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Belfast business owner is one of the UK's top 100 female entrepreneurs

A Belfast entrepreneur who is currently enrolled within our valued partner, Ulster Bank's Accelerator Programme, has been announced as one of the best in the country!

Monday 23 March 2020

Belfast business owner is one of the UK's top 100 female entrepreneurs

A Belfast entreprenuer who is currently enrolled within our valued partner, Ulster Bank's Accelerator Programme, has been announced as one of the best in the country!
 
Virginia Mendez was listed in F:Entrepreneur’s #ialso100 Top 100 campaign, which is a list of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in the UK.
 

Virginia is the founder of The Feminist Shop, an online shop and destination for empowering feminist content; she has been making waves since launching the business in 2019 and has now been recognised as one of the most inspirational female entrepreneurs in the UK.
 
Virginia has a background in business and is the author of a bilingual book which aims to combat gender stereotypes. She has taken her passion for promoting equality and created a safe space online where feminists can come together,  and celebrate their commonality while raising awareness of the challenges that still exist in today’s world.
 
Along with a dedicated space forpromoting articles, videos, podcasts and more TheFeministShop.com also has an online shop selling books, apparel and other accessories under the ‘slogan activism’ umbrella. All products respect the highest ethical standards (environmentally friendly, fair wear certificate, renewable energy factory, vegan ink) and the company gives 10% of all gross profits back to their partner associations.
 
The platform received a huge boost in 2019 with Ulster Bank’s Back Her Business Programme. In just 3 weeks, Virginia was able to raise 10k with through Crowdfunder, which made her eligible to have a significant portion of this matched by the bank.
 
She also gives a lot of credit to her place on the bank’s Accelerator Programme for entrepreneurs. The fully funded programme offers office space, expert mentorship and one on one coaching. Virginia has said this has helped her and her business remain accountable throughout the process and working alongside a team of likeminded entrepreneurs has helped keep her motivated and encouraged through tough times.
 
The #ialso event was founded on International Women’s Day in 2017 and has its name after the phrase used most by the gathered entrepreneurs was ‘I also’, with each woman describing their work as being much more than a single-job career and more of a flexible portfolio. In her case they highlighted her role as volunteer for charities in Belfast helping women, homeless people and refugees, and her work for the Breastival charity, which works to celebrate and normalise breastfeeding.

 
For more information about Ulster Bank’s Back Her Business initiative visit: www.ulsterbankbackherbusiness.co.uk

Monday 23 March 2020

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