For the latest in our series of editorials focusing on Irish Women in Business, we’re talking to Ciara Troy, who is the Managing Director of Oishii SushiBack in 2011 she received Image Magazine’s Young Business Woman of the Year Award while the company has received four Great Taste Awards.When I finished school I actually wanted to be a music teacher! I play piano and violin and I was studying for the BA Music Education in Trinity.
It was hard work. I absolutely loved meeting customers at the markets every week and to hear their feedback. But the markets at that time were exhausting as I was making everything at home, packing up the van, setting up the stall, working at it all day and by the time packing up at 4.00pm came around, I was just on my knees. The nature of the sushi meant I couldn’t sell my products the next day; I had to make everything fresh.
The definition of success keeps shifting for me! I thought I would be happy with doing the markets but that wasn’t enough. Then, I told myself I’d be happy once I got into some retail stores, but the goal posts just keep moving! But yes, there have been some milestones that have marked the journey, getting the first major retail listing was an incredible vote of confidence. Getting emails from customers that didn’t know me personally, to say how much they liked my products.