Startups.ie

Ciara Crossan from www.weddingdates.ie talks to startups about appearing on dragons den and her experiences in business so far…

Company: Wedding Dates Ireland
Website: www.weddingdates.ie
Founders: Ciara Crossan
Age: 28
Based: Cork
Staff Number: 2
Date started: October 2008

Well done on Dragon’s Den, How did you find the whole experience?

It was a fantastic experience and probably the best decision I made last year was to go on that show. Naturally, walking up those stairs is nerve wracking, but at the end of the day it is up to you to project yourself and your company in the best light. You have to remember that it is a TV show and the only stars are the dragons! They have to get their quips and soundbytes in there! I prepped alot in advance of the filming date, but I was confident that I had a good product and I was already trading and had customers, so they couldn’t slate it too much. Its the people that go in their with vague ideas that get ripped apart.

Who was your favourite Dragon & why?

It’s hard for me to pick a favourite, because genuinely there were all really nice to me! Niall was very complimentary and even offered me a job, Sarah gave me a good grilling, but I really respected that. Its only when people are tough on you, you can get better. I valued all of their comments and feedback to be honest.

Tell us what your business does?

WeddingDates.ie solves a unique problem, when couples get newly engaged they tend to set a date first and then have to go to the arduous task of finding a venue that matches their criteria and is available on their chosen wedding date. weddingdates.ie allows them to narrow their search with the click of a mouse, view photos of the venue, watch videos and even download wedding brochures and menus.

Where did the idea for your business come from?

I have an IT degree, and my parents grew up in the hotel industry. I noticed a niche for a website like weddingdates.ie when working in large HR departments (full of women!) and saw my colleagues and friends go through the whole experience of planning their wedding. It can be a very stressful time!

Have you always wanted to run your own business?

Yes, I think I always dreamt from an early age that I wanted to have my own business. My father is self employed so I think it was something that was encouraged in our house. I was never really afraid of failure, I was just waiting for the right idea to come along!

What planning did you do before you started up?

Very little! I kind of jumped in head first. I always say, “a little bit of ignorance IS bliss” If you knew too much, you might not make the leap into entrepreneurship. It was very much a case of sink or swim for me. When you are forced to go out there and make sales, or else face not being able to pay the rent etc, then that’s motivation like no other!

Which entrepreneurs do you admire?

I admire other female Irish entrepreneurs like Ann Heraty, Lulu O’Sullivan and Mary Ann O’Brien.

What challenges have you faced how have you overcome them?

I don’t really want to go into specifics here, but I think you can overcome any challenge by staying true to yourself and sticking to your guns! In saying that though, I am a great advocate for asking for help and taking advice from other more experienced people. I am always open to listening to what others have to say, but ultimately the decision is mine at the end of the day. A key trait of anyone who starts a business, is determination and keeping positive even when things are looking really bleak. I have certainly had my disappointments, but you have to keep on truckin!

How have you promoted your business?

Shamelessly!!! I promote weddingdates.ie any way I can. I have been lucky enough to get a fair bit of PR and free newspaper coverage. We have been featured in the Irish Times, Independent, Sunday Business Post, The Examiner and the regional papers as well. I have done all sorts to get in the paper, such as run the womens mini marathon in a wedding dress, travelled to Finland to represent Ireland in the world wife carrying championships, and even going on the Dragons Den was an opportunity to promote my company. Any good entrepreneur will do anything to get the company name out there. We do traditional advertising too, most of our advertising budget is spent on Google AdWords, our customers are online, so that’s where we need to be advertising.

What has your growth been like?

It has been fairly steady, with a few peaks when something big happens. I worked alone for the first year, before taking on my first employee to help with the IT and administration. I keep costs low by outsourcing alot of the work that needs to be done.

What are your hopes for www.weddingdates.ie in 2010?

World domination! No seriously, I would like to see the site grow in terms of the numbers of venues and suppliers we have listed as well as see traffic increase. We want to maintain our top spot on google, and I’d like to see the brand grow, so that it becomes a well known name.

Ciara Crossan
Founder
www.weddingdates.ie

Follow me on twitter: twitter.com/WeddingDates
Friend me on facebook: facebook.com/WeddingDates
View our vids: YouTube.com/WeddingDates

Nominated for an Eircom Golden Spider Award 2009