Shauna McCarney-Blair – CAFRE Alumni
Shauna McCarney-Blair – Founder and Managing Director, Heavenly Tasty Organics
What is your current job and responsibilities?
I am the Founder/ Managing Director of Heavenly Tasty Organics and my role covers a wide range of areas including finance, marketing, quality, and new product development. I founded the company in 2009, and in 2011 launched Ireland’s first ever range of frozen organic baby food. Since then the company has changed immensely whilst retaining its core values, and we currently provide a range of award-winning organic baby and toddler snacks.
What course did you study at CAFRE and how has it influenced your career?
I initially studied at Loughry Campus back in 1996/97 on the National Diploma in Food Technology but at the time I wanted to get straight out into the world of work. After founding Heavenly in 2009 I wanted to really equip myself with the knowledge in all areas of running a Food Business and so I enrolled in the BSc (Hons) Food Management and Marketing degree in 2012, studying part-time whilst running my business. So life has taken me full-circle back to studying at Loughry. I achieved a 1st Class Hons degree in 2017, which is something I am very proud of, as studying part-time whilst running and business and having a family can be quite a challenge. It has enabled me to understand many different areas of my own business in greater detail and equipped me with the skills to continue to drive my business forward.
Why did you decide to study at CAFRE?
I was fully aware of what Loughry was able to offer. Being able to study a degree part-time, whilst being connected to Food Industry experts there for advice and learning was extremely important.
Do you have a typical working day?
Being the Founder means my role covers a wide range of areas and so no two days are the same. One day I could be focusing on new product development and marketing, and another working on our future strategy. The odd time I may have to travel abroad to trade shows, which may sound glamorous but are very hard work. I am lucky in that I can also work from home if needed which is really important for me as a parent of young children.
What was your first job?
When I was younger I loved helping my dad on Saturdays in his engineering firm, working on some machines and helping with general bits and pieces. And my actual first job was working in a local Spar shop part-time when I was 16. I’ve always loved working and could never see myself stopping that.
What is the best thing about your job?
I have created my own job in my own business, and sometimes it doesn’t get any better than that. I have met some wonderful people along the way and developed some great working relationships with people from many different countries and I love that my job has enabled me to do that. I love being creative and feel really proud when I hear amazing feedback from parents who buy our products for their babies, and when I see something I have created from a concept to now selling on the shelves of major supermarkets in different countries around the world is in itself a huge positive aspect of my job.
What is the greatest challenge of your job?
The greatest challenge in any job is managing to stay on top of everything and in a small business it is no different. At the moment our business is in a major growth phase which in itself can bring lots of challenges to the table. Staying ahead of competitors and continually listening to our consumers keeps us on our toes.
What is your fondest memory of your time at CAFRE?
Whilst studying part-time meant I was in Loughry 1 or 2 days a week, I really enjoyed being in the hub of all things Food-related. The staff have great respect for anyone who study’s part-time and are always there to help. In general I just loved the continual learning and development during my time in Loughry and I have to say I do miss it!
Have you undertaken further training since leaving CAFRE?
Not since I graduated in 2017, however I am a great believer in life-long learning and I am sure I will be looking at enrolling on something else in the future.
Do you keep in touch with fellow students who were in your class?
I meet some of them from time to time at different Food Industry events.
What did you want to do when you were at school?
I was always one of those people who never knew what they wanted to be and so I never had any idea what I wanted to do. I did however always want to run my own business.
How do you like to relax outside work?
With a young family of 4 children ranging from 14 down to 2, relaxation time can be hard to find. I am married to James who works as our Operations Director in Heavenly, so whilst we try not to allow work to impede on our family time, we can be found discussing work once the kids are in bed. I try where I can to fit in some yoga practice and generally time spent with my family is the best.
What advice would you give a new graduate?
I would say don’t be afraid of hard work and a will to learn. You will learn the most from the roles you put the most effort into and showing you are eager to learn new things will impress any employer. Don’t be afraid of changing direction in your career. Sometimes a side step in another direction could open up a whole host of new opportunities. Always remain honest and true to yourself.