The Leading Lady – Female in tech
| Name | Roisin Sproule |
| Age | 50 |
| Country | N.Ireland, ULK |
| Education Experience
(Secondary, Higher Level)
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7 O’Levels (GCSE’s) at High School
BTEC Travel & Tourism at Further Education College Intensive Secretarial Course at Further Education College |
| Training
(Business, Entrepreneurial)
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Various administrative training courses via my early employment such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, customer service awareness. IAIM UK Infant Massage Training Go For It Business Start Up Programme (Council Funded) Lipstick and Money Programme (Ballybeen Womens Centre) Social Media Training (part funded by Council) Wiggly Jiggles Training BIrthlight Baby Yoga Training Child Protection Training Paediatric First Aid Training Ongoing online courses in relation to my business.
In addition, in the past few years I’ve had coaching and training on online marketing and social media
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| Employment History
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1989-1998 Translink – Administrative Assistant
1998-2008 British Midland Airways – Customer Service Admin/PA to Airport Manager 2008-Present -Self Employed Baby Massage Instructor 2014-Present – President of International Association Of Infant Massage UK
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| Social Background |
Family days out and meeting family and friends I enjoy walking in fresh air and particularly at a beach. Yoga Reading Holistic treatments Watching Rom Com movies
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| Personality Traits
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Chatty and generally interested in people.
I’m welcoming, love to make people feel good and I enjoy a giggle. |
Their Tech Entrepreneurship Journey
| Business Name
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Bambino Massage NI |
| What was the inspiration?
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My eldest son was my inspiration. We enjoyed baby massage so much together when he was a baby that I found I was really interested in the subject, the wider benefits and delivery of the programme.
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| Why did they decide to set up their tech business?
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I set up my business to enable me to be around for my children, to contribute to the family finance pot and to do something I enjoyed rather than a stressful commute, huge nursery fees and generally missing out on my children. |
| What does it do?
Products/services?
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My business provides baby massage classes, baby movers classes and most recently baby yoga classes. I deliver these programmes to groups both privately and within community project settings. I also offer a 1-1 service. |
| What makes it unique?
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When my business first started it was the only one of its kind in Belfast. Other people could do what I do within community projects and settings but no one else was doing it as a private business. Other people have now set up similar businesses, however, they do not hold the high quality certification with the IAIM UK that I invested in. I believe I am now the longest standing Baby Massage business in Belfast but most of all my business is me and that’s what makes it unique. |
| When did they decide to set it up?
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After a period of certification, I qualified and set up my business in the summer of 2008 when my youngest son was just one. |
| What were the main challenges/struggles to setting up?
Social/financial/tech issues?
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The main challenge setting up my business was that after my initial outlay for training of £600, which I paid myself there were no further funds. At that point I was running just one group a week, I had taken a career break from my job and had two small children with no childcare. Family initially helped out one day a week and then when my eldest son went to nursery I employed a childminder one day a week.
Any little profit from my business was swallowed up by my family needs and childcare. I had a very old laptop that I used and no funds to improve my tech situation. I designed/made/printed most of my class resources for example flyers. I also designed my initial business logo too. |
| How did they overcome these?
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After 2 years my youngest son went to nursery school so I was able to add to my working hours. Around this time my husband bought me a new laptop and I was offered some third party help with the design of a website (free of charge initially but has ongoing yearly charges) this company also designed my new business logo and business docs. I signed up for various other free programmes to boost my business knowledge and skills. |
| What were the main success factors?
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Signing up for the Lipstick and Money programme with Ballybeen Womens Centre enabled me to form a sound business relationship with them and I’ve been delivering baby massage courses and baby movers courses within the centre for approximately 6/7 years.
Having been working in Dundonald and Carryduff (another of my regular community groups) has meant that word of mouth has ensured that my business is well supported. The popularity of social media has helped with ongoing promotion too. |
| What are their future plans?
For their tech business? For yourself?
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I intend to keep delivering my classes but behind the scenes I intend to update my website, streamline my social media platforms and their content as well as update my corporate identity. Personally I love to continue learning and I usually go for a training update at least once a year as well as maybe attending a conference or two. I am not a fan of business networking but maybe I should step out of my comfort zone. |
| Top 2 tips for nascent women technology entrepreneurs
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My first top tip would be to have a plan of some sort, not necessarily a business plan but something on a timeline, at least a vision. My second tip would be to not let your business become all consuming and remember the reason why you started it, that will keep you going during the invariable more difficult times. |
| Further information:
Contact details
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Bambino Massage NI
13 Pennington Park Belfast BT8 6GJ 07801 8321744
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