Community Spotlight: Carolyn Perkins

Q. Name & Role
A. Carolyn Perkins, Vet and Founder

Q. Do you have any hobbies or interests?

A. I have lots of hobbies and interests (most of which I don’t have time for anymore!) - tennis,riding, travel and skiing.

Q. What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

A. I lived in Malawi and taught English at a girls secondary school. It was a transformational time in my life and gave me an entirely different perspective afterwards.

Q. What do you love most about the community?

A. The word ‘community’ really means what it says at Ormeau Labs. There are so many talented people and the workspace is used by a wide range of industries which creates some great synergies. Everyone wants to succeed in their own enterprises but there is also a genuine sense that the members also want to see the people around them succeed, that is a great energy to be around. This is in no small part helped by the front of house and management team who work incredibly hard to encourage skill sharing. What’s not to love about that!

Q. What’s your personal or professional “why”?

A. I am passionate about education and believe in the power of informed decision making for better outcomes. I’ve been a vet for over 20 years and I founded AllPetz from the realisation that I can make the greatest impact on animal welfare by helping their humans to make good choices on their behalf. Trust and transparency are values that are foundation for me and for the company.

Q. Describe your ideal workday in three words.

A. Coffee, Community, Achievement.

Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

A. The advice I’m leaning into right now is “Feel the fear and do it anyway” sums up what you need to do as a founder.

Q. What’s one thing you wish every founder or start-up knew?

A. There is a huge amount of support available in the start-up eco-system in Northern Ireland. Join a community, participate and contribute - you will find all the support you need both practically and psychologically to put yourself in the best position to succeed.