Accelerating the Creation Of Rural Nascent Start-ups (ACORNS) is a support system in place for early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland. The six-month, part-time development programme for 2018 was launched and is supported by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed, in August. Now in its fourth year, the programme has supported 150 female entrepreneurs with another 50 to be selected this year. The programme includes monthly round-table meetings with the participants’ lead entrepreneurs. These are successful female business women who have already successfully grown companies in rural Ireland. The programme’s success stories are innumerable with a plethora of businesses having thrived since their participation. Irish Country Living profile three ACORNS representatives from around the country.
Green Acre Marketing
In 2014, Aileen Barron set up Green Acre Marketing in Butlerstown, Co Waterford. Having grown up on a dairy farm, Aileen’s life from an early age has centred around farming and agribusiness.
Growing up on a dairy farm, Aileen had spent more than 12 years working in the agrifood sector prior to setting up Green Acre Marketing. The company, which provides marketing services to agribusinesses, was approximately one year old when she came across ACORNS.
The company was founded after Aileen identified a need for a marketing business that had strong marketing skills and specific knowledge of the Irish agriculture industry.
“Buying and marketing in Ireland are totally different than anywhere else. We are quite reactive. When we look out the window in the morning and see the sun we decide to go at silage. While in the UK for instance they are proactive, constantly planning. It’s hard to understand the Irish market without being a part of it,” Aileen says.
Aileen Barron of Green Acre Marketing. \ Dylan Vaughan.
"In terms of the business, I knew I needed to bring it to another level. I found it very hard to get there by myself. I needed support and that’s where ACORNS helped me,” she admits. “It was an opportunity to bounce ideas around a like-minded environment. It was amazing to see everyone sit around in a group listening to each other’s problems and questions. I had answers to someone else’s struggles, and vice versa. What was obvious to one was a revelation to another.”
Green Acre Marketing offers a range of services to agribusinesses including event management, literature design and development, digital marketing development, advertising campaigns, PR and marketing mentoring.
Starting off with just one client, Green Acre Marketing now have over 50 agribusinesses using their services, with several international clients. With three full-time employees, Aileen believes Green Acre Marketing’s strength is in its team.
“I can now say that we are the leading company in Ireland at what we do. I don’t know of anyone else who provides the services we do and has the same knowledge we have. Our staff are all from agricultural backgrounds and are well-experienced in agribusiness. They know their stuff inside out. You can’t buy that. It was ACORNS that gave me the confidence to recruit and manage my staff, because I was clueless.”
Aileen’s accomplishments have granted her some words of wisdom: “You can carry out all the analysis and budgeting that you like. But, first and foremost you have to trust your gut instinct. You know when something is right, or not. Challenges have gotten me to where I am today. Anything that knocks you back has to be taken as an opportunity. Look at those set backs as new openings. You have to learn from and take opportunity from all of the tough times. That has kept me sane in ways,” Aileen laughs.
An Sean-Teach Ltd
When South African Carla Taylor moved to Ireland 18 years ago, little did she know that she would be running An Sean-Teach Ltd, a boutique drinks company based in a thatched farmhouse in Co Laois.
Carla’s career has been as varied as it had been exciting over the past few years. “I took a year out from the newspaper industry and travelled the world with my husband and three children. I returned home to work in newspapers again but after promising to do something for myself, I finally gave it up. I went in search of a business idea and then a business partner.”
Finding the right colleague was important for Carla, who had learned after years of experience in various sectors that the right contacts were crucial. On meeting Brian Brennan seven years ago, Carla knew she had found the right match and their unique business plan came to life through research and networking.
An Sean-Teach DV8 Gold cream liqueur.
An Sean Teach's Brennan’s Old House Irish botanical gin.
“We looked into lots of ideas, ice cream being one. While on a business trip to South Africa we came across a market for selling alcoholic beverages. Then we asked: ‘What if we put alcohol into the ice cream?’ and so we had cream liquor,” she laughs.
Bringing international trends to local markets and a taste of Irish influence overseas, DV8 Gold Cream Liqueur and Brennan’s Old House Irish Botanical Gin have proven successful. However, Carla reveals that by end of year, An Sean-Teach hopes to offer a total of five beverages on the shelves.
Carla admits that developing her career to date was a challenge at times. But no matter where in the world An Sean-Teach takes them, the pair stick to their brand’s principles:
“Every place we go, whether it’s America, Ireland or South Africa, we network and create new contacts before all else. You build your business with those contacts.”
“To remain in business, you must get down on the ground in each country – work, mingle and build your business. It will not remain a success unless you revisit your market places and continue to work.”
