Orla McKeating’s Journey and Achievements
Entrepreneur and international speaker Orla McKeating has been appointed as the new Business Growth Manager at Innovation Factory in Belfast.
Having worked at the European Institutions in Brussels for ten years, she went on to run two successful small businesses in Northern Ireland before joining the team at IF.
“I returned back to Belfast and became a single mother to a bi-racial son and noticed the lack of representation in children’s books and learning resources and wondered about the impact this would have on him, on us and on other marginalised groups,” she said.
In 2013, she and her father started Boden Park Coffee Roasters, roasting ethically sourced speciality grade coffee. The business grew quickly but in her spare time, she began writing stories showing greater inclusion for her son and in 2019 she did her first TEDx Talk at Stormont about the stigma of single parenting and race issues in Northern Ireland.
Founding Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling
She founded Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling that year, whose mission is to amplify voices, bridge gaps and cultivate empathy through the art of storytelling. Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling offers story sessions, workshops and training around issues typically not addressed in story books and children’s resources including race issues, neurodiversity, male mental health, LGBTQ+ issues, disabilities, diverse families and how to use kind and inclusive language.
Orla has delivered talks to the BBC, Diverse Educators, Acumen Academy – the Global School of Social Change as well as delivering a second TEDx talk – the Four Pillars of Privilege in 2022. She is currently represented in the UK by Great British Speakers who also represent comedian Aisling Bea, Baroness Floella Benjamin and Irish Social Historian Emma Dabiri.
“I am a community builder and I really enjoy working with people. I’m excited to be able to use my skills in business and communication to support the innovative businesses within IF. I know what it’s like to run a business and having a great support network is key,” she said.
Innovation Factory in Belfast, a pioneering hub offering flexible workspace and business support, aims to boost the Northern Ireland economy through business growth as well as to spearhead social and economic regeneration by supporting companies at every stage of their development. Owned by Belfast City Council, it is operated by Oxford Innovation Space.
IF Centre Director Neil Allen said that Orla’s energy, business knowledge and communication skills make her a perfect brand ambassador for the West Belfast hub.
“Orla will be extending our network as well as providing a huge range of business support to our existing customers helping entrepreneurs to unlock their full potential and take their businesses to the next level,” he said.
The team at Innovation Factory in Belfast is growing as Orla McKeating (centre) has been appointed as the new Business Growth Manager. She is pictured here with the team at IF (from left) Customer Experience Assistants Colin Maxwell and Claire Taggart, Centre Director Neil Allen, Engagement Manager Shane Smith, Centre Manager Rebekah Griffith and Assistant Centre Manager Chris Moffitt. Innovation Factory is a pioneering hub offering flexible workspace and business support in order to boost the Northern Ireland economy through business growth as well as to spearhead social and economic regeneration by supporting companies at every stage of their development.
