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  • 4 months ago
A Coleraine-based entrepreneur has ambitions to take her burgeoning business to the next level after receiving vital support from Northern Ireland’s free enterprise service, Go Succeed.

Ciara McKenna, a full-time housing officer, wife, and mother of two, opened Causeway Bowls last October – already now the town’s go-to spot for açai bowls and coffee.

Since opening, the café has attracted a loyal customer base, and Ciara now has plans to expand into a larger premises with outdoor seating and hot food in the future.

Reflecting on her journey, Ciara said: “I first caught the entrepreneurial bug during Covid, when my fiancé and I converted a horse box into a mobile coffee van. It was a fantastic experience and gave us a taste of running our own business, but when demand slowed as people went back to work, I went back to focusing on my career and family life.

“Still, I felt like I wanted more. I’ve always been a risk-taker, so when I spotted a premises available to rent beside the local leisure centre, my fiancé wasn’t surprised when we put in an offer the next day. That’s when Causeway Bowls was born.”
Transcript
00:00So we wanted to open an acai shop, a place that people could come in and see their
00:05Tobin's and Franklin, be able to pick their choice and GoSucceed has made that a reality.
00:14My name is Ciara McKenna, I am the owner of Cosby Bowls. We sell acai bowls, smoothies,
00:21freshly squeezed juices and coffees. Wanting to open our own business was to try and better
00:26our life and like to show our children that not to be afraid that you know if you have a wee dream
00:32to go for it and look if it doesn't work out at least you can always say that you tried.
00:36I reached out to GoSucceed basically I needed a business plan so GoSucceed was brilliant and then
00:42with the business plan I got my startup loan passed. GoSucceed also I had a mentor for like social
00:50media so they helped me with like Instagram, TikTok, like told me you know what posts and stuff to post
00:56and then a website also. I'd say to all our entrepreneurs that if you have a vision
01:03or a dream to reach out to GoSucceed and definitely they'll be able to help with business plan,
01:08mentoring whether it's for funding or like social media and GoSucceed really can help you with anything.
01:15Setting up to GoSucceed was so easy it was straightforward I just done it online and within
01:20a matter of days I heard back GoSucceed I definitely recommend it it's been a great service.
01:27I would say my proudest business moment is probably just opening the shop in general.
01:33Then we opened up obviously at the end of October coming in to Launder and it probably wasn't the
01:37best time to open up but do you know what I'm so glad that we did do it that it's been brilliant
01:44for that and I'm really excited for what the future holds.
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