Womanhood Journal 2024 - Stories of real women from the Kāpiti and Horowhenua communities, NZ

Diversity is a fact. Equity is a choice. Inclusion is an action. Belonging is an outcome.

Arthur Chan

Welcome to the Womanhood Journal - a collection of stories from women across Kāpiti and Horowhenua, in celebration of International Women’s Day.

We are honoured to share these powerful stories of real women’s journeys through business and life. This is the fourth issue of the Womanhood Journal, a publication which has provided a platform for women’s stories to be acknowledged and celebrated.

To date we have heard from more than 100 women in our community whose stories have offered depth, variety and meaning to the pages within.

Behind the scenes this journal has been lovingly put together by three passionate storytellers: Anna Colville-Smith (chief wrangler and expert connector), Sarah-Jayne Shine (masterful designer and creative visionary) and Jess Deacon (editor, writer and wordsmith). Motivated by a desire to document some of the compelling stories within her community, it was Anna’s idea to bring this inspired project to fruition.

Not only has it become a powerful way to inspire, educate and uplift others, but it has also provided an opportunity to give back to two local women’s charities - Kāpiti Women’s Centre and Horowhenua Women’s Refuge - with the proceeds of this journal heading their way to support the important work they do in helping women to rise.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is ‘Inspire Inclusion’. When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance and empowerment. Inclusion is intentional. It is about identifying and removing barriers so that everyone can participate to the best of their ability.

The dots on the infographic on the adjacent page and dots throughout this journal highlight that we are all different:

Inclusion - A variety of people have power, a voice and decision-making authority

Equity - Fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement for all

Diversity - All the ways in which people differ

When inclusion, equity and diversity all occur together we can create true belonging. That is where the magic sits, and what we all need to work toward.

Inclusivity is about recognising that we do not all start from the same place and that we must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances. The process is ongoing, and it requires us to identify and overcome intentional and unintentional barriers arising from bias or systemic structures.

The beautiful thing about sharing stories is that we can all learn from each other’s experiencesespecially if we have experienced exclusion. Sometimes it feels as though society still has a lot of undoing to do, and sometimes it’s powerful to come together, reflect on positive and uplifting stories, and remind ourselves that every bit of effort can go a long way.

Chapter Four of the Womanhood Journal features stories of more than 25 women from our community who have shared stories of their own experiences, career paths, and life journeys. Knowing that people can face exclusion in any part of their life is a key take away from this collection of stories. Our hope is that we all seek to learn to recognise this and challenge it so that together we can feel proud of helping others to feel a sense of inclusion and belonging in whatever place they have arrived at in this remarkable thing called life.

There are so many amazing women in our community whose stories deserve to be shared. We look forward to the next collection of wonderful stories. Please get in touch if you’d like us to save you a space for the 2025 edition by emailing anna@acsmarketing.co.nz.

Image: left to right, Sarah-Jayne Shine, Jess Deacon and Anna Colville-Smith

Karolina Stus Fine Art Photography

Karolina Stus

In December 2011, my family and I made the decision to move from Europe to New Zealand. From the moment we arrived, this beautiful land quickly became our home. It was during this time that I realised my deep desire to learn photography, so I decided to seize the opportunity and pursue my passion.

I enrolled myself in a simple photography course that taught me the basics of operating a camera and rest I taught myself.

Little did I know then, this newfound skill would soon play an unexpectedly vital role in our lives. Shortly after settling into our new home, our world changed when our older son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Communication proved to be a challenge as language remained abstract for him. Desperate to connect with him, I turned to photography as a means of expression and connection. Through capturing what was around us, we discovered a unique form of communication that bridged the gap between us.

Photography became more than just a hobby; it became a tool for enhancing understanding and fostering a deeper bond with our son. Each click of the shutter allowed us to capture his perspective on the world and helped us gain invaluable insight into his thoughts and feelings. It was a language we could communicate through.

Through photography, not only did I fulfill my own desire for artistic expression, but I also found solace in knowing that I was creating a bridge between my son and myself. It has opened up doors to endless opportunities for growth, understanding, and connection within our family.

This unexpected journey has taught me the transformative power of art and its ability to transcend barriers. Photography has given me not only the gift of capturing memories but also the extraordinary ability to communicate love and understanding in ways words cannot express.

The Kāpiti community has been an incredible source of assistance and support for our son Mat, which is why I felt compelled to give back in my own way. Leveraging my photography skills, I decided to contribute to our local school (PBS you are the best school in the world) by offering my services and providing monetary donations or other forms of support.

As I delved deeper into my passion for photography, I pushed myself to another level, dedicating more time and effort to honing my craft.

Fortunately, all of my hard work did not go unnoticed. In various photo competitions, I was recognised for my skills and awarded prestigious accolades. The year 2018 marked a significant milestone as I achieved the title of NZIPP Master of Photography. This recognition further motivated me to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and expression through my art.

Through my contributions within the art community and partnerships with hairstylists, I have found deep fulfillment in supporting others’ artistic dreams.

Through this remarkable journey, it is evident how the symbiotic relationship between our family and the community has blossomed. Their unwavering encouragement and assistance have allowed me to flourish as a photographer while simultaneously empowering me to contribute meaningfully back into the place we call home –Kāpiti.

In 2018, a profound transformation occurred within me, sparking a desire to venture beyond the realm of photography. While I had always cherished the act of capturing images, my passion for hands-on creation beckoned me towards new artistic horizons. By some stroke of luck or perhaps destiny, I was presented with an incredible opportunity to connect with a captivating community of fellow artists in Kāpiti. This fortuitous encounter allowed me to tap into a previously unexplored facet of my identity as an artist.

Embracing this newfound journey, I began delving into the realms of mixed media, seamlessly merging different artistic mediums with photography. One unique element that captivated and invigorated my creative spirit was the incorporation of wood into my artwork. The tactile nature of working with this raw material amplified my inspiration, creating a soothing and harmonious effect on both my mind and soul.

That incredible journey helped me reach yet another pinnacle in my photographic journey–earning in 2020 the honorable distinction of being the NZIPP Expressive Photographer of the Year. These accomplishments not only brought personal fulfillment but also enabled me to stand as a testament to the unwavering support received from the Kāpiti artist community.

In 2020 I made the decision to pursue my passion for photography by building my very own photo studio. Taking on this project meant working closely with a skilled and creative carpenter, who also happened to be a good friend of mine - Steve Sandvoss from Woodtek Carpentry.

Collaborating with him allowed me to develop an eye for craftsmanship while learning the tricks and techniques of the trade.

The process of constructing the photo studio proved to be both incredible and challenging. Just as I was in the midst of this exciting venture, the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic struck. However, due to restrictions and safety concerns, it wasn’t possible for me to work with clients at that time anyway. In some ways, it turned out to be a fortunate stroke of timing.

Nevertheless, despite the fortuitous circumstances surrounding COVID-19’s arrival, it did take away something significant from me—the ability to fully engage in my beloved photography. It became clear that I needed a break from my portrait client work and to allow myself some time away from it all.

Taking a step back from portrait work allowed me to reconnect with myself on an individual level. It provided space for self-reflection and resulted in new perspectives about life’s possibilities beyond my chosen field. As such, while this break wasn’t initially part of my plan or aspiration, it ultimately opened doors I hadn’t anticipated or imagined.

Being a part of the art community has allowed me to contribute and support my fellow artist friends by capturing stunning photographs of their artwork. By photographing their work, I could help them showcase their creations to a wider audience and enhance their online presence, providing guidance on website design and layout, ensuring that their online stores are visually appealing.

In my own studio, I have had the privilege of working quietly amidst these incredible pieces of art. It is a truly inspiring environment that fuels creativity and allows me to further support my fellow artists.

Alongside my involvement with the art community, I have continued collaborating with hairstylists from the Wellington region who were preparing for their hair competitions. Working with them towards these events has been an exciting endeavor as we strive to create unique and striking hairstyles that will leave a lasting impression.

Through my contributions within the art community and partnerships with hairstylists, I have found deep fulfillment in supporting others’ artistic dreams. Together, we are able to share our passions and talents, creating a vibrant network of creativity within our community.

I chose to enter that hair work in the NZ Photography Awards in 2023, which earned me the prestigious title of the 2023 NZIPP Commercial Photographer of the Year.

Master of Photography I ( Dist.), New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography

An accredited professional photographer

2023 NZIPP Commercial Photographer of the Year

2020 NZIPP Expressive Photographer of the Year

2020 NZIPP Highest scoring Expressive category entry Representative of the NZIPP 2016 Highest Scoring Region (Wellington)

Image: Karolina Stus Self Portrait.

karolinastus.pro

A1homes Kāpiti/Horowhenua/Manawatū

Cherie

Wood

I am a Kāpiti born and bred local and have spent most of my life living here on the beautiful coast. It’s fair to say I’ve always been a details oriented kind of girl, so seeing where I am now in my career doesn’t surprise me, or those who know me well.

I was brought up with the ‘work hard, play hard’ motto and I wouldn’t hesitate to pass that onto my children as a great work ethic. When my husband and I had the opportunity to buy A1homes nearly 20 years ago his supporting argument was ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’. We took the leap and haven’t looked back.

Purchasing our business meant I had the opportunity to live in other beautiful regions around New Zealand for the first 4 years. After those adventures we returned home to Kāpiti once we knew we were about to start our very own family.

I then returned to my corporate role for a few years and this is where my passion for managing a business and team grew. The skills I learnt from my various roles were integral to the success of A1homes today. I took a lot of inspiration from the many women I worked with in senior management roles in the banking sector who were nailing their careers alongside being a loving mother. Proving that women can be successful in both their careers and as a parent.

To begin with I struggled learning the language of the construction industry however once I got my feet under the desk I saw the immense benefits the business provides to the community. We were building people one of the biggest assets they will ever own, their very own home or maybe an additional home as an investment, important work. I could see that my input to the business as the owner and

the Administration Manager meant I could be the one to ensure all the systems and processes were fine tuned so the team could work efficiently and do what they do best by constructing the homes.

I wear many hats and I admire how women juggle the load. You are never off and there is always something to do and dedicate energy towards. I had to back myself and know that I could bring the skills I had learnt in the corporate world to support my husband with running our business.

#inspireinclusion the theme for International Women’s Day this year resonates with me as the construction industry I work in has a real opportunity to encourage and engage more women to be part of the workforce.

A1homes, in partnership with Registered Master Builders Association programme, works to support female workforce and equity. We are passionate about our local community and came onboard as a sponsor for Work Ready Kāpiti to help empower youth and give back to the community through trade skills. Other community sponsorship over the past few years has also included sponsoring the Kāpiti Boating Club Women’s fishing competition and Paraparaumu Junior Rugby Club who support women in rugby.

Having come from a very diverse corporate workforce, the building industry was a shift but I’m excited to see it change and to have more women part of this dynamic industry. There are many roles in the construction industry, it is not where I saw myself ending up however being able to apply my previous skill set has proven beneficial. I encourage and hope to inspire other women to be part of it as well, what’s the worst that can happen?

a1homes.co.nz

Ka Mua, Ka Muri ~ Looking back to move forward

Nestled in the heart of Ōtaki you will find Hā Pai Wellness, a haven for holistic wellness practitioners offering experiences that promote optimal health, hauora and vitality Mauri Ora!

