Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are funded by levy payers and set up to deliver projects that benefit local businesses and the wider community. Members expect professionalism, transparency, and delivery in line with the approved business plan. Unfortunately, Coleraine BID has fallen short of these standards. Two services, which m...

Today I emailed the board members of Coleraine BID. Not a fun email. Not a welcome email. But a necessary one. It read: “Good Afternoon, I write further to my previous correspondence, in which I sought an acknowledgement no later than 3 October 2025. To date, I have received no such response. For the record, you were also provided with...

Over the years, I’ve worked with Coleraine BID on several projects aimed at helping local businesses grow. I believed in the mission — collaboration, support, and shared progress. That belief was formalised in signed partnership agreements. These weren’t handshakes or vague understandings — they were written contracts, approved by the ...

On 1 October 2025, I emailed the board members of Coleraine BID. Not a fun email. Not a welcome email. But a necessary one. It read: Good Afternoon, I write further to my previous correspondence, in which I sought an acknowledgement no later than 3 October 2025. To date, I have received no such response. For the record, you were also p...

I never set out to rank for “Coleraine BID”. I wasn’t chasing keywords. I was simply writing about what was happening — the non-payment of agreements, the silence from the current directors, and the strange way organisations go quiet when things get uncomfortable. But here we are. Post after post, the search rankings began to shift. “C...

I’ve worked with Coleraine BID for a few years. It started well — shared goals, mutual respect, and a belief that we could actually make things better for local businesses. By the end of 2024, I was asked to expand something I’d already built: my digital learning platform, Triovia. The goal was to create a custom version for Coleraine ...

I’m from Coleraine, a town in Northern Ireland. I’ve known someone for a number of years — he lives about an hour away, not here. Recently, I engaged with him about Coleraine BID issues. Passwords, agreements, and the small but crucial details that make everything work. I had the answers. But the whole time, it was like he was looking ...

AI is everywhere. It writes emails, drafts blog posts, summarises meetings, and suggests the next word before you’ve even thought of it. That’s fine. Tools are tools. We’ve always had them, and AI is just another one in the box. But here’s the thing: when you lean on it too heavily, it shows. Take the local magazine put out by Colerain...

After nearly six years of working as a freelance collaborator with Coleraine Business Improvement District (CBID), I’ve officially stepped back from most of my involvement. It’s the end of a meaningful chapter — one filled with creativity, strategy, and genuine community impact. Since 2019, I’ve had the privilege of supporting CBID in ...

Popped into a client's Notion workspace yesterday evening. Blimey, what a palaver. As someone who's very tech-savvy, I was utterly bewildered by the labyrinth I encountered. Blocks nested within blocks. Pages buried inside other pages. Databases masquerading as boards, tables, calendars and whatnot. It's like being handed the controls ...

I've been a member of Circle's own community since 2021. This is the community they run to support people who use their product. I participate in conversations the odd time and help others when I can. Circle itself is a good product. Clean interface. Intuitive design. Does what it promises. That's why I've stuck around. But here's the ...

Most companies treat support as an expense. 37signals LLC - the company behind Basecamp and HEY - sees it differently. Their weekend support isn't some grand innovation - it's just common sense. Problems don't wait until Monday morning, so why should customers? When I email 37signals, I get a real human who knows their products. Not a ...

Every time I dive into hiring on Upwork, it often feels like I’m playing a rigged lottery. The platform promises a treasure trove of talent, yet more often than not, I end up with a mismatch—a situation where expectations and reality collide. In my recent experiences, this digital marketplace has delivered more friction than fruitful c...

There’s a wee word that sneaks into everyday conversations, signs, and menus. It’s subtle, familiar, and packed with meaning. In Northern Ireland and Scotland, “wee” is more than just an adjective. It’s a mood, a mindset, a cultural shorthand. A “wee chat” isn’t necessarily short—it’s warm, inviting, and a sign you’re among friends. A ...

Apple just did something remarkable. They walked away. When faced with the UK government's demand to create a backdoor into their highest-level security system, they didn't negotiate, didn't compromise, didn't try to find a middle ground. They simply said no. In a world where tech giants often bow to governmental pressure, this stands ...

