious goals and three-year vision for the company.
“Now, we not only have a space where employees can thrive within their working environment but also one that enhances our training and culture-building efforts.
“We’re very proud of our progress and excited about the future as a family business committed to employee development and community impact.”
Path to accountancy
McAreavey joined Clearhill officially in 2011 but has helped out at the family business since childhood.
“I’ve been involved in some way since I was five years old, and it’s something I’ve always enjoyed being a part of,” he says.
“When I was studying for my A Levels, a family friend and Clearhill’s accountant, John MacMahon, advised that it would be a good idea for someone involved in the business to have financial expertise to complement the existing skills in the business.
“BEING ABLE TO BRING MY CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY QUALIFICATION TO CLEARHILL HAS BEEN CRUCIAL TO OUR ONGOING SUCCESS BECAUSE, WHEN I FIRST JOINED, THE COMPANY LACKED FINANCIAL EXPERTISE IN-HOUSE AND NEEDED SIGNIFICANT PROGRESSION IN THIS AREA”
“I was open to this because I was already interested in business and opted for A Levels in Business Studies and Accounting. I enjoyed accounting and really developed a passion for understanding a business by its numbers.”
After graduating from Queen’s University Belfast with a degree in business management, McAreavey went on to qualify as a Chartered Accountant with Henry Murray & Co. in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, where, over three years, he gained valuable experience and learned the fundamentals of accounting.
“Being able to bring my Chartered Accountancy qualification to Clearhill has been crucial to our ongoing success because, when I first joined, the company lacked financial expertise in-house and needed significant progression in this area,” he says.
McAreavey’s role at the outset centred on implementing professional procedures to effectively manage Clearhill’s finance function.
“My qualification and training experience meant I was able to apply my knowledge to build and structure the finance function within the company,” he says.
“Today, we have a robust finance department handling day-to-day operations which allows me to support other departments such as operations and marketing.”
“Right from the get go, I would say my qualification has been instrumental in our succession strategy and leadership, providing a solid foundation for Clearhill’s growth.”
Continued expansion
Leading the business in partnership with his brother Brian, McAreavey is, he says, “proud of the professional structure we have established and the growth we continue to achieve”.
“When I joined Clearhill, Brian was strong in operations and was becoming more involved in the commercial side of the business. That created clear areas of focus for each of us which allowed us to leverage our strengths effectively.
“Today, we have a great leadership team, which means Brian and I can concentrate on strategy and scaling the company.”
As McAreavey sees it, running a successful family business requires clearly defined roles and a shared strategy for future growth.
“I believe that being in business with family is only worthwhile if you have really good relationships,” he says.
“Nothing is more important than family. I wouldn’t do anything to sacrifice those relationships, so I think it’s really crucial to understand the skill sets of different family members and establish clear areas where each person can work without stepping on each other’s toes.
“Having clear roles and responsibilities is essential. When there is crossover, it can lead to confusion—it’s best to allow different people to focus on their areas of expertise.
“Bringing in other skilled individuals at senior levels also helps with decision-making and supports a better balance.”
Strong leadership
Reflecting on his experience co-running a successful second-generation family business, McAreavey has learned important lessons about the ins and outs of effective leadership.
Above all, he says, strategy is key: “It’s vital to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. For years, we operated without a vision, but now we have a detailed plan for our goals and how to achieve them.”
Equally important are sales and sustainable cash flow. “Everything flows from sales,” says McAreavey.
“Without a robust sales pipeline, a business will struggle. Building and supporting your sales function is essential, and cashflow is the lifeblood of a business, ultimately providing a solid foundation for achieving your goals.”
If he could give his younger self any advice, meanwhile, it would be to “worry less and take more risks”. “As long as you have the proper structures in place, it’s important to take bets and not to fear failure. Failure is part of the experience and should not deter you from taking risks,” he says.
Today, the future for Clearhill is bright with ambitious plans to grow market share already underway and ongoing investment in product expansion and innovation.
Future of Clearhill
“Ten years from now, we want to be the clear and dominant market leader in the UK and Ireland for family attractions within shopping centres,” McAreavey says.
There is, he adds, “huge opportunity” for the family-owned firm at a time when shopping centre operators are increasingly looking to diversify their offering beyond pure retail.
“We envision Clearhill potentially increasing our revenue tenfold and tripling our workforce to become the dominant player in this industry,” he says.
“We also want to be recognised as one of the best places to work on the island of Ireland, and to be known throughout the UK and Ireland for our incredible culture. Ultimately, we aspire to be a place where people know they can grow and thrive in their work.”