I’m the passionate founder with origins from Ngāti Tiipa, Tongan, Irish. I’m a dedicated wellness advocate, physical therapist, yoga breathwork facilitator, retreat host and realtor.

When my husband (Zac Hylnad, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Ati Awa) and I returned to New Zealand in 2019 after 12 years abroad, I had a vision. I wanted to blend my lived experiences, which have included an exciting career hosting luxury surf yoga wellness retreats in Morocco, Indonesia and Nicaragua, extensive training with master yogis in India, Guatemala and USA, and sacred opportunities to live and sit with first nation shamans in America. I felt privileged that I could explore blending my knowledge from these experiences with my cultural roots and holistic wellness practices to inspire as many people as possible.

I know my life thus far has been privileged, having lived in contrast between small developing villages in Central America and Indonesia, to facilitate professional surf and golf athletes, Hollywood celebrities and American political families. My upbringing and the wisdom in yoga humbled me throughout the contrast of my journeys, and the pull towards “returning” home grew stronger.

The realisation was evident during the global challenges of the last few years, that hauora (health), whānau (family) and community is all that really matters. That less is truly more and that NOW is all we truly have.

What we choose to do now, how we are in every moment, is the golden nugget. Individually, nationally and globally we are all interconnected. From our thoughts, to our words and actions.

This wisdom threads through all of my offerings and collaborations today. Delivering Yoga and mindfulness programs in schools, sound healing at The Lotus Centre, Te Whare Tapa Whā workshops at the Kāpiti Women’s Centre, hosting Te Awa Journey retreats on Kāpiti Island and Retreat Yourself NZ, Bali and Fiji Retreats

TaskerKim

with Retreat Yourself NZ, to helping my clients find their peace of paradise with Team Viera Harcourts, Paraparaumu.

I feel deeply connected to the richness of our whenua (land), rivers, beaches, mountains of Aotearoa (NZ), its many cultures and languages that remind us to celebrate being alive and connecting authentically with each other in all its facets.

The Kāpiti Coast is a special place. I love it here, I love Ōtaki. I know why we returned and day by day, year by year, just like a flower blooming my vision has manifested.

With this I continue my daily mantra of gratitude ~ Lokha Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu.

May all beings everywhere be happy and free.

Tihei Mauri Ora! The Breath of Life!

hapaiwellness.com

Elemental Cider

Carmen Gray

I’ve always been a practical person. Growing up on a dairy farm in rural Waikato meant I was exposed to realities associated with farming animals, experiencing things many young girls would not typically come across. I dreamt of being a vet. But by Uni, I realised it was not for me. I found sick and injured animals too upsetting.

Instead I studied Chemical Technology, which led me to being an oil company engineer, where I met my husband Wal. After returning from travelling, I worked for the government in business development, project management and economic development.

We bought our lifestyle block with the idea of living self-sufficiently. We both had romantic notions to live off the land. We also liked a drink or two, and came up with the idea of growing heritage cider apples. My first batch of cider was terrible! I ended up getting a postgraduate degree in Wine Science and the wine making bug hit me. Whilst waiting for the apples to establish, I made wine in New Zealand, Australia and Europe. Turns out wine making is my happy place! I love the convergence of magic and science.

Wal had been busy renovating old houses and developing the cider orchard. After the Asian tsunami, he went to Sri Lanka to help with the rebuild. He did aid work in Nepal after earthquakes and returned to Sri Lanka in between my winemaking adventures. We deliberately chose not to have kids; a decision that many at the time found difficult. Instead we chose to follow our own passion projects.

Elemental Cider was born in 2018, with a small volume of “Dry As” cider. We sold to our local cafe and a Four-Square. By Dec 2019, our Foodstuffs registration finally happened, and in-store tastings kickedoff sales. Then came the Covid lockdown. We could still process the harvest, so we made a potentially mad decision to expand, releasing more ciders. “Totally Oaked” immediately won top traditional cider at the 2021 NZ Cider Awards with the other ciders medalling.

Unlike most cider producers who start from processed apple juice, we make ciders the traditional way in autumn with tree ripened fruit. We make natural dry ciders with minimal intervention. We work with what the fruit provides rather than infusing them with sugars, flavours, preservatives and concentrates. Very few in New Zealand produce premium sugar-free ciders from fresh-pressed juice. And I’m the only female cidermaker/owner in the country.

Winning awards has been instrumental for Elemental Cider. We’ve increased sales and opened an online store. We’ve secured more orchards, taken on investors and are working with apple breeders.

You expect regulations when starting a business. But selling alcohol has even more challenges. It would be nice to be able to choose when or where we could sell. And it is expensive, particularly with excise tax, packaging and freight costs. Plus launching a premium product during a pandemic in a market saturated with volume cheap alternatives has been seriously challenging!

I’ve always worked in a male dominated environment. As an engineer, I had to do time “on-the-tools” to prove myself. In wine cellars I had to haul buckets, hoses and pumps whilst working up ladders. I came into winemaking in my 40’s and so many times I had to work with young men whose mums were younger than me. I’ve learnt I don’t need to keep proving myself to be as physical. Being capable and strong whilst surrounding myself with a good team is more important.

The women that inspire me are my BFFs. Strong women who have been there for us during the good and the bad. No filters are necessary. I love these gals. I’m passionate about supporting International Women’s Day, particularly women’s equality in the areas of science and technology. It’s important to share our stories so young women are aware of their options and have the confidence to choose. There is no right or wrong career path.

elementalcider.co.nz

From the moment a client steps through the door, my goal is to make them feel truly at home. Whether they’re receiving a relaxing facial or a Brazilian wax (I promise it’s not that scary), my top priority is their comfort and satisfaction. Perfecting the balance of providing a high-quality service, alongside a laugh and a catch up… with a side of venting, has always been my goal.

I opened my home based business, Boutique Beauty Studio, seven years ago after gaining experience in various areas of the beauty industry. I wanted to create a space that prioritised the client’s experience, comfort, and building genuine relationships, instead of just focusing on profit over people.

I absolutely love my job because I get to spend time with inspiring women from all walks of life, whilst delivering a service that has instant results and gratification. I firmly believe that the relational aspect of beauty therapy is as vital as the service itself; building these connections with clients is incredibly rewarding.

Self-care is something I preach! – taking some time just for you is so important in this busy world. I often see burnout in my clients, so I encourage them to find a balance with work and family and find time to fill their own bucket every day. Having a treatment is an incredible way to help yourself feel rested, rejuvenated and taken care of.

Being a mum to two wonderful boys as well as running a business is a constant challenge, but the relationships I’ve built with clients who value family commitments make this balancing act a whole lot easier.

I’m proud to be one of many talented women working in the beauty industry on the Kāpiti Coast. We all have our own unique brands and over the years we have built a community that inspires, motivates, supports and celebrates all of our successes. How cool is that?! Women supporting women can be so powerful.

Every day I feel lucky to genuinely love, and be excited by what I do for a living. I realise that can be a rarity and don’t take it for granted.

Having a passion which also pays the mortgage is the ultimate dream, and for that I feel extremely grateful.

boutiquebeautystudio.co.nz

Boutique Beauty Studio Kendra

My absolute favourite thing about my work is the human experience.

Ross

Nicola Ross Design

Nicola

It’s important to me that we bring an accessible feel to design that is more about creating a vehicle for clients to find their style. Our job is to take that brief and create spaces that speak to that.

I remember fantasising as a kid about my future life as a person who designed houses. I didn’t know what that was called, but I can remember that I would come home to my fancy beach house and I had a black leather briefcase and high heel shoes.

I don’t know where I got the idea from because I was brought up in South Auckland and there were definitely no beach houses out there.

The perspective time gives isn’t something you realise when you are in the thick of things. Over the years I have had a lot of highs and lows, as we all do. I have learned not to judge too quickly and that the best way through a tough spot is to keep moving forward.

I fell into kitchen design and interiors after a day working with at-risk youth that stressed me out enough to jump online and look at jobs. At that time I had a fairly major obsession with home improvement shows, and thought to myself I could do that. That was nearly two decades ago now and during that time I have worked hard, seen a lot, learned a lot and still love design.

Over the years I found I only knew what I knew, so I paid my way through study to get better. It was a surprise to me how much I enjoyed learning when I got stuck in. I have achieved the highest qualifications I can get in my industry. In an unregulated industry where essentially anyone can decide to be a designer, having my qualifications means I am backed with actual knowledge of ergonomics and function which makes a huge difference to the end result. It was no easy feat to make study work with workloads and life stuff to keep on top of and I’m very proud of the achievement.

In 2020 I made the decision to leave a job I had held as a senior designer for nearly 10 years to start my own interiors business. I hear people talk about amazing starts to their businesses, but to be honest I started mine because I was completely burnt out and just couldn’t take it anymore. It was bloody scary to leave financial security and start a business when I was in a pretty bad way.

In hindsight I had nothing to worry about and our business has gone from strength to strength. After initially thinking I could operate from a home office, that idea quickly proved unsustainable with me driving around in a car to client appointments, so packed full of samples it covered the windows. I bought a run down commercial property in Foxton and what was initially a bit of a reno turned into a restoration, and it is now an inspirational place for us to work in and for our clients to immerse themselves in the world of approachable design. It’s important to me that we

bring an accessible feel to design that is more about creating a vehicle for clients to find their style. Our job is to take that brief and create spaces that speak to that.

I entered industry awards programs in my first eligible year to see how I stacked up as a studio and won five awards including an international design award. So, for the part of us where the imposter syndrome lives, that recognition was a great way to shut her up and get on with it. I have since been awarded the excellence in construction award through the National Association for Women in Construction, which again was a massive achievement that I’m really proud of.

The idea that the people in our industry are our community and not our competition is something I feel strongly about. It’s easy to be an island when everything is going well, but when it doesn’t, having a network of peers can save you. It did for me, and I pay this forward to help others see a pathway through, by sharing information, mentoring other designers and just through being honest around how we do things.

I think the best part of my job is the part I play in the lives of the people I work with.

I leave my work as a legacy in the homes and workplaces

I create. The potential realised, space made to fit a life or aspiration is something I take very seriously and it’s always an honor to be part of our clients’ lives for the time we are given to create the spaces they live their lives in.

My absolute favourite thing about my work is the human experience and how what I design can make that a much better day to day experience for the people that live in the spaces I create.

It’s not all about big budgets (but they are a lot of fun to work on), but it is about sustainable design that works well now and into the future. Well considered design is a science and should be applied to all budgets.

We started out offering interior joinery design and today if I had to define our business, it would be that we are interior specialists. We do everything related to building, from spatial planning to make houses work better for the people that live in them, to colours, electrical, plumbing, materials, interior joinery fit out, and everything in between.

What I can say is that this is not an easy job, but it’s a lot of fun and I love it everyday now. My aspirations for the future is to keep doing good work and in my spare time work on my retirement plan of being a flower farmer.

nicolarossdesign.co.nz

Mozhdeh Martial Arts

Stella Bismark

In primary school, I was asked to write about “what I want to do when I grow up”. I wrote that my dream was to own my own Taekwondo club. Twelve years later that dream has come true. In partnership with my fiancé Eisa Mozhdeh, I’m the proud co-owner and head coach of Mozhdeh Martial Arts on the Kāpiti Coast of New Zealand.

