Young Enterprise Alumna Amy — Building Sage & Soul from Classroom Idea to Market Success
Amy, a proud alumna of Young Enterprise NI, is the founder of Sage & Soul, a handcrafted jewellery business rooted in creativity, confidence, and the entrepreneurial skills she first developed at school. Her journey from a small student-led stall to trading at Belfast’s biggest markets showcases the impact of early enterprise education and the opportunities that follow.
Where It All Began: The YE Big Market 2017
Amy’s entrepreneurial story started while she was still at school, taking part in Young Enterprise’s Big Market in 2017. Her team ran a stall selling handmade wrapping paper, giving her first real experience of making products, talking to customers, handling money and understanding what it means to run a business
This early exposure sparked her interest in enterprise and planted the seeds for what would one day become Sage & Soul.
Years later, visiting YE Big Market 2025 felt like returning to where it all began Amy says “It was lovely because it’s a full circle moment.”
Developing Skills at St George’s Market
Through Young Enterprise, Amy learned essential business and personal skills that she still uses today:
Social skills
Communicating confidently
Selling and pitching
Presenting both herself and her products
Trading at St George’s Market was like being “thrown into the deep end,” but Amy describes it as a fantastic opportunity that helped her grow quickly as a young entrepreneur.
Stepping Into the Young Traders Programme
Amy next entered the Young Traders Regionals in Northern Ireland, held outside Belfast City Hall at the Spring Continental Market. Competing alongside many talented young entrepreneurs, she stood out — earning a Highly Commended award.
This recognition opened the door to an opportunity she’ll never forget.
A Free Chalet at the Belfast Christmas Market
Following her success at the Regionals, Amy and six other young traders were gifted a free chalet at the Belfast Christmas Market, provided by Marketplace in partnership with NMTF.
For a young business like Sage & Soul, this was transformational:
A high‑profile platform
Thousands of visitors
A chance to build brand awareness
Real-world trading experience at a major event
Amy describes it as “Wonderful… crazy… such an amazing experience.”
A Full-Circle Reflection
Looking back at photos from 2017 and comparing them to images of her trading at the Twilight Market just weeks ago, Amy described the moment as: “Such a pinch‑me moment. It was lovely.”
It captured her progression from a school stall to a confident, award-winning trader with her own business.
Amy’s journey shows how Young Enterprise, the Young Traders Programme, and Marketplace opportunities together create a powerful pathway for young entrepreneurs.
Through Young Enterprise at school, she was introduced early to real‑world business concepts and given a safe, supportive space to experiment, collaborate, and learn by doing.
Moving into the Young Traders Programme allowed her to take those foundations into real trading environments, refining her pitch, building her brand, strengthening her customer skills, and gaining confidence through regional competitions and recognition.
Finally, Marketplace opportunities provided the platform for true business growth, giving young traders like Amy access to established markets, professional settings, and large audiences that would otherwise be out of reach. Combined, these stages form a natural progression that nurtures ideas from the classroom all the way to successful, real‑world enterprise.
Together, they helped turn Amy’s passion into a thriving business — and her journey is only just beginning.