Barbara on the basis of her business idea...
"I’ve been a nutritionist for years and I used to write programmes for people to go and cook themselves, but that didn’t happen, they always came back with excuses.
I decided to work from home and after three months I had 25 customers and within five years we’ve grown to over 2,000
"I decided to work from home, and after three months I had 25 customers and within five years we’d grown to over 2,000."
On how to beat the competition...
"There are about five companies now doing a similar service, but all of us tend to do something fairly different. You just have to keep working at it, know what your competition is doing and diversify.
"We produce unique meals that are wheat and diary free. There isn’t anyone doing that, and that’s what makes us stand out from the crowd."
On effective marketing...
"Word-of-mouth has been our best form of marketing. We try to exceed our customers expectations.
"We have promoted the business via radio advertising and we have a wonderful affiliate programme where throughout the UK other nutritionists recommend our meals to their clients.
"I think the marketing that worked five years ago doesn’t seem to be working so well now. Events seem to be one of the bigger forms of marketing.
"We’re putting ourselves in front of the customer so they can meet the people behind the company, instead of just a face or a website. I think that personal touch is really important now."
