FEATURE: Sisters are doing it for themselves

As Dragons’ Den returns, Sue Leonard meets three women who shunned the recession to go it alone in business

WITH Ireland still deep in recession, and the crippled banks wary of lending, you’d think nobody would start a new business; but according to the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report, 2,200 people a month started a business in Ireland in 2011.

The hit RTÉ show Dragons’ Den returns this weekend, prompting many viewers to say ‘I should have done that’, and propelling many new entrepreneurs into action.

But why would so many people risk so much in these uncertain times? According to Patricia Callan, director of the Small Firms Association, people start businesses for different reasons in a recession than in a boom.

“There are some with high skill bases who can’t find employment,” says Callan. “They set themselves up and sell their skills to others on an independent basis. Others, facing redundancy, find themselves with a nice lump sum which they commute as seed money. They may have been thinking of starting a business for some time.”

There are many schemes to help entrepreneurs. “There’s the micro finance scheme, set up last year. That provides loans for up to €25,000 for people who have been turned down by banks. There’s the credit guarantee scheme, and, in January, we saw the National Pension Reserve Fund allocate €850m; though that benefits larger small businesses rather than micro ones.”

There are, of course, downsides.

“The biggest barrier,” she says, “is the lack of a safety net in terms of the social welfare system. If your business doesn’t work, you may be left with nothing.”

What is Callan’s advice?

“Do a good business plan in advance, and assess the market. You need a feasibility study based on good research. Have your financial plan looked at by external experts; the local Enterprise Board should be your first port of call. Network, but don’t join everything. Work out which groups will be of benefit, and which are a waste of time.”

Veronica Kenneally, 39, loves picnics. But she’s wary of junk food. So the picnics she took to Barleycove Beach in West Cork were always homemade and wholesome. But back in 2009, her toddler Amy wasn’t impressed.

“She’d rob crisps from someone else’s picnic,” says Kenneally. “One day she fell in the river, and went under water, but saved the crisps.”

Kenneally decided to create her own brand that combined health and good taste. So Veronica’s Snacks — www.veronicassnacks.ie — was born.

A daughter of dentists, who’d travelled widely and worked in restaurants, Kenneally says she loved experimenting with food. She tried potato waffles; went to a trade fair in Germany, tasted everything from black garlic to 10 different types of pistachio.

Kenneally did a course at the Rubicon business incubation centre at CIT. She then decided to launch her own business with two flavours; sour cream and herb, and onion and barbecue.

Kenneally had savings, having worked as sales manager for a dairy for many years. She got a bank loan, along with money from Enterprise Ireland, and other investors. She worked hard on her brand, and took the crisps to focus groups.

“I launched through health shops at the end of November last year. The crisps are as healthy as they could be. They’re organic, low fat, and gluten free,” says Kenneally.

But the crucial question is, does Amy like them? “She loves them,” says Kenneally.

In 2008, Niamh Scott, now 33, threw her sister a baby shower. She thought it was a great way of supporting her, and celebrating her pregnancy. Initially confused by the concept, everyone loved it, and for six months afterwards, kept asking Scott where she’d sourced all the games, decorations and banners.

“I was passing on the link to this UK online store, and in the back of my mind, this idea was forming. I was working in IT, but I’ve always wanted to run my own business.”

The following year, her first baby, Milo, was born. “While I was on maternity leave, I started to set up a website, babyshower.ie. I sourced some products, and it was up and running. I went back to work, then was offered redundancy. I gladly took it, and put the money into the business.

“At the start I got a lot of queries. People were unsure how to throw a baby shower. I spent a lot of time talking, then the orders came in — 2012 was an amazing year. People are entertaining more at home, and the idea has really taken off.

“Mainly it’s people buying for a friend or a sister, but we have corporate clients too. They’ll send a ‘nappy cake’, made up of all the baby essentials, instead of sending flowers. New mums love them.”

Recently, Scott expanded again and launched baby shower venues. “This allows hotels and restaurants to advertise as a suitable venue.”

Now a mum of two — Charlotte was born 16 months ago — Scott still has big ambitions for her business.

“I want to be the ‘go to’ point for baby showers. I’m already Ireland’s leading supplier.”

Last year was also a big one for Brid Ryan. Not only did the 28-year-old start her own business, she also became the Cork Rose. Working in event management, Ryan had worked on cruise liners. Then she took some time out, and decided to start her own business.

“I’d mad on sport,” says Ryan. “I love training, but I want to look good in my gear. I have to search for things, and I can never find a sport-specific kit that is made for my body. A lot is a bit masculine. I thought, why don’t people design it for women? Why not use their body shape using flattering, gorgeous fabrics, bringing style and colour?”

In January, 2012, Ryan took a PINC course — an intensive programme for female entrepreneurs — at the Rubicon Centre. She then went on to the New Frontiers course with Enterprise Ireland. She’s done her research, developed her brand, and paid for it through her savings, as well as assistance from the South Cork Enterprise Board.

“The business is called Queen B Athletics, queenbathletics.com. We’re now going through the sampling stage,” she says. “I’d love, eventually, to be a recognised international brand.!”

Why, in all of this, did she go for the Rose of Tralee? “I was chasing my dreams and I thought, why not? And it was amazing.”

But was it good for business? “I was chatting to the Roses about their sport, what kit they’d like and what they wanted. Meeting people is always good. I’ve now got a network worldwide.”

*Dragons’ Den returns to RTÉ One on Sunday at 9.30pm