In today's digital world, the nuisance of a dying phone battery is all too familiar. Enter PlugInMove, a family-run startup co-founded in Northern Ireland by Charmaine McConville, her husband, and her sister.

The company aims to transform the way we stay connected in public spaces by providing easy access to portable power banks at locations like shopping centres, airports, and train stations.

Charmaine told us: “Our aim is to revolutionize how people stay connected by providing digital transformation to public spaces through smart portable battery solutions. Our service makes it as easy as scanning a QR code to access portable power.

“We're currently at the revenue stage. We're operational in Castle Court and Victoria Square in Belfast and are looking to expand within the city. Our goal is to be in 50% of airports and train stations across Northern Ireland, and eventually the UK. At the moment, we are focusing on the island of Ireland before expanding further.”

“Our mother - she ran two separate businesses, a children’s nursery and a family planning clinic in Zimbabwe, where we were born. She has always been a motivator, encouraging us to try new things and not be afraid of failure. Her drive and determination have always inspired us.”

“No, it sounds really weird, but I don't even say I'm a business owner. Normally, I'd say I'm a co-founder of PlugInMove. I don't know if I'm in the entrepreneurial mindset yet because we're still in our infancy. It's still hard to think of myself as an entrepreneur, but I'm definitely changing my mindset about how I look at myself and present myself. Until recently, it felt like a side hustle.”

“No, it sounds really weird, but I don't even say I'm a business owner. Normally, I'd say I'm a co-founder of PlugInMove. I don't know if I'm in the entrepreneurial mindset yet because we're still in our infancy. It's still hard to think of myself as an entrepreneur, but I'm definitely changing my mindset about how I look at myself and present myself. Until recently, it felt like a side hustle.”

“We tag team because there's so much happening within and outside the accelerator. Sometimes, one of us will attend an event, and the other will attend another. It’s been fantastic — the best thing that's happened to our business.

“We've registered with other programmes where we've had to pay, but none have done for us anything near what the Ulster Accelerator has. The information, contacts, training sessions, and talks have been invaluable.

“The Accelerator programme has been the best thing for us, especially considering how Northern Ireland operates. It's very old-fashioned, and you need a warm introduction to get in. The hub has opened doors for us that were firmly shut. We initially aimed for the tourism market, but we had to pivot to shopping centres because they were more willing to commercialise our model. The Accelerator programme helped us navigate these changes and provided invaluable support.”

“They've taught us how to sell, market ourselves, and build our brand. They've introduced us to key contacts in the industry. The support has been phenomenal.

“The community is fantastic. People are open, encouraging, and very willing to help. We’ve had help with recruitment, finance, and marketing. Every day, someone brings a fresh perspective that can spark new ideas or improve existing ones. The hub has been phenomenal for bouncing ideas off each other. It's like being at university, but better because of the real-world experience and support.”

“I look back and I think we were insane! My sister has always had the entrepreneurial bug, and I'm the cautious one. She came to me with the idea and the numbers, and after some thought, I realised it could work. Our biggest internal challenge was balancing my cautious nature with her enthusiasm. Externally, we had no idea how to scale, grow, or navigate strategic marketing. This is where the Accelerator programme has been invaluable, teaching us to think and behave like CEOs.”

“Don't do it if you don't believe in it. I think 90% of why some businesses fail is because they're started for the wrong reasons. If you're not passionate about it, your drive will quickly diminish when you face obstacles. As an entrepreneur, you're everything: the CFO, COO, maintenance, IT, HR, customer service, and more. If you don't have passion for what you're doing, you'll burn out quickly” 

“We created our business plan and got a loan from Ulster Bank. The rest has been self-funded, bootstrapped from our savings. I used my credit card initially, which is not recommended. Shipping delays turned out to be a blessing in disguise, giving us time to fix everything we skipped initially.

“We used that time to get everything in order. My sister, being very creative, handled all our marketing and branding. We brainstormed everything, from the business name to trademarking, during this period. My advice would be to do all this first. You don't want to end up with a name you don't love.”

“That it wasn't going to be an overnight success. Many entrepreneurs, including myself, think that because they love their idea, everyone else will too, and it will take off immediately. My husband keeps me grounded by reminding me that it might not work out as quickly as I want. It's easy to get lost in the glamour of entrepreneurship, but you have to be disciplined and focused.

“It's not one thing but many things I wish I'd known, like remaining focused and diligent because small mistakes can come back to bite you quickly.”

To find out more about how the Ulster Bank Accelerator could help your business grow, visit our Entrepreneur Hub