Parenting website employs 12 people

Eumom is one of Ireland's largest parenting resources with 120,000 registered members logging on to its website each week. Based in Blackrock, Co Dublin, the company employs 12 people.

What distinguishes your business from competitors?
We believe we offer more ways to support a new family than any of our competitors and that the experiences we provide go beyond simply being a website.

Our journey with the community begins with the expectant mother in the maternity hospital where we give excellent quality information and establish trust with them. We also partner with a number of brands to provide gift bags and samples to new families, and we have events such as play and coffee mornings around the country.

Outside of that, there’s also the website which allows mothers to connect to each other and gives useful tips and advice. All of our work is aimed at supporting mums at what is both a challenging and joyous time in their lives and we feel we succeed in this.

What have been the biggest challenges you have had to face?
We've been going since 2000 but, like lots of SMEs, we had to restructure our business during the recession and that was very challenging. We were forced to make radical changes to the way we operate and we had to ask our partners and advertisers to bear with us while we managed our way through what was a difficult transition. Thankfully we survived it and have continued to grow ever since.

What is the biggest mistake you've made in business?
I don't recall making any particularly big mistakes and generally speaking all the ones I've made over my career have provided great learning. Having said that though, I would say that anytime I've gone against a gut reaction, I have always regretted it later.

What's the best bit of business advice you've ever received.
There are two that I like. One is just to enjoy what you do, which is something I totally agree with because it's so important to have passion for the work you're involved in and to be excited by it. Another bit of advice I was given that has helped is to remember that everything looks better after lunch.

Apparently it was Winston Churchill who said that when Coventry was bombed in the second World War. While I've obviously never been involved in such a drama, I do agree with the sentiment and feel that it's important to take a break sometimes and get a bit of perspective.

What are your major successes to date?
With regard to eumom, the thing I'm most proud of is the growth we've managed to achieve over the past few years despite the difficult economy. Our subscriber base has grown to over 120,000 members and is very active. A recent survey we carried out with subscribers found that 97 per cent of them would recommend us to their friends and family so we're very proud of that.

Outside of eumom, I’m most proud of setting up ebookers.ie many years ago. I was its first managing director in Ireland and that was a huge learning curve and a very exciting time. It turned out to be a fantastic success.

How have you been able to monetise your business?
Advertising, pure and simple. We obviously have ads on the site, but we also collaborate with brands such as SuperValu to provide gift bags to expectant mothers.

We’re also able to fund our play and coffee mornings thanks to advertisers, who know the importance of connecting with our audience.

As most consumption is dictated by women and as they play such a key role in household spend, if you can influence and engage this audience, you’re likely to keep them forever. Brands know that and therefore want to reach our members.

Who do you most admire in business and why?
I've a real admiration for Adrianna Huffington. She had a great vision and executed it wonderfully.

Outside of her, I also really admire mothers who, having started families, become so creative and entrepreneurial. Pregnancy often leads women to consider career changes to supplement the family income and try something new and that inspires me.
What piece of advice would you give to the Government to stimulate the economy?
Give tax breaks to parents on the crèche fees they pay. The Government should do this to make it easier for women to go back to work after they've had children.

It is a terrible waste that many talented women don’t re-enter the workforce because of childcare costs.

Do you think the banks are open for business at the moment?
SMEs aren't getting a look in unless they have a personal guarantee. My experience of the banks is that they will lend you money if you already have it. I don't really see the value of that.

What is your business worth and would you sell it?
I've no idea what it is worth, but it's been around since 2000 and I feel that we've only just begun to realise its potential so right now selling it isn't of interest at all.

In conversation with Charlie Taylor