Getting here hasn’t been easy. For the last five years I have been a full-time law student at Victoria University, working part-time doing everything from flipping burgers at Burger Fuel to tutoring law students at Victoria University, as well as coaching Taekwondo classes and learning the ins-andouts of running a fast-growing business.

Our club has around 350 students of all ages from age 3 to age 74, and all abilities from new beginners through to international champions. I love seeing the growth in our students as they gain confidence, make friends, learn new skills, and achieve success in the dojang and in their lives

outside our club. I was a very shy and uncertain kid, and it took Taekwondo to bring me out of my shell and develop confidence. Being able to watch my students do the same thing has been an amazing experience.

The women who belong to our Taekwondo club - as members or parents - have also become like a second family who support and inspire me every day.

International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate how far we have come in recognising women’s rights and also a day to reflect on how far we still have to go in achieving equity within society. Especially in sports, there is still a big gap in participation and our club is really trying to help girls find and stay in a sport they enjoy. Through my work with Mozhdeh Martial Arts I’m proud to be helping women and girls to find strength and community through Taekwondo and develop their confidence and determination.

mozhdehmartialarts.com

KendrickJo

I am the author of my story and I’m a proud mother, Nana and Kāpiti local.

From a childhood ordeal, an unbridled criticism about my body, to broken relationships - through it all I came back out the other side and it led me to create Body Journey. My experiences have left me battle-tested which enabled me to meticulously develop a program which I have proven will change you from the inside out.

In October 2019 I trained and competed in a body sculpting competition in Auckland. It was an amazing challenge mentally and physically. Months of intense training and a very strict diet (that was the easy part). I looked and felt amazing at the time, but did I feel amazing after it? What happened after the competition was one of the worst experiences of my life!

My brain didn’t tell my stomach I was full so I could eat a whole bar of chocolate plus and still be hungry. Thank goodness for lockdown in 2020, I didn’t have to go anywhere, see anyone or get dressed up. All I wanted to do was lay on the lounge floor and not move. When I looked in the mirror I saw an obese me. It was the worst feeling ever. I tried starving myself, I put myself back on diets, couldn’t even step foot inside a gym and yet people saw me as skinny/slim.

No one understood until I went to my acupuncture appointment for an elbow injury and I explained to her what was going on and how I was feeling. She said you have Body Dysmorphia (I didn’t even know what it was). For those that don’t know, Body Dysmorphia is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance, these flaws are often unnoticeable to others.

I found it hard to talk to anyone about it because no one understood. People still saw me as my normal slim self, so I guess it didn’t make any sense to them. It was a rollercoaster ride for 2 ½ years after the body sculpting competition. One day feeling great, the next self sabotaging. I never wore a pair of jeans in those 2 ½ years.

I never dreamt I would suffer from Body Dysmorphia – I had achieved a lifelong dream with the competition. However the rollercoaster ride that followed was something I never want to experience again. I have connected with a few people since that have also suffered from Body Dysmorphia, one did a competition like myself the other hadn’t but she had issues with self image.

I got through this challenge on my own and with the help of great personal development including mindset coaches which I am grateful for.

If you are struggling with any body image issues please reach out. I would love to help you and would hate you to struggle alone like I did. This challenge has led me to establish Body Journey.

When I’m not busy with my family or supporting women you will find me in the kitchen creating delicious cheesecakes. I love baking and sharing cheesecakes by Jo which I create the old Kiwi traditional way, biscuit base and made with love and deliciousness. You may have seen me out and about at local markets and everything is about balance in life for me now.

One day I decided to face my fear, stare it down, I started fighting back and with each battle won, I eventually won the ‘war’ which had been waging in me throughout my whole life, it was only then that I was able to rewrite my story and ensure sustainable personal growth and positive results. Nothing comes easily but it’s worth it.

bodyjourney.co.nz

Donna Batten

Tremains Real Estate Levin

The importance of health and happiness became a reality in 2017 when my Mum was terminal for four short months. The same year I separated from an 11 year marriage and five months later, with a mortgage, I resigned from an 8-5 job I no longer loved or got happiness from.

10 months after that, my business as a Career Real Estate Agent started – that was in March 2019. It was a dream come true to be creating opportunities and connecting others one home at a time in my own way. With flexibility and the freedom to tailor my hours I could be more active in school activities and meet life’s needs. Our life was all new, in a range of ways.

My Mum was a trooper and a working Mum all her life. Balance was something I wanted to have more of. Nine years into parenting was never too late to start new habits.

The network I had from the four previous jobs I had in Levin was a big advantage to those that knew me. I love meeting new people, being helpful and seeing how that changes their lives.

The statistics of a start-up career in Real Estate was not something that I was going to let happen to me. “The your first two years are the hardest and some do not make it that far”. That was not going to be me!

From the day I started my new career my motto was “I wake every day to help people get from where they are to where they want to be and being paid is a bonus”. This hasn’t changed and I believe this to be the foundation to my unique success. The rest follows when you put people first.

Others have the opportunity to join Tremains Levin creating a lifestyle by design.

Now I am proud to have the privilege of being a shareholder with the Tremains Levin business, and it has rounded off a desire I have had for three and a half years. Tremains is a family owned business that has been putting people first for 50 years. They believe in “family first” and to “enjoy the journey”. Both reminders I needed. Family definitely came second, more so in my earlier years, and this is always a work in progress to create ‘pockets of perfect’ together as a family. Now with a teenage son and my husband Rob who joined me as an agent last year, we get more time together to share my passion.

You need to keep your tank topped up and believe in yourself so you can give to those who have engaged your commitment and trust you will achieve great results for them. Networking in the community with other courageous women tops up my tank. Being determined by nature along with life events has naturally led me into my focus that happiness, time and energy are precious, so not to waste a minute of either –although that’s easier said than done at times. While creating my own authentic trademark and not following others my natural caring nature and professionalism has made me perfect for the Real Estate world.

From the day I started my Real Estate career, my motto was “I wake every day to help people get from where they are to where they want to be and being paid is a bonus”. This hasn’t changed and I believe this to be the foundation to my unique success. The rest follows when you put people first.

In 2019 sales were not thick and fast and it was definitely mental stamina that was required to even out the peaks and troughs that occur. Having my foot on the pedal all the time created progress rather quickly.

Changing agencies after one year at the start of the first Covid lockdown was pretty bold. I left a listing behind (potential income). Adding to this move also brought the change in my start up married name from Eden to Batten. Business followed because people follow people, and not the business you work for. Early 2023 (2.5 years after my last move) I then took another bold career move, knowing now that I was established as a Career Realtor. I wanted a lot more from the rest of my working years in Real Estate. In late 2022 Tremains Real Estate accepted us into their business, in March 2023 Tremains Levin was born (Cyclone Gabrielle was creating turmoil for our Head Office!). I left 11 listings behind that time (more income lost). But I knew that “the comeback is greater than the setback”.

This has brought referrals and repeat business in such a short time. It was comforting to know I was on the right track so early.

I attended my first auction at 12 years old to attempt purchasing a section and from that time on I followed the price changes and house colours of homes, through the years I can say I have always had an interest in Real Estate.

Who could imagine that interest was going to turn into this fulfilling career.

I am grateful that the traditional women’s role of staying at home has changed and we all get the chance to express ourselves in what lights our fires. Great businesses have been born from tenacity which in turn created opportunities and recognition.

Sharing experiences and challenges we have overcome with like minded people, enhances positivity in our chosen careers and they will continue to grow.

I am definitely grateful to have the opportunity to juggle many balls to be a working mother, wife, daughter and sister. I thank my cheerleaders and supporters to date, my life is complete.

Dream big – and if you want it, make it happen.

tremains.co.nz/staff/donna-batten

Dress My Nest

Feeling empowered and brave enough to play to our own strengths on our path is what will bring us the most joy.

Vanessa Webb

If you’d told me 18 years ago that I would be an interior designer, who owns her own successful business, that I would be living on the Kāpiti Coast and would have two teenage daughters, I would have laughed in your face, or maybe cried.

At that time I was working relentless hours in the corporate media industry, in the deep depths of fertility treatment, living in central Auckland.

The birth of my first daughter changed my world view. I found going back to work challenging to say the least. I had never considered being a stay at home mum but after struggling to make the work-life motherhood balance work, my ever supportive husband encouraged me to just stay home for a while. ‘Is that even possible?’ I replied. We made it work and miraculously, with a slower pace of life, daughter number two arrived. I loved staying home being a hands-on mum to my two cherished daughters. When I went back to work it wasn’t to my previous high paced career, I worked just one or two days a week for a celebrated interior stylist. This was my first introduction to an industry full of possibilities and creativity. I had always been imaginative and able to take various pieces and visualise an end result. We had enjoyed renovating a number of homes and had successfully flipped them, taking on larger challenges every time.

One summer while visiting family in Kāpiti over Christmas we sat on the beach and said ‘imagine if we lived here, it would be like living the dream’. Within 6 months we had made it happen. After a period of settling in, the girls were at school and I was faced with the question of what next for me. I had a job offer and a contract waiting to be signed to enter back into the media world. I sat with the contract and remembered conversations that I’d had with friends over the years. Talks about my dreams and what I really wanted to do. I remember vividly thinking I just want to be brave enough to give this a go. I was terrified to say the least but I tore up the contract and feeling slightly embarrassed said I’m going to be an interior designer.

brought me an immense feeling of satisfaction that I hadn’t experienced in my professional life before. I felt like I had found what I was supposed to do and felt that it had meaning and gave me a new sense of purpose.

Dress My Nest has grown beyond what I could have dreamed of initially. But at the heart of it the two things that drive me are being brave and creating joy.

I love that I am setting an example to my daughters that you can combine your passion with a career.

When I was faced with the opportunity to open my studioon the same day my husband was made redundant during Covid - I had to be brave. It has paid off. The business has grown every year with 2023 our biggest year ever. I decided to put myself out there and enter some awards. I was one of only two finalists from New Zealand in the Australasian Dulux Colour Awards. It was incredible to be in Melbourne in the company of designers I admire so greatly and to spend time with them and realise we are all women with the same insecurities, challenges, and life juggles. I decided to enter the Electra Business Awards. Winning the Consumer Services Award and the Small Business Award was unexpected and amazing! It gave me the validation that I was doing it right. It was scary to really open up my business and my books, to discuss the numbers and the strategies I’d used and answer hard questions. Small business owners will understand the mental load of running your own business, the daily challenges of wearing all the different hats and the never switching off. But I love it! I love that I am setting an example to my daughters that you can combine your passion with a career. I feel empowered and capable and I love empowering other women to feel the same way.

