ENTREPRENEURS HAVE SUCCESS IN SIGHT

Local entrepreneurs, Angela Henderson (30) and Katrina Venerus (35) have caught the eye of companies throughout the region with a new service designed to help employees see more clearly.

Experienced optometrists, Angela and Katrina set up the Gosforth Eye Company last year with help from Sunderland based business support agency, the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) and have since expanded their services to include mobile provision for business customers, after they saw a gap in the market for door to door optometry services.

Business on and off site has witnessed a spectacular increase and the new service has proven to be extremely popular with business customers as it offers the benefits of an on site vision screening package, which is supported by a full eye examination at the practice on Gosforth High Street, for clients who fail the test. 

Angela said: “The inspiration for the mobile service came from a combination of trying to accommodate business customers who were finding it difficult to keep appointments due to work commitments and from listening to comments from some of our new business clients who were unhappy with the level of service they had experienced from other high street opticians.

“After doing some market research, we decided to roll out the mobile service as the response was so positive. It has been extremely well received and compliments the services we continue to offer at our main practice, which is also continuing to flourish.”

BIC business adviser Derek Dingwall helped Angela and Katrina to set up their business and to launch the new mobile service, assisting with sales and marketing. He said: “Angela and Katrina both have a broad range of experience in optometry, this combined with their professionalism and customer focus skills make them ideal candidates for success. 

“By listening to the needs of the market place, the Gosforth Eye Company has gone from strength to strength, and I am delighted that the practice is continuing to prosper.”

Angela Henderson, Katrina Venerus and Derek Dingwall (L to R).