Haley Saunders -Boutique Holiday Homes Business

The right time for a coach | Haley Saunders on creating balance with her boutique holiday homes business.

What business experience did you have before you started Beyonder?

I was travelling between Wanaka and Colorado, chasing back-to-back ski seasons. While working in Wanaka, I started at Cardrona cleaning, then moved into helping manage the on-mountain apartments. That’s where I really discovered my love for the guest experience and managing cool properties in stunning locations.

I then spent five years working in Wanaka town, starting out cleaning again and eventually becoming an operations manager. I studied book-keeping because I knew I wanted to start my own business one day.

I’ve always loved working with people and property, especially in beautiful places. Eventually, I decided to come home to the Bay of Plenty, where I originally studied tourism and majored in event management. After a bit of time settling back in, I knew it was time to build something of my own, and that’s when Beyonder was born.

What do you find the biggest challenges to owning your own business? And the biggest rewards?

The biggest challenge is definitely balance. I now have a 20-month-old who arrived after three years of solid hustle growing the business. Since then, I’ve handed over parts of the business to our amazing team and tried to go part-time, well, as part-time as any business owner can! My mind’s still always ticking with ideas and not enough time in the week.

The biggest reward? Happy guests who return again and again. I love promoting beautiful homes, building strong relationships with our owners, and working closely with local businesses. Seeing their products and services featured in our guest experience gives me so much pride, being a part of this region and community really means a lot.

I also couldn’t do it without my incredible team. They’re the backbone of Beyonder. Seeing them excited about certain tasks, taking ownership, and growing in their roles makes all the effort worthwhile, and allows me to spend more time with my little boy.

What also sets Beyonder apart is the personal touch. We care deeply about both our guests and our homeowners. We treat every home as if it were our own, with high attention to detail, beautiful presentation, and fast, reliable service. We’ve built strong relationships with return guests and our local community, and I take a lot of pride in being part of something that genuinely adds value to the Bay of Plenty.

How did you land on Jamie Brock as a coach and what have been some of the areas you’ve focused on?

I knew I needed someone to help rein me in a bit. I’d looked into the Icehouse, and this year felt like the right time to really focus, grow, and thrive. I’ve always got a million ideas, but I needed help with how to prioritise and implement them properly, and Jamie has been fantastic at helping with that.

Jamie’s also great at giving me honest feedback and seeing things in black and white. Right now, we’re working on an exciting project, focusing on corporate travel. We already work with lots of corporates, and while our homes are for the most part fully booked on the weekends by families, groups, and couples, it’s our midweek bookings (Monday to Thursday) where there’s more opportunity.

Together, we’re developing a marketing strategy to target companies that need flexible, high-quality accommodation for individual and group business travel. We’re also working on positioning some of our homes as workshop or strategy session venues, which ties in nicely with my event management diploma from back in the day!

We already offer experiences through our guest guides and partnerships with local businesses, but we’re now looking to build on that by offering more curated packages, like wellness retreats, Supper Clubs or team-building experiences for corporate travellers. It’s about making the guest experience seamless and memorable, while also supporting the incredible businesses we have here locally.

How many staff do you have?

We have three core team members: our amazing property manager, guest services manager, and administrator. We also work with a fantastic group of hardworking cleaning contractors who are essential to our day-to-day success.

Is the Mount and Tauranga back up to pre-COVID levels of tourist demand?

I’d say we’re nearly there. Post-COVID was actually really strong for our industry thanks to a huge spike in domestic travel, which helped us grow quickly.

2025 has been solid, but people are still a bit cautious with spending. With interest rates starting to ease, I think people are slowly getting back into holiday mode again, and I believe 2026 will be the real comeback year.

We’re also seeing a strong rise in international guests staying longer, which is a great sign for the region.

What is your occupancy like now compared to one year ago? (2023/24 vs 2024/25 summer)

Summer 2023 was still riding the post-COVID wave, so domestic travel was strong. Summer 2024 slowed down a little with the economic climate, but looking ahead, I think this summer will be stronger, especially with weddings, group travel, and family holidays.

Tourism Bay of Plenty is doing a great job promoting the region. There’s a bit of a perception that there’s not much accommodation here, but we’re changing that! Beyonder can help fill that gap by offering beautiful, well-managed homes for all types of travellers. The more visitors we attract, the more great properties we’ll bring on, so bring on summer, I say!

Where do most of your guests come from?

Most of our guests are domestic, mainly Auckland families and groups who drive down for weekends and holidays. But we’re definitely seeing a rise in international travellers, especially from North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, which is really exciting.

What would be your advice for someone wanting to start a tourism business?

Get ready to work hard but know that the rewards are just as big. Whether it’s the busyness of the peak season, the amazing relationships you build, or the joy of seeing glowing feedback from guests, it’s a ride you’ll never forget.

It takes grit, heart, and a whole lot of hustle, but I honestly wouldn’t want to do anything else.