A small clothing shop had two types of customers: 👕 Group A: Bought a £10 t-shirt and left. 🧢 Group B: Bought a £10 t-shirt and added a £7 cap. Same number of customers. Same effort to sell. But Group B spent 70% more per visit. Now, let’s push this further… What if just 10% more customers grabbed the cap? What if they returned next mo...

For years, food bloggers had a simple equation: 👉 Publish recipes 👉 Rank on Google 👉 Get traffic 👉 Run ads 👉 Make money It worked. Until it didn’t. Now, Google scrapes your content and hands it over to searchers before they even visit your site. Social media buries organic reach unless you pay to play. Ad revenue is drying up. The game...

If you’re a journalist, media rep, or reporter, you know the drill: you reach out to a PR department with a simple question, and suddenly, you’re in an Olympic-level obstacle course. Delayed responses. Overly polished non-answers. Radio silence. But here’s the thing—it shouldn’t be that way. PR exists to provide information, not to act...

In Northern Ireland, the pathway to becoming a corporate PR manager often follows a familiar route: a journalist from a local newspaper pivots into public relations. It seems logical—storytelling and communication are their bread and butter. But what happens when this transition doesn’t hold up under the pressures of modern PR? For som...

If you’ve ever worked with or around local charities, you may have encountered a common refrain: "We’re a charity, so we shouldn’t have to pay for this." It’s a sentiment that seems well-intentioned at first glance. After all, charities exist to help others, often operating on limited budgets. But there’s an uncomfortable contradiction...

Success in the creator economy comes down to four clear steps: spot a problem, solve it, share your journey, and offer the solution. Small business owners, your biggest advantage is the real-world problems you face daily. By focusing on authentic, relatable solutions, you'll connect with your audience in a way that resonates. 💬 Selling...

The recent legal and public spat between WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine, a prominent hosting company, has caught the attention of tech insiders. But what can this battle between two tech giants teach small business owners who aren’t in the web hosting business? Plenty. At its core, this controversy highlights issues of ...

Hey there, fellow business owner! 👋 Let's play a quick game of word association. What comes to mind when I say “marketing”? Is it... ads? Social media? Oh no, please don’t say "cold calls" (we’ve all been there). Here's the real deal: the goal of marketing is to make sales easier! Sounds too good to be true? Stick with me, I’ll explain...

In recent weeks, I've had the opportunity to attend several webinars hosted by individuals with impressive credentials. These experts, often hailed as thought leaders, promise insights that will elevate us to new levels. However, a prevalent issue has come to light: an emphasis on the "what" rather than the "how." Picture opening a bea...

Ah, the 'ezine'—a term that instantly transports us to a time when dial-up connections serenaded us, and Y2K was the impending doom we all feared. But wait, what's this? Our local council (Causeway Coast & Glens ) is still clinging to this relic of the past, using it to describe their newsletter in the year 2024! Let's take a trip down...

Today is polling day, and as our community heads to the voting booths, the significance of social media in local election campaigns is more apparent than ever. In the run-up to this crucial day, campaign managers and their candidates should have prioritised a robust digital strategy to make a real impact. The Social Media Landscape in ...

Kajabi is coming to London for an intimate two-day experience designed for 75 attendees to allow for rich networking, collaborative mastermind sessions, and exclusive insights straight from our team. Whether you're just starting out or looking to scale, this event will show you how to harness the full power of Kajabi to build a thrivin...

Hey, you! Yes, YOU are sitting there, scrolling through your phone, waiting for that magical moment when everything falls into place. I hate to break it to you, but the universe isn't going to hand you a golden ticket while you're binge-watching your favourite series for the umpteenth time. If you're craving momentum, it's time to crea...

Hey there, fellow dreamers and doers! Have you ever sat down, popcorn in hand, ready to dive into a movie, only to feel like you've just had a lightbulb moment? That's exactly what happened to me after watching "The Founder." 🎬✨ For those who haven't had the pleasure, "The Founder" is the story of Ray Kroc, played by the ever-so-charmi...

Hey there! Happy Sunday! 🌟 Today, we're diving headfirst into a topic that's as juicy as it is jarring: our insatiable hunger for approval, but not just any approval. Oh no, we're talking about the kind of thumbs-up we crave from those mystical beings whose opinions we place on a sky-high pedestal, way above our own. You might be think...