Dove River Peonies gets game-changing venture capital

Nelson’s Dove River Peonies will receive a game-changing boost from New Zealand’s inaugural SheEO allocation of venture capital, announced in Auckland on April 9.

“It’s absolutely huge for us,” says co-owner of Dove River Peonies, Dot Kettle. “It’s a real honour. We feel that we’re benefiting from New Zealand women investing in women and we’re excited to use this investment in us to benefit many, many people of all ages with skin conditions, both around New Zealand and overseas.”

SheEO is a global innovation in the female entrepreneur marketplace started by Canadian Vicki Saunders in 2015. More than 150 regions around the world are replicating the movements’ financial model of providing interest-free loans to women-led business ventures that are revenue generating, have export potential, and create a better world through their business model, product or service. This year is the first time that the process has been undertaken in New Zealand.

The five ventures that were selected in this year’s New Zealand’s SheEO allocation negotiated collectively to decide how much of the $500,000 in available funding each venture would receive. The amount received by each business is confidential. All funds must be paid back within five years. The money is then distributed to a further set of selected ventures.

In addition to the interest-free loan that Dove River Peonies will receive, Dot Kettle and her partner and business co-owner Georgia Richards will also receive monthly coaching from author of the New York Times bestselling Random Acts of Kindness Series and co-author of “Act Like A SheEO”, MJ Ryan and will be a part of the global SheEO community of women in business. “We’re very excited by the opportunity to access business coaching of MJ’s calibre,” says Kettle, “and to have the support of the extraordinarily generous network of women who have contributed to the New Zealand SheEO venture fund.”

“This opportunity will provide Dove River Peonies with the capacity to help more people who suffer from serious skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, and anyone looking for a solution to dry, sensitive skin,” says Richards.
 
“As anyone with a skin condition will tell you, such conditions can cause a great deal of suffering and distress. We developed our Pure Peony products to alleviate the suffering of our own children and we’re thrilled that access to this loan will help us to reach more people and provide them with the solution they need.”
 
Kettle and Richards (pictured) have specific projects in mind for the capital injection and will be looking to carefully and strategically grow their Dove River Peonies business.