As a member of ACORNS Pilot programme, Carla is grateful for the support and friendships merged from the group:
“I have come a long way from my days at ACORNS. It is so nice to look back and see how far all of us pilot ladies have come – from having a good idea, to having financially viable and secure businesses. It gives you such a sense of achievement to see all those entrepreneurial women succeed.”
Looking back, the entrepreneur encourages bravery and conviction: “Don’t be afraid. It is not easy but there is great satisfaction in having your own business. It allows you to do all the things you could not do in a day job.”
Bó Rua Farm
The hum of the parlour and arrival of milk lorries are nothing new to Norma Dinneen, founding partner of Bó Rua Farm in Co Cork.
Norma and her husband Tom have made it their mission to oversee every step of their parlour-to-plate produce on their farm in east Cork. The Dinneen’s Montbéliarde herd grants Bó Rua with both its name and award-winning farmhouse cheeses. Although Norma started out as an electrical engineer, an unconventional move in setting up her own dairy business has proven successful for the mother of three.
“My career path has been far from conventional. But I guess I always had an entrepreneurial itch. Life was very busy and rewarding as an electrical engineer. Ten years ago, this was the very last career move my colleagues would have anticipated. But there were numerous motivations for the change, the main one being a desire for a healthier work-life balance when our kids came into our lives,” she admits.
Norma and Tom Dinneen of Bó Rua Farm, Cork.
“ACORNS came at the exact right moment for me. Doing what I was trying to do in isolation was very difficult at times. At our sessions, we set goals and milestones. Having my fellow ACORNS members there to positively pressure me to meet these milestones was brilliant. It was also a brilliant opportunity to step away from my career and get the helicopter view.”
Adding to her numerous qualifications, Norma recently completed the Green Cert. She feels her continuous education and upskilling ensures her business’s consistency.
“Since Tom and I decided to take the value-added approach to diversify our farm into cheese production, education has been pivotal. It has equipped me for the entrepreneurial journey. There is a combination of science and engineering in cheese making. The engineer within me sees a certain magic in transforming our cow’s milk to cheese.”
Combining the authenticity of the farm with lessons learned throughout her career, Norma has maintained the quality and improved the market of Bó Rua produce, with the farm winning numerous awards, including Best Micro Cheese Producer 2017 at the Artisan Cheese Awards in the UK.
Accelerating the Creation Of Rural Nascent Start-ups (ACORNS) is a support system in place for early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland. The six-month, part-time development programme for 2018 was launched and is supported by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed, in August. Now in its fourth year, the programme has supported 150 female entrepreneurs with another 50 to be selected this year. The programme includes monthly round-table meetings with the participants’ lead entrepreneurs. These are successful female business women who have already successfully grown companies in rural Ireland. The programme’s success stories are innumerable with a plethora of businesses having thrived since their participation. Irish Country Living profile three ACORNS representatives from around the country.
Green Acre Marketing
In 2014, Aileen Barron set up Green Acre Marketing in Butlerstown, Co Waterford. Having grown up on a dairy farm, Aileen’s life from an early age has centred around farming and agribusiness.
Growing up on a dairy farm, Aileen had spent more than 12 years working in the agrifood sector prior to setting up Green Acre Marketing. The company, which provides marketing services to agribusinesses, was approximately one year old when she came across ACORNS.
The company was founded after Aileen identified a need for a marketing business that had strong marketing skills and specific knowledge of the Irish agriculture industry.
“Buying and marketing in Ireland are totally different than anywhere else. We are quite reactive. When we look out the window in the morning and see the sun we decide to go at silage. While in the UK for instance they are proactive, constantly planning. It’s hard to understand the Irish market without being a part of it,” Aileen says.
Aileen Barron of Green Acre Marketing. \ Dylan Vaughan.
"In terms of the business, I knew I needed to bring it to another level. I found it very hard to get there by myself. I needed support and that’s where ACORNS helped me,” she admits. “It was an opportunity to bounce ideas around a like-minded environment. It was amazing to see everyone sit around in a group listening to each other’s problems and questions. I had answers to someone else’s struggles, and vice versa. What was obvious to one was a revelation to another.”
Green Acre Marketing offers a range of services to agribusinesses including event management, literature design and development, digital marketing development, advertising campaigns, PR and marketing mentoring.
Starting off with just one client, Green Acre Marketing now have over 50 agribusinesses using their services, with several international clients. With three full-time employees, Aileen believes Green Acre Marketing’s strength is in its team.
