Business mission and vision:
Our mission is to provide products & resources to support, empower, and encourage women to feel confident within their work, and within themselves.
We recognise that our therapists spend their time caring for others, so it is our mission to care for them, and spend time supporting their business growth.
“We are a wholesale supplier to the New Zealand Health and Beauty industry. We supply – Hot Wax, Skin Care, Health products, and product support with services salons offer.”
The key goal of BSW is to be caring, empathetic, generous, flexible, and understanding. We understand that supporting a business is more than just increasing sales. Supporting a business is supporting clients, families, communities, and everything within it. We support our clients with time and resources so that they can spend more time supporting their families & communities. We avoid pushing salons to grow, and instead we align ourselves with their growth. A lot of businesses push their customers to grow faster than they are capable of. We remove this pressure, and trust what our clients are doing, and where they are going. This allows people to naturally flourish and grow in a way that is true and best for them. We are a small team and we get to know our customers personally. We are fast and efficient with delivery and treat our customers businesses as if they were our own. We put a lot of time, effort and thought into our customers, and that is often recognised and appreciated by our clients.
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I come from a family that is incredibly independent always seems to possess an entrepreneurial charm. I was in an environment where I could not start a career as I was supporting a young and growing family as well as supporting my husband’s career path that took him all around NZ and overseas. We moved between large cities and eventually moved to rural New Zealand, where the career options for women are incredibly limited. Starting my own business allowed me to embrace my nature as an independent thinker, to be the mum I wanted for my children, and to make a life for myself. Going into business for myself most importantly meant that I could control my own future.
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Over the years there have been significant challenges that have changed my life, and the structure of the entire business. Our family had moved around a lot to support my husband’s career path. This meant that keeping any business going was almost impossible. We moved from Christchurch to Wellington and Wellington to Melbourne, then Melbourne to the small rural town of Waitahuna in South Otago. Every move meant stopping and restarting the business. Transitioning into rural living was difficult for myself and family and changed the entire face of the business. We operated out of a small farm garage for a few years, and then eventually moved into a warehouse in the neighbouring town of Milton. My marriage deteriorated, and my husband and I separated in 2013. In 2014 I was diagnosed with aggressive stage three lymphatic breast cancer. I immediately had to step back from the business to be with my children and move to Dunedin to start a treatment plan. A normal course of treatment for cancer is around 6 months, however my treatment plan spread itself over 14 months. I came back to the business full time in 2018. Having cancer meant that the business itself had to change. The staff moved into home offices, and Cargill enterprises who provided work for those with a disability became the distribution centre and business hub. I learnt to develop trust as I was unable to work. We had staff changes throughout, and also had a staff member that took advantage of me being out of action with cancer and majorly defrauded the company at this time. It has been a life changing experience where I learned to never look back and to accept what is, and what you can change. This whole experience has proved that people are the most asset within a business. COVID-19 this year has added another challenge, as it has for many people. However past challenges have shown the importance of always having a back up plan, and that you have to be the person you need in a crisis.
Persevering through difficult circumstances has developed BSW into the business it is today. A business is shaped by those within it and takes on the voice and personality of those who are running it. Failure has never been an option, and success has always been the only goal. BSW was my only support through my health concerns, as working full time was not an option for me as my health would not allow it. A huge part of that was putting the correct staff and systems in place to continue the support that I needed for my family, myself, and the families of my staff.
Success shows itself in many ways. I feel very proud that BSW has evolved from a small farm start up to the business that it is today. Last year we had the opportunity to buy a warehouse for BSW. This has given us the freedom to not rely on leasing and has given us space to grow a business personality. This combined with developing our online presence through new online platforms has developed BSW’s voice and presence to those who had not heard about us. This allowed us to keep going and growing through COVID-19. Having this space and freedom has also allowed BSW to grow to stock worldwide brands such as Antipodes, and the amazing new UK based feminine health brand BeYou. This is run by a wonderful team who are flexible and work the best way for them. I am blessed to have staff who love a challenge, and approach everything with a can-do attitude. Success is being able to help women all over New Zealand by being able to support their business goals, their families, and their lifestyle. Success is women supporting women.
Honestly, I am incredibly proud that BSW still exists, and is still growing after 22 years. I am incredibly proud that BSW has survived a divorce, cancer, raising a family, recessions, pandemics, and it can still support women. I am proud that it has grown to employ others, and to support other families grow and flourish.
Currently, BSW has 5 full time staff, and 3 part time contactors and other staff.
We use contactors for our online platforms, specifically Suzanne Eddington from WebGenius, and Mike Roil-Glendenning an E-commerce specialist, and Wendy Muldrew from Gabellos Professional Administration Services.
We train all staff on multiple online platforms such as Xero, Ecwid, Go Sweet Spot, and others. This increases their skillsets, and capabilities allowing them to flourish further.
Tara Sutherland
Outstanding service.
I love to support local but have since moved away and will continue to deal with this company as it’s so easy and fast. Highly recommend.
Jessica Lee I am always super impressed with this supplier, orders always arrive overnight and everyone is so lovely to talk to. Thank you so much! I will not be changing suppliers.Taissa Moura I’m amazed by the quality of the customer service. I have used the wax in saloons but they really go over and beyond to make everything perfect. Definitely a store to be loyal to.
Addie Dale
Amazing support and resources! Thankyou!
Key benefits of running and owning my own business is to provide employment and support for not only myself, but my employees, and women all over New Zealand. It is being able to support and be there for my family and helping grow businesses nationwide.
Previously BSW employed Cargill Enterprises to Pick and Pack orders. Cargill enterprises is a business with a social purpose and is an involved partner with the Disabled Citizens Society of Otago. They employ over 80 people with differing levels of intellectual disabilities. They provide structure, support, and offer amazing services for some of our most vulnerable members of society. We as business feel incredibly privileged that we were able to help and support Cargill Enterprises and the great work that it does for the community.
We give back to the community by supporting and growing businesses nationwide. Supporting a business is not just helping to increase sales. Supporting a business is supporting clients, families, communities, and societies all around New Zealand. We allow people to be more flexible with their time, so people can spend their time and energy where it matters most.
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