Women's Network: Female Entrepreneurs

This blog entry comes from Caitlyn Hegarty, founder of local cosmetics brand ByCaitlyn who are sponsoring our next Women’s Network event: Creating a Corporate Image. Read on to hear Caitlyn’s story as a female entrepreneur in Northern Ireland. To find out more about the event and sign up to attend click here.

My name is Caitlyn Hegarty, and I’m the founder of By Caitlyn, a Northern Ireland–based cosmetics brand built with no outside investment — just passion, and a deep understanding of beauty from over a decade working in the industry.

My entrepreneurial journey started early. At the age of 14, I launched a face painting business, working at children’s parties, soft play centres, and shopping centres. While most of my peers were focused on school, I was more interested in creating my own path and gaining hands-on experience. At 17, I left school with the dream of becoming a makeup artist. That decision shaped the next decade of my life — I built a career doing makeup for clients across NI and developed a deep, working knowledge of the cosmetics industry from the inside out.

When I was 21, I began launching my own products — originally as an upsell to my makeup clients. That side project planted the seed for what would later become By Caitlyn. Then, in 2020, the pandemic hit. My makeup services had to stop due to restrictions, and with a new mortgage and a wedding to plan, I found myself at a crossroads. I received a small COVID-19 grant for lost income, and rather than seeing the moment as a setback, I treated it as an opportunity. I used the funding to develop more products and officially launch By Caitlyn Collection.

From day one, I’ve been behind every aspect of the business — from product development, cosmetic compliance, and branding to content creation, order packing, and building our website. I had to learn labelling regulations, master financial oversight, and step into a leadership role without ever having held one in a corporate setting. Today, I lead a team of five and run a thriving brand that ships across the UK and Ireland, all while raising my two-year-old daughter.

My background as a working makeup artist for 13 years gave me something most beauty founders don’t have: real experience with real clients. I didn’t enter this industry as a founder with no hands-on knowledge. I knew what worked, what people wanted, and how to build a product that solves everyday problems. That has been invaluable as I transitioned into product development. At By Caitlyn, we believe we create beauty for everyone — with high-quality, cruelty-free products designed to be inclusive, accessible, and empowering.

What sets By Caitlyn apart is its authenticity. We’ve taken a modern, founder-led approach — I’m not just behind the brand, I’m the face of it. I bring people into both my life and my business through social media, documenting the highs and lows of being a founder. We use our platforms not just for sales, but to foster a genuine community. From sharing behind-the-scenes of product development to showing how we pack orders — and even hand-delivering them on occasion (sometimes staying for a cuppa with our customers!) — we’re committed to showing the human side of the brand. Our platform has helped us reach thousands, and the connection we’ve built with our customers is real. 

We also strongly believe in supporting our local community. At By Caitlyn, we hire locally wherever possible, and we contribute to local charities that are close to our hearts. Supporting Northern Ireland and its people is at the core of everything we do.

Recently, I also discovered I have combined ADHD — a diagnosis that gave me valuable insight into how my brain works, especially in high-pressure environments. I’ve had to grow a lot as a person to manage the realities of running a business while navigating challenges like attention regulation, task overwhelm, and emotional masking. Business admin, for example, can be incredibly challenging for me — but I’ve learned how to coach myself through it and put structures in place that work for us. 

Being from Northern Ireland has shaped my values and ambition. I’m committed to creating opportunities, especially for other young women who feel they don’t fit the traditional mould of a “businesswoman.”

In the future, I hope to open a physical creative space in Northern Ireland where I can expand the business and host events, mentorship sessions, and workshops for aspiring beauty entrepreneurs. I also plan to take By Caitlyn global — while staying rooted in the same values and heart that got us here.