IN THIS week's SME Focus a woman who developed a niche holiday accommodation business following a career in farming highlights the benefits of co-operation for firms in rural areas.

Name: Elaine Hamilton

Age: 56 years

What is your business called?

Dundream

Where is it based?

The North Rhins of Galloway, 10 miles from Stranraer.

What service does it offer?

Dundream is a five-star luxury holiday house, which sleeps eight. It's holistic and has been designed in keeping with feng shui principles - with views stretching out towards the Irish Sea, Mull of Kintyre, Ailsa Craig, Arran, Loch Ryan and the Isle of Man on a clear day.

How many employees? 

Two, plus I outsource others on a temporary basis to do consultancy work for me, tapping into their expertise within marketing, PR and social media for example.

When was it formed?

The business commenced in July 2012.

What is its turnover?

Currently £20,000.

What were you doing before you took the plunge?

I managed an organic Aberdeen Angus beef farm adjacent to where I would eventually build Dundream. The farm had been in my family for over 80 years and we had over 200 beef cattle on 180 acres of land.

After my husband died I took the reins of the farm, which was hard work but so rewarding. The countryside and agriculture were in my blood and I was willing to give it a go. I looked after the farm but I also had three teenage children and worked as a nurse practitioner in an NHS hospital. I had a brief encounter letting out one of the farm cottages and, having lived here all my life, I knew this corner of Scotland was a beautiful unspoiled area and could offer visitors a unique base.

Why did you take the plunge?  

With an interest in homeopathy and health, I had always wanted to build a holistic self-catering retreat in what I think is an amazing location. Dundream house was named after an iron fort site situated on the North Rhins of Galloway coastline.

My three children had flown the nest, leaving the area to pursue their careers in veterinary medicine, medicine and accountancy. As a result I had also reached a stage in my life where I wanted a new challenge and made the difficult decision to sell the farm but kept some land to pursue my dream.

How did you raise the start-up funding? 

I was fortunate enough to be able to use the money from the sale of the farm.

What was your biggest break?

I'm thrilled to have secured 17 five-star Trip Advisor reviews to date.

What was your worst moment?

I started the whole process during the recession and as Dundream is a luxury brand it was difficult to promote during the first few years and to find guests in alignment with the brand. The slow start caused some anxiety but my passion and drive to succeed kept me focused on attaining small steps initially.

I discovered that to have the foundations of a successful self-catering business in place you have to go through a huge amount of trial and error, before reaching a level of satisfaction. I was learning on the job. For example, I soon realised I should have been building up the story of Dundream from the very outset on social media platforms before it was ready for its first guests but had not done so.

I was, however, later fortunate to have the support of two Strathclyde university MBA students undertaking social media marketing for their dissertation, which helped greatly after the launch. Business advice from various sources was available but it's a case of finding what works best for your business. Recruiting suitable staff for a five-star business is not always easy in rural areas.

What do you most enjoy about running the business?

The feedback from guests and the fact they enjoy what Dundream is about. Dealing with them personally allows me to meet people from all walks of life.

Based in a part of Scotland that has been hit hard by the recession, I'm also enjoying working with other local businesses, whether that's complementary therapists, restaurants or golf courses. Pulling together and exploring how we can work for the good of one another as well as ourselves has proven to be vital when the going gets tough.

What do you least enjoy? 

It's hard work behind the scenes maintaining the high standard of the business, but the high standards are vital. Like many I find the paper work can be tedious and time consuming, as can changing the bed sheets!

What are your ambitions for the firm? 

To increase and maintain our high standards and develop Dundream as a leading eco self-catering retreat with an emphasis on promoting the local area and businesses for sustainable tourism.

I'm also in the process of developing a mobile app, which will provide visitors with a list of local activities, cycle routes and other interests for people to engage with.

What are your top priorities? 

To achieve 100 per cent occupancy all year and to continue to offer a bespoke customer service for guests.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish governments do that would help? 

Loch Ryan in the North Rhins of Galloway has great potential to be developed with more of a focus on sustainable tourism. However, since the Irish ferries moved further North to Cairnryan, although this is only a few miles away, it really has had a negative impact on an area that it seems is often forgotten about. We need investment to help put the area on the map.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned ?

To be mindful of goals and let your passions drive you through adversity, whilst constantly reflecting upon and learning from the experiences you encounter along the way.

How do you relax? 

Spending time with my family. I find cycling the best way to switch off and relax, regardless of the elements outside. I also regularly do yoga and mindful meditation, which allows me to unwind and helps to straighten out my mind when I start to analyse things a little too much!