The Connect Programme - Programme Mentors

Programme Mentors

Catherine Kane - Catherine Kane Associates

An HR professional with 20+ years experience in the field and a unique outlook on human resources, equipping her with excellent knowledge of many diverse career paths.

Currently running her own business consultancy, Catherine Kane Associates, Catherine has worked with a wide range of clients including third sector charities, social enterprises and SME's. She has gained a B. Social Science (Hons) specialising in HR management and business development and offers coaching and mentoring to senior executives and onsite, practical HR support for businesses.  As well as specialising in human resources, she also focuses on its impacts to all other business functions including finance, marketing, culture, brand reputation and customer relations, to name a few. She has gained a Coaching Qualification Diploma from Life Coaching Acadamy and has used this in her mentoring and coaching to give her mentees the best guidance in terms of their career path. Catherine has experience in the design and delivery of workshops, both online and in person. Some of her workshops include "An Employer's Dillema - Tackling Redundancy" and "Social Media, Managing your reputation in the employment market" which was deisgned for Women in Business.

Kelly Neill - Panacea Drinks

Kelly has had over 20 years of sales and training experience in both corporate, SME's and start-ups.

Kelly has been in sales and marketing for over 20 years now. She has a wealth of knowledge in selling - from cold calling, pitching, email marketing and networking. She has also had some experience in general marketing.  Specifically, the areas in which Kelly has in depth experience are I.T., training, food/drink and health/medical industries. She is also the Founder of Panacea Drinks, North Star Supper Club and, most recently, Repair & Restore Retreats, so has experience in funding, pitching and the general trials and tribulations of starting up your own business. She has also delivered coaching and mentoring for the past 10 years, with a fantastic practical knowledge of presentation and delivery skills.

Mags McAlpin - Creating Retail Magic

A creative and enthusiastic professional, Mags has had 20 years of experience in retail design, visual marketing and business development. She holds a BA in Visual Merchandising and is also a World Host trainer in retail excellence.

Mags is the founder of the retail consultancy "Creating Retail Magic" and is experienced in B2B sales and business development management with a background in visual merchandising, giving her a wide network of international retail consultants. Her creative flair and experienced commerical background brings an innovative element to her work.

She is an associate member of the British Display Society, has a diploma in Public Relations and is a qualified Level 3 business coach. Mags has worked with many leading highstreet brands such as Arcadia Group, Harvey Nicholls, Next and Studio Souk (where she is an in-house mentor to a group of local crafters and artists).

Mags frequently judges for local business awards including the Ballymena Business Awards 2015 on behalf of the Ballymena Chamber of Commerce. She has also mentored in Belfast City Councils Dragons Den & Go for Growth; Ballymenas BID's Programme; Inspire Business Centre and Ballymena Enterprise Agency.

Melanie Fitzpatrick - Gusto Business Consultancy

Melanie is the managing director of Gusto Business Consultancy and has has extensive experience of developing, designing and mentoring on business courses across Northern Ireland.

Her first taste of developing a company was Rosetec was when she was just 19, alongside another business partner. Since then she has had over 15 years experience in the delivery of a variety of training courses and mentoring as well as being involved in the design and development of these courses. She has been an internal verifier as well as physically delivering them to mentees. Some of the courses that Melanie has been involved with have included "NetForce" with Down Business Centre and Ards Business Centre, which focused on unemployment due to the decline in the fishing industry over the Ards Penninsula and how to develop entrepreneurial skills to continue this market. Social Media Masterclass to help local hobber crafters develop their online marketing skills and Exploring Enterprise 3 with North Down Business Centre, which supported people with the develoment of CCEA accredited portfolios. She has also been involved in the development of the programme "What Mummy Did Next", a unique programme for women returners to the workplace, aiming to help support them develop their confidence as well as teaching finance, marketing, presentation skills  and idea generation.  So far, Melanie has supported over 2000 individuals and businesses - from pre-start individuals to larger organisations.

Niamh Taylor - Digital Twenty Four

Niamh is the director of Digital Twenty Four Ltd, winner of the CIM Ireland Senior Marketing Professional accolade and a career that spans across 4 markets in 2 continents as well as Northern Ireland.

Niamh is a marketing specialist with 17 years experience in B2B, B2C and public sector marketing. She has many digital awards to her name and has been a judge for CIM Ireland and DANI (Digital Advertising Northern Ireland). Her business Digital Twenty Four is an agency that takes a holistic online marketing approach, helping business' grow using all digital channels including; PPC, affiliate marketing, search engine optimisation, website content, social media, copywriting, blogging and email marketing. They are a Google Partner with a team qualified in Google Adwords and Google Analytics.  Niamh has previously lectured for Digital Marketing Institute and is currently involved in the Entreprenuerial Spark programme. She is also an SME business mentor for Tyrone and Fermanagh Council and previously volunteered for The Princes Trust as a business mentor - providing start-ups with mentoring and guidance.

Roisin McDermott - Seed Mentoring

Trainer and mentor specialising in startup business, female entrepreneurship and social enterprise and has over 20 years in the sector.

