As a lover of the outdoors, and with more than 40,000 followers across her social media accounts, Ana, who now has three children, aged five, three and one respectively, quickly fell in love with local attractions including Drum Manor Forest Park and Gortin Glen.
However, it wasn’t long before the Newcastle upon Tyne native noticed a lack of local indoor facilities for her children to enjoy.
She said, “There are lots of outdoor places to enjoy across Northern Ireland, but it can be very hard to find somewhere to take your children to enjoy themselves while you are enjoying a coffee, in comfort, indoors.
“I found myself having to travel quite far to get that sort of thing. I was going to Craigavon, Lisburn and even Belfast for something like this and I thought there was a gap in the market.
“The idea for Wee Adventurers Play Hub was as simple as that, a means to create a better work-life balance while offering a service that was missing locally.”
Wee Adventurers Play Hub is a modern indoor playground and event space located on the Burn Road in Cookstown.
While conducting market research to find out if the demand was there for this kind of offering in Cookstown, Ana was made aware of the Start Up Loans programme.
The programme provides government-backed personal loans to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK.
In addition to finance, successful applicants can receive 12 months of free mentoring and access to business resources to help them succeed. The loan is unsecured so there is no need to put forward any assets or guarantors to support an application.
All owners or partners in a business can individually apply for up to £25,000 each, with a maximum of £100,000 available per business.
Ana credits the Start Up Loans programme, and the support she received through it and its partner Enterprise Northern Ireland, as a crucial factor in making Wee Adventurers Play Hub a reality.
She said, “The entire process has just been fantastic. It only took three days to process my application from when I first applied online.
“I was contacted by a woman called Sharon who became my business mentor. She has really helped me whenever I needed a question answered or an issue that I may run into flagged.
“I really couldn’t have asked for more. My background is in childcare not running a business so having Sharon’s constant guidance and support has been brilliant.
“There are so many things to consider when starting a business, I borrowed a total of £20,000 from the Start Up Loans programme and have used the money to buy most of my equipment.
“I wasn’t passed around the houses, the application didn’t take too long and I have been provided great follow up support, I was even given eight hours of HR training.”
With the business now going from strength to strength, Wee Adventurers Play Hub is open to all Monday-Friday and is rented for private parties on weekends.
While she retains an aspiration to grow the business, Ana says she will never lose sight of why she founded Wee Adventures Play Hub and would encourage anyone in a similar position to seek out a Start Up Loan.
She said: “I am running this business for myself and my family. I am quite picky about how I like it to be run, and this business was built because it allows me to work around the needs of my children.
“I do hope that expansion will happen in the near future but I will never lose sight of the fact that I started this business to suit the needs of my family and I.
“Start Up Loans has been brilliant for me and this business simply wouldn’t exist without it and my customers who have been incredible.
“I would encourage anyone who has an idea of something they would like to do to explore their options. This programme is here to help you realise your ambitions.
“My mentor Sharon has been with me through the whole process and it really feels like she cared and wants to understand my business.
“I don’t know where I would be without her help.”
Commenting on the success of the business Enterprise NI CEO Michael McQuillan said: "Enterprise Northern Ireland is delighted to have supported Ana on her entrepreneurial journey through the Start Up Loans programme.
"At Enterprise NI, we’re committed to helping aspiring business owners turn their ideas into reality by providing access to finance, mentoring, workspace, and expert advice.
“Wee Adventurers Play Hub is a fantastic example of how determination, creativity, and the right support at the right time can make a lasting impact in local communities. We’re proud to have played a role in Ana’s success and look forward to seeing her business continue to thrive."
To find out more about how a Start Up Loan can help you realise your ambition of starting your own business visit www.startuploans.co.uk