From that moment on I’ve never looked back. Dress My Nest is my third baby. I poured my heart and soul into my business and have grown it from the ground up. After growing up in a family of retailers, hard work wasn’t new to me and I’m so grateful for the grounding my parents gave me and knowledge I absorbed over the years. I studied and worked at the same time. One job led to another, to another. Each one bigger and better than the one before. I found that the greatest joy wasn’t in creating beautiful spaces, but creating spaces that people loved to live in. I’d never had such grateful clients. Actually making a difference in people’s lives by easing the stress of renovating or building, and helping them create a home they love and are proud of

I’ve had to find ways to bring balance to my every day. Creating good habits - daily yoga, walks on the beach, healthy eating, an enduring positive attitude and carving aside time for family and friends has really helped me cope with juggling the mental load of running a business and feeling like I can have a personal life as well. I’m inspired by so many other women and think there are so many different ways to be successful, that we are all unique and have different strengths. More than anything I love seeing women comfortable with themselves, happy in their own skin, doing what they love and cheering others on. What I’ve learnt and what I try to live by is that feeling empowered and brave enough to play to our own strengths on our path is what will bring us the most joy. That’s what International Women’s Day means to me. Celebrating our own uniqueness and celebrating each other which will inspire other women to feel empowered and feel good about their unique story as well!

dressmynest.co.nz

The Health Hub

Hill Fiona

In a world filled with a myriad of interests and diverse paths, my journey has been nothing short of a tapestry woven with the threads of resilience, empathy, and an unyielding spirit.

My story began as a shy child who blossomed into an empathetic adult, finely attuned to the emotions and energies surrounding me. This innate sensitivity led me to a life dedicated to caring for both animals and people. Over my two decades in the USA I wore many hats - from being a Licensed Veterinary Technician and pet shop manager to a compassionate bartender and owner of a successful pet and house-sitting business.

However, life took an unexpected turn when I found myself trapped in an unhealthy marriage with no family support. With the strength derived from independent women such as my Mum and Nana, I escaped, prioritising safety and positive role models for my young daughter. The journey back to New Zealand marked a new chapter, where I completed a Diploma in Medical Herbalism and a Bachelor of Natural Medicine.

Getting my name out there required courage and adaptability. I marketed myself at festivals, markets, health shops, community groups, schools, day spas, and

networked with local practitioners. In 2018, when our local health shop was liquidated, I saw an opportunity and seized it. The subsequent lockdowns posed new challenges, but I embraced them, establishing an online presence and creatively declaring essential items to operate during level 4 restrictions.

The road to success was not without hurdles, including the integration of a point-of-sale system and battling the cognitive effects of menopause. Yet, inspired by mentors like Rhona Fraser, I persisted. Rhona, a woman with a cando attitude, worked as a welder, operated a riding school, and was the first post-WWII woman to gain a private pilot’s license. I believe in the power of camaraderie and strength among women, pulling each other out of past lives, realising their capabilities, and envisioning a bright future.

Now, I am about to embark on a new adventure with my license as a Real Estate Salesperson. My goal is not just selling properties but making a positive impact in the world of real estate. Life is a series of chapters, each unfolding with lessons, challenges, and triumphs, and I embrace every twist and turn with determination.

thehealthhublevin.co.nz

Rebecca Casey

I consider myself a lucky person, I get to work daily doing what I love, having purpose and changing people’s lives for the better.

My name is Rebecca Casey and I am the owner of Strive2BFIT and part owner of Snap Fitness Kāpiti alongside my partner in life Wallace Brady. My journey into the Fitness Industry started with a massive life-changing event that came completely out of the blue, when my marriage ended and I was left to bring up my newborn baby and two young children.

Fitness became my go to, my happy place through all the crazy. I was working at the time a small business I partly owned in Adult Education called Strive Limited when I got the opportunity to train as a Group Fitness Instructor, and from there my passion was born. Within a year I re-trained and became a Personal Trainer and built a successful PT business at a local gym and in community parks and halls. In October 2020 just after the first lockdown I opened Strive2BFIT Fitness Studio - running classes and Personal Training. In September 2022 we purchased Snap Fitness 24/7.

I am lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing women daily from the people I work with, to members and staff. To inspire women to strive to be the best version of themselves is one of my personal goals around why I do what I do. At Strive2BFIT we are very much a family, a group of people who can be part of and included in a place where we are all about health and wellness whatever fitness level you are at.

When I speak to women about joining a gym I see fear, intimidation and hear the words “I am not good enough” or “I am not strong enough”. We try to eliminate this fear by having no mirrors, and making all new people feel welcome and included; to encourage people to move and find exercise alternatives and options. To give women the opportunity to be included in something that is so positive and to give them access and the confidence to approach other services through the networks developed over the years that include dealing with pre and postnatal health, menopause and women’s health, right through to ageing well. We run specialist classes including ‘Mums and Babies’ twice a week and Pilates and Strong Gold for 65 plus. Plus we have 6-8 week blocks of Boxing and Zumba along with our 24-classesa-week timetable. We are giving our community so many different options to move.

International Women’s Day is a fabulous initiative - I love that each year there is a theme with 2024 being the year of “inclusion” #inspireinclusion and I have to say this is what I am all about. I want to inspire women to feel comfortable in joining a gym, to enjoy going to the gym and to have a wide variety of options so that they too can find their happy place, feel confident, age well and have the ability to live their lives to the fullest. At the end of the day the greatest asset we have is our health and I am lucky enough to be in the position to help people nurture and develop this. What a blessing.

strive2bfitnz.com

Art by RIWA®

Maria “RIWA” Wawatai and her business Art by RIWA® was the winner of the Ikaroa Regional Award at the MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Awards 2023, held at the Aotea Centre, in Tāmaki Makaurau on Friday, 27 October 2023. Only a week earlier, art by RIWA® was the winner of the Innovation Award at the Electra Business Kāpiti and Horowhenua Business and Innovation Awards, held at Southwards Museum, in Kāpiti on the 19th October 2023.

Wawatai Maria “RIWA”

Riwa was also a finalist for Pakihi Toi Ora (Creative Arts & Design) and finalist for Te Amorangi (People & Capability) for the MWDI Māori Businesswomen’s Awards 2023, and a finalist for the Production, Manufacturing and Processing Award for the Electra Business and Innovation Awards.

art by RIWA® has crafted a niche in the market for Māori weaving, specialising in wahakura (baby bassinets) made from harakeke. But success didn’t come easy.

This is her story.

In November 2006, I slipped while walking down an outdoor stairwell and landed on my ass. The pain was excruciating and I couldn’t stand up straight. The doctor reckoned I had sprained my coccyx and it should be better in a few weeks. I had not long started a new job and didn’t have sick leave, so continued working while putting up with the pain. An x-ray 6 months later showed a dislocated coccyx and I was eventually referred to a specialist. When ACC received the specialist’s report, they declined my cover. We couldn’t afford for me to stop working. We had recently gotten married and had bought a lawn mowing business. I was struggling to work 40+ hours a week, so started a part time personal assistance business to work alongside the lawn business. The pain continued while I struggled with day-to-day life, and fighting ACC to recognise my injury. The week of my 40th birthday in 2009, I had explorative surgery and was diagnosed with endometriosis. My husband was going through legal issues with his ex-wife and I was still fighting ACC for cover. This is when I hit the wall and was diagnosed with depression. We both had our court hearings in the same month, and the court decisions not long after. I won - he lost. With all the struggles our marriage couldn’t handle it all and by August 2010 it was over.

My depression continued to sink further and further into this big black void. I tried to be happy when people visited, but my life sucked.

One day a friend, Kasey Martin, asked me if I’d be interested in learning how to make a kākahu, so I agreed. But then we got a call to say the class was full and we were on the short list. A month later, they called to say there was room for us.

We had missed the first noho wānanga, so started the following noho at Te Kokiri in Levin, a level 3, six month course. I loved it and continued to level 5 - Diploma in Toi Māori Raranga, before completing a Maunga Kura Toi (Bachelor in Māori Art of Weaving) with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2015. During the final year of my degree, I was the proud recipient of the Aotearoa Scholarship Trust’s “Dr Diggeress Te Kanawa Memorial Award”.

After studying I bought a house bus, preparing to travel the country, visiting and weaving with others. That came to an abrupt halt when, two days later the bus broke down so badly that engine parts were dropping out the bottom. I found somewhere to park it up and live in it for the next year, at Waiohiki Creative Arts Village in Hawke’s Bay, before upgrading to a caravan that became my home for the next 5 years.

It was there that I was able to start running weaving classes for beginners and training them to weave my version of wahakura - the Wahakura Rīwā®. During the same year, the local DHB were looking for weavers to provide wahakura for their SUDI Prevention Programme. I put my hand up, letting them know I had weavers training and could provide them with what they wanted each month. I got the contract for 12 months, and am still supplying them today.

I now have a team of weavers around Aotearoa and supply to 11 different DHB and Hauora Roopū nationwide, and am always looking for more weavers to keep up with the demand, providing Aotearoa’s most vulnerable a safe sleep space.

When we went into lockdown in 2020, I had to review my business and how to run it more effectively. Making the changes then allowed me to be able to move to Taitoko (Levin) so I could live close to whānau, especially my new grandson. The business didn’t miss a beat.

I am still fighting ACC, and the ex-husband (13 years later) but I am stronger now, I know who I am and what I want to achieve. Weaving helped me through my depression and continues to give me the strength to stand up for myself. I now have two beautiful grandsons, a great studio space to be able to expand my business, and can’t wait to see what the future brings.

artbyriwa.co.nz

I am stronger now, I know who I am and what I want to achieve.

Studio Brio

Angela Torr Oza

Studio Brio was born in March 2023. Brio is Italian for performing with passion. I always wished I was Italian and I totally believe in showing up to my life and living each day with all the passion in the world. I have learned to always trust my intuition as it never lets me down, and I know that underneath all the chatter on the surface lies the guidance for my life.

Studio Brio is about Connection, Understanding and Growth - first of yourself, then of the people around you.

I started life back in 1972 as the daughter of a musician and aircraft engineer who met on a blind date in Christchurch. My early years were spent moving around different military towns/cities in New Zealand, UK and USA. At our peak we moved 13 times in 11 years. I’ve always loved connecting with people and bringing them together, for me all the moves were exciting and even though I was shy, I got plenty of practise at meeting new people and learnt to spot those that did not fit in and soon helped them connect with others.

amazing aviation gifts to stock in the gift shop. In addition, I absolutely loved serving people who were on holiday and were as enthusiastic about aeroplanes as I was. Early on in this job, I attended a KiwiHost customer service course and that formalised my passion for providing great service to people.

Eventually we did start that family business - we became franchisees of a new health store (Healthy Living - later Hardy’s, now the independent Health for Life) in the Plaza in Palmerston North. I was appointed as manager and off we went. Over the next 18 years, our little business expanded to five stores plus a management company spread over the lower North Island. As the businesses grew, so did my role, I found myself adapting to what was needed most, and that usually meant adding it to whatever I was already doing. As long as it was people focused, I was happy and I really found joy in recruiting and marketing as well as event management. Those years taught me so many things about how people tick, how to get the best people on board working with a very limited budget, how to keep them happy and connected to each other. What it didn’t teach me was how to say no and how to find the strength to leave the business and find my own path.

I promised myself that I would be guided by my inner wisdom and trusted that the right people and opportunities would appear at the right time.

