Member Article

Couple use suffering to launch successful business

A husband and wife have turned personal suffering into success after launching a home remedy treatment to soothe the symptoms of haemorrhoids.

Lisa and Mark Kelly have founded Unique Natural Products after formulating a cream, Analcare, from their home in Gateshead.

The product, which has now been granted approval as a cosmetic by the Government’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is 99 per cent natural and made mainly from plant extracts.

The couple decided to look into developing the product after Lisa - like many other women - suffered from haemorrhoids during and after pregnancy.

Lisa said: “I suffered very badly while I was pregnant with my first child and had tried several over-the-counter creams and suppositories but nothing seemed to work. Eventually I had no other option but to turn to my doctor for help. This was not only embarrassing but disappointing, especially as the doctor advised that there was nothing that he could recommend that I had not already tried, other than surgery.”

Husband Mark decided to look into the remedies available and spent many hours researching natural products, reading medical journals and searching the internet for safe ingredients to blend at home.

He said: “In desperation, I started to research suitable and safe ingredients with known healing and soothing qualities. I ended up with a simple all-natural oil, which helped Lisa get relief during her pregnancy.

“Within a few days, Lisa’s haemorrhoids had completely disappeared, the itching and soreness had vanished and for once she could get some well-deserved relief from a horrible and nasty condition.”

The couple then started to spread the word about their new product to friends and family.

Mark added: “Although conditions like this aren’t something people like to shout about, we wanted them to know what Lisa had been through and the product we’d developed as we were convinced others could benefit from it. After some of our family and friends had tried the oil with similar results to Lisa, we wanted to spread the word even further and decided to try selling it online.”

The couple initially started selling via online auction sites and then launched their own online shop, from which they received many thank you emails and letters from happy customers.

Lisa said: “It’s so good to hear that the product is working for other people as it did for me. The feedback we’ve had from customers is that it has helped put an end to years of suffering which is what we wanted when we started developing the product.”

After seeing the positive impact it was having, Mark and Lisa decided to take their business to the next level. In response to feedback, they turned the oil into a cream which would be easier to apply and sought approval as a natural and soothing cosmetic product from MHRA, which was granted.

A dedicated website selling the cream was recently launched and the couple operate from a unit at Blaydon Business Centre which is run by Gateshead Council.

Mark added: “The council has been so supportive of our venture as it is committed to helping local business succeed. We hope to grow the business and are working on our future plans, which include selling Analcare through retail outlets and pharmacies and growing our customer base internationally.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Leanne English .