Ann Ross is passionate about building a sustainable native bee industry and educating others on ethical farming best practice. She’s also the Queensland #FemaleFounder and Managing Director of Hive Haven, which specialises in both Australian native bee and European honey bee products.
The award-winning Hive Haven V9 stingless native bee box is their most popular product. The native bee box was specifically designed to alleviate hive overheating and enable the harvest of native bee honey and propolis. Hive Haven also produces their own native bee honey and special pollinator mix to help bees thrive.
We recently sat down with Ann to chat more about Hive Haven and her journey as a Queensland #FemaleFounder.
What inspired you to start your business?
My husband and I never intended to become beekeepers or hive manufacturers. A colony of bees moved into the wall of our mechanical workshop, which coincided with me being a mature aged commerce accounting student at the University of the Sunshine Coast. I started hearing about the potential of the Australian stingless native bee honey and invested in eight colonies.
During a heat wave, the native bee colonies melted in on themselves. This resulted in a four-year journey to commercialise a new style of native bee box featuring an innovative insulation cavity.
What milestones have you reached?
My major milestone was finally commercialising our V9 stingless native bee box after many years and many prototypes!
We’re also a registered social enterprise which means we donate 10% of our native honey and seed sales to installing/sponsoring hives at schools and retirement villages.
In 2016, I won the Queensland Regional Achievement Award – Trade and Career, and in 2018 I was listed in the ‘Top 50 Australian Business Leaders of 2018’ by the Australian Small Business Magazine. In 2019, I was a Queensland AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Finalist, and today I’m the Queensland State Chair of the Rural Women’s Award.
What business achievements are you most proud of to date?
Hive Haven is building a portfolio of high-value, export quality Australian made products using sustainable practices throughout our supply chain, including using recycled plastic to manufacture our native bee boxes.
We were awarded first prize in 2019 for the ‘Most Effective and Innovative’ Native Bee Box at the 2nd Australian Native Bee Conference, and made the top 10 successful businesses that are putting the environment first in the ‘Inside Small Business Magazine’ in 2022.
We also have our hives on display at lots of public spaces, such as Parliament House in Canberra, Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and Queensland University of Technology campuses.
Have you participated in any Advance Queensland programs, or received any support from Advance Queensland to date?
In 2018, we received an Ignite Ideas Fund grant and I participate in the ACE Speakers Forum and various other workshops.
What’s your advice for other female entrepreneurs and businesses starting out on their entrepreneurship journey?
- Network, network, network.
- Don’t forget to look ‘back down the fence’ – acknowledge the people, organisations and communities that helped you along your journey. Say thankyou!
- Ask for advice and surround yourself with a ‘dream team’ of supporters who will be there to pick you back up on your darkest days.
- Create reliable products and services. We have invested a lot of time, money and energy developing each Hive Haven product. We provide exceptional after sales service and strive to ensure our customers are satisfied in every facet of the relationship.
- Don’t fall in love with your product. Do your customer research. At the end of the day, it’s the customer who will pay your bills and keep you afloat!
