Small business entrepreneurs working their way out of recession

Brian Donaldson • Published 29 Oct 2010 09:00 Comments 1 Comment

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Succeeding in business is often a case of finding a niche for your product or service and getting on with it.

And it seems Fermanagh people are doing just that. This part of Northern Ireland has the largest number of new business starts per head of population than most other council areas. That is due to a range of factors including getting the right people and the support mechanism they receive during the time leading up to launching their business.

Despite the recession and the gloomy forecast for business in the months ahead, small businesses in particular are coping relatively well because of lower overheads and because the people behind them are prepared to put in the longer hours to achieve results.

Fionna Martin of Fermanagh Enterprise says they are always delighted to see people coming to them for support because they know it could mean new businesses are started with the potential to grow in the future.

She says two programmes are particularly useful to those setting up their own business. The Steps to Work programme is essentially for people who are out of work and are keen to get back into employment again. However one of the more exciting programmes is the Go For It programme funded by Invest Northern Ireland to support start up and existing businesses.

“This Programme gives individuals the opportunity to talk to people who understand their situation and who are able to answer their questions. The Programme provides training, advice from experts, workshops and one to one mentoring, tailored to meet the individual needs of each business. The Go for it Programme can help to fill gaps, addressing areas of business that people may not be familiar with. The Programme is there to support people no matter what their background or experience and its free to participants,” explained Fionna.

She says they have worked with people from all types of background engaged in many different types of businesses including those in retail, construction, sport orientated and in the environmental field.

Since April last, 60 business plans have been submitted to Fermanagh Enterprise for support.

“A lot of people have lost their jobs while others have become fed up doing a particular job that they wanted a change in career. But they are so committed to what they are doing now,” said Fionna, who added that many of those setting up their own business, often without any grant aid, did so to improve their own lifestyle and as a means of having regular employment.

“There are successful businesses out there and it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some very entrepreneurial people and the quality of those businesses is very exciting,” said Fionna.

One of the local business people who took part in the Go For It programme through Fermanagh Enterprise was Neill Harron, a furniture maker from Enniskillen.

Neill learned the trade of joinery at the Skills Centre before taking up employment with a number of local firms but decided to concentrate on making children’s bedroom furniture on his own. He has designs all ready for production but he is just so busy in other aspects of his work that he has not had a chance to start up his new venture.

Operating from a workshop at Silverhill, Neill says he has an order book taking him up to the end of December as he concentrates on bespoke joinery, all custom made and handmade.

“Business is good, making household furniture, chests of drawers and I have just finished a bar counter for the Devenish Bar and also do shop fronts, TV cabinets, kitchens and wardrobes,” said Neill.

He said he found the mentoring by staff at Fermanagh Enterprise extremely useful as well as the advice given to him to get the business started.

Another new business created was Mark McAlone’s Personal Trainer service. Operating out of Unit 12 at Fermanagh Enterprise in the Lackaboy Industrial Estate, Enniskillen, Mark had pursued fitness programmes and sport generally since his teens and had wanted a change from his regular job at a Cash and Carry company.

“I had played football and progressed to martial arts and I liked that and I always wanted to be involved in the fitness industry,” said Mark, who completed a Level 3 course in personal fitness training at South West College.

When he discovered there was a lack of jobs in Fermanagh he set about starting up his own business with the help and support of Fermanagh Enterprise. Now he runs a full-time business, usually on a one-to-one basis with clients aged from 18 to 60 specialising in weight loss and toning, body building, advice on sports and health supplements and personal training.

Some people come to him to get started on a fitness programme while others come to his fully equipped gym on a regular basis. He says Fermanagh Enterprise was extremely supportive to point him in the right direction.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 28 Oct 10

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FarmLad
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Nov 3, 09:59
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Well done to everyone, it is not any easy decision in some cases to leave a well paid job and setup on our own. However with the aid of Fiona and her colleagues at Fermanagh Enterprise it can be done, you just need to get up and 'go for it' - the world is then your oyster.

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