How Peppermint Grove founder Hannah Drury worked 18 hours a day to build $40million fragrance brand

In less than a decade, Hannah Drury went from sleeping on an inflatable mattress in a small factory to the founder of a successful $40 million dollar fragrance empire.

The 32-year-old launched Peppermint Grove from the comfort of her family home in Sydney, starting with a range of candles and diffusers in 2014.

She then moved the growing company into a commercial space, hired a full-time perfumer, and expanded into a range of soaps, creams, and bath and body care. From there, her second company Moss St. Fragrances was born in 2018.

“I’ve always had an insatiable obsession with fragrance and driven by my love for it, I began to develop a range that was both functional (melts well) and aesthetically pleasing (looks good),” Hannah told FEMAIL.

The young creative wanted to combine her passion for fragrance, people and ‘all things interiors’ into a ‘dream company’ – but success did not come by itself.

The 32-year-old launched Peppermint Grove from the comfort of the family home in Sydney, starting with a line of candles and diffusers in 2014

While traveling through Hong Kong for years before launching the brand, Hannah saw a huge line of people waiting to buy personalized designer perfumes.

“This was the turning point when I realized I needed to bring personalization to the home fragrance space. We’ve found that consumers like this aspect of gift giving – it gives the candle an extra special touch,” she said.

She also noted a ‘gap in the market’ for ‘a range of home fragrances with an Australian feel and dimension’.

To bring the idea to life, she moved in with her parents in Sydney to save money, but soon outgrew the space and moved to a small, commercial factory in the Southern Highlands (about 70 miles south-west of Sydney) because the rent was cheaper.

Hannah describes her first year in business as “beautiful chaos” – she worked from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. but was happy with how her products were received in the market.

“Of course I was exhausted, but I was running on pure adrenaline. A big part of who I am and my identity is that I love to work,” Hannah said.

Hannah noted a ‘gap in the market’ for ‘a range of home fragrances with an Australian feel and dimension’

Hannah moved the burgeoning company into a commercial space, hired a full-time perfumer, and expanded into a range of soaps, creams, and bath and body care. Some nights she slept on an inflatable mattress at the factory instead of driving back to her parents’ house in Sydney

Instead of driving back to her parents’ house, which was an hour and a half away, she often slept on an inflatable mattress at the factory.

“It was hardly worth it (drive back) and much more convenient for me to stay on an inflatable mattress on the factory floor,” she said.

“Sometimes, if it’s been a full week, I’ll treat myself to a room at the local pub.

“It seems crazy to think about it, but I was so absorbed in the process and I liked it all too much to care.”

Hannah went to great lengths to get the brand on track, initially investing $50,000.

She studied commerce at university while working full-time in the fragrance industry and then moved on to a marketing and communications agency where she gained experience with a range of brands.

‘The practical experience of working in combination with the theory of my studies has helped enormously in the development of my brands.

‘During the development of the brand, I worked full-time. I quit my job a month before I launched Peppermint Grove to go all out,” she said

‘During the development of the brand, I worked full-time. I quit my job a month before I launched Peppermint Grove to give it my all,” she said.

Within the first year, Hannah will have approximately 400 independent retailers stocking Peppermint Grove.

Today, her brand sells over 100,000 worth of products every month.

Success did not come without sacrifice, as Hannah said she went from “always very sociable and outgoing with friends” to work in Bowral, where she didn’t know anyone.

“As an extrovert and someone who thrives on human interaction, this was not an easy thing to do. But I was so passionate about the company and trusted in my vision that I never felt like I was missing out or regretting that choice,” she said.

Today, her brand sells over 100,000 worth of products every month. Success didn’t come without sacrifice, as Hannah said she went from being “very sociable and outgoing with friends” to work in Bowral, where she didn’t know anyone

When asked what advice she would give small business owners, Hannah said, “Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t forget to enjoy the ride.”

“If you’re not sure about anything, get in touch and ask for advice or get a second opinion, but always make sure to follow your instincts,” she said.

“Don’t forget to engage directly with your consumers and understand your channel better.”