Roisin worked for 7 years as Manager of a local enterprise agency, East Belfast Enterprise which involved property management, staff management, fundraising, building developments, programme development and management, delivery of programmes on entrepreneurship and business growth.  Roisin's greatest achievement was leading the Project Management and build of CityEast business centre on Newtownards Road, a £3m serviced office development, which she lead from concept to opening. She has delivered a number of business start programmes in Northern Ireland including former Business Start, Go For It, Regional Start programmes and has also delivered on the previous Women into Business programme. Further to that Roisin was an approved mentor on former Invest NI Social Entrepreneurship Programme and delivered on it for 6 years and also delivered training and mentoring on other government funded programmes such as Belfast City Council Hi-growth start up programme, Social Enterprise programme, Strategy in Business programme.  Alongside a Business Degree and MBA, Roisin has recently completed a Diploma in Digital Marketing.  Roisin now runs her own successful consultancy Seed mentoring and is heavily involved in delivering and mentoring our Women in Business programmes. <div>  </div>

Rosemary Morrison - Directus Training & Consultancy

Passionate about enterprise development, and a CMI Certified Management Consultant, Rosemary is a specialist in business training & mentoring for start-up & growth businesses, enterprise skills development & career building.

Rosemary has been involved in marketing & business development since 1998 after graduating with a CIM Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing.

Since then, Rosemary has gone on to attain her Level 4 Business Counselling & Level 3 Management qualifications and achieved her Certified Management Consultant award with the CMI.

She has delivered training and mentoring to literally hundreds of growth & start-up businesses and has recently been a mentor on Belfast City Council’s “Go for Growth” programme, Down DC’s “Beyond” and Women in Business’s “Women INTO Business” programme. She is currently a trainer & mentor on WIB’s Power of 4 Programme and is also a mentor on SBSEH’s “social economy programme”

Rosemary’s own businesses have included food retail & outside catering, holiday lets and training & consultancy, Directus.

The aim of Directus Training & Consultancy is to ensure the development of clients in regard to their personal qualities, skills, knowledge and to develop their understanding of the personal attributes and attitudes which will give them a competitive advantage in the world of work or in developing their own enterprise.

Her newest venture? She, (along with her husband, Gordon), is about to launch her first children’s book, “The Dogged Adventures of Deefir and Pat”! ( Please LinkIn for more details)

Jackie D'Arcy – Personal coaching and Training

As a trainer and mentor in personal development, Jackie specialises in Communication Skills. She provides professional advice and guidance with Job Applications, CV preparation, Job Interview Skills and personal presentation skills.

A former senior manager in the public, private and voluntary sectors, with extensive staff management experience, Jackie has been self-employed since 2000. She has a BA Hons in Psychology, MA in Marketing and Communications, and City & Guilds Certificate in Teaching Adults in the lifelong learning sector.

For over 15 years Jackie has been providing coaching, mentoring, specialist workshops and training programmes for staff at all levels in the public, private and voluntary sectors. In addition to Women in Business, Jackie has provided mentoring and coaching for all Local Authorities throughout NI, local businesses, Government Departments and Charities. She delivers Workshops in: Job Application and CV preparation, Job Interview Skills, Presentation Skills, Resilience and Pressure management, Professional Networking, Effective Interpersonal Skills, Media Skills, Communications Strategy, Managing Difficult People and Confidence Building.

Nancy Brown - Jakna Consulting

Nancy has been training, coaching, mentoring and delivering workshops for over 20 years and has first-hand experience in business that has taken her across the globe.

Her experience within both the private, public and voluntary/third sector as well as social enterprise spans the Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East and Russia. She has worked within a wide range of businesses reflective of diverse sectors inclusive of start-ups and well established Multinationals. She brings that international experience to local SMEs to support them to grow. She has a passion for supporting NI businesses by developing sales, profit and systems that in turn supports the growth of local SMEs and ultimately creates jobs.

Relevant qualifications and experience including mentoring and delivery of workshops/ seminars:

Nancy has delivered over 170 workshops and seminars as well as provided mentoring in numerous markets. Nancy has worked on programmes for SMEs and start-ups as well as for young people and students. Some of the programmes she has worked on include Dungannon’s Creative Industries programme, Belfast City Council’s Go for Growth programme, Women in Business’ Connect programme, Queen’s SU Women’s Innovateher programme, IntertradeIreland’s Elevate and Acumen programme, SkillsNet programme in Ireland, AIB’s Small Business programme, Business in the Community’s mentoring programming and direct mentoring with business owners on private contracts. Nancy also has experience of working with social enterprises and voluntary organisations. Nancy has delivered over 100 workshops for organisations such as Grafton Recruitment, Young Enterprise, Ulster University, Belfast City Council, Business in the Community, Gauge, FSB, DTNI, Women in Business, Queens University, and Association of MBAs and has worked with MBA schools internationally. She has also delivered a variety of workshops for SMEs and specific businesses depending on the needs of the company – examples include facilitating strategy days and sales training. Nancy was responsible for creating and delivering training workshops across the States for brand ambassadors; companies included Virgin Media, Gap Inc, Coty Rimmel, MTV, Nintendo and FHM Magazine. Nancy also teaches part time at Ulster University.

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