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 BID — complete with new videos, tailored training materials, and ready-to-use templates for their members.

The idea made sense. It was practical, useful, and something that would bring real value to local businesses.

I was told the funding was already secured, and that the money would be available around May 2025. So in December, I moved ahead — in good faith, trusting the people and the process.

We did the work.
The academy was expanded.
The materials were delivered.

Then things changed.

The chairperson fell ill, and the board took over. From that point, communication began to unravel. Emails slowed down. Replies got shorter. The tone got sharper.

And then came the part that surprised me most — being spoken down to by people who had barely been involved before.

One month I was a trusted partner; the next, I was treated like a problem.

Working in faith sounds noble, but it’s a tough place to live. You’re spending real time, real energy, and real money — all while waiting for promises to turn into action.

They’d said the money was there. They’d said payment was coming. But by the time the board took charge, those promises faded into silence.

It’s not just about the money. It’s about respect — for the work done, for the relationship built, and for the value created.

I continued working with Coleraine BID until mid-2025. That’s when I was asked to come on under a Service Level Agreement for additional freelance services.

By then, I’d had enough. The trust was gone.

I wasn’t interested in re-entering another agreement with an organisation that hadn’t honoured the last one.

Sometimes walking away is the only professional move left.