‘Don’t wait for someone else to create what you want. Create it yourself.’

As a child, I was drawn to anything that involved creativity, colour, and making people feel good.

I didn’t always want to be a career mentor! I dreamt of becoming an actress or fashion designer, which soon evolved into aspirations of being a singer-songwriter and abstract painter. I never liked conforming to traditional paths; I was always looking beyond the obvious, exploring the world in my own way. 

In college, I studied Art & Design for about three weeks, until I realised it wasn’t for me.

I wanted to be a painter, but when I asked, “How will I make money from my art? Where are the marketing and sales modules?” I was met with a dismissive laugh. That moment changed the course of my life. I walked out, knowing deep down this wasn’t my path. 

My most formative work experience was opening my first business when I was 19.

It was a 60-seater café called Kafkas – The Café with the Couch in Cork City. I was determined to disrupt the local café scene, and over four years, I learned the gritty realities of running a business. It was an education like no other. 

My first real job was pulling pints in a local bar when I was 15.

I’ll never forget one of my earliest orders: “A pint and a half of  Smithwick’s.” I spent five red-faced minutes searching for a glass big enough to hold a pint and a half before asking if I could give it to the customer in two glasses.  

My main responsibility at The Biscuit Factory revolves around three key areas: 

1. Education – We provide almost 300 hours of workshops, masterclasses, and courses in our members’ library because education is crucial for every small business owner. Each month, we host expert-led workshops. This month, we’re excited to welcome Jillian Bolger, food and travel  editor of the Irish Examiner, who will teach us how to smartly attract press attention. 
2. Connection – Many of us work independently, so having a supportive community is invaluable. My role is to foster an environment where members can offer encouragement, share ideas, and truly understand the creative process. We meet offline every quarter and connect online twice a week.
3. Mindset – Knowledge and connection are essential, but without the right mindset, progress stalls. To keep our community moving forward, we offer mindset coaching and have honest, motivational conversations to inspire and keep everyone focused on their goals. 

Together, these elements help our members thrive both personally and professionally.

Don’t wait for someone else to create what you want. Create it yourself.

A common misconception about what I do is that putting myself out there is easy; it’s not. It takes time, practice, and effort to build the confidence to do it.

I am always learning, reading, listening, staying informed. It is part of how we turn up as entrepreneurs.

The day you say “I know it all” is the day you lose. Curiosity is one of our most valuable assets. Regarding career mentors or people I turn to for advice, I’m lucky to have many sources. My husband Matt helps keep me focused. My community, students, and family offer constant feedback and advice. I’ve also gained valuable strategy guidance from my mentors Jill and Josh Stanton and Stu McLaren who run internationally acclaimed membership communities. 

I’m always taking risks, but I don’t really look at them that way.

At 19, I could’ve seen starting my first business as risky, but to me, it was an opportunity. Moving from Cork to Dublin to start fresh wasn’t a risk; it was an adventure. It’s all about mindset. 

I can’t start work without coffee and cuddles. 

On a regular day: I wake up, cuddle my kids and my husband, prep lunchboxes, coffee and eggs, shower, and be at my desk by 9am. On a VIP day: add in a walk with Matt before settling into work. I travel to work by climbing the stairs to my home office so there’s no commute! 

I listen, care, and give my all to what I do because this work isn’t just a job for me, it’s my passion. 

The first thing I do at work is check in with my team on Slack and open the day’s social media apps. I don’t touch my phone before work –cuddles come first! I usually spend the first part of the day setting the day’s focus for myself and the team, serving Biscuit Factory members through live calls, answering emails, brainstorming content, and getting in some fresh air to stay grounded. On an average workday, I help hundreds of people feel more confident and make smarter business decisions.

I save time by delegating tasks to my virtual assistant.

It’s essential! I rely on several business tools on a daily basis: Slack, Google Calendar, Scrum board, Canva, Flodesk, and Descript. The more I work on the business instead of in it,  the more the business grows.

I know it’s been a good day if I have some interesting stories and something funny to share at the dinner table.

The best part of my day is live Zoom calls with my members and sharing stories with my family at the dinner table – I rarely get through my workday without laughing! The most challenging part of my day is staying focused. I have endless ideas and people I want to help, but I gift myself 15 minutes daily to daydream, which fuels my creativity.

I enjoy the flexibility of self-employment.

I can choose my hours and push things if I need to, to prioritise family life and my mental health. I usually end my workday at 5pm when my son is in after-school camp, I finish my workday at 5pm. On the days he’s not in after school, I finish at 2pm. Then I play, cook, listen, jump, talk, laugh and once he’s in bed and my daughter is reading in bed, I finish up with a few hours in my office. 

I prepare for tomorrow by feeling grateful for today. 

Before bed, I’ll put on calming sleep music and spend 15 minutes on my skincare routine. 

After a long week, I de-stress by going out for dinner at our favourite local spot Woodruff or enjoying a cosy night watching movies on the couch.

I switch off from work by going for a walk, playing with my 7-year-old, chatting with my 14-year-old daughter, or half-listening to my husband talk about guitars and pedals. I also love lifting weights and meeting friends. 

The accomplishment I’m most proud of is moving to Dublin with only three connections and struggling to find a creative community to join.

When  I couldn’t find one, I decided to create my own. Today, our Facebook group, Bite The Biscuit, has nearly  11,000 members and has become one of the most supportive and positive spaces online for creatives to connect and collaborate.

 If you want to get into my line of work, my advice is to learn by doing.

Open a business or manage one – real-world experience will teach you far more than any book. We’re currently welcoming new members to The Biscuit Factory membership, with doors closing on Friday, September 13. We only open membership twice a year so this is a chance for our next cohort to join and connect with our growing community. I’m excited to welcome fresh faces and strengthen bonds with our existing members. Our next big project involves developing AI tools to help small business owners save time and focus more on their creativity. We’ve also launched a Starter Pack, perfect for those looking for monthly workshops and invitations to our in-person meetups. 

Building a thriving community takes time and effort, but for me, it’s all about connection, respect, and leading with kindness.

I spend a lot of time listening to our members and learning from them – this is the foundation of our culture. The Biscuit Factory has become Ireland’s #1 space for creatives to learn, connect, and stay sane while navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and I’m so proud of what we’ve built.