“I can now say that we are the leading company in Ireland at what we do. I don’t know of anyone else who provides the services we do and has the same knowledge we have. Our staff are all from agricultural backgrounds and are well-experienced in agribusiness. They know their stuff inside out. You can’t buy that. It was ACORNS that gave me the confidence to recruit and manage my staff, because I was clueless.”
Aileen’s accomplishments have granted her some words of wisdom: “You can carry out all the analysis and budgeting that you like. But, first and foremost you have to trust your gut instinct. You know when something is right, or not. Challenges have gotten me to where I am today. Anything that knocks you back has to be taken as an opportunity. Look at those set backs as new openings. You have to learn from and take opportunity from all of the tough times. That has kept me sane in ways,” Aileen laughs.
An Sean-Teach Ltd
When South African Carla Taylor moved to Ireland 18 years ago, little did she know that she would be running An Sean-Teach Ltd, a boutique drinks company based in a thatched farmhouse in Co Laois.
Carla’s career has been as varied as it had been exciting over the past few years. “I took a year out from the newspaper industry and travelled the world with my husband and three children. I returned home to work in newspapers again but after promising to do something for myself, I finally gave it up. I went in search of a business idea and then a business partner.”
Finding the right colleague was important for Carla, who had learned after years of experience in various sectors that the right contacts were crucial. On meeting Brian Brennan seven years ago, Carla knew she had found the right match and their unique business plan came to life through research and networking.
An Sean-Teach DV8 Gold cream liqueur.
An Sean Teach's Brennan’s Old House Irish botanical gin.
“We looked into lots of ideas, ice cream being one. While on a business trip to South Africa we came across a market for selling alcoholic beverages. Then we asked: ‘What if we put alcohol into the ice cream?’ and so we had cream liquor,” she laughs.
Bringing international trends to local markets and a taste of Irish influence overseas, DV8 Gold Cream Liqueur and Brennan’s Old House Irish Botanical Gin have proven successful. However, Carla reveals that by end of year, An Sean-Teach hopes to offer a total of five beverages on the shelves.
Carla admits that developing her career to date was a challenge at times. But no matter where in the world An Sean-Teach takes them, the pair stick to their brand’s principles:
“Every place we go, whether it’s America, Ireland or South Africa, we network and create new contacts before all else. You build your business with those contacts.”
“To remain in business, you must get down on the ground in each country – work, mingle and build your business. It will not remain a success unless you revisit your market places and continue to work.”
As a member of ACORNS Pilot programme, Carla is grateful for the support and friendships merged from the group:
“I have come a long way from my days at ACORNS. It is so nice to look back and see how far all of us pilot ladies have come – from having a good idea, to having financially viable and secure businesses. It gives you such a sense of achievement to see all those entrepreneurial women succeed.”
Looking back, the entrepreneur encourages bravery and conviction: “Don’t be afraid. It is not easy but there is great satisfaction in having your own business. It allows you to do all the things you could not do in a day job.”
Bó Rua Farm
The hum of the parlour and arrival of milk lorries are nothing new to Norma Dinneen, founding partner of Bó Rua Farm in Co Cork.
Norma and her husband Tom have made it their mission to oversee every step of their parlour-to-plate produce on their farm in east Cork. The Dinneen’s Montbéliarde herd grants Bó Rua with both its name and award-winning farmhouse cheeses. Although Norma started out as an electrical engineer, an unconventional move in setting up her own dairy business has proven successful for the mother of three.
“My career path has been far from conventional. But I guess I always had an entrepreneurial itch. Life was very busy and rewarding as an electrical engineer. Ten years ago, this was the very last career move my colleagues would have anticipated. But there were numerous motivations for the change, the main one being a desire for a healthier work-life balance when our kids came into our lives,” she admits.
Norma and Tom Dinneen of Bó Rua Farm, Cork.
“ACORNS came at the exact right moment for me. Doing what I was trying to do in isolation was very difficult at times. At our sessions, we set goals and milestones. Having my fellow ACORNS members there to positively pressure me to meet these milestones was brilliant. It was also a brilliant opportunity to step away from my career and get the helicopter view.”
Adding to her numerous qualifications, Norma recently completed the Green Cert. She feels her continuous education and upskilling ensures her business’s consistency.
“Since Tom and I decided to take the value-added approach to diversify our farm into cheese production, education has been pivotal. It has equipped me for the entrepreneurial journey. There is a combination of science and engineering in cheese making. The engineer within me sees a certain magic in transforming our cow’s milk to cheese.”
Combining the authenticity of the farm with lessons learned throughout her career, Norma has maintained the quality and improved the market of Bó Rua produce, with the farm winning numerous awards, including Best Micro Cheese Producer 2017 at the Artisan Cheese Awards in the UK.
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