Bonnie White has been fascinated in holistic therapy for years but felt that aromatherapists were getting a raw deal when buying healing oils. The Inner Peace Shop offers them a more flexible service online. She tells us all about it.
Name: Bonnie White
Age: 45
Business: The Inner Peace Shop
Type of business: Supplier of goods for Holistic Therapists
Start date: 10th January 2006
When did you first decide you wanted to start your own business?
I've had a burning ambition to run my own company for more years than I can remember. The trouble is I'm a soft touch and tend to give more away than I sell when dealing with customers. Therefore, an online business seemed to be a step in the right direction.
Tell us about your business.
My business aims to provide quality products at realistic prices, while offering old-fashioned customer service. At the moment I supply the items aromatherapists need, but I offer them the opportunity to buy small amounts of the vast majority of my oils. I am already in the process of expanding the site to offer crystals, incense and salt lamps.
Was it your first business idea and where did it come from?
My first business idea was to set up a small salon of my own offering holistic treatments. I qualified as a holistic therapist in 1996 and began to teach at a local college in 1998, once I had gained some industrial experience. My own salon seemed the logical progression.
Was your decision to start a business inspired by any other companies or individuals?
You could say it was inspired by individuals. I was constantly being approached by people asking where there was a good place to buy oils and what should they buy. This was usually followed a few days later by complaints about how much the stuff costs and that they had to buy such large amounts. This got me thinking, so I did some research and an idea was born.
What makes you think there’s a market for your business?
Research told me that not everyone wants to buy large quantities of an oil. Essential oil has a shelf life that can be as short as three months in some cases. It can be very expensive and heartbreaking if you have to dispose of 95% of a bottle of oil. It’s literally throwing good money away, not to mention the conservation issue. Some oils, such as Sandal wood, are becoming very scarce.
Once you’d decided to start a business, what did you do first?
My husband and I began to research other sites to see what was on offer and the difference was amazing. I actually found oils I had never heard of. Once we had done this I began to research the need for another site, with this done I knew I was on the right track.
Then came setting up business accounts, signing up for Business Go, Start Ups, Business Link, finding suppliers, talking to the Inland Revenue, designing labels, finding printers, buying an accounts package - the list goes on and on. But I think finding someone to design and build the website gave me the most headaches. The day I found Chris Rivett of Upton(a)way Media Developments was the day my headaches went, he has been truly wonderful.
What research did you do?
Lots, I visited other holistic therapists, talked to my students, spoke to buyers in salons and colleges to find out exactly what they want in terms of sizes, delivery dates, quality, range, and customer service. I also approached every advice centre I could find.
What other help did you get?
The one person who has helped me more than he will ever know is my husband Glenn, he has supported me, advised me and given me a much needed cuddle when it was all getting too much.
Does the government need to provide more help to people trying to start a business? If so, what should they do?
I think more help would always be good, more grants would be helpful and documentation that was written in plain language and easy to read and understand would be nice.
Talk us through the process of writing your business plan.
I had to produce a business plan while training to be a holistic therapist so I knew what was ahead of me. I searched the web for advice to make sure I got this right the first time round and literally sat at my computer for hours typing in the information I had compiled. Adding graphs to show projected figures gave me a few problems but I sought advice from someone who runs a business course and they helped me sort this out. I didn’t feel the need for any specific software, however for someone planning on setting up a large concern it may well be a good idea.
