Guess the fines handed out for dog fouling

Plus, Zara McLaughlin gets fired up about creativity, collaboration and community in business

Good morning, hopefully all is well in your own little bubble! Plenty happening this week but the hot topic on social – dog poo! Not sure if we’ve covered that one before…

Anyway, Scott and his eagle eye spotted the new graffiti lining the streets of Armagh city centre...(see above) Get involved in the rather mild-mannered debate here. We’ve dropped a little FOI on the amount of fines dished out in the last 12 months for this very offence.

It was the wild west elsewhere in the comments section but we’ll leave you to find those all on your own.

Headlines

Controversial Newry housing development scrapped despite approval almost four years ago

Top gongs dished out to Armagh businesses as City Hotel hosts 15th year of Irish Restaurant Awards

Planning permission granted for huge Portadown FC development

Heartbreak as Crossmaglen boy contracts meningitis and suffers stroke amid cancer battle with mum

New off-street parking app downloads were ‘defaulting’ to accept hidden charges

Co-worker avoids prison following teenager’s death in Banbridge – one week into summer job

Defective footbridges in Craigavon still to be repaired 18 months after inspection

Application to improve Co Armagh Orange Hall refused

Granemore Primary School has extension plans granted

Parade and service held to mark 90th anniversary of Bessbrook Cenotaph unveiling

Generosity ‘exceeds expectations’ as fundraiser for Crossmaglen’s Caolan surpasses £100,000 target

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Once again, thank you to to our newest members who signed up since our last newsletter, it’s greatly appreciated. The below story detailing another fantastic entrepreneur is open to our subscribers. We’ve got plenty more different ideas in the pipeline so do consider becoming a member today…

Enjoy – and have a great weekend!

Zara McLaughlin gets fired up about creativity, collaboration and community in business

By Kellie Gray

Zara McLaughlin has always had the itch to go into business for herself and now that she has thrown herself hands first into the world of self employment she has no doubts of her decision.

Her ceramics-centered business in Coleraine, simply named Zara McLaughlin Studio, has developed from a solitary workshop into a thriving, collaborative space for herself and other creatives, amateur and professional alike.

So, how did it grow? Like a plant would; if water and sunshine were love and humility.

Twenty-six-year-old professional potter, Zara found her love as many of us do - on the rebound. 

Said Zara: "Basically I went to university in 2017 to study jewellery but I hated it so I swapped over to pottery on a complete whim and loved it!

Three years on and graduation certificate in hand, Zara was ready and raring to go. But the world had changed and the Covid Pandemic made starting a new business all the more challenging. 

Describing the early days, Zara said: "When we went into lockdown I set up a small studio space in my grandparent's garage, and when I say studio space, it was just half the garage, a sink, a potter's wheel and a bench. I didn't even have a kiln in the beginning.

"I did everything on the cheap. My very first kiln was on Facebook Marketplace, it was older than me and I saved every penny to buy it. Uni would also have given me clay so I didn't have that expense. I didn't really need a huge loan. I did it all myself. You can do a lot with no money."

As much as she accomplished single-handedly, Zara was never coy about asking for help.

"I had help from a couple other local potters to get stuff fired in the beginning," explained Zara. 

"I went to a lot of potters in the beginning and paid around £10 to rent a shelf in their kiln. Or I worked for another woman who said if I worked for her for free she would buy all my stuff. I said "no problem!" 

"I was there every weekend, did all the jobs, cleaned her studio; anything she wanted me to do. In exchange she bought my work."

Sounds simple but the very humble Zara undersells her entrepreneurialism. The fact is - she was prepared, she had a plan in place, she had ambition and - perhaps most significantly - she was never too prideful to ask for help. Something any new entrepreneur should take comfort in.

Part of her plan involved starting an Instagram page where she documented her processes and made videos of her work. This quickly became her ecommerce platform, allowing Zara to sell her creations online.

"My degree had an element of the course where it was like how to set up a small business and preparing you for leaving uni but it was only one semester," said Zara. "I was always interested in business and even when I was at school I was always involved with the young enterprise so I always knew that I wanted a business. 

"I suppose that's what I went into uni with; that idea in my head and I wanted to make and sell and I set up my Instagram for that purpose in my first year in uni.

"I had access to all the equipment when I was at uni and I didn't have the funds to set up a business when I was there so it was a great launchpad. They had everything I needed and they were a great help.”

However, those early days in business, whilst successful, were relatively lonely. Partnering with other students and businesses in her early years became a saving grace in more ways than one. 

She enjoyed that element of 'communication' and valued their support. Zara quickly learnt that there was so much to be gained in widening her network.

Zara said: "The sculpture students would have made tools for me to use and the photography students helped photograph my work for going to galleries. 

"I have worked with cafes in Derry, Ballymena and Ballymoney and I'm constantly trying to work with different businesses. I used to work with different small businesses and I have even worked with Dromona butter and made them butter dishes."

So, just like clay on a wheel, she moulded her business to suit demand and bit by bit, it began to take shape. 

"I was in the garage for a couple of years before I moved to Causeway Enterprise in Ballymoney" continued Zara. "I was in there for two years and I started doing classes and workshops and built myself up there for a bit longer and now I've just moved into another studio and it's a wee bit bigger again."

Zara's studio is now located at the Boatyard, Coleraine in a quaint two-storey cottage. This new space has become the epicenter of her 'creative collaboration' business model.

Commenting on her new, interactive space Zara said: "I would have a lot more people down now. It's not a shop but it's a studio space for people to come in and make. 

"I would have lots of birthday parties, hen parties and different events where I work with other creatives. 

"There's always a way of trying to get people together!

"I have worked with Tughan's law firm in Belfast and they had me up on a wellbeing day. I worked a lot with nurses and doctors in hospitals and they take some time on their lunch break to do some pottery and take a break. You don't have to be good at art to just do it and enjoy it."

Of course, getting people together doesn't happen of its own accord. Vibrant Zara has achieved partnership with some of the biggest names in Northern Irish hospitality - and that - she has achieved of her own volition.

Zara explained: "I emailed the owner of Blank after I was down for dinner because everything he does is all about local produce and finding all the freshest ingredients and I loved that. 

“So I wanted to work with him to make handmade plates so that when people come in to eat in the restaurant they are eating off handmade plates, made in Northern Ireland, with food which has also been produced in Northern Ireland."

Zara's partnership with Blank wasn't a once off, she has also worked with Moira's Michelin recommended Wine & Brine and appeared on podcasts and pop-up events in London. 

The hustle and bustle of big city life has many charms. Especially when it comes to business. But for Zara, her time in London could perhaps be best described as epiphanic. 

"The pop-up was great and went really well but the community feeling was just completely different. You can go and have dreams about building a business in a larger city but there's so much to be said about a small town and how much opportunity there is here," explained Zara.

A Ballymoney girl, it goes without saying that she champions her local community above all else and - just as she received help from those around her - Zara is a strong advocate for other young entrepreneurs seeking advice.

"I love it when people come to me and tell me they want to start a business and I want to reinforce the idea of going for it. You can do it. I'm surrounded by a small business group and I've seen so many people do it. So I love seeing people just making it work. 

"There's not really a recipe - everyone will do it differently. I'm really passionate about just doing it and don't worry about going too big too quickly.

"Getting to this studio has been a big achievement and I really enjoy what I do. I love getting out of bed in the morning so I can't really complain. 

"I have huge freedom because of all the hard work I've put in but I still want to work more with other people and dip my toes in other areas."