A Tyrone music tuition school is planning to expand after receiving assistance from the government-backed Go Succeed business enterprise programme.
Omagh Music Academy already caters for more than 180 students, but aims to grow that number yet further.
Founder and director Claire Bowes said mentorship received through Go Succeed has given her the confidence required to take the academy to the next level.
The school provides lessons across a variety of instruments, including piano, guitar, ukulele, flute, violin, drums, singing and a pre-instrumental class for the youngest learners.
Claire, a talented pianist, who was injured in the Omagh bomb in 1998 when she was just 15, set up the business in 2013, fulfilling a life-long ambition to pursue a career in music.
She said: “My career had taken a different path, and although I really loved what I was doing, working for the Royal National Institute of Blind People, I had always harboured a dream of making a living through music.
“I took the plunge and have never looked back.”
The academy, which has grown significantly over the past 11 years, now has a team of nine, and is as much about bringing people together as it is about teaching music.
Claire added: “So often, when somebody is learning to play an instrument, they go to the home of the tutor. What I wanted to do with Omagh Music Academy was create a space where multiple teachers could come together under one roof, significantly improving accessibility for students and tutors and adding a social element and inclusion that you just don’t get with in-home lessons.”
Claire became aware of Go Succeed through Omagh Enterprise Centre, where she is also part of the Female Peer Support Network, a group of around a dozen business owners that meet regularly to exchange ideas, and help and support each other to growth their businesses.
She said Go Succeed had filled a gap in providing assistance to already established businesses.
“When I first started up, there was so much help out there that allowed me to access the guidance required to get up and running.
“We’ve enjoyed strong growth over the years, but I felt I’d reached a point at which I didn’t know how to take it to the next level and couldn’t see where I could get help.
“As Go Succeed works with businesses at every stage of their journey, it was exactly what I needed. I was assigned a mentor which has been invaluable in helping me to identify the areas of the business where I can improve and increase efficiency and also given me the confidence to create a clear path for growth ahead.
“I want to grow but it is incredibly important to me that we continue to make music accessible and affordable to all so people of all backgrounds and abilities can enjoy the same fulfilment from learning an instrument.”
Services from Go Succeed are delivered completely free of charge via each of Northern Ireland’s 11 councils.
The service (www.go-succeed.com) supports entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses with easy-to-access advice and support including mentoring, master classes, peer networks, access to grant funding and a business plan, at every stage of their growth journey.
