Rhonda Gretton has built Love That Lifestyle into a thriving retail business with a vast export market

Having arrived with her husband on a posting to Hong Kong in 1976, Mrs Gretton, a mother of three then small children, looked for a little "pin money" business, partly out of boredom and partly as a need for some independence.

Opportunity presented itself when the family moved from a flat in Mid-Levels to a house in the New Territories. The house had a garden, which she wanted to tend, but found that a lot of products were not easily available.

Mrs Gretton founded which was later to be the start of her business network - a biweekly newsletter distributed to households and retail premises around her suburb, Hong Lok Yuen, which was supported by local advertisers. "It started as a village local rag, which I thought may last a few months," Mrs Gretton recalls. It lasted for 20 years.

Meanwhile, with gardening on her mind, Mrs Gretton began buying topsoil in bulk and bagging it for resale. Her first thought of importing came when she wanted a swimming pool for the garden. She became an agent for the dealer in Sai Kung, selling above ground pools and pool chemicals.

The mother of invention

After her divorce in 1992, Mrs Gretton stayed in Hong Kong to be with her children. "I tried to find 'secure employment' but no company could offer enough money to cover my expenses," she said. "My little 'pin money' business had to be turned around to support myself."

Her first venture was to buy out the swimming pool business from the then owner who was retiring. Largely because of her Australian clients, who wanted to emulate their outdoor lifestyle in Hong Kong, the pool business did well. Mrs Gretton bought out a competitor in the swimming pool business and this included his stock of children's swim aids and barbecues. She moved her home-based business to half a warehouse, and named it Love That Lifestyle Ltd. Today the company rents six retail units (around 8,000 sq ft) and trades under the brand Barbeques Galore, one of Australia's top manufacturers in the BBQ industry. It followed the trend of the parent company in encompassing an "outdoor room" theme, selling a range of lifestyle products.

Expanding opportunities

Business has doubled in the past year alone and the company now exports throughout Asia, including Korea, Japan, Shanghai, Beijing, Thailand and Singapore, all of which are expanding markets. Mrs Gretton sees franchising and expansion opportunities in Hong Kong and in key Chinese mainland cities, particularly Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Part of her success, says Mrs Gretton, is that entrepreneurs are well supported in Hong Kong. Groups like the Women Business Owners Club (open for male and female membership) offer invaluable help for start-ups, including monthly meetings on varied topics. Setting up a business is not difficult and government websites offer much information.

"The main advantage of doing business in Hong Kong is that it is a wonderful, open society. Client base is not restricted to a local area as perhaps it would be in Australia. People from all walks and positions in life mingle with each other. Earning power is strong, therefore providing the ability for many to buy what they want when they want."

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Love That Lifestyle