PayPal Holdings Inc.

06/11/2025 | Press release | Archived content

Irish Entrepreneur was Born to Breed Creativity with Business Venture


Linzi Rooney, founder of Born and Bred, in her Belfast boutique gallery

Linzi Rooney has always had a creative, wild streak. In fact, she knew early on that she wasn't the type to take direction. Instead, she was going to be the one that would set other creatives like her free to pave their own path to success.

The Belfast-based entrepreneur is behind Born and Bred, a store that features creations from local artists and celebrates Ireland's storied history, culture and traditions.

I wanted to have a creative space, to be with other creative people," said Linzi. "I wanted to make sure that the artists that I support have the best chance to make their businesses survive.

Her shop offers an array of art prints, candle oils, homewares and trinkets of Ireland. It even sells products that reflect on some of the troubles that have plagued the country and often, they do so in a way that's tongue-in-cheek.

"We have products that use our sense of humor to make fun of our troubled past. It's about honoring the land and honoring the stories of Ireland. The little parts of history that make up the people that we that we are today."

One past hardship that shaped Born and Bred was the global pandemic in 2020 which forced businesses to close their brick-and-mortar shops in order to keep the Covid-19 virus from spreading.


Sheep-patterned oven mitt from Born and Bred displayed
with fresh bread and pantry essentials

Although the shop had a website, it didn't feature all the products available in-store. Rooney knew she had to quickly update her online plans in order to keep her dream alive.

"Where we are today because of the growth of online -- it's huge for us," she said.

"Being able to reach people in England, Scotland, America, Australia, you're able to reach all those in the Irish diaspora that want that wee piece of home."

Linzi said business has doubled year over year thanks to their stronger online presence compared to 8-10% growth they see annually at their physical store. She credits PayPal with being a significant contributor to their success, counting for about 25% of their processing.

"PayPal has been significant because when you actually look at the data, it shows the significance in terms of conversion. People trust PayPal. They know that it's a secure place to be able to process a payment," she said. She also noted how she feels safer using PayPal for her own orders, particularly when it's expensive, large wholesale orders. Her suppliers also often use PayPal when sending her their invoice.


Linzi Rooney, founder of Born and Bred, has a passion for creativity and community.

"That's so important to me because you can imagine when you're growing a company, you're putting in a lot of money," she said. "Using PayPal to process those transactions just removes so much pressure. And that's the most important thing. It's reducing as much risk as you can in your business and being able to use PayPal to do that is a no brainer."

"It's simple, it's reliable, it's trustworthy, and it's integral to the growth of Born and Bred," she continued. "The sky's the limit for growth."

Growth has been a main focus for Linzi. Thanks to her online success, she is expanding her business. She recently purchased a 5000-sq. ft warehouse. Next, she's setting her sights on opening up a second location in Dublin. All in the name of continuing to support and celebrate Ireland's creative community.

"The only time that I didn't work for myself was when I worked for a cruise line and I got sent home. So that says it all," she laughed. "I've grown a business to give myself flexibility and have more of a work-life balance. It's always been the remit for having my own business -- to be creative and to have a fun day."

For more information on how PayPal can help grow your small business, check out our business solutions or read more about other SMB owners who share their entrepreneurial journey.

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