A Co Derry entrepreneur who co-founded respected HR agency Think People, recently acquired by a major Scottish-headquartered company, will tell the next West Belfast Small Business Roundtable that values and principles are crucial to her career journey.

And Emer Hinphey, a native of Dungiven, Co Derry, who now heads up the Ireland Business Unit of People Services company AAB, says her life-long love of Gaelic sports — she coaches the Bredagh GAC U-14 camogie team — has served to anchor her in the community. 

"My childhood was played to the soundtrack of the Sunday Game and Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh ," she told the Lagan Stream Podcast ahead of the An Chultúrlann networking breakfast on 29 April. "My christening, family legend has it, was canceled a couple of times for hurling matches. That's just how it was but in retrospect what a great way that was to grow up."

As with West Belfast's two most successful entrepeneurs, Peter Curistan and Hugh 'Curley' Kennedy, Emer didn't pass the 11+ exam. But that too, with the benefit of hindsight, was a blessing in disguise.

"I went to the local secondary school, and it was such an enriching experience," she recalls. "It was just a different environment: people from all sorts of backgrounds, with different levels of academic ability.  The connectedness was much deeper because everybody knew each other. So that experience was great. I did do well in that school, brilliantly well, probably better than I would have in a grammar school."

At university in the 1990s, Emer was immersed in student politics, giving her an opportunity to put the values of equality, civil rights and inclusion, which were part of her home life growing up, into practice. A highlight of her time as President of the Students Union at Magee College in Derry was the start of the first gay disco there. "It was really popular and it was the only event for gay people in the surrounding areas," she says. "It was rammed every week when it happened."

Post-college, she took on a string of projects as a self-employed consultant before joining forces with Anne Dougan to found human resources advisory company Think People. Joining the civil service or a large company was never going to be for her. "I don't like being told what to do so I have always had that independent streak." From its Belfast city centre base, Think People served businesses of all sizes, growing in both revenues and reputation. 

"Some people start a business because they just always wanted to," she explains. "For me, it was more of an evolution than a master plan. I met Anne and that just was another sliding door moment. We both were working in freelance and both busier than we could handle. We had slightly different styles but very similar values — very focused on doing really good quality work. So it became a decision: do we want to kind of combine our efforts, create something, register a company and grow it, or do we just want to work alone at the kitchen table? And we made that decision that we should go for it because it was an exciting opportunity."

In late 2023, Think People was acquired by AAB, allowing Anne to retire from business, while Emer took on the role - for the first time in her career — of 'employee', though she prefers the term, "colleague". The decision to sell to AAB didn't involve any compromise on core principles for the Co Derry woman. 

"The older I get, the more stubborn I get and I just wouldn't compromise on my values," says Emer of the discussions around being bought out. "When we met (the AAB) people for the first meeting, I thought: I like these people, they're pretty straightforward, down-to-earth, serious business people who know their stuff but certainly very respectful and interested."

Being a partner with responsibility for AAB's all-Ireland business unit is a period of transition for Emer Hinphey but the one thing that never changes is her passion for camogie. 

To coach young camógs, she says, is just pure joy. "You know, there's something absolutely lovely about seeing the dance that a 13 or 12-year-old does when they get something right, or they score a goal. And there's also that opportunity to work with young people and shape them and help them, and you get loads back as well." As the daughter of two school teachers (her mother taught her in primary school and her late dad was vice-principal of her secondary school) who were steeped in Irish culture has left its mark. "The contribution piece was always something that came through so strong from dad in particular, from the sports perspective. So, you know...you just, you do what you say, don't you?"

Emer Hinphey will address the fifth monthly West Belfast Small Business Roundtable in An Chutlúrlann on 29 April at 8am. Just 14 tickets are released for each Roundtable and are available from Eventbrite. All West Belfast small business owners are welcome to join the  networking breakfast.