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ProNurse Interviews: Clare King, CEO of NursePrint

Clare King - From Physiotherapist to CEO

Have you ever had one of the those moments when you were studying or nursing and thought “I could do really improve that!”

Clare realised that healthcare students were paying too much for their textbooks and set out to provide a better service, all while studying to be a physiotherapist.

The result was <a href = “http://www.PhysioStuff.com”>www.PhysioStuff.com, an online discount bookshop for physiotherapists that stocks a wide range of books and study aids at reduced prices. <a href = “http://www.NursePrint.com”>www.NursePrint.com followed soon after providing the same service for nurses.

PN: What made you see a gap in the market for PhysioStuff?

CK: There are some large online book retailers, but none with any specialist health knowledge, and often with no discounts on physiotherapy or nursing textbooks. We set up PhysioStuff and then NursePrint to provide this service. In the case of NursePrint – a complete range of nursing and midwifery textbooks all at a discount from the RRP.

PN Did you use your nursing friends to do market research?

CK: We did market research with both nursing students and graduates, some of which came to us asking for a service for nurses when they had come across PhysioStuff.com.

PN Do you think having experience as a physiotherapy student gives you a better insight into your target market?

CK: Absolutely. Without insight into the market we would never have started the business, or have known which services to offer! Being in touch with the market has helped us to grow the business to where it is today, where the brand NursePrint is known in every university in the country.

PN How difficult is it to compete with the likes of Amazon, Waterstones etc?

CK: It is not too difficult as we are a specialist retailer, dealing specifically in nursing and midwifery books. Amazon and the likes are too big and generic to do this (for example their subject categories are not very detailed), which allows us a competitive edge to provide a better service and better prices.

PN Are you still working in physiotherapy?

CK: To start with I was a student running the business, and then for years I was both a physiotherapist and the CEO of the company. For the last few years I have concentrated on Nurseprint and the sister sites as it is a really exciting time for the online book market. As the credit crunch hits home, people are looking for services that provide both excellent customer service and great value.

PN How long were you working in physiotherapy? And what did you specialise in?

CK: I spent four years in the NHS as a physiotherapist and I specialised in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.

PN What made you want to become a physiotherapist?

CK:I wanted a vocational degree offering the opportunity to positively affect people’s lives which also offered a good career path.

PN What is your best selling product?

CK: The Student Nurse Handbook by Bethann Siviter