Alison Chambers – Slieve Bloom Organics
Alison Chambers took the reins of her business, Slieve Bloom Organics, in November 2023, when she bought out the owner who she had been working for as a horticulturist for three years.
Annette Parker – AP Psychotherapy
Annette Parker, a native of Fethard, Co Tipperary, who lives in Ladytown, Naas, Co Kildare, set up her business, AP Psychotherapy, in September 2024, having previously worked as a mental health nurse, a public health nurse and in business development, sales and marketing with pharmaceutical company Janssen-Cilag.
Aoife Finnegan – Curio PR
When Aoife Finnegan returned to her hometown of Dundalk in early 2020, she didn’t expect to become a business owner.
Bridget Johnson – Sticky
Bridget Johnson, a copywriter, creative director and strategist with over 25 years’ experience in the advertising industry set up her own consultancy, Sticky, at her home in Greystones, Co Wicklow, in February 2023.
Barbara Lynch – Four Sisters
Having spent 14 years working as a business executive in corporate banking, Barbara Lynch always knew she would one day set up her own business.
Brónagh Rogers – Bean & Bread
Brónagh Rogers, who worked as a chef for ten years in Dublin, London, New York and Canada, among other locations, had to rethink her vocation when like many people working in hospitality she was let go during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Catriona Doherty –Catriona Doherty Celebrant
Catriona Doherty set up her business – Catriona Doherty Celebrant – in her native Carndonagh, Co Donegal, in June 2024.
Christina Foley – Inish Living
In November 2022, Christina Foley launched her business Inish Living at her home in Tuosist on the Beara Peninsula in Co Kerry. Inish Living is a luxury lifestyle wellness brand which nurtures wellness through movement, rest and play.
Ciara O’Brien – Barnahown
Ciara O’Brien didn’t let a lack of experience in hospitality hold her back when she decided in 2023 to transform a vacant property in her native Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, into luxury bed and breakfast accommodation.
Ciara Spillane – Positive Prospects
Ciara Spillane had spent more than 20 years working in recruitment in the corporate sector when she decided that she could turn her passion for the training and coaching side of her role into her own business.
Claire Tully – Thrive Social
Clare Tully had been running her own children’s clothes shop before the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic forced her to close the business. However, the experience of doing her own social media inspired her to undertake a post-graduate degree in digital marketing.
Emer McVeety –Laochra Academy
It was while Emer McVeety was teaching in Australia that she saw the effectiveness of a model in which childcare service providers work in collaboration with primary school communities to offer onsite before and after school care throughout the academic year, and camp care during school holidays.
Ena Reale – Reale Recovery
Ena Reale set up Reale Recovery, her evidence-based holistic physiotherapy business for people dealing with chronic pain and persistent symptoms, in October 2024 after she returned to her native Kerry following a four-year spell in New Zealand.
Eveline van Manen –Forus-P
Eveline van Manen has been running cybersecurity firm Forus-P from Bunclody, Co. Wexford, for more than 11 years.
Farzana Maudarbaccus –Farzana Consulting
Farzana Maudarbaccus started her management consultancy, Farzana Consulting, after deciding that she needed the flexibility of self-employment to help her balance work and parenting.
Fiona O’Donohoe – Away with Nature
Fiona O’Donohoe admits to being something of an accidental entrepreneur. A long-term sufferer with rosacea – a skin condition that causes outbreaks of redness on a person’s face – she used the isolation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic to research her skin’s ability to tolerate various treatments.
Genevieve Fitzgerald –Stately Members Club
Genevieve Fitzgerald started her business – Stately Members Club – at her home in Sligo town in July 2021 after she returned from working in Australia and Ibiza as a graphic designer for music events, fashion brands and commercial property.
Gwen Ryan – Love from Ireland
Originally from Dublin, Gwen Ryan has lived in Ballyvaughan, Co Clare since 2006. She set up her business, Love From Ireland, at home in September 2023.
Ixis Santos – Forest Mist Skincare
Ixis Santos started her skincare business from her home in Curraghchase, Co Limerick, in 2023 out of desperation after she had suffered from severe skin sensitivities since childhood.
Jane Gormley – CRAICLY
Jane Gormley started CRAICLY organically at her home in Allenwood, Co Kildare, in October 2023 and developed it alongside her day job as a recruitment director in the tech sector. CRAICLY is a storytelling project designed to bring people and place together through community storytelling.
Karen Curtin – The Spectacles Chick
The Spectacles Chick is a distributor of high-quality eyewear. Before starting the business, Karen had worked as an agent for a distributor in the eyewear industry and had brought brands including Saint Laurent, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs to the Irish market.
Kate Maher – Dúlra, Cill Dara
Kate Maher, who lives in Naas, Co Kildare, set up her business in May 2022 to achieve a long-term plan to bring nature into people’s lives.
Katie O’Sullivan – MyDietitian.ie
Katie O’Sullivan, who is originally from Cork, set up her business – MyDietitian.ie – in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, in June 2024 when the opportunity arose for her to open a clinic in the centre of the town.
Laura Treanor – Laura Treanor Food Consultancy Services
Laura Treanor had enjoyed a 30-year career as a quality specialist in the food industry when, in November 2022, she decided to set up her own business, Laura Treanor Food Consultancy Services.
Martha McCabe – Goose Loves
Martha McCabe first tried her hand at knitting and sewing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Little did the Louth native know that her burgeoning interest would develop into a fully-fledged and successful business.
Orlaith Kilgannon – Pelvic Health West
Orlaith Kilgannon had been working as a physiotherapist in the UK when she made the decision in July 2023 to start her own business back home in Galway.
Rebecca Hoban – Outwest Clothing
Rebecca Hoban had the idea for Outwest Clothing after the loss of her jacket during a hike in Dingle, Co. Kerry, led to a futile, weeks-long search for an adequate replacement.
Rebecca Whelan –The Next Chapter Bridal & Occasion
Bridal stylist and designer Rebecca Whelan started her business – The Next Chapter Bridal & Occasion – at her home in Cloughjordan in Co Tipperary in December 2022.
Shannan Mulrooney –Maia Purposeful Play
Shannan Mulrooney set up her business, Maia Purposeful Play at the community centre near her home in Ballisodare, Co Sligo, in January 2023.
Shelly Rourke – Shelly’s
Shelly Rourke, who is a native of Galway living in Cork, set up her business – Shelly’s – in 2022 to provide home-baked treats that people can order online.
Tara Mestre – Wild Atlantic Wellness
Tara Mestre, a native of West Cork, was working as a freelance public relations consultant for clients in the wellness sector, when she decided she would rather be pursuing and promoting her own wellness enterprise.
Zoe O’Connell – Zoe O’Connell Consulting
Brand and marketing consultant Zoe O’Connell set up her business at her home in Barna, Co Galway, when she returned to her native county following 15 years working in Sydney and Dublin.