Mount Charles at the Women in Business All-Island Female Entrepreneurs Conference 2025

Mount Charles’ Operations Directors, Stacey McAlister and Nikki Looby, were among 300 female business leaders who attended the Women in Business All-Island Female Entrepreneurs Conference 2025 on 11th June. This year’s event, themed “You’ve Got This”, was an empowering day packed with inspiring keynote talks,

interactive breakout sessions, and excellent networking opportunities—offering a chance for like-minded women to connect, share experiences, and support one another on their professional journeys.

The speaker lineup featured a wide range of talent and expertise, including Caroline O’Neill, founder of the Digg online community (@diggmama), Alyson Hogg, creator of luxury self-tan brand Vita Liberata, and Dr. Pragya Sharma, a biochemist-turned-entrepreneur behind Granlab, which develops science-led treatments for chronic skin conditions. There was also special guest appearance from TV personality and entrepreneur Sara Davies MBE, the youngest-ever female Dragon on Dragon’s Den, —can you spot her in our photos?

We caught up with Stacey and Nikki to hear their thoughts on the day:

Stacey McAlister, Operations Director

“Uplifting, real and emotional, the annual All-Island Conference did not disappoint. The breakout sessions were brilliant—packed full of insights—and it’s so good to be reminded that we all experience the same rollercoasters throughout our journeys. What a day!”

Nikki Looby, Operations Director

What an inspiring day! Great exhibition area from business support; empowering innovation and supporting business ideas to a wide range of businesses showcasing their products and services. The key note speakers where excellent! So open and honest sharing their challenges as both business leaders and as Mummy’s, proof that you can have it all! It was a day full of laughter, insight, collaboration and emotion. Thank you to Women in Business NI for a fantastic event.