I was so scared to leave the perceived security of the family business, however, after so many years following my parents’ dream, my heart ached to do something different. One day as I scrolled through the job vacancies, I found my next role - Student Recruitment and Marketing for HLC (Horowhenua Learning Centre). I felt excited for the first time in a long while and just “knew” that I would get the job. It was the only job I applied for and I remember telling my Dad, who agreed that it made financial sense for the business, but asked what I would do if I didn’t get it? I just smiled and said “I’ll get it”.

I was a peer support leader at high school and when it came time to choose my university degree I picked Human Resources and Business, because I love trying to understand people, and my family always wanted to go into business together. My first job after graduation was to set up and then manage the Gift Shop and Office at the newly formed Ohakea Wing of the RNZAF museum. I got the job because I had a business degree - but the true learning started when I had to figure out how to set up a float for the cash register in the shop - we didn’t learn that sort of thing in my degree! I soon worked it out and enjoyed my job of choosing

After 5 years I knew it was time for a new challenge. Again, I only applied for the one role, and again, I had an inner knowing that I would get the job. After a whirlwind year back in retail management, I realised that working for others was no longer for me, I need to do things in my own creative, sometimes unconventional way and to have the freedom to be able to adapt quickly and intuitively to what is in front of me.

Studio Brio was about to become a reality.

In many ways 2023 was the most interesting year of my life so far. When I resigned, all I knew was that I was going to start my own business and that it would connect people together. I promised myself that I would be guided by my inner wisdom and trusted that the right people and opportunities would appear at the right time. It helped that

I was reading a book called “Trust Your Vibes” and when I woke up in the night thinking “what have I done?”, I would read just the right chapter, which always reminded me to back myself just as so many others do. Thank you Sonia Choquette!

I was so grateful to be offered a casual role at Trade Aid Kāpiti plus some independent contract work with HLC. These roles continue to help with cash flow, and serve to keep my business skills current. They also meant that I could continue to set up Studio Brio and focus on organising our surprise wedding - I am known for celebrating my birthday “1’s” with a costume party every ten years. In 2023, my partner of 8 years, Ramon and I tied the knot in front of family and friends all dressed up in any manner of things from vikings to clowns. I will never forget my lovely, talented sister dressed as a viking and singing the most beautiful version of Songbird while we signed the register!

I also registered with a local recruitment agency (Star People) - and was grateful to be asked to work at several events over the summer, one of which led to my first contract for Studio Brio. I developed a three-day programme for a group of youths wanting to enter the workforce. Along with customer service skills, personality profiling and love languages, I sent them off mystery shopping with real money to see how service works in their local community. It was fantastic to see them gain new found confidence over the three days.

It will be interesting to see what 2024 brings. I feel like 2023 was one of great personal growth and I chose to be comfortable with the unknown and trust that the next steps on my path would be shown to me.

I am constantly inspired by women doing great things in their lives, particularly the ones that have the strength to listen to that quiet voice within, to stand in their own power and lift others up with them. People like Elizabeth Gilbert, Glennon Doyle, Sonia Choquette and Kemi Nekvapil. Locally, I have found the Women from the Kāpiti Chamber of Commerce so helpful in my first year of business and highly recommend joining.

I am proud to be part of this fantastic publication that will be published for International Women’s Day 2024. Everyone has a story to share and I for one, look forward to reading about the other talented, authentic women from our community that feature in this issue.

Tamar Taitoko

Sitting on the steps of my shop in Levin, I can’t help but feel I am not the woman who should be writing for this journal. All I did was slap some paint on the walls, use a sander, put some oil on the floor, used some scrap fabric to make some bags and even my 2-yearold Hazel was the one to name-it happy days. It’s hard to see what you’ve achieved and how far you’ve come and I’m not even sure why sometimes – maybe it’s just as simple as the grass always looks greener in some other paddock than your own!

But I was passionate about creating a shop that was a welcoming and interesting space to visit, and the building I was lucky enough to do this in was a 100-yearold post shop which I loved bringing back to life with my slaps of paint and many sanding discs. I was passionate about using the waste seen at Canvasland (mine and my husband’s business) and in the industrial textile industry, I was passionate about sewing and it brought me joy to create, and I was passionate about and extremely inspired by the hunting brand “Mate” my husband and coworker Rachelle had created. With these ingredients I had the recipe for a very unique retail shop. Something I realised not long ago I had actually wanted to do since I was small.

In this year I have renovated a building and learnt to use many power tools, designed and sewed many kooky canvas duffle bags from recycled fabric - people purchase use and love. I have learnt many more sewing skills being able to sew on my shop floor, also sales skills and admin skills as I’d never worked in a shop before, improved my listening and social skills from all the hunting and fishing kōrero from the amazing locals and travellers. I’ve learnt I can involve my three beautiful children in the things I do at work and watching my Willow and Jameson start to design, sew and create is the most inspiring thing of all! All this has taught me that I am much more capable than I once thought, to do anything, really - anything. Just as capable as any woman or man, we don’t always feel we are the person for the job but what’s the harm in trying and doing the job with your own flair?

My time at the shop has come to an end but only because new adventure calls - Kooky Canvas will continue to grow, use up waste and create, selling next at markets around New Zealand and I can’t wait to learn all the new skills that will come with this part of mine and my familiy’s lives.

My grass is green and there is no such thing as a life better than yours.

canvasland.co.nz

If you had asked me ten years ago if I saw myself as a business owner and coffee roaster, I would have laughed. But, life has a way of surprising us, and a passion for quality coffee has led me to co-own The Roastery Espresso Bar with business partner Pete Evans. Fueled by caffeine and a love of meeting interesting people, I have embarked on an exciting and rewarding journey.

I left New Zealand when I was 21, setting off on what I promised my parents would be a two-year adventure in the UK. I travelled loads, met some crazy people and indulged in everything Europe, India and Asia had to offer. With London as a base, I worked in corporate travel (when I wasn’t travelling). I hooked up with an amazing guy in London who, it turned out, went to the same college. Ironic how you can travel thousands of kilometres and fall in love with someone who went to the same college as you. We married after a year but stayed in London, travelling and working.

Little did I know that after two decades I would return home with a loving husband and two beautiful children ready to embrace a new chapter. I always said I would still spend loads of time in Wellington but really, who needs to go into a busy city! The Kapiti Coast has everything I need.

We brought back our prized La Pavoni coffee machine, an Italian design icon, handmade and built to last. We used this in the UK to get our daily coffee fix. The need to service the La Pavoni lead me to The Roastery and, after an informative and enlightening conversation with Pete, getting to know the inner workings of coffee machines, I managed to service the machine on my own.

Last year Pete and I decided we should work together so we formed The Roastery Espresso Bar. We have two stateof-the-art German Probat roasters which are an absolute dream to operate. We roast most days as we truly believe in freshly roasted coffee. We have our signature blend which

Harper Serena The Roastery

we created four years ago and a number of other organic and Fairtrade beans which we either blend or keep as a single-origin roast. One I am particularly proud to have on our shelf is the Timor bean. We started roasting it when an ex-VSA in Timor-Leste asked if we had heard of it. Now it’s one of our biggest sellers. Its organic Fairtrade status means Timorese farmers get paid a fair price which gives them a better livelihood and the opportunity to invest in their community. I’m super proud to have this on our shelf as I know, from people who have been directly involved in setting up aid and medical programs there, how much it helps locals.

At The Roastery we are on a mission to reduce waste and create a sustainable and environmentally friendly business. We have taken the bold step of selling our coffee beans in reusable jars, championing the cause of minimising waste and saving the world one cup (or coffee bag) at a time. We are also searching for the most sustainable coffee bags to reduce landfill waste even more.

International women’s day is a chance for me to reflect on some of the special women in my life. My influential role models are my mother and my sister. My Mum has taught me that you have to work hard and value everyone around you. Also to ensure you celebrate your successes with those close to you. My sister, who is also a local business owner, has inspired me with her work ethic and continual drive to improve over many years.

Being in business has it challenges, but I truly believe that with inspiring family and friends you can achieve anything. A great business partner and epic staff give me the confidence to know I can succeed. You can find me at The Roastery, 2 Sheffield Street, Paraparaumu, roasting coffee most days. It is a relaxing place to unwind with your favourite brew and catch up with friends.

theroastery.nz

Amy Masters Coaching - mother, woman, free spirit and experiencer of life.

Masters Amy

Spirituality has been a natural part of my life and began with journaling my dreams as a child, and reading cards and astrology forecasts as a teenager. When I was a young woman I remember having a very vivid imagination. I lived in two worlds, seeing little prophecies. My mother was progressive for her time and bought me dream journals and fostered this side of me. I learnt about astrology and the chakras and psychic connection resonated with me, and I trained as a reiki healer and yoga teacher in my 20’s.

I have always been drawn to women and I spent my nursing career working in gynaecology, maternity, paediatrics and in the community. Self-development and spiritual practices became both my passion and my lifeline when I experienced postnatal anxiety and depression after having both of my babies. I am now mum to two beautiful humans aged seven and three. Motherhood transformed my life and challenged me to grow and learn.

I knew my greater mission was to support and guide women who were experiencing a loss of self-identity and a deep feeling of ‘something missing’, as I had.

After more than a decade as a nurse I am now a spiritual life coach and sacred space holder for women seeking more fulfillment and deeper meaning in life, with a passion for supporting mothers to thrive. We shouldn’t be suffering and surviving through motherhood.

If I reflect on my career journey it is both head centered and heart centered. A pendulum of knowledge from both the Eastern and Western worlds weaving together. My training in medicine has provided me with a solid foundation for traditional medicine and my interest in alternative methods has helped build a natural bridge to connect the two. I believe it’s powerful to be gentle and graceful with yourself, and it’s ok to seek more support. Weaving Eastern and Western beliefs together creates a compass just for you.

My clients long to have the confidence to listen to their intuition, connect with their true self, and become aligned with their life path so they can turn their dreams into reality. What many don’t realise is that there’s a lot of healing and tenderness and love we need to get there. It requires personal processing and safe spaces and that doesn’t come naturally for a lot of us.

When I was 15 I knew I wanted to be a midwife, and I ended up in nursing for women specifically. Gynaecology nurse, maternity nurse, well child nurse. It was all about building the relationship with the mums to offer wrap around care and supporting them holistically on their journey.

I’ve always viewed women as phenomenal creatures but the society we live in has a tendency to undervalue their worth, and the stories I was hearing from mothers weren’t from women who knew their worth. It wasn’t until I had my first baby and was on bed rest, suffering from anxiety and feeling like a failure, that I understood why I had heard these stories.

That’s what made me want to offer Motherhood Coaching and create A Mother’s Circle – a private and intimate membership community where women gather together and support one another through motherhood.

In many Eastern traditions, becoming a mother is a collective endeavor where each member of the community contributes. However, in our modern, Western world, this journey has become a solitary path, filled with silent struggles and unspoken challenges. I firmly believe that motherhood requires a village, and in that village we can share stories and responsibilities, caring for ourselves and each other.

