Belfast Telegraph
Up and Running: Belfast Telegraph
Up and Running NI operates outlets in Belfast’s Wellington Place and Newry’s Francis Street and claims to be the leading specialist running and walking shoe retailer in Ireland.
When owner Michael Jenkins began the business in 2005, he chose the franchise route. His business is now the largest franchise in the Up and Running group [...]
Total Golf: Belfast Telegraph
Londonderry retailer Total Golf provides an object lesson in how develop and grow at a fast rate, even in a recession. Exports and online retailing offer enormous opportunities.
Dermot Hegarty opened a shop in Derry’s Springtown estate in 2006 with two staff: he now has 13 employees and expects that to go up to 18 or [...]
MaST Ireland: Belfast Telegraph
MaST Ireland was established as a training organisation for business leaders nearly 30 years ago by Frank Storrs and today his son David is the managing partner. Over the last three decades the Belfast headquartered business has grown steadily, with an all-Ireland platform, and it now employs eight permanent staff and works with another ten [...]
Hand Drawn Creative: Belfast Telegraph
Hand Drawn Creative is a successful business based in Bangor that provides illustrations and creative design for clients around the world. Sole trader Neal McCullough has been drawing since he was a child.
“Even when I was 14 or 15 I was doing pictures as gifts,” Neal recalls. “I was on holiday with my parents and [...]
BubbleBum: Belfast Telegraph
BubbleBum is just two years old, yet it is rapidly emerging as one of Northern Ireland’s most successful export-based companies. So it is no surprise that founder and chief executive Grainne Kelly was this year a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards , as well as the firm being the [...]
Boozeberries: Belfast Telegraph
Any business that doubts the value of social networking should consider the example of County Down liquor business Boozeberries. Introductions through LinkedIn have opened-up a potentially lucrative market in Turkey and look set to create a major opening in the United States.
“In our original business plan we not expected to be going after the [...]
In praise of Zombies: Belfast Telegraph
Uproar Comics is one of Northern Ireland’s newest and most distinctive small businesses. The third issue of its ‘Zombies Hi’ comic was published last week and sales are increasing with each issue.
Zombies have taken over the rest of the world, but in the walled city of Londonderry the gates have closed for the first time [...]
Armour: Belfast Telegraph
Armour Interactive has just celebrated its first birthday – but it could be celebrating even more in the weeks to come. The graphic and web design company has been nominated for two ‘Golden Spider’ awards.
The Golden Spiders are Ireland’s premier annual online awards, recognising excellence in the use of the internet. The award evening [...]
‘Renewables could stimulate Irish economy’: Belfast Telegraph
Marine energy could generate as many as 69,000 jobs in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, according to a report from consultants SQW Energy for Invest NI and the Republic’s Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
Opportunities are greatest, suggests the report, in the wave energy sector, where between 17,000 and 52,000 jobs could [...]
RP Group: Belfast Telegraph
Tough times test businesses. The RP Group is one of those that was tested by the recession, but is emerging stronger and more resilient.
“We were growing steadily until October 2008 and then somebody turned the tap off,” explains managing director Steven Allen. “It happened on the 1st October. Trade dropped in October and plummeted [...]
