Theresa Sheehy from Co. Limerick recently completed the Accelerating the Creation Of Rural Nascent Start-ups (ACORNS) programme to help further promote her agri-supplies business.
In the midst of Covid-19, she set up ‘Theresa’s Country Supplies’ which is now trading as TCS Store. The company’s main focus is on bedding products for livestock, equine, and poultry industries.
The TCS store also offers a range of dairy hygiene and animal healthcare items, but its primary focus is on animal bedding products.
Sheehy completed a level 6 certification in Equine and Business Management through Athlone Institute of Technology which is affiliated with Gurteen Agricultural College.
After completing college, she travelled to Canada and New Zealand where she worked in both the Agricultural and Equine sectors.
Sheehy said that since spring time, the company “rapidly expanded” and that she needs to get a truck on the road to help with the delivery of products.
She has appointed her younger brother James, who will help oversee the distribution operations of the trucks from September onwards.
ACORNS
ACORNS is funded under the Rural Innovation and Development Fund through the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The ACORNS programme is designed to support women entrepreneurs in the initial phases of their businesses in rural parts of Ireland.
Sheehy told Agriland that she was absolutely thrilled when she got accepted into the ACORNS programme and that participating in the initiative has been “beneficial” for the promotion of her company.
She said that being in the presence of other women in business, and seeing them achieve something they have dreamed was an “inspiration for her to push on” and progress the business.
She added:
“My mentor Caroline Reidy would make sure I had all my ducks in a row and would have everything organised before the next session.”
Sheehy explained that the programme consisted of “roundtable” sessions, where each person had to discuss their objectives, priorities, and planning for the next 4-6 weeks for their business.
She discovered the significance of targeting a specific market segment, and that engaging with numerous customers allowed her to identify their exact needs.
The programme also helped Sheehy develop her website for the TCS store, which she said, never would have been possible without the help from her mentor at ACORNS.