It’s amazing to see women tap into this well of feminine power and start to realise their worth. As a nurse I would refer mothers to maternal mental health services only to see them rejected because the system is overloaded. That’s what really drives me. I am wildly passionate about women being cared for, but we cannot continue to rely on a broken system that shouldn’t be needed in the first place. Instead we have the ability to step back, slow down, find our significance and our power. Step into our divine selves and understand that we are in control of what happens next. Feel revered, respected, honoured, and let go of the guilt.

My strength is bringing ancient practices and wisdom into our busy days in a light hearted and empowering way that sets the scene for finding flow in your life and getting your mojo back.

We all go through stages where we have our shit together, nail life and feel proud of ourselves but, inevitably, we also have moments where it just ain’t happening and it all feels like our world is falling to pieces. It probably isn’t, but it definitely feels that way! Just like the ebbs and flows of nature, we too go through these cycles. This is where turning to ancient practices can be empowering.

One thing I have learned from all the women I have worked with over the years is that through all the variables that come from our life experience, circumstances and backgrounds, we are all – underneath it all – quite similar beings that thrive off connection and acknowledgement. How we seek those things to cater to our own tastes is up to us, but perhaps I can help you start the journey.

amymasters.co.nz

As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.

M Radmacher

This is why I offer one on one support and coaching as well as retreats and I have just launched a new podcast called ‘Mother’s Medicine’. Most women need to be heard. Sharing in a circle allows your story to be medicine for yourself and others. When you speak your own words sometimes it is the first time you are really hearing them. Creating space, being tended to and treasured is vital.

GordonKelly

Levin Kia, Kāpiti Kia, Kāpiti AA Auto Centre, Ōhau Haulage

Navigating the Motor Trade: Kelly Gordon’s Personal Odyssey

In 2009, I found myself thrust into the dynamic world of the motor trade when my parents, the proud owners of Horowhenua Motor Company, took over William and Adams in Kāpiti. At the time, I was 22, six months pregnant, and working for a bank. Little did I know that a call from my father would set me on a journey filled with challenges, triumphs, and unexpected turns in the automotive industry.

The Unplanned Manager: I never envisioned working for my parents. There was a stigma in my mind about what others would think — that I got a leg up in life. My desire was always to achieve things on my own merit. When my father called me at work, asking if I could run the business for them, my initial thoughts were a mix of bewilderment and uncertainty. At 22, with zero business management experience and staff ranging from 10 to 40 years older than me, I wondered if I could fake it until I made it.

I’ve learned (just recently) not to lose my own identity while trying to be everything to everyone.

Baptism by Fire: Before I knew it, I found myself in a new office, handed a cheque book, and entrusted with the keys to a business I knew nothing about. The baptism by fire was well and truly underway. A week into my new role, I went into early labour and had my first child 11 weeks premature. The following three months were a blur of days in the office and nights in the neonatal unit at Wellington Hospital. My father, a hard taskmaster, made it clear: there was no rest for the wicked, and work had to be done.

A Journey of Growth: Fifteen years, six children, including another premature baby, and a second marriage later, my husband and I ventured to purchase the Kāpiti dealership in 2018. We faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic headon, opening the AA Auto Centre as soon as our doors reopened and, more recently, establishing Levin Kia. The journey has been a rollercoaster, with the challenges growing every year — from balancing work and family to navigating through staff shortages, studying, and managing multiple locations.

Building a Resilient Team: Through these experiences, I’ve come to realise the paramount importance of building a strong and confident team. A team that can step up when I have to step out, ensuring the business continues to thrive even in my absence. As a working mother, finding the balance between work and home life is a perpetual challenge, especially with multiple children attending different schools across regions. However, I’ve learned (just recently) not to lose my own identity while trying to be everything to everyone.

Levin Dealership: A Personal Triumph: The development of the Levin dealership stands out as my greatest win. Starting from the ground up and returning to a place I call home; it has been a journey filled with unique challenges. The delayed opening, high demand with no stock availability in 2020, reduced margins, increased overheads, new import taxes, and the government’s clean car initiative — each obstacle has tested our resilience. Fielding calls from over 100 customers, uncertain about their new car arrival, defined the first year.

Worth the Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Despite the challenges, setbacks, and uncertainties, the journey has been worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears. As we look forward to the future of our region, my husband and I feel blessed to be a part of its growth and development. The motor trade may be demanding, but the triumphs and personal growth that come with it are irreplaceable. We have learnt to seek out opportunities and diversify our businesses to ensure long term sustainability and commitment to our region.

On this International Women’s Day, I share my story not just as a businesswoman but as a testament to the strength, resilience, and possibilities that lie within every woman pursuing her dreams. levinkia.co.nz

Tutere Gallery - Artist, Creative, Collaborator

Kate Hartmann

They say life begins at 40. At the age of 40 I had three healthy beautiful children, a loving husband, a house I had only ever dreamed about by the sea, and I was as miserable as hell. I also had a serious dependence on alcohol which at the time seemed the answer to my inability to find joy, but in reality, it only enhanced my inertia, anxiety and depression. I was existing, not living. And my journey freeing myself from that dependence on alcohol is a story in itself for another time.

When I look back now, I can see clearly the root cause of my sadness. I was not living a life of purpose and meaning. I was not pursuing my dreams, I had no idea what they were and I really didn’t have a clue who I was. I had for years been doing what was expected of me, living through and for others, with a deep yearning for MORE. But what could that MORE be? I was also particularly isolated from other women, living in a country not of my birth and due to my background.

Many factors shape us as women and our ability to relate to other women. As an only child of a single mother who could be manipulative and distant and quite often unreliable, trust was a big issue. Worse still I had a romanticised vision of what men could and should provide and a need to impress. Back in the 80’s this was reinforced by a school system that actively streamed girls into certain areas. I remember being interested in woodworking and technical drawing but instead being persuaded to ‘play to my strengths’ and enrolling in French, art and typing! When I finally gained the courage to push for inclusion in a technical drawing class as I had aspirations of becoming an architect, I only lasted a term – unable to handle the ridicule from my all male classmates (because of course I was behind them in my learning) and a male teacher who refused to help and support me.

Fast forward to adulthood and working in a corporate environment where leadership positions for women were scarce and competition between them encouraged. And when you did gain one of those positions it was virtually impossible to shake off the cloak of imposter syndrome with the pervading culture being one of women being seen (as decorative) and not heard. Therefore, with all that in mind it’s not surprising that I spent most of my twenties and thirties unable to form deep, trusting relationships with other women.

My first love was making art and I had pursued that and gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the age of 20. After graduation I promptly began working in other areas (because everyone knows that there isn’t any money in art, right?) so I could pursue the proper career that everyone said I should have. I became a business analyst for many years chasing the career, the dollar and focusing on the bottom line. It was a relief in many ways to give that up for raising children instead, but little did I know at the time that I had just slipped out of the “golden handcuffs” of my corporate life for the invisible chains of home. I loved my children, I loved my family, but I had given up a huge part of myself.

Creating and that part of my life, that Kate, seemed very, very distant.

So back to turning 40 and something drastic had to change, and it was to my first love that I returned after an absence of 20 years. I had begun to recognise that I was isolated from other women, and a need for that sisterhood and support really kicked in. I made the decision to open a community-based art gallery and creative space, Tutere Gallery. Rather than writing a business plan as my first step though, I wrote a philosophy. That philosophy which I still refer to today was based around connection in all its forms, something which had been missing from my life and something I wanted to offer to others.

Being predominantly an introvert it was a bold move opening a gallery where not only did I have to be the primary artist leading the way in showcasing my inner world (which is scary because that is what artists do, put their work/ self out into the public domain for judgement) but also having to reach out to other artists and ask them to join me in that process. And who responded to the call? Women did, putting their trust in me to represent their inner worlds just as respectfully as my own. What a privilege that has been and has led to me now referring to this entity we have created together more accurately as Tutere Collaborative.

I realised during the first few years that I had a talent for mentoring, not only in the business of making art but something deeper, finding self through art. This led to the development of the 100 Day Journey program in 2017. Here was an opportunity to utilise all of my skills gained over the years to develop a program that really could as many participants have told me “change lives”. And once again, you guessed it, the majority of artists signing up for the journey were and are women.

I see 40 year old Kate in many of these women. Women who have spent years giving of themselves. Women who have been told that they can and should have it all, the career, the kids, the lifestyle, after all that’s what our mothers fought for right? They find themselves with a calendar and a carload full, rushing around ensuring that all the balls are up in the air and everyone and everything is as it needs to be. The mental load is huge, it’s exhausting running all day and please don’t forget, you need to find balance (what a ridiculous notion) so please remember to eat right, exercise enough and smile and look put together while you do it! Something has to give and with women artists, their art practice is often the first thing to go. I’ve seen many women filled with an inner rage when they stop running long enough to realise this has happened, because artists are compelled to express and create, it’s what we do, I would go so far as to say it is a calling. If you are not creating, something deep within you is missing.

Tutere Collaborative and the 100 Day Journey has also enabled women to find their tribe, their community of like-minded creatives, just like I did. Artists tend to work in isolation in their studios and workspaces and therefore need somewhere to connect into for advice, inspiration, support and friendship. The most powerful thing I think my business does is that it gives women permission. Permission to put themselves first and an opportunity for them to be seen and heard. I see helping and supporting these amazing women artists as my life’s work now and what an honour that is. I am no longer that 40 year old lost, frustrated and confused woman filling up her cup with all the wrong things, literally! I am a 51 year old woman who has found purpose and meaning through the gift of giving. Giving in the truest sense, not in the ways I used to. Simply by being authentically myself and being open to and sharing freely with others. Try it yourself, you will be surprised by the value of what you receive back in return.

tutere-gallery.com

The most powerful thing I think my business does is that it gives women permission. Permission to put themselves first and an opportunity for them to be seen and heard. I see helping and supporting these amazing women artists as my life’s work now and what an honour that is.

The Sandpit Waitārere

Fitzgibbon Liz

I want and/or can do it all! That is what lots of my friends and colleagues would say if you asked them to describe me. That’s not necessarily a great trait as the word “no” is a hard one for me but then I feel as a woman (and more so as a mother), we just get on with things. I mean, we can do it all can’t we!

But back to what I do and how I got here.

I am a director/owner of two very different businesses. One is a consulting business and the other is a fitness business. I started consulting way back in 2003 when I was approached to be part of a startup business in Australia. I loved the variety of work, the pressures, the long hours (crazy I know) and being newlywed with no children, life was exciting. This turned into my husband and I settling in Melbourne and within a few years, we started a family. I continued to work full time (daycare was my best friend) with the same startup company. When I had my first child, I put on a lot of weight and decided to get into the gym and sort it out. Through this process, I fell in love with fitness. I wanted to add more to my career and through my passion for fitness, I studied to become a Personal Trainer and succeeded as institute champion. I juggled the night classes and weekends, with a child and working full time. Can you see the pattern here, that the word “no” simply is not part of my DNA? Of course I can do multiple things at once! Some of the evening classes my child would attend with me as my husband was away a lot on the road working. I soon was teaching fitness classes to pregnant and post-natal women in the evenings and weekends. There were many challenges along the way - how could I fit all this in and make sure that my daughter got the attention she needed? When we had our second child, I knew I needed more and set off to challenge myself even further. Let’s enter a bodybuilding competition. I think my family thought

I was having some sort of mid-life crisis. At this stage I had a six month old baby and a four year old, working full time, not to mention now adding all the food prep and training that was needed each day in order to get myself into competition mode! It was all worth it - I got up on the stage and accomplished a huge goal. Was I scared of failure? Absolutely! But I guess that also pushed me even more. I really could do anything I wanted!

