Niall Cleaver

Cupsly

Cupsly was designed as a reminder to slow down to make space for presence in a world that rarely pauses. An object of quiet confidence, crafted for those who lead with intention and dress with care because true connection doesn’t demand attention, it lives in the moments we choose to hold onto.

Founder

Social Library

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

Thistle Scientific Ltd - Where Customer Care Comes Naturally

Distribution Manager

Cleaver Scientific Ltd

Stores and Distribution Team Leader

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

Hi, I’m Niall Cleaver, founder of Cupsly, a timeless reusable coffee cup brand launching in 2025.

But my story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted.

Fast forward to today, and I’m the founder of Cupsly. The idea originated from my own frustration in my own life I couldn’t find a reusable coffee cup that matched my style. Everything felt cheap or uninspired, and I hated the idea of carrying something that didn’t reflect me. Cupsly is crafting a reusable coffee cup, elevating it into a symbol of fashion.

EVERY SIP STARTS A STORY

Do you know what I love about working for a family business?

The debates.

I know it sounds weird, but when two generations meet, there are always going to be differences. There's always the little comments like this:

- I think you should do it this way.
- I’m not sure that’s right.
- Are you sure?

But if you take a step back… this is healthy.

It’s what every successful business should be striving for. It’s these differences in opinions that keep it interesting, and it makes your business better.

Great businesses aren’t built by avoiding difficult conversations. They’re built by welcoming them, listening to them, and using them to move forward together.

So I guess I’ve got some more debates with the old man to have.

Growing Thistle Scientific, a UK manufacturer supporting researchers worldwide. Sharing real lessons in business.

There was a time when I’d do anything to avoid the sentence...

“I work for my family business.” But let me explain why this is so wrong.

There are so many of us who are fighting this thought, but we don't have to. It doesn't make you less of a successful person by doing so. Do you know why?

Because you bring your own style
Because you bring a younger perspective
Because you create the change the future needs

Nothing will ever be just handed to you.

If anything, for me, I've felt even more pressure because I want to make sure I take it to the next level. I want to actually earn it.

For ages, I thought success meant carving something out with only my name attached. But the truth is, showing up every day and choosing to improve what’s already there is just as hard, maybe harder.

And it keeps reminding me of something:

You’re not less ambitious because you step into a business.
You’re not less successful because you’re building onto something.

Anyway, just wanted to share what’s been rattling around my head lately.

POV: You decided to take your family business seriously…

Not long ago, I hated the idea of joining the family business.
I thought it meant I couldn’t build something on my own.

But here I am, happier than ever to be part of the mission, working toward what’s next. Building two things wasn’t the plan, but sometimes life guides you somewhere unexpected.

Last week was a big reminder of why this matters…

Two days spent deep in meetings, collaborating, and figuring out the steps to help even more researchers on their journeys.

I’ve got my buzz back. I’m loving it. Loved every minute with the Thistle Scientific team. There’s so much more to come.

P.S. I've never wanted to share this side of my journey, but it's the real side I want to share more of.

If you looked at my LinkedIn, you’d think all I do is build brands.

But behind the scenes, we’re helping cure cancer.

It's incredible to be part of this team, helping to keep the entire world safe. It feels pretty weird to finally open up about this side of my life, but I'm proud of it.

We’re designing and developing products that help researchers cure cancer, create new medicines, and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

I don't know why I've never really spoken about this before, but I'm excited to share more about it and how we continue to help fight some of the world's biggest battles in 2026.

People are getting building in public wrong.

I've seen it happen multiple times...

As someone who has shared a lot of my journey on this platform, and heard everyone telling me to share more and more, but I want to touch on something...

Building in public doesn't mean:

Sharing everything.
Doing it to tick a box.
Doing it because of pressure.

Sharing in public is about strategy.

There's so much pressure for everyone to keep posting and creating content that might not necessarily work for them, but because everyone is telling them to continue to do it.

That's what happened to me, and I fell out of love with it. Losing motivation and jsut doing it out of pure discipline, but I want to go back and create the content I used to love creating, the raw, unfiltered side of my life.

SO WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT

Get other people out of your head and do what's right for you.

It took me almost two years to figure this out…

Rushing and moving quickly are not the same thing.

For a long time, I mixed the two. Everyone said, “Move fast,” but no one explained how. It's been one of the biggest lessons I've learned in business.

I presumed this meant:

Don’t think, just act
Make decisions on the spot

Turns out, that’s how you end up rushing.

And I made stupid mistakes while building Cupsly because of it. Rushing design processes and manufacturing just made everything longer.

But now, only a couple of years later, I've finally broken out of this cycle, and honestly, it’s changed everything. The old saying “sleep on it” couldn't be truer once I started doing it.

Looking back, I can see decisions I rushed that I’d absolutely make differently now. But that’s how you learn. Give yourself breathing room. Process all the information before you move. Some decisions you can’t undo.

Business is fast-paced, yes, but...

It’s also a game of patience. The bigger the decision, the more time it deserves.

Think about risk. Think about impact. Think about the possibility.

Everyone loves to talk about career advice... but this has been by far the most impactful for me.

Curiosity doesn’t make you inexperienced.

When I joined Thistle Scientific, my first instinct was to worry about what I didn’t know: the jargon, the lab protocols, the decades of expertise my colleagues bring to the table.

But every time I asked a “basic” question or admitted I didn’t understand something, I noticed something powerful. It started a conversation for change.

Over time, I’ve realised curiosity belongs everywhere, especially in business.

Because the people who ask why are often the ones who move everyone forward.

You don’t need decades of experience to make an impact:

Sometimes asking, “Why do we do it this way?” opens the door to innovation.
Sometimes being the learner means spotting what others take for granted.
Sometimes, trying things differently brings the best results of all.

A reminder I carry with me every day:

Curiosity belongs in every business.

taplio