STUDYSTUDY CASE
CASE
HOW I TURNED A SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE INTO A BUSINESS
SUCCESS By Julianne Ponan
T
here can be a multitude of reasons for wanting to run your own business. The risks are significant
but setting up a small business in the UK is more popular than ever, regardless of age. I had that lightbulb moment six years ago when I was just 22. I was working for a health food company and I knew the owners were keen to sell. I had my own vision for the business and wanted to put my own stamp on it. I didn’t really consider my age as I felt confident that I could take the business on to greater heights. I had always been interested in healthy
foods due to the multitude of food allergies I had suffered from since the age of four. On more than one occasion, these allergies led to a life-threatening situation when I was out and about ingesting products with the potential to trigger a deadly anaphylactic shock. I could find products that covered one
allergy but not multiple ones together. This is a problem many others faced and I wanted to tackle this. I used to make my own cereal bars as I couldn’t find anything better on the market. I knew that if I could find a way to make them on a larger scale, others would love them as much as I do. And then came the opportunity… the
owners of the company where I was working asked me if I would be interested in a management buyout. I obviously did my due diligence and knew the
40 SME
company had significant losses (over £56,000). At the time, its product range included incense, candles, statues and some superfoods but I knew the business had so much more potential. Once I had acquired the business, I
rebranded and trademarked the Creative Nature Superfoods brand and set about adding new ‘free-from’ products and removing other products that weren’t selling. I also had to let the existing management team go which was a hard decision but the right one for the future of the business. I asked my boyfriend Matt, who had previously worked at the business with me, to be the operations manager and set about turning the business around with no money, no experience and my network of contacts.
In the early days, we tried
crowdfunding but it wasn’t successful. Comments like ‘you're too young’, ‘unrealistic targets’ and ‘just a little girl’ didn't deter us though, as we focused on proving them wrong. Getting trade credit from suppliers was the biggest problem as they just didn’t take me seriously. Eventually, I found one that understood that I was serious and had a clear business plan. He took a chance and offered us 60-day credit. We have since enjoyed an excellent working relationship, so it is crucial to find suppliers who are the right fit for your business. Today, I’m glad to say that Creative
Nature is in significant profit and thriving; our healthy but tasty allergen- free products are now stocked in major supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Asda, Co-op and health stores around the UK.
Julianne Ponan is CEO of Creative Nature Superfoods creativenaturesuperfoods.
co.uk
www.smeweb.com
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