I’ve taken a real interest in women going through the perimenopausal and menopausal stage... I mean, how many of us hitting that phase are just in disbelief at how quickly our bodies can change even though we haven’t done anything different?!

So where am I now? We moved back to New Zealand and settled into Waitārere Beach. I still wanted it all so I continued to consult for the Australian company, work from home and travel over to Australia every couple of months. However, I found gym life was missing, as there were no gym facilities at the beach, I needed flexibility to fit in my fitness gig around the kids and my consulting business so that’s where the new fitness business was created. Welcome to “The Sandpit Waitārere”, a small fitness business I could operate from my house and the local park. I teach Hiit classes, pilates, beach boot camps over the busy Christmas time and my most favourite part, being a Personal Trainer. I specialise in women’s fitness and in the last couple of years, I’ve taken a real interest in women going through the perimenopausal and menopausal stage. I wanted to know how to help myself as I went through this phase and therefore in turn can help a lot of women in the same predicament. I mean, how many of us hitting that phase are just in disbelief at how quickly our bodies can change even though we haven’t done anything different?! What was once something easy to maintain, now takes a bit more effort. I predominantly focus on strength work with women because as we age, it’s much harder to maintain our muscles and keep the bones strong.

I love training clients in small group settings as it’s more personal and helps them individually no matter what their fitness levels are. I love that my sessions can be a download for them - it’s all good fun in small groups and there is now a known rule of what is said in the gym stays in the gym. It can be an outlet for women who just want to vent or have a yawn whilst getting their regular fitness in. Who inspires me? My clients inspire me! I love seeing them get stronger and most importantly taking time out for themselves.

I also want to inspire my children and teach them that they can do anything - there’s no such thing as “I can’t do” in our house. If you really want it and work for it, you can have it all.

International Women’s Day is something I feel we should celebrate every day. There is no one day that we are not being fabulous women in whatever we do. I think this is a great opportunity to share our stories to show we are busy, talented, hardworking, ambitious women no matter what is going on in our lives. We should never compare each other either. What one woman is doing opposed to another will still require all the same attributes but just displayed/shared differently.

F: thesandpitwaitarerebeach @thesandpitwaitarere

Smartway Builders

AnnWoolston

Owner/Director Ann Woolston of Smartway Builders, specialising in the residential sector delivering major renovations, extensions, additions, alterations and high end architectural new builds in the greater Wellington area, including the Kāpiti Coast.

I am a first generation Kiwi who was born in Bluff, yes, famous for the Bluff Oysters! And I’m passionate about customer service. I am married to my husband Howard, we have lived on the Kāpiti Coast for three years and love it here. I love to spend time with my eight grandchildren, or pottering in the garden. I also enjoy travelling, practising my singing, spending time with family and friends and watching the AB’s. Other than that it’s about finding ways to give back to the world, to help others when they need it, to offer a hand up.

Prior to starting our building business 12+ years ago, I had 30 years in the IT corporate world where as a woman I hit many glass ceilings. I held a range of roles at varying management levels specialising in working with clients that had ‘broken/under utilised’ technology and turning it into an integral part of their business. I wasn’t the technical

I am working towards having a team that consists of competent, absolute top quality female builders who are respected in the industry for what they can deliver... it is so important for women to be given the same opportunities in all industries they want to be part of.

expert, I delivered through other experts, just like I do now in the building sector, where I deliver through architects, engineers, builders (who are our staff), roofers, electricians, plumbers, flooring experts and many, many more.

So what is my role now? Mostly, I’m the “Keeper Of The Soul” for the company, the “Safe Pair of Hands” everyone can depend on. Part of my time is about meeting, listening and working with clients to understand what is and isn’t working about their current property, and providing solutions for them, building long-term relationships and mutual respect. It is all about delivering a quality product, raising the bar, having great communications and earning our clients’ trust. And knowing that the client enjoys the experience of their renovation, addition or new build… in what can be a stressful process. I’m also involved in female-based support networks like Kāpiti Chamber of Commerce / Women in Business, Venus and Chrysalis and I’m doing my bit to help other women to be heard, to stand up and not be afraid of being in business.

The other part of my role is about driving through change in a male-dominated construction industry. It is about enforcing those good old-fashioned values in an industry that doesn’t seem to care about clients. This has been very important to me. Truth, honesty, doing what you said you would, when you said. Simple things like that and building a company we’re proud of. Mostly it’s been about letting women be heard about what they want and not having to be intimidated or talked down to by big gruff foul-mouthed tradespeople.

I am also working towards having a team that consists of competent, absolute top quality female builders who are respected in the industry for what they can deliver. So far I currently have two female apprentices as part of the team, it is so important for women to be given the same opportunities in all industries they want to be part of. I ensure we invest in all our apprentices to help them be the best person they can be and I look forward to the ladies becoming qualified and then Licensed Building Practitioners, sadly there are very few women in our industry that are qualified. I intend to grow my mix of male and female and I currently have other women apprentices wanting to join us.

Part of my role is about driving through change in a male-dominated construction industry.

From a client’s perspective I am offering clients an end-to-end service from design to completion. We have some quite sophisticated costing systems that let us put indicative numbers on those early draft concept drawings. We can therefore provide our clients with enough information to make good decisions. A really helpful aspect of this information is that Smartway Builders not only provides a total cost, but we also break it down into key parts. This means if the total project is not affordable, the client can decide on which aspects are achievable now, and which could be earmarked for the future. We help them ‘bridge the gap’ between their dreams and their investment level. What I really love about what I do is getting to the end of a project with our clients and have them go “WOW, that’s exactly what I wanted!” The client then becomes a raving fan and tells others about us and their wonderful experience, and the circle continues.

Also, Smartway Builders is committed to sustainable practices and aims to include these principles into its design and building considerations as much as possible. This commitment has extended to establishing a sister company, the Timber Reclaimers, which repurposes waste timber into desirable craft products such as coasters, inspirational plaques, hot mats, and charcuterie boards.

In the theme of Women, my favourite quote would be “do one thing every day that scares you!” which is attributed to that great US First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, which I feel is very apt for this International Women’s Day. Mostly I hope to be able to support and inspire many more women into our industry, maybe even some of my grandchildren so we can continue our long family history in construction dating back to the 1800’s.

Lastly, If you want a new build or renovation, from ideas to keys, without the fuss, drama or confusion, contact Ann Woolston – Smartway Builders. We have expertise on every level.

smartway.builders

Juli Hunter

One of my earliest memories is sitting in the corner of our lounge, joining tiny pieces of fabric together to make clothes for my dolls. This was my happy place and my safe zone. My parents have always been hugely supportive. When I was 14, Dad sweet-talked Wellington fashion designer Konstantina Moutos into letting me work for her during the school holidays. She won the Benson & Hedges Fashion Design Awards for three years running in the 80’s, so this was a big deal! Mum worked at a fabric store and would always put fabric and patterns aside for me.

I launched my namesake label and brand on Karangahape Road in 2000. This was an incredible time to be in the industry and part of the creative community. I did a runway show for the Ponsonby Fringe Festival and sold wholesale to 17 stores across the country. My label was featured in numerous fashion magazines. However, soon came the huge influx of cheap clothing imports and many small labels were swept under, unable to compete with fashion that was getting faster - and cheaper - by the day.

Despite the challenges of the time, I continued to create and sell, usually through Etsy and Felt. It was so exciting seeing pieces I’d made find their way across the globe. My son was born in 2005 and after living rurally for a few years, we decided to return to Wellington and call Waikanae home.

Although I loved creating garments, this income wasn’t steady enough to pay the bills. I set up my clothing alterations and repairs side of the business at the start of 2008. And honestly? The beginnings were as humble as they come. My sewing machine and overlocker occupied my dining room for alterations during the day, and I worked in a restaurant at night just to cover our expenses. We were broke beyond broke, but this was all part of the journey.

For my entire life, but especially throughout this rough patch, my sister Leanna has been my rock. We’ve shared our homes, raised our kids together, and have always been best friends. I wouldn’t have been able to keep going without her endless love, strength, and support.

Today, my business is thriving. My small team and I are always busy in our Waikanae workroom (8 Main Road), doing alterations, repairs, and creating bespoke pieces for our lovely customers. I run the Eco Friendly Style Collaborative in Mahara Place, which is a beautiful retail collective of local makers. I’m also always busy designing, creating, and upcycling new pieces to add to my clothing range, which we sell both online and at the Collaborative. Sewing lessons are also a huge passion of mine. Empowering people to use their creativity and bring their ideas to life is immensely rewarding.

There’s never a dull day, and life definitely still has its challenges, but I’m so grateful for all that has gotten me to this place.

julihunter.com

Sharalyn Fraser

My Journey | From humble beginnings to business owner…

We all come from different beginnings in life… some easy, fun, and magical; some a little tough with struggles. My journey from growing up in an area of state housing to launching Sharalyn Fraser Agency is a story of passion, resilience and ambition.

I was raised by my solo mum in a part of Tauranga that was not as desirable as some parts, and with money being tight, it wasn’t exactly what you’d call ‘an idyllic’ childhood. But I was full of dreams and dancing was my absolute passion. I got my first job delivering newspapers at age 11 and at one stage I had two jobs. One job had 5am starts at a local bakery on the weekends to help pay for my dance lessons. I was thrilled at the age of 17, to be accepted to audition for the New Zealand School of Dance.

My dreams of being a dancer did not come to fruition and I spent time working in the hospitality industry where it’s fair to say I developed a bit of a party girl persona… Fortunately a very special friend, who had come into my life a few years earlier, showed by example that you can choose your path in life.

She helped me tap into the work ethic I had acquired from my Dad who was a hardworking truck driver. She taught me the power of ambition, the importance of presenting yourself for the place you want to be in life, and that the past does not define you or your future. She had a profound influence on my life.

These lessons reshaped my perspective and ignited a desire to excel beyond my circumstances and so my move into the corporate world began. With continuous incremental steps, I moved from customer-facing roles into more senior positions - culminating in an advisory position to the Associate Minister of Housing.

After having children, I wanted to work closer to home in Kāpiti. I had gained diverse experience working in local government and the building industry, and so when the opportunity to work in Real Estate came along I discovered my ultimate passion.

I had great success with a couple of local real estate companies, but I longed to create a personalised experience for my clients. This desire was the impetus behind establishing and launching my own business - Sharalyn Fraser (SF) Agency. Supported by my strongest advocate, husband Matt and with invaluable advice and support from

the team at Head Office, I took the leap… and what a great leap it was!

In the short time since setting up SF Agency we have achieved remarkable results for our clients, built an amazing team and opened a new office in Waikanae. I wasn’t prepared for how special it would feel to see the agency’s name on the office window - the realisation of a dream.

Today, SF Agency is not just a business; it’s an expression of my journey, values, and vision. The agency’s success reaffirms my belief that with ambition, passion, and the courage to embrace opportunities, anyone can rise above their beginnings (however humble) and achieve greatness.

