10 minute read
Women in business
Women in Business panel URGES SELF-BELIEF
Women in Business presenters (L to R): Sarah Tanner, Amelia Rentzios, Emma Eagle and Chantelle Gerrard.
At the end of March, Dio alumnae Emma Eagle, Chantelle Gerrard, Amelia Rentzios and Sarah Tanner told their stories of success at a Women in Business event sponsored by Sotheby’s International. From running gas production plants and launching a premier vintage design store, to building a lifestyle wellness brand and providing costumes on the world stage, the women each conveyed the importance of passion and self-belief in what you do.
EMMA EAGLE “Never give up”
Art and design have always played a large part in Emma Eagle’s life, and she achieved a perfect score in art in her Year 11 exams. But things didn’t always come easy, and Emma is a strong believer in learning from whatever life throws your way, as well as accepting help and guidance from others around her.
After qualifying with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Commerce, Emma developed an established career in creativity and communication – subjects she said always inspired her. She went on to found iconic Ponsonby design store Mr Bigglesworthy with her husband Dan 10 years ago, and throughout their years of travelling, sourcing and collaborating with leading local and international auction houses, they’ve become experts in their field. From the engaging and enthusiastic way in which she talks about her business, it’s clear that Emma is doing something she loves. Passion is key, she says, but also the ability to offer something unique.
“Be passionate, but also don’t be afraid to think differently,” she says. “Staying in business for 10 years in this current climate is an achievement in itself. Never give up.”
The development and success of their business is in part due to Emma’s understanding of the importance of good design and branding. Each of the pieces she and Dan curate in their store has a story, and she believes it’s important to tell that story. “It’s important to hold the brand firmly at the centre of your business,” she says. “People connect with the story of the products, so they’re buying more than just a piece of furniture. It’s got to resonate with them.”
Chantelle Gerrard’s career in costume spans 20 years and has included making costumes for Game of Thrones, constructing space suits for The Martian, and costume design for the New Zealand feature film Insatiable Moon. She was head of the Pop-up Globe Costume Department for five years and oversaw the design and construction of all in-house productions the theatre produced since it first launched in 2015. Her work has taken her around the world, and she recently returned to Dio to take up a teaching role in the Creative Industries Faculty. She has also been designing and making costumes for Dio for the last four years across Senior, Junior High School and Junior School performances. Chantelle says Dio gave her the opportunities that guaranteed her creative output was fostered. “When there’s an opportunity to do something you’re passionate about, just say yes,” she says.
An accomplished singer and chorister, Chantelle was the youngest student to be accepted into the Bachelor of Music Performance (Voice) at the University of Auckland in 1999, but she says she didn’t feel that she was deserving of the accomplishment and was always full of self-doubt.
She put her singing on hold while she studied spatial design at AUT, and during this time pursued costume design for stage and film while studying and then also during her teaching years. Chantelle never thought that it could be her career possibility, but after years of working in the industry and after staging an exhibition of her art and costumes in 2013 in Auckland, the opportunity to work on Game of Thrones arose, and she decided it was too good to pass up. Her greatest love is historical costume, and she has self-funded numerous trips between New Zealand and the UK to further her research. One of her career highlights was establishing Australasia’s largest Elizabethan wardrobe at the Pop-up Globe in her role as head of department and designer there. “I was so proud of what we achieved there,” she says, “But over my career it’s the diversity of roles that has sustained me. You can do anything you want to do if you do what you are passionate about. Don’t let fear or self-doubt hold you back – stand up for what you believe in and follow it. You don’t want to be there at the end of your life thinking ‘what if?’ Do it, and even if you fail, you know you tried.”
AMELIA RENTZIOS “Adapt to change and play to your strengths.”
Amelia Rentzios’s happy place is an oil and gas production facility that lies in a windswept corner of Taranaki, but she started her global career working on the Maybelline range for L’Oréal in New York.
Amelia is currently the plant manager of the OMV Maui Production Station near New Plymouth where she is responsible for the safe and reliable delivery of a third of New Zealand’s natural gas production, as well as setting the strategic future of the facility to secure its place in the energy transition.
When she left school at 18, Amelia didn’t know she’d end up in boots and a hard hat. She started off doing medicine at university, and then switched to chemical and materials engineering after her first year.
“Life changes,” she says. “It throws you curve-balls and opportunities, and it’s a matter of picking them up and running with them. It’s important to learn to adapt to change, know your strengths and play to them.”
Amelia has come up against a number of challenges in her time in the energy industry, including being the only foreigner, the only woman and one of the youngest on a team of 200 operations staff while working in the Netherlands. But she sees that as an opportunity, rather than a threat, and she’s inspired and driven by sharing her story with female students.
“I want to influence and inspire them. I believe careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields are still very under-represented by women and I feel it’s my responsibility to help rectify that.
“Don’t ever underestimate the value your unique strengths and experience can bring in environments where you are different. Do not under-value them, because right now the world needs them. Be confident in them and use this to have a voice at the table.”
Amelia is a board member of the New Zealand Young Energy Professionals network and strongly advocates for the energy transition, which she believes to be one of the most important social issues of our day.
SARAH TANNER “Follow your passion.”
Holistic health and wellness guru Sarah Tanner started selling when she was eight years old – back then it was from a tomato stand at the top of her driveway, but she got the sales bug and soon moved into bead necklaces and pewter keyrings as part of the Young Enterprise programme at Dio. Sarah was a stellar sportswoman when she was at school, but says self-doubt started to creep in when she was 15, forcing her to put a promising tennis career on hold.
She started a Newmarket nail business in 2002 and turned it into a full-service body pampering business, which she ran for eight years, but she says her heart wasn’t in it.
“I wasn’t following my passion. I was following someone else’s,” she says. “It’s so important to follow your passion.” In her mid-30s Sarah launched her second business – a wellness brand – which she had a much greater affinity to, and went on to become a brand ambassador for