NI Connections

We're celebrating inspiring women who have broken barriers and changed the course of history for the better.

Like Rosa Parks, who sparked the civil rights movement by refusing to give up her seat on a bus for a white man.

Or Emmeline Pankhurst, who didn’t let 13 imprisonments hold her back from fighting for women’s right to vote.

We all know Marie Curie was the genius behind modern day X-rays, but have you heard of Melitta Bentz, Hedy Lamarr or Nancy Johnson?

We’ve got these women to thank for coffee filters, Wi-Fi and ice-cream machines.

Just imagine a world without filter coffee, Wi-Fi and ice-cream for a second.

Deary me. It would send a shiver down your spine.

But we’re all about celebrating the women here in Northern Ireland in 2025, too.

The mothers and caregivers, leaders and educators, artists and innovators. Healthcare heroes and changemaking trailblazers. There are hundreds of thousands of amazing women doing amazing things across the country, and well, we’ve had to narrow them down somehow.

So, let’s take a look at 5 of the women-led Northern Irish businesses who are blowing up on TikTok…

Hope Macaulay

From solo knitting in her bedroom to gracing the covers of Vogue, Hope’s journey to TikTok stardom is as inspiring as they come.

Unable to find pieces to make from other people’s knitting patterns, North Coast girl Hope Macaulay developed her own unique knitting method, ditching the needles and using only her hands to create show-stopping designs.

And these designs are true works of art. Wonderfully chunky, cosy and vibrant – nothing like the fuddy-duddy cardigans your granny would have knit you back in the day. (No offence to your wee granny, of course).

Using sustainably sourced materials like luxury merino wool, her eye-catching pieces have been spotted on US singing sensation Jennifer Hudson, tennis ace Naomi Osaka and Olympian Tom Daley.

Not many Northern Irish 27-year-olds can count such global megastars among their fans! Or have their designs stocked in Anthropologie and Free People. Or be named the ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ list.

We’d love to keep listing all of Hope’s amazing achievements since her account blew up on TikTok in 2020, but we’d be here all the livelong day.  

See behind the scenes of her growing team of local female knitters on her account here, or check out her documentary ‘The Social Knitwork’ on BBC iPlayer, which delves into the team’s journey to opening their first ever shop in Los Angeles.

Go ahead, join the wool pack.

Zara McLaughlin Studio

While still studying at Ulster University, Ballymoney-born Zara McLaughlin started her business ‘Zara Ceramics’ from her grandparents’ garage.

When she began selling her stunning hand-crafted mugs, pots and functional homeware on social media, she could never have imagined the response…

Michelin-starred restaurants came knocking at her door. Her TikTok account was captivating the masses. And entire collections were selling out in two minutes flat!

After a slightly ridiculous legal battle with a certain Spanish fashion house that shares her name, Zara Ceramics was forced to rebrand to ‘Zara McLaughlin Studio.’

(You know you’ve made it when a global brand feels threatened by a 27-year-old making pots in her garage in Northern Ireland, eh?)

Thankfully, Zara didn’t let it hold her back in the slightest, going on to open her own studio in Coleraine and run pottery classes which now sell out just as fast as her amazing creations.

What a great encouragement for local young women (and less young ones too) to be brave and resilient in the pursuit of their dreams.

Over on her account, you can expect gorgeous, therapeutic videos and fascinating behind the scenes stories. Check it out here.

Mackles Ice Cream

Mackles Ice Cream is run by eight Northern Irish sisters – Jacqueline, Patrice, Donna, Carla, Kim, Leah, Andrea and Lily Mackle.

And no, we can’t move past that statement without saying – can you actually imagine being one of eight sisters?!

What started as a small counter in their family’s filling station in Monaghan, has now blossomed into five stunning coffee and ice cream shops across Donegal, Armagh, Tyrone and most recently, Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.

The business has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, and was recently crowned winner of ‘Uber Eats Restaurant of the Year NI.’

Inspiring stuff.

Like any brilliant business, these girls saw an opportunity and they went for it.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, they opened a drive-thru service that quickly became hugely popular, with people travelling far and wide for their ice-cream fix.

They also began documenting their marvellous ice-cream creations on TikTok, which soon went viral.

And it’s easy to see why. Everything is very aesthetic, very entertaining and very delicious. Check out their account here (at your own peril.)

Bellamianta

If you occasionally dip a toe (or perhaps a full body) in the world of fake tan, then you’ll definitely have heard of Bellamianta.

The bronzed babe behind the brand is Tyrone-born Linda Stinson. After working stints in the civil service and the insurance industry, Linda stumbled upon her true calling in quite an unconventional way…

A wedding day fake tan disaster.

It really wouldn’t be ideal if your underarms turned green on one of the biggest days of your life, would it?

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to poor Linda. But fortunately, it’s all worked out pretty well for her in the end.

As an eczema sufferer, Linda decided to put skincare first in her brand, using hard-working ingredients that are vegan and cruelty-free.

And in just a few short years, this incredible Northern Irish mum has turned a dream into a £6 million empire. Bellamianta has taken the beauty world by storm, blowing up on TikTok, partnering with some huge celebrity names, and selling out all over Ireland.

If you haven’t ventured into the world of TikTok Shop yet, the Bellamianta account is as good a place as any to start.

Your bank account might take a hit, but sure you’ll be glowing. And you can’t put a price on that. Check it out here.

Ooh and Aah cookies

The story of cookie company Ooh & Aah began way back in 2011, when two Ballyclare besties Barbara-Anne and Ruth joined forces to create an exciting new bakery business, selling at food markets all around NI.

Fourteen years, five babies, and one big change to their business model later, and these cookie-mumsters are shipping their delicious cookies all over the UK and Ireland.

They switched to a zero-waste ‘bake to order’ model, where they baked and sold cookies online: first a seven-inch letterbox cookie, then stuffed cookies and 6-packs boxes. Next came the Dinky Dunker box with 36 mini cookies and 3 dips.

Sounds immense, doesn’t it? The internet thought so too. TikTok went wild for these boyos, selling out in minutes.

They now employ six new staff and have accolades coming out of their ears thanks to their viral videos and kick-ass ethos of ‘strong working mums.’ We love to see it. Check out their account here.

Stuck for a gift idea? If you’ve got a friend, colleague or family member who’s impossible to buy for, we highly recommend sending an Ooh & Aah cookie with a fun personalised message to their front door.

Because, well.. who wouldn’t want that?
 

We love watching our own local women shining on the wild and wonderful TikTok stage! We could go on and on about the remarkable ladies who are killing it in business and on social media, but we’ll wrap it up there for now.

Wherever you are in the world, you can show your support for these brilliant women-led businesses by following accounts, ordering their products and spreading the word to your mates.

On this International Women’s Day, don’t forget to show some love and appreciation to the gorgeous gals in your life. This is your sign to send a text to your wee Northern Irish mammy, granny, auntie, sister or friend back home.

And as always, our inbox is open to our lovely Northern Irish diaspora around the world – we want to hear where you are and what you’re up to. And if there are any other Northern Irish women-led businesses that you would add to the list, we’d love to hear about them.  

G’wan the girls!