Wexford businesswoman celebrates 25 years in business

Wexford Town-based practitioner Mariga Sheedy has been helping people achieve balance and wellbeing for over two decades…

As a Neuro Reflexology Master Practitioner, she has built a long-standing Wexford business rooted in health, wellness, and holistic care.

We caught up with Mariga who reflected on her 25-year journey in holistic wellness and neuro reflexology. She also discusses how her business evolved through economic challenges, including the 2008 recession and the pandemic. Mariga also shares insights on client care, continuous learning, and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Mariga, now based on Selskar Street in Wexford town, first established her business in 2000, focusing on skincare and wellness treatments. Over time, her work has evolved to incorporate more holistic approaches.

“I set up in 2000 specialising in skincare and wellness treatments. Over the last 25 years I have had a few rebrands and evolved the business from general skincare and wellness to holistic treatments for health and beauty that have their foundation in neuro reflexology – a clinical application of facial and foot reflexology that works on the nervous system to balance and heal all the systems of the body,” she told Wexford Weekly.

Throughout her 25 years in business, Mariga has both faced and overcome major challenges, including economic downturns and global disruptions. She shared how she adapted and grew through each period of uncertainty:

“Over the years the biggest challenges were the financial crisis of 2008 and of course the pandemic. In 2009 I decided to go super-niche with the business and specialised in providing solutions to problem skin such as rosacea and premature ageing. This went very well and saw the business grow through those difficult financial years.”

“Having seen over the years how many of the skincare problems I was seeing had their root in both physical issues (such as immune system/hormonal/digestive disorders) and emotional issues such as anxiety or emotional repression I again evolved to focus more on the holistic wellness side and began my studies in neuro facial reflexology to treat the person as a whole and focus on healing both the skin and the body/mind from the inside out. I graduated these studies just as the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown.”

“This was, for me as for so many, the hardest business hit as we closed for so long. But, it turned out to have some upside as the enforced downtime gave me a chance to study more intensively, and as we reopened there was a growing appetite for wellness and complementary therapies so I was in a good position to pivot to provide these treatments.”

Despite the econmic crash and a global pandemic, she believes that the current cost of living crisis in Ireland is making it incredibly difficult as a business woman too:

“Despite those two events, I would actually say that the current cost of living crunch is one of the most difficult times for service providers as all the overheads are going up constantly and as a one-to-one service provider there are only so many hours in a day to work to keep up with ever-increasing bills. The fact that facial reflexology is recognised by many of the health insurers does help for both the client and the business by rebating some of their wellness costs for those who have health insurance. This definitely helps in the current climate.”

Her business, while continuously evolving, has remained true to its roots:

“Yes, it has been the same business since 2000, with some natural evolution along the way but I still provide the core services of holistic health and beauty, just in a newer way. Constantly upskilling and evolving has kept the business relevant over the years.”

When asked about her clients, Mariga explained that most are regular visitors who attend treatments consistently as part of their wellness journey.

“My typical clients for facial reflexology are repeat customers. As with any health or wellness concern, it takes time to return the body, mind or skin to an optimum state if it has been unbalanced for a while. I work weekly with these clients to re-establish balance until we achieve the results we want, then move to maintenance treatments every month or so. In the area of general wellness/preventative care clients typically come for a treatment every month or so. I see clients from all over the country. Before the pandemic I had a monthly pop-up in Dublin and though I have not yet re-established that I am happy that those clients now come to see me in Wexford.”

“I have sub-specialities in trauma therapy, mindset resetting, and overwhelm/anxiety treatment and these make up a lot of my day to day. Also Japanese Facelift is hugely popular with my beauty clients looking for a natural way to rejuvenate their skin. It keeps my work time varied,” she told Wexford Weekly.

After 25 years in business, Mariga continues to thrive and she encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to follow their passions with dedication and persistence:

“My advice to budding entrepreneurs would be to love what you do – you will work far more hours for yourself than ever you would for any employer. Continue to upskill and be the best at what you do – clients will find you when you excel in your field. And don’t be afraid to evolve with your interests and passions, it will keep you energised and focused,” she told Wexford Weekly.