Alumni – Jamie Phillips

My career since has involved a lot of work in and around tech, but has bounced all over the place – that’s been such a joy! I was involved in founding the National Youth Theatre Company with an amazing group of friends, had the great privilege of leading Coastguard through a time of substantial change, and before Nanogirl Labs I spent a number of years consulting with companies to help them solve challenges around innovation, strategy and growth. At one point I even considered entering politics.

Did I expect to be here? Not at all. Our work at Nanogirl Labs addresses a problem that, prior to meeting Michelle, I didn’t really know existed – ensuring that everyone, everywhere has access to world-class education. When I realised the gap in opportunity for young people in New Zealand – let alone around the world – I saw a mission that I felt deserved urgent and real attention, and an opportunity to make a dent.

There’s a Steve Jobs video online where he talks about things making sense when you look back on them. That really resonates with me. I’ve always loved leading great people in meaningful, exciting work. Combining my passion for business and love for charity work – trying to build a ‘socially conscious business’ that achieves both profit and impact – really seems to make sense at the moment.

What inspired you to write Silver Linings and what has the response to the book been like?

It was our journey through the pandemic that inspired me to kick-start and co-write 'Silver Linings', and I’m so grateful to my co-author and good friend David Downs for coming on the journey!

The pandemic was – and continues to be – an incredibly challenging time. There’s been so much pain and suffering… but there’s also been some incredible examples of resilience, agility and humanity. I felt that those stories deserved to be told.

Between us, David and I interviewed more than 100 business and community leaders about their experience during the pandemic. I learnt so much from those conversations – it was an incredible privilege – and the feedback we’ve had from readers is that those lessons resonate for them too (phew!), and have value outside the immediacy of COVID-19 in shaping their businesses and their mahi as leaders.

Are there any life lessons you’d like to share?

Life is short, life is uncertain, and it’s such an epic adventure. Success means different things to each of us, and that’s beautiful… I’m not sure there are any ‘secrets’ really.

I think the best lessons I’ve learnt so far come back to putting first things first – remembering what’s important (it’s not often work), looking after your health, giving time and energy to the people you love, and being as present in every moment as you can possibly be. Really just make the most of it, and try to leave this place a bit better than you found it.

How do you feel your time at Kristin has shaped your path beyond school?

Kristin was the most incredible place to start. So many of the opportunities I enjoyed at school – the chance to try stuff (and learn from mistakes), the amazing people who took time to help me really think about how I see the world, and what matters to me – it’s all had a huge impact in the years since… the stuff outside the classrooms as much as what we learnt in them.

What do you look back on as the highlights of your time at Kristin?

I genuinely enjoyed school – I love learning, and friendships formed in those years have remained incredibly dear to me in the years since and I’m so grateful for that.

Two specific experiences, though, shaped me profoundly: first, it was my work in the theatre with the brilliant Andrew Churches, who ran the Auditorium tech alongside his teaching practice back then. Long hours rigging lights and sound systems, and learning to design and operate shows. Those experiences, and the love of theatre that ensued, led directly to my contribution in building the National Youth Theatre, and more recently to building a global touring live science theatre show. More than that, though – it was where I really started to cut my teeth as a leader, figuring out what worked and (just as importantly) what didn’t in leading teams. The value of hard work, the power of stories – it all shines through in live theatre, and I’m so grateful.

Secondly, it was an opportunity given to me by Rodney Ford. Mr Ford taught Information Technology back then, and invited me to help teach IT to some of the junior classes when I had free periods, and created a space where I could experiment with technology in a way that I couldn’t during our usual curriculum work. The heated debates I’d have with Mr Ford about life, a deep appreciation for soul and blues music, the huge value in learning to teach something – to pass on knowledge in a way that made sense to younger students – and the incredible lessons learnt in tinkering have all had a profound impact!

If you could give a message to students looking to pursue a similar path, what would it be?

If you see a problem in the world and think ‘someone should do something about that’ – and if you really care about it – then know that you are that someone. Whether it’s fixing something in your neighbourhood or building a global business, get amongst it and learn every lesson you can along the way.

Your community – the people you walk through life with – are so unbelievably important. Leadership and entrepreneurship can be lonely sometimes. Nurture a community that you can lean on when you need to, and be there for them when they need you in turn.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with current students, staff, parents or the wider Kristin Community?

Kristin’s a really special place, and I’d just acknowledge everyone who’s played a part in building that – staff, parents, students and supporters alike.

Progress with vision, integrity and love seems like a pretty good idea, all the more so in the times we live in.

For more information visit www.nanogirl.co and

www.silverlinings.nz

KRISTIN ALUMNI – SUSTAINABLE DESIGNER

Jamie Phillips

Jamie Phillips (Class of 2001) is using his specialist design expertise for good. Jamie has merged beautiful design with sustainability to create yesēco, a brand that strives to reduce unnecessary waste by creating eco alternatives.

Jamie’s Kristin experience ignited his passion for design: “Thanks to a 7th Form year that was full of the Arts, I was lucky to leave Kristin knowing exactly what I wanted to do... to pursue a career in design, and graphic design was where I wanted to start,” he says.

“My [school] portfolio – which included graphics, photography, art design, painting and English – was good to go and I was accepted into the Bachelor of Art and Design at AUT, majoring in Graphic Design and Photography."

After gaining experience as a graphic designer and art director in New Zealand, Jamie moved to London, and later Australia where he honed his design skills, identifying the areas that lit his fire, specialising as a creative retoucher. “It’s a very technically challenging job that moulded together my passions of photography, design and art directing and took my eye for detail and pursuit of perfection to the next level,” he says. Jamie established his own post-production house, Pixel Social Club, enabling him to continue the work he loved under his own brand.

However, he found himself wanting for more. “Retouching and Pixel Social Club are great and I love the work... but something was missing and my love for the ocean and the environment, along with the growing awareness around plastic waste, was starting to weigh heavily on my mind... The truth be told, I didn’t want to look back in 5, 10, 15 years and say ‘Why didn’t I try to help?’

“I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be part of the solution rather than just talking about what was wrong with the world. I realised consumers aren’t the problem; it was the lack of alternatives in the market. I wanted to start solving small problems on a big scale.” Jamie’s mission made him reflect on his own life and everyday items he uses that need a shake up and a fresh set of ideas to bring them to life with ecovalues. His first target... the humble dish brush!

Yesēco’s flagship product, the ONE BRUSH, launched in November 2021 via Kickstarter, and has already smashed its initial launch targets, attracting 1,700 backers worldwide in the 30-day campaign. It may be hard to fathom that a dish brush can be described as a thing of beauty, but that is exactly what Jamie has created – the ONE BRUSH has recently won Gold in Product Design at the 2021 Good Design Australia Awards.

Looking ahead, Jamie has his sights firmly set on bringing yesēco to the world – yesēco has been showcased at recent trade shows in Chicago, Sydney and Melbourne, with ONE BRUSH manufacturing now underway. As he reflects on his journey so far, Jamie recognises some key influences from his time at Kristin:

“Looking back, there were many kind staff and individuals at Kristin who helped shape me – a young man who was more interested in surfing and having a laugh than anything else! But the two who definitely stand out are Mr Ken Coulson and Mrs Debbie Dwyer, who both helped to nurture and grow my passion for the arts (design and photography especially) and the pursuit of taking a concept all the way through to a final product and to enjoy all of the trials and tribulations along the way. I’m extremely grateful for their patience, passion and all round good vibes to start me on my path in design.”

For more information, visit www.yeseco.life

Coming up at Kristin

Academic Pathways

& Tertiary Futures Evening

THURSDAY 4 AUGUST

Dance

IN THE DOVE

18-20 AUGUST 2022

We’re looking forward to bringing our alumni community together at these upcoming reunion events.

You can register your attendance via the reunion event links on www.kristinconnect.nz.

If you would like to receive invitations to alumni events and reunions, simply update your details via our ‘Keep in Touch’ form at: wwwkristin.school.nz/keepintouch

SYDNEY REUNION Wednesday 29 June DUNEDIN REUNION Tuesday 16 August WELLINGTON REUNION Wednesday 17 August CHRISTCHURCH REUNION Thursday 18 August KAURI CLUB & STAFF REUNION Wednesday 21 September AUCKLAND 'MEGA' REUNION Friday 4 November

(2021 & 2022 combined reunion for the classes of 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017)