Bizstartup.ie - NewsOnline holistic directory introduced

She is an example of the ‘mumtrepreneur’ trend, as she started the business from her kitchen while also looking after her two sons, aged two years and six months at the time.

“My husband and I first had the idea of setting up a centre bringing practitioners together about two and a half years ago. He also came up with the idea of a website offering a holistic holiday booking facility, but I thought this might be too much hassle, having worked in the tour operator business myself previously. Eventually I decided on setting up a directory and I sent out questionnaires to people in the business asking what they would like from something like that,” says Convery.

She managed to get a bank loan to get up and running last October, but says the business has “very few outgoings”.

The revenue model

Practitioners pay €100 to be listed on the site, www.bCenteredU.ie for 12 months and Convery will then "do the marketing and advertising that practitioners don’t have the time or money to do”.

“What we’re doing differently [as a directory] is that I personally speak to all clients continuously for feedback so they get the most of their own listing. They can put up their events, workshops, talks and seminars and I will further advertise them on Twitter and Facebook, as well as promoting the practitioners at exhibitions and other events.”

An unusual feature of the site is video interviews with practitioners, which Convery does herself. She engaged the services of self employed web designer James O’Sullivan of Creative State to design the site.

“James is helping me out with a powerpoint presentation which will be shown on a large monitor at an exhibition this month. We currently have 33 clients, with many more being finalised. A lot are keen to join before the exhibition so they will appear in the presentation. The potential for a directory site like this runs literally into thousands of clients."

Photo: Mal Convery, founder of bCenteredu.ie