There are inspirational women running businesses in every corner of the UK, and Northern Ireland is no exception. The stories of women entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland often begin at kitchen tables, after redundancy, or when a gap in the market simply cannot be ignored. In 2012, Omagh Enterprise Company ran the 60 Second Challenge, a fast, focused exercise that asked local business owners to answer six key questions about their venture in just one minute. Most ran over, not because they were unprepared, but because they were so passionate about what they had built. The original videos are no longer available, but the lessons they captured still resonate.

The landscape for women in business has shifted since those films were made, yet many of the same barriers remain. The 2023 Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship reported that the UK now has around 1.6 million women-led SMEs, contributing an estimated £108 billion to the economy. It also found that only around one in three UK entrepreneurs is a woman, with Northern Ireland recording some of the lowest rates of female entrepreneurship in the UK. That gap makes visible, relatable role models especially valuable. Whether you are testing an idea, writing a business plan or scaling an established company, hearing how other women have made the leap can be the nudge you need.

Joanne Sweeney-Burke, Media Box

Joanne launched Media Box, a multimedia marketing agency, from her kitchen table as the recession began to bite. Her motivation was simple: she had spent years generating revenue for other people and was ready to do it for herself. Starting small meant she could keep overheads low while building a client base, and her background in media gave her the confidence to position the company as an outsourced marketing department. Since then, she has gone on to become a well-known voice in digital marketing training, but the core lesson remains: if you have the skills and the drive, you do not need a city-centre office to start.

Naomh McElhatton, Digital Advertising NI

Naomh founded Digital Advertising NI while balancing work and family life. For her, self-employment was not just about building a company; it was about designing a working week that fitted around her children. Her story highlights one of the most common reasons women start businesses: the need for flexibility. Digital advertising also has low start-up costs compared with product-based ventures, making it an accessible route for parents returning to work or anyone looking to trade expertise for income.

Shauna McCarvey, Heavenly Tasty Organics

Shauna’s business, Heavenly Tasty Organics, produced frozen organic baby food at a time when parents were beginning to demand cleaner, simpler ingredients. She was candid about the long, hard process of bringing a food product to market, from recipe development and safety testing to securing shelf space. Her reward was seeing the product stocked in shops. Food production remains one of the more demanding sectors for start-ups, but Shauna’s experience shows that persistence, compliance and a clear point of difference can turn a kitchen idea into a retail brand.

Charlene Stockdale, Cupid Creations

Charlene turned a lack of graduate job opportunities into the push she needed to launch Cupid Creations, selling handmade wedding stationery, textile jewellery and running craft workshops. Rather than waiting for the right time, she decided to start immediately. Her story is a useful counter to the idea that you need years of savings or a perfect business plan before trading. The creative industries are a significant part of Northern Ireland’s economy, and businesses like Cupid Creations show how craft skills can be packaged into multiple income streams.

Shauna Rooney, Tyronne Office Solutions

Shauna set up Tyronne Office Solutions as a virtual assistant, supporting clients remotely with administration, diary management and business support. She admitted that the hours were long, often well beyond a standard working day, but the payoff was worth it. The virtual assistant sector has grown rapidly since 2012, driven by cloud software and demand for flexible support. Shauna’s early entry into remote working demonstrates that location is no barrier to building a professional services business.

What these five stories have in common

Despite operating in different sectors, the entrepreneurs share several traits:

• They started before they felt ready. Whether from redundancy, maternity or graduation, each woman used her circumstances as a catalyst.
• They kept costs low. Kitchen tables, home offices and digital tools meant they could test demand without heavy investment.
• They traded on existing skills. Marketing, craft, food and administration were all areas where they already had experience or a strong interest.
• They sought local support. Initiatives like Omagh Enterprise Company’s 60 Second Challenge gave them a platform and a network.
• They were visibly passionate. Enthusiasm helped them win customers, secure stockists and keep going through setbacks.

The 2026 landscape for women entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland

Starting a business in Northern Ireland today involves different practical steps than it did in 2012. Two changes every new founder should understand are identity verification and digital tax reporting.

Since 2025, Companies House has required directors and people with significant control to verify their identity. This applies to new registrations and, over time, to existing officers. You can find a plain English guide in our article on Companies House identity verification.

From April 2026, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment applies to self-employed people and landlords with qualifying income over £50,000. The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027. Our Making Tax Digital checklist for women explains what you need to prepare.

Beyond compliance, support is available. Women in Business NI runs training, mentoring and networking programmes across the region. Invest NI’s Go For It programme offers free mentoring and support for early-stage businesses, while Enterprise NI delivers the government-backed Start Up Loans scheme locally. Your local council economic development team can also point you towards grants and incubator space.

Ready to write your own start-up story?

If these Northern Ireland entrepreneurs prove anything, it is that a compelling business can begin with a single decision to start. You do not need to have everything figured out on day one, but you do need a clear offer, a willingness to learn and access to the right support.

Begin by mapping the practical basics: choose a legal structure, open a separate business bank account, and check whether you need to register for VAT or set up a payroll. Our guides on business grants for women in the UK and women in business networks are good places to continue.

Have you launched a business in Northern Ireland, or are you planning to? We would love to hear your story. Share it with Prowess and help inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland.