Gazette
16 Gazette 27 December 2014
dublinlife
SMEs call for action to fix ‘useless’ debt legislation keith bellew
THE Irish Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Association (ISME) has called on the Government to change the Prompt Payments legislation which it described as “useless” and says has “failed to benefit small and medium businesses in its 12 years of existence”. The association made this call at the launch of the ISME Credit Watch Survey, which showed that SMEs continue to wait an average of 60 days to be paid by big business and Government agencies. ISME proposes the introduction of a statutory 30-day payments regime for all businesses trading within Ireland with other Irish-based enterprises, without exception. It says that this could be introduced on a phased basis over three years, as follows: Year 1: 60 days, Year 2: 45 days and Year 3: 30 days.
T he main findings from 952 respondents in the second week of December were that the average payment period for SMEs in the fourth quarter of 2014 has slightly improved, to 60 days. However, 24% of SMEs are experiencing delays of three months or more, and more than 5% are waiting more than 120 days.
‘Abused’ Speaking at the survey launch, ISME chief executive Mark Fielding said: “Once again, the ISME figures show how Irish SMEs are being abused by their big business customers. “Recent ECB ... figures also confirm that big business in Ireland extract more credit from trade debt than any other EU country.” At the time of going to print, the Department of Enterprise had not responded to a request for comment.
business catherine morgan, owner, biofresh skincare and make-up
Business of being natural
CATHERINE Morgan has been married to her husband, John, for 20 years, and with their 13-year-old daughter, Anna, they have lived in Malahide for more than 20 years. She has a passion for cosmetics, particularly those that don’t contain any harmful chemicals, and her career has spanned a number of fields, from being an air hostess to a banker. Morgan is a regular speaker on Sunshine 106.8 FM talking about skin problems, products to avoid, and How long have you been in business?
We opened our first cosmetic store in Drogheda, in July 2010.
What makes your business successful?
We believe that skincare and make-up should not only make you look and feel good, but they should also be good for your skin. Our beauty products are truly natural and can help to enhance the health and beauty of your skin. Our Bellapierre mineral make-up is the next generation of make-up and is unique as it is 100% natural; other mineral brands contain ingredients like bismuth oxychloride, which can irritate your skin and cause breakouts. Our skincare is likewise formulated from the highest quality and most precious natural/organic ingredients which we have sourced from around the globe and are renowned for their anti-aging properties. Our award-winning beauty products are endorsed and used by many [clients] which include Xpose, Vogue, RSVP, Rosanna Davison, Kim Kardashian and Cheryl Cole.
What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?
What makes us unique is that we are committed to enhancing your most beautiful self through the power of nature. We’re offering the next generation of skincare and make-up without any toxic chemicals or harmful ingredients. Women are looking closer at what they are now applying on their skin, as many beauty brands on the market contain parabens and other ingredients
Q&A
natural make-ups. She started BioFresh Skincare in 2010, firstly opening the Drogheda branch and most recently an outlet on Main Street in Swords, with plans to expand to the UK in 2015. Morgan says Biofresh’s passion for bringing awareness of healthy skincare and natural make-up to clients has led to its success.
which can not only damage your skin but can also affect your health. What you apply to your skin is absorbed into your blood stream and [some ingredients] are now linked to the cause of breast cancer. All of our beauty products are paraben-free! We also offer a unique range of ACNE OUT products and treatments which have helped some of our clients suffering from this condition. How has the recession affected your business?
We actually started our business in the depth of the recession but we were confident knowing that our natural beauty products would be a big success, irrespective of the economic climate. We initially introduced our promotional offer of a day, night and eye cream for €55, which was a big success, and we still run the same promotion today.
What have you changed about your business to combat the effects of the recession?
We started from day one by offering high-quality and natural beauty products at an affordable price. We initially started with our skincare range, then introduced our Bellapierre make-up to complement the range and, more recently, have introduced our beauty studios where we offer anti-aging facial treatments and makeup applications. This business model and strategy has proved successful for us and today we offer a one-stop shop when it comes to servicing most of our clients’ beauty needs.
What law or regulation would you change overnight to help your business?
We would like more regulation on what ingredients are allowed in beauty products and more awareness as to the hidden dangers many of these ingredients pose for the unassuming customer.
How do you use social media (Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, etc) to help your business?
We are very active on all of these and today have more than 20,000 followers. We find the social media platform is a great way to interact with our customers and fans and it generates a lot of sales and interest in our products.
What is your ambition for the business?
We have just opened a new cosmetic and beauty studio in Swords and plan to open a further three stores throughout Ireland over the next few years.We are now producing our skincare ranges which has afforded us greater opportunities within Ireland and abroad. The wholesale aspect of our business is growing in strength with new stockists joining us every week across the country and the UK. The next big leap for us is to enter the US market during 2015.
What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?
Work hard and be determined to succeed. Believe in your product or service and never become discouraged. A high level of customer services is a priority, [as well as] affordability.