I was creating things with technology, websites and apps, from a young age. I think a lot of people who like creating things become entrepreneurs because it’s the logical next step.
I’m 17 and in the fifth year at Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh in Limerick. I started setting up websites when I was seven or eight. I messed around with templates and it was a cool feeling, magical, to see something I’d done online like that. I started thinking about what I wanted to do when I was older, and decided I want to be my own boss. I set up a few businesses that didn’t work out. One was called Skizzie, a transition year mini-business. It was a platform to learn languages through animation. I had a website, an app and a game. It got a bit of traction, but ultimately it failed.
I learn loads from failure, I could have a 30-minute conversation about failure. One of the things I learnt was how to talk to people. I wasn’t very good at it, but I’ve learnt a lot about it since. Another thing I learnt was that I definitely want to be an entrepreneur.
I also learnt that it’s best to work with something that you are interested in and passionate about. I’ve always been interested in mental health, I feel it’s really important to get rid of the stigma attached to poor mental health. I’ve noticed recently that some friends are putting that they feel anxious or depressed on their status on Facebook. I think people are not afraid of saying how they feel any more, which is great. If a friend came to me and said they were feeling down, I’d say to them, ‘I’ll talk to you about it’. I’d have more respect for them for telling me. I think the stigma is definitely lessening, but there’s a lot more work that needs to be done.
I wondered how I could combine this passion I have for helping others with my interest in entrepreneurship, and I came up with the idea for Positivity Packs. These are packs people can send to a friend or to themselves, filled with things and ideas to cheer you up. Inside, are bubble wrap, a notebook and pencil, a de-stress guide, which is a sheet with a nice graphic and tips for positive thinking, and a message from the sender. There’s also a teabag because it’s such an Irish tradition to come in, sit down and talk about your problems over a cup of tea. There are balloons and sweets, you can’t not have sweets. There’s also a playlist with recommendations for happy music and fun snaps, which make a bang when you throw them on the ground. Finally, there are happy cards you can keep in your wallet or purse. They say Be Happy and there are a couple in each pack so you can give them to friends and spread positivity.
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I designed and created the website for the business myself. I’m self-taught, using tutorials on You Tube .
I promote the business myself on Twitter. People who follow me on Twitter have said that they like my idea and find it interesting. If this fails, I’ll move on to som ething new.