Meet the women who started their dream businesses at home

Life changes prompted new beginnings for these two Cork entrepreneurs — and they've never looked back

Margaret Urbanowicz.

MARGARET URBANOWICZ, CORK

Turning the key in the front door of her own apartment for the first time made Margaret Urbanowicz rethink the concept of her living space as a sanctuary.

That was eight years ago and Margaret developed a home fragrance company, Sómas, just before the pandemic. 

It has since expanded from candles, diffusers and mists to include body products. 

"Moving into my own apartment is definitely a part of what influenced my passion for home fragrance — my father Wojciech had passed away from leukaemia so I went from living with him at home to having to make this new empty space feel like home,” says Margaret.

“I always found so much comfort in candles, creating a beautiful atmosphere, the fragrances being able to bring that familiar, loving feel to a space, so this was a huge part of this journey.

“That Christmas my friend got me a candle-making kit for Secret Santa — and it just sparked this love. 

"I began learning more about making my own home fragrances, purchased ingredients online and started creating my own blends and pouring my own candles.

“I just love the process. Aside from finding comfort in the flickering light of the candle, the process of creating them felt almost like a meditation. 

It was, and is, my little escape."

Encouraged by friends and family, Margaret turned her passion into a business. “My background in marketing and design was helpful here as I had this very clear vision of what I wanted the finished product to look and feel like,” she says.

Margaret’s studio is located just outside Cork city and her partner Brian is also involved in the business.

“Candle making was bringing me a lot of comfort so when starting the brand, I was trying to think of something that would capture the essence of that blissful joy. One day while browsing through the internet I did a quick Irish dictionary search and there it was — Sómas, the Irish word for comfort!” she says.

• Sómas: [phone]; www.somasstudio.com

Audrey Cantillon and her husband Dom.

AUDREY CANTILLON, KINSALE 

Working in banking for a number of years, Audrey Cantillon had all but set aside her childhood passion for art.

Then, one day, as she listened to an interview with an artist she admired, something clicked.

“The artist, Lisa Congdon, was talking about leaving the corporate world behind and coming to art in her mid-30s,” says Kinsale-based Audrey. 

She said if you are creating art, you should photograph your work and share it. Her advice was not to hide it away or put it in a drawer, put it up on social media at the very least. This really resonated with me as I was doodling away at home, never showing anybody [my work].”

Audrey Cantillon and her son Ted.

Art had been Audrey’s favourite subject at school in her native Shannon in County Clare. 

“But after that, I didn’t pick up a pencil until my first baby was born, in my early 30s,” she says. 

“I used to draw with my kids, they’d eventually get bored and toddle off — but I’d still be drawing away. Then I started to draw at night when they went to bed and I loved it. I’ve always loved it.”

Audrey Cantillon's artwork.

In February 2018 Audrey posted her first picture on Instagram. 

“I was mortified and delighted all in one, if anybody commented,” she says. “Some friends suggested I turn my hobby into my job, which hadn’t even entered my head.”

Audrey Cantillon.

The months that followed were to be life-changing. 

“In June 2018 I got made redundant. For the second time,” she says. “

I had been getting a little bit brave with my art and applied to be part of the Kinsale Arts Week walking gallery trail in July — where local businesses let artists use their shop windows to exhibit their work.”

Before the year was over, she set up her own business, Cantillona Design. Audrey availed of services and supports from her local Department of Social Protection office.

 “Through them I did a digital marketing course and a Start Your Own Business Course,” she adds. “I connected up with West Cork Development Partnership and I booked a free advice clinic with and received mentorship from with the Local Enterprise Office.

Audrey Cantillon with her artwork.

“I’ve never looked back.” 

Home is key to Audrey’s art. “We renovated our house three years ago and I love it all! We finally put our own stamp on it. I probably love our kitchen the most — we didn’t change our footprint as such, just rejigged it so that it makes more sense for our family.

“We knocked through the wall into the sitting room, changed a couple of windows, painted everything white so the whole place feels lighter and brighter. 

During lockdown, I created a ‘wall of joy’ — it’s a gallery of really vibrant prints that always make me feel happy."

Audrey shares her living space with her husband Dom and their three children, Sam, 14, Izzy, 11, and Ted, 7, and their cockapoo Buddy.

Of course, Kinsale is their wider “home” — and fittingly, it’s one of Ireland and Europe’s most instagrammable locations, not least because of Audrey’s high-profile mural in the town.

Elaine Fuller and Eric Scannell at Audrey Cantillon's Kinsale mural.  Picture: Sean Jefferies

“In September 2018, when my kids went back to school, I sat down to draw my Kinsale design which had been swimming in my head for a while,” she says.

“The Kinsale colours are blue and white, and I love the images of Santorini in Greece with the whitewashed buildings and blue domes. I thought my Kinsale design would look so fresh and nautical in that beautiful blue. My friend, Cian Walsh, helped me to digitise it and turn it blue.

“A year later, it went up as a mural during Kinsale Arts Week, and was sponsored by Fishy Fishy [the restaurant] and Kinsale Gin.

“It has since become an instagrammable location with lots of tourists taking photos and videos beside it.

“That one drawing has taken me on the best adventure, it’s grown arms and legs, and I’m so proud of it.” 

Corkonians’ sense of chic inspired the mural’s city counterpart. “My husband suggested I do a Cork design and I thought it was a brilliant idea,” adds Audrey.

I actually drew the piece with Cork women in mind. I think they are very stylish and I thought a really nice Cork design on a lovely organic cotton tee would be better than wearing a Cork jersey going to matches.

“This year for Kinsale Arts Week I exhibited a collection of portraits. They were all framed and ready to be hung when I had a wobble and said to my husband, who is going to buy any of these?

“I was absolutely thrilled when Ciaran Fitzgerald from The Old Bank House bought the whole collection and created a fabulous gallery wall just inside the entrance.”

• www.cantillonadesign.com [e-mail]; 086-252 8145 www.cantillonadesign.com; https://www.instagram.com/cantillona/; https://www.facebook.com/cantillona

• Sómas and Cantillona Design are among over 100 businesses taking part in the Local Enterprise Showcase at Showcase Ireland, from February 27 to March 2. Showcase is returning as an in-person event at the RDS for the first time in two years