Moon-Haven no pie in the sky dream

Passion and integrity are the keys to family business success, according to Leonie and Eric Gully, owners of Moon-Haven Natural Products and its manufacturing arm, Margaret River Natural Soap Co.

Mix in the company’s concept of “our people are our family”, and you have the 2005 FBA Family Business Awards (WA) first-generation winner.

The husband and wife team, based at Cowaramup in the state’s South West, started Moon-Haven’s retail operations in December 2002.

Development of the business, which makes soaps, lotions and potions, followed Mrs Gully’s 1998 diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome (a musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder).

Frustrated at finding little relief for the pain from prescribed medicines, Mrs Gully started researching herbal and aromatherapy based products and set about making a salve.

Moon-Haven’s Achy Breaky Rub was the result, and the rest is history.

The Gullys spent most of 2002 attending craft fairs, markets and the Perth Royal Show, before going on the hunt for the perfect shopfront.

And more than 18 months after opening, the company is quickly outgrowing its manufacturing premises, with plans under way to acquire industrial land in Cowaramup to establish a separate facility.

The company employs 11 staff, including Leonie’s father and two sons.

But according to the Gullys, the company’s success has a lot to do with the strength of the Moon-Haven family.

“The Moon-Haven family is more than blood relations,” Mrs Gully said. “Staff and our treasured advisers, affectionately called the ‘brains trust’, are all considered family members and are treated as such.

“We all work together in an environment of mutual respect and admiration for the special gifts we can each bring to the business.”

Producing almost 30 different soaps, soap products, skin salves, body lotions, lip balms and skin care products, the company projected a sales turnover for 2004-05 of almost $365,000.

The business has a backlog of new products in the research and development phase and plans for expansion, including duplicating or franchising of the Moon-Haven concept and retail store into other tourist areas.

“Strategic planning is being undertaken and expansion into the wholesale soap market and private label manufacturing are being developed as a growth pathway,” Mrs Gully said.

“We have received our first commercial private label orders and are developing marketing materials and further strategies to move into this field.”

Moon-Haven has also succeeded in providing good corporate citizenship, something that extends beyond the local Cowaramup community.

The Gullys were founding members of the Cowaramup Retailers Association, which was formed to promote the role of retailers in the town.

“Moon-Haven also prides itself with being involved with the local Margaret River school work experience program for disabled students,” Mrs Gully said.

“Each year we welcome a disabled student into our workplace and work alongside them, giving them the time, space, and encouragement to develop their social and physical skills to the best of their ability.

“Moon-Haven feels that it also has a responsibility to assist others in different countries to achieve the best they can be and has developed a program where each year we take on the educational sponsorship through to the end of high school of one child in a developing country.

“This year we have begun sponsoring a 14-year-old boy who lives with his grandparents in one of the poorest areas of Bali.”

1ST GENERATION – MOON-HAVEN

• Based in Cowaramup.
• Retail operations started in December 2002.
• Husband and wife team, Leonie and Eric Gully, now produce almost 30 different soaps, soap products, skin salves, body lotions, and skin care products.
• Gullys were founding members of the Cowaramup Retailers Association.
• Participates in local work experience program for disabled students.