Roisin Bradley
Northern Ireland Development and Mentoring Manager , PRIME, Opportunity & Enterprise
Hi, I'm Roisin. I look after PRIME's operations in Northern Ireland.
Coming from a self-employed background myself, I can easily understand the fears people have when first starting their own business and the risks and challenges they have to confront. But self-employment is a flexible thing, and can help a whole range of people in the 50-plus age group. It can be anything from a part-time money-making idea to the most innovative project in the world.
After starting in East and North Belfast, Rathcoole and Shankill, PRIME has now branched out to cover all of Greater Belfast. We are offering people a range of free workshops and one-to-one mentoring, as well as literature and referrals.
PRIME doesn't seek to compete with other sources of affordable business advice. Instead we make a point of finding out what's available and putting people in contact with it if it's good. For example we work closely with Invest Northern Ireland, which does offer small businesses some useful assistance.
Generally all people need to get them started is see that it can be done – a few good examples in a community can spark a wave of activity as others come to believe that the self-employment route is open to them. Gaps in knowledge are not the problem – they can easily be filled. It's the courage to give it a go that counts.