My message to other women is simple - your beginning does not define your end. Embrace opportunities, seek guidance, and always strive to be the best version of yourself. I did, and it has led me to a fulfilling career and life.

sfagency.nz

Sharalyn Fraser Agency

Wayne Bishop Group & Tatum

& Bishop Bridget Hunt Catherine

The female I admire and think of if you ask me about International Women’s Day is Bridget Bishop.

I have not known Bridget long – about 3 years. I moved out to the Horowhenua from Wellington having lived in Wellington for 17 years. From living a very social life in Wellington to a semi-rural location and only knowing my partner who works for WBG, there were moments where I felt lonely, isolated and a bit overwhelmed. In those times a kind word and gesture can make all the difference and more so from another female… Bridget offered kind words and encouragement with my new life here. I remember when my partner went away for work for the first time, Bridget reached out to me. To know there was someone who was close by, who cared, meant a lot.

Bridget is someone who is incredibly caring in a proactive way which really makes a difference on a personal level. During the first year with my partner he experienced personal loss and Bridget gifted us a beautiful remembrance tree. It is these small compassionate gestures, when Bridget reaches out to staff of the Wayne Bishop Group and her family and friends, that really stand out for me.

Bridget makes a point of knowing or is very intuitive in knowing when someone is not doing so well and makes a point of connecting in some way. When I sat down to help Bridget write this article we both found it a wee bit hard to

start with, so I thought I would share my experiences and what I have observed of Bridget.

Bridget credits her caring side with a sense of service from her time spent growing up with her family who set up the BP garages in the late 70’s in the Horowhenua. She worked in her family’s garage in between going to the local Fairfield School and through Horowhenua College. It was a time when a garage was truly in the word a “service station” and in a way its own hub of the community.

Bridget is a 4th generation active member of The Salvation Army which also fuels the need within her for serving the community and people around her.

Bridget is the proud mother of six, supportive wife and landscaper for challenging large scale developments. When I see Bridget, it is always in passing as she is either driving a noisy sprinter truck or driving children to soccer practice, or any number of sporting or extra-curricular activities.

I am always wondering what Bridget feeds her six children and husband every night as I struggle with just feeding my partner and me. How she fits in cooking dinner after picking up kids – their different activities and working on the huge landscaping projects set by the WBG – is a wonder. Anyone driving past Speldhurst will get some of the understanding of the huge physical work involved and the scale.

International Women’s Day is a time we can recognise all the different roles women have to juggle and all the different people we, as women, sometimes have to be.

I asked Bridget the question “What would you tell your younger self?”

Bridget replied, “That every day is a blessing, so use it wisely.”

Bridget’s current project is working with a team on the landscaping and development of Tatum – the new Tatum Park which is under extensive redevelopment. Tatum is a huge undertaking, an exciting project which will have a lot of positive effects for the local community from work opportunities to an event space for people to enjoy.

For Bridget, what started out as a hobby and a dislike of paperwork and sitting in front of a computer, pushed her into physical work of landscaping, being outside and working in nature – feeding her love of gardening, designing and watching plants flourish.

Bridget’s personality is always very even-keeled – she is consistently upbeat and encouraging – I have never seen Bridget in a bad mood (or she hasn’t displayed it!). When I asked Bridget how she felt about herself she mentioned she sometimes didn’t feel confident around people which I felt very surprised to hear as she comes across confident because she is always herself, really down to earth and relatable to a lot of people.

Bridget’s six children are generally well behaved and the most hard working kids I have come across. They have to do chores and also work for the WBG; mostly doing cleaning jobs, landscaping and laboring. The youngest Levi once lamented to me how hard it was being the youngest before going on to describe his siblings in full and the ages of his parents… but I see Bridget with equal time and attention to each of the six and still have no understanding

how it’s possible and how she sticks to the sporting and demanding extra-curricular activities which are in place. I am completely bemused by it. Not only that, but also a supportive wife to a very busy man and the wife of the “boss”; with her caring attitude and proactive approach towards the very large team working for WBG… and not to mention the 640 residents at Speldhurst…!

I think this is why Bridget mentioned she has a lot of respect for working mothers, stay at home mums and all women because she herself has led a varied life in a lot of different roles. Bridget is excited to be a part of The International Women’s Day celebrations because it’s a time we can recognise all the different roles women have to juggle and all the different people we, as women, sometimes have to be. I asked Bridget the question “What would you tell your younger self?”

Bridget replied, “That every day is a blessing, so use it wisely.”

You will see Bridget outside working amongst the plants, tanned by the sun or driving a gaggle of kids to sports… or sometimes giving someone a caring ear or a word of encouragement just when they need it the most.

wbg.co.nz tatum.co.nz

Words by Catherine Hunt, Tatum Event Manager, shared about Bridget Bishop.

Wild Wellbeing

Welcome to Wild Wellbeing, a fitness studio that was created with a desire to help people with their health and wellbeing.

Knap Ruiterman & Kasia Kelly

We are Kelly and Kasia, the founders of the studio, and we have been running the business since February 2022, offering Yoga, Pilates, Barre, Yin Yoga, Sculpt, Circuit and Dance.

We have worked hard to create an environment where everybody feels comfortable and can exercise without judgment, offering over 20 classes per a week, catering for all fitness levels and styles. We also run beginner Yoga and Pilates courses, Mumfit classes, Kids Mindfulness classes and workshops throughout the year to keep people engaged and excited.

You will find us located in the heart of Paraparaumu Beach, where we opened during the turbulent times of covid lockdowns and the traffic light system. This was a very challenging time for the business and we often wondered if it would ever survive. Nearly two years on, we are still here smiling and business is thriving!

The studio has grown with the addition of Kāpiti Midwives, who share our space to run their business, and also a Kinesiologist. This part of the business continues to evolve, and with great relationships with nutritionists and other practitioners, we are always open to new workshops and collaborations.

The idea started when Kelly began teaching Pilates at the previous studio that occupied the same space as Wild Wellbeing. A comment was made about starting a new business once their lease had come up for renewal. The seed was planted and like a mad woman possessed, Kelly began to water that seed.

After doing due diligence and pitching the idea to potential directors, this process led to the dynamic duo being introduced. We had never met before and what a risk to enter into a business with someone you didn’t know!

We both brought our own unique skill sets, and it turned out to be a great match for running a successful business. The classes have great numbers and every teacher brings their own spice and flavour to how they teach, and have freedom to run their classes the way they want.

People who laugh actually live longer than those who don’t laugh. Few people realise that health actually varies according to the amount of laughter.

Kelly Ruiterman

My journey into health and wellness has been full of twists and turns. I have always played sports and started playing tennis at the age of six and as I got older I represented several tennis clubs at a competitive level. Throughout my young life I always loved running and being active outdoors. I have had a successful career in the banking sector as a qualified financial adviser where I was a mortgage broker in Kāpiti and worked for several major New Zealand banks. It was later in life that I realised my journey was starting to take a different path. My focus and passion shifted and I knew I wanted to be in the health and wellbeing sector.

I have had many challenges to face in life in relation to mental health and grief within the family, including losing my father when I was 35 to cancer, he was only 56. I was extremely close to my father and he was my inspiration in this world. My life has never been the same since. It was then that I faced my own mental health journey at the same time as having my first child.

I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was 43 and it has been through this process that I discovered the power of Pilates. It helped my body so much and I was so passionate about its benefits that I decided to become a teacher. I wanted to share my passion for Pilates and its benefits. I feel lucky to have this studio and see what it brings to our community.

Kasia Knapp

My journey in the health and wellness space began many years ago. When

I was a little girl I was often found in the bush, one of my earliest memories is playing with a red bellied black snake! Being in nature allows me to connect to my deepest essence, and it is that connectivity that I feel when maintaining my own health and wellbeing. Since becoming a mum, finding the time to dedicate to myself and feeling the strength within my body and mind has been more important than ever, I want to set an example for my daughters.

I have a varied background professionally, completing a Bachelor of Multimedia to then enrolling in a Masters of Conservation Biology and completing first year Veterinary Science. I have spent the last 20 years in online communications for Local Government, Universities, WWF and IUCN. In 2013 I decided to pursue my passions and undertook Yoga, Pilates and Barre training at Essence of Living. It was through this intense period of training that my whole perspective changed. I knew I had found my true path. Since moving to New Zealand in 2019, I feel blessed that I can finally combine my two passions - nature and wellness.

As a pair we both manage families and other jobs as well as running the studio. Sometimes it can be challenging without enough time in the day, but the passion we have for the studio and all the people that walk through its doors is evident. We truly believe that our paths in life are to inspire and create a positive impact where possible.

Having a great sense of humour is something we both share, and this helps us both to look at the brighter side of life.

wildwellbeing.co.nz

Images: left - Kasia, right - Kelly

Sandra Patterson

Our journey started as a conversation in the garage and we built the dream from there. I have not come from a family business or a family with great education or training, I have worked so hard to get here. I have learnt so much along the way and learn new things all the time.

At school I definitely was not a scholar or academic however I enjoy new projects and developing grand ideas into a reality – this has been very helpful throughout our business journey.

When my husband Chris and I discussed starting our own business in the insulation industry, I was really excited about how this could end up – never did I dream it would be as successful as it has been.

Chris and I both have a strong focus on customer service and ensuring our local community, Kaumatua and their whanau have warmer and drier homes. It’s been important for us also to ensure every customer not only understands what they need in their home but also WHY they need it.

Business ownership has been a rollercoaster we both have enjoyed and also made us wonder what the heck we were doing at times, haha. One simple thing we keep with us: Do the job how you would want it done.

Warmer Kiwi Homes was always part of my wish list. Once the tender was open, I set to writing ours myself. It was important to us not to lose ourselves in this process, we wanted to answer each question with our business in mind, not just with the idea of gaining it. We were bringing a humble, family owned and operated company to the centre of a government initiative, with no big offices, no expensive marketing tactics, just a good, honest, local business providing a service you could count on.

One of our challenges has been going up against some big names across NZ, they have large marketing budgets and have been “household” names for a long time, keeping it real has helped us stay in the industry. This industry is mostly male dominated. International Women’s Day is so important to me, and it’s important to recognise how far we have come in recognising a woman’s worth but also a reminder on how far we have to go with this! I see women daily who are smashing their goals and rocking business ownership in some of the toughest industries to do so and I am incredibly proud to know them. I am also proud of myself and showing my two daughters a woman’s worth. That hard work pays off when you stand proud in what you know, what you achieve and the goals you have in life. I can only hope I can inspire other women to give it a go. You know what you are doing, just go out and do it!

insulationtech.co.nz

Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice and belonging is having that voice heard.

Liz Fosslien

A

This publication was produced in celebration of International Women’s Day 2024 and published by ACS Marketing Consultancy. Featuring women in business from across Kāpiti and Horowhenua, New Zealand. This Womanhood Journal was proudly printed in Horowhenua, New Zealand by Graphic Press Ltd. Copyright is reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.

NTERNATIONALWOMEN’S DAY 2024

Noun

the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded

IN•CLU•SION #INSPIREINCLUSION