Claire Cullen – The Adventures Of Fitzy Foo

Claire Cullen, Adventures of Fitzy Foo - The Ortus Group

“Ortus has given me the support and confidence to bring my dream as a children’s author into a reality. Their mentoring and business knowledge has helped my entrepreneurial ideas become a real business venture.In particular, the guidance, underpinning knowledge and network contacts in brand awareness and marketing has given me the courage to continue to go from strength to strength in the Adventures of Fitzy Foo brand.

I would highly recommend Ortus and the Exploring Enterprise course for their overarching help in taking my dream and helping create a viable and growing business.”

Claire Cullen
The Adventures Of Fitzy Foo

David Kelly – Regional Start Initiative

“The plans, guidance and help I have received from the Regional Start Initiative have been far more than I could have hoped for. This Experience has helped me greatly and given me the tools and motivation to take the first step in successfully running my own business. I am delighted.”

David Kelly

Carol Edwards – Exploring Enterprise 2016

“I benefited lots from the course and only wish I’d signed up for it sooner.  Taking part boosted my confidence in my business idea and I am determined to make a go of it.  The course gave me access to IT and marketing experts who I would never have met otherwise.  I’d also always been nervous about the financial aspects of starting a business and dealing with tax and other legal responsibilities.  Now I understand that it is all manageable.  As well as the superb, friendly staff at Ortus who gave us every support they could it was also great to have networking opportunities with other participants and with key entrepreneurs in Belfast.”

Carol Edwards
Exploring Enterprise Autumn 2016

Sean Brown – Going Sono

“Thank you so much for everything you’ve put into my business plan – I can hardly express how delighted I am with the document! It’s outstanding in itself but is also a springboard to me taking much bigger, focused strides towards my career aspirations with Going Sono. I couldn’t have managed a business plan of such quality and so quickly without the help of Ortus.”

Brónach McGuinness – Mantelpiece

Mantlepiece Cards Collage - The Ortus Group

““I approached Invest NI looking for advice copyrighting my images. They then told me about a free service where I would get advice on writing a business plan. They put me in touch with Ortus who helped me through the process. Margaret from Ortus was very thorough in helping me with my business plan. She persisted in getting as accurate information as possible in order to provide me with a comprehensive business plan. Most useful to me was the financial forecast which was presented in a way I can both use and edit as required.

Brónach McGuinness
Mantelpiece

Helen Davis – Diamond Tanning

Diamond Beauty and Tanning - The Ortus Group
“The team at Ortus were a great help in structuring our business idea of starting Diamond Beauty and Tanning. The business plan has been invaluable to us as we start out. We have used it to approach the bank and justify our business but also to keep us on the right track in terms of where we want to be. Ortus were encouraging and helpful not only with the plan but in advising us on local “suppliers and ways we could further the business”
Helen Davis
Diamond Tanning

Peter Callan – The Fat Truck

Peter Callan and The Fat Truck Belfast - The Ortus Group
“I’m passionate about food and wanted to bring the American street food dining experience to Northern Ireland focussing on high quality local produce and exciting flavours. The Go for It programme and my business advisor at Ortus helped me to develop my idea, put my thoughts in actions and now I’ve achieved my dream of running my own kitchen in my own way.”
Peter Callan
The Fat Truck

Fiona Diamond – The Milk Whisker

Fiona Diamond The Milk Whisker, Exploring Enterprise - The Ortus Group

“I didn’t just wake up one day and decide to become a children’s author. I wanted to start my business but wasn’t sure how. That’s when I saw the two week course advertised with Ortus and I couldn’t believe my luck. It was free and gave me the opportunity to gain valuable education in business related subjects as well as be around like-minded people who had creative ideas of their own”

Fiona Diamond
The Milk Whisker

Dr. Haniah Abdullah – Exploring Enterprise 2015

“By joining the Exploring Enterprise programme I learnt a lot more about how to set up a business in term of having a unique idea, build a business strategy and financial planning. Moreover I have also explored different ways to market and advertise my product and what character that I need to have as a business woman.”
Dr. Haniah Abdullah
Exploring Enterprise Winter 2015

Grainne Maher – Millinery

Grainne Maher Millinery - The Ortus Group

“Ortus provided me with the support and assistance I needed to develop my creative business from a small craft industry to a fully-fledged set of accessory brands which are now sold across Europe and into the US and Australia. Their guidance to implement best business practice and advice on export has been invaluable”

Grainne Maher
Millinery