A Mid Ulster mum-of-four has found the perfect balance between family life and a successful career by launching her very own virtual assistant business with the support of the Go For It Programme, in association with Mid Ulster District Council.
This project is part-funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme.
Eve Beattie, who lives in Magherafelt, explains that it was during her maternity leave with her fourth child that she had the vision to establish her own business.
“I realised that with the time constraints of four young children and the price of childcare going back to work was no longer a feasible option. I wanted to do something which would allow me to combine the flexibility of family with work and give me a good balance. I also wanted to develop and use my skill sets.”
From her initial idea, EveVa was born – setting her up as a virtual assistant.
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“I saw a niche in the market for this type of work with small businesses and self- employed people who simply do not have the time to manage the tasks themselves,” she explains.
“I offer a range of services, particularly in digital marketing, where I manage email marketing campaigns and social media pages for clients. I joined a few local networking groups, where I have since met my first clients and I am now starting to see referrals come through.” she explains.
Eve turned her vision into a reality after taking part in the Go For It Programme, which is delivered free of charge by a team of experienced business mentors through Northern Ireland’s wide network of enterprise agencies. It provides expert advice and help with developing a robust business plan to help turn ideas into a commercial enterprise.
I wanted to do something which would allow me to combine the flexibility of family with work and give me a good balance.
Commenting on the success of the programme Eve, who did it through the Workspace Group and Mid Ulster District Council said;
“Often it is hard to know where to start; that was my experience before starting the Go For It Programme. The support and guidance offered through it helped me fine tune my business idea from concept to working reality. Workspace Enterprises helped me with practical things in the early stages like setting out a business plan and doing a detailed analysis. It was great for helping me to budget and forward plan.”
Councillor Sean McPeake, Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, added: “The Council is delighted to see Eve reaping the benefits of the Go For It Programme. Mid Ulster has a strong entrepreneurial culture, the highest in the region, and it’s one of our Council’s strategic priorities to help maximise opportunities to create and grow district-wide businesses and investment. I wish Eve every success with her new venture”
Patricia Elliott, Business Advisor with Workspace on behalf of Mid Ulster District Council, said: “Eve came to the Go For It Programme with a wealth of digital marketing and business administration experience, with a genuine drive to offer SME’s across Northern Ireland essential support services.
“We worked with Eve to develop a business plan that focused her on defining her service provision, marketing and financial forecasting, as well as helping her tap into local networking opportunities for generating business leads.”
“It’s great to see Eve doing so well and continuing to grow her business. She is building a strong reputation in the local business community for offering an excellent service. Workspace Enterprises wishes her all the very best and we look forward to seeing her continue to grow.”
If you have a business idea you’d like to develop or if you are thinking about starting a business call 0333 696 8918 or register your interest for a free appointment with a business advisor in your area by completing the short enquiry form here.