Start Me Up Series

You are never too YOUNG to be an ENTREPRENEUR

There is a saying you are never too old.  Likewise you are never too young to start your own business.  And Antrim Enterprise can support and assist you along your entrepreneurial journey regardless of age.  It’s all about whether you have the entrepreneurial characteristic, some of which are:

  • Curiosity.
  • Passion.
  • Adaptability.
  • Decisiveness.
  • Team Builder.
  • Flexibility.
  • Comfortable with Failure.
  • Persistence.

Rachel Jameson from Randalstown started her own business when she realised more and more people were turning to fitness during lockdown. The idea for Mean Protein was born in Spring 2020, with the core objective of helping people achieve their fitness goals through educating them on the importance of protein.

Mean Protein is a protein subscription box which comprises of a wide range of delicious protein bars, snacks, and whey from the twelve biggest and best brands in the U.K, such as FULFIL and Grenade. There is a set randomised box which most people subscribe to, but customers also have the option to have their own, more personalised box depending on their tastes or needs.

Rachel has been into a fitness ever since she started university. However, after graduation and during lockdown, she was working out more than ever before and was very conscious of how much protein she was taking in.

“I thought of Mean Protein as a great idea to teach people about the importance of protein. As there are many brands out there, I decided to compile them all into one box so that people can try them all out without the stress of shipping costs from different brands, saving up to £15 per box.”

Customers are mostly people into fitness and others subscribe simply to get extra protein into their diets for a healthy lifestyle. The idea behind it is to help people get into protein/a healthy lifestyle without having to buy from just one brand and at a cheaper price than buying protein bars from retail shops.

Since she started her business, she has faced challenges particularly with regards the difficulties of COVID stopping a lot of the trade between countries and not being able to get as many flavours as she wanted but she did not let this stop her as she made every effort to source flavours from other suppliers, enabling her to continue to provide her customers with a wide variety of flavours.

To help her on her entrepreneurial journey and to support her with these challenges, Rachel availed of support under Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Business Start Up Coaching Programme. She was assigned a coach from Antrim Enterprise, who she described was inspirational, energetic and knowledgeable about business.

Rachel is positive she will continue to build her client base once the gyms start to reopen and expects to see more customers visiting the website and subscribing. She is also hoping to launch a new protein bar only box soon, so watch this space!

OUR TOP TIPS

Love what you do and do what you love

One of the characteristics above passion, is what it is all about.  So start a business doing something that you are passionate about.  Not sure how to turn a hobby or interest into a business, check out our article on finding your business idea

Think outside the box

Don’t be afraid to go out on the edge and find your Unique Selling Point.  If you haven’t read our article on Market Research, start there.  Customers love innovation but make sure it isn’t overly gimmicky.  Have a clear understanding of your market.

Plan

There is a saying fail to plan and you plan to fail. When you start up, it is important that you fully think through your business.

Manage your time well

Time management is essential when starting any business regardless your age.   As a young entrepreneur, you may still be at school, college, or university. Make sure that you do not overstretch yourself.

Find a Mentor/Coach/Buddy

Been there, done that.  Finding someone who has already had years of experience in setting up and running a business as your mentor is so beneficial.   Mentors have a wealth of experience from their careers and running their business, they can share their pros and cons and offer a sounding board to your ideas and suggestions.

 

So if you are interested in starting a business, but unsure how to begin, get in touch with one of the business support team to discuss how to turn an idea into a reality:

jennifer@antrimenterprise.com or kerry@antrimenterprise.com

028 9446 7774

 

 

 

 

Jennifer McWilliams
Written By
Jennifer McWilliams

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