UKNM: Nutravida

[Trevor Millett]

[Sam says: this was sent by Trevor Millett from Nutravida in response to

comments made on the list. As far as I'm aware Trevor isn't a member of the

list, himself. As I've said before when Brent from Lastminute.com took the

time to reply to comments on the list, it's laudable that senior management

of companies take the time to respond to the list.]


As the CEO of Nutravida I would like to respond to some of the comments made

by your contributors. Firstly we have not spent money either excessively or

imprudently. We raised circa �1M, a large proportion of which went on

creating a fully transactional web site and the support services needed to

operate a retail site. The balance has gone on operational losses supporting

the business in its early few months.


Our business model forecast a break into profitability in the Autumn of

2001, our performance to date has supported this as being realistic, if not

prudent. Unfortunately, to achieve this we need additional funds to finance

the short term losses and such funding has proved very difficult to find.

Despite the almost hysterical comments of one of your contributors, this is

not an unusual business scenario. Venture Capitalists, Bankers etc would not

exist if all businesses made a profit from day one. Believe it or not most

of todays huge business concerns made losses in their early days and relied

on the faith of their financial backers to support them through to solvency.

Unfortunately, in our case as in several others, the market climate to

support pure online B2C plays has moved so radically that investors are

extremely nervous. I understand that even though I think they are now being

too cautious and their caution might sound the death knell for my business.

None of this is 'little children playing at business' or any other such

rubbish. For the record I am 41 and have spent a lifetime running 'real

world' companies. It is just part of the cycle of a free market. Very few

'dot coms' were founded or managed by lunatics and many investors will yet

see a very healthy return as the market returns to normal, as it will.


There is a saying about those who 'do' and those who 'watch' -  my fellow

investors, my staff and me had the courage to get up and do something. It

was always fairly high risk and everyone involved knew that. Some of your

contributors might be less bitter and better able to pass comments if they

had the courage do the same.


Regards,


Trevor


Trevor Millett

Chief Executive

Nutravida

32 Brook St

W1Y 1AG


Tel.020 7290 1700

Fax.020 7290 1701


Have you visited www.nutravida.com yet?



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