Celebrate Local – McDowells Herbal
As published in the Central West Village Voice – 8 July 2022
Let’s meet David Mansfield, Director and Business Manager of McDowells Herbal Treatments.
When did McDowells Herbal Treatments begin and what was the reason behind its inception?
McDowells been around for a long time in Bathurst, originally a small herbal dispensary business in the 80’s. And its grown substantially since then! The business changed considerably around 5 years ago, just as I became involved, where the legislation change to enable us to be able to sell our horse and dog products direct to consumers. This was a real game changer for McDowells and grew the business rapidly.
What has been the biggest win over the last few years?
Definitely when the AVPMA changed its legislations so that we could brand and sell directly our herbal products direct to consumers. We were able to develop a whole suite of products to help our clients with a whole range of needs.
What has been the biggest challenge over the last few years?
Staffing, especially our need for highly-specialised practitioners, was certainly a challenge. To find a solution to this, we’ve worked really hard to find some great new staff and have them working remotely from home. I would also say that keeping up with the demand, particularly during COVID times, was also an issue with all the disruptions to the supply chain.
What was the best business advise you’ve ever been given?
I’ve been in business quite a while but it was advice I was given when I was younger – take risks and follow your instincts! That’s something I’ve always done and it’s about being prepared to back yourself.
What’s your favourite thing about Bathurst?
The thing we love the most about Bathurst is that its a regional community but still so close to town. We live on a farm with lots of animals and live that rural life but can be in town within 10 minutes!
Final thoughts…
We have some exciting plans for the future growth of our business! We will be launching 2 new video programs on our various social platforms, one a Weekly Herbal Q & A and the other “The McDowells Way’ about how we manage & train our horses at our farm. So stay tuned!
McDowells Herbal Treatments is located at 62 Corporation Ave, Robin Hill. To contact the team, please phone 02 6331 3937 or online www.mcdowellsherbal.com.
Celebrate Local Bathurst
In partnership with Central West Village Voice, we want to celebrate the stories and successes of our local Bathurst Region businesses. From our local retailers and foodies through to our industrial and construction firms, we are looking to celebrate the wide variety of businesses that make up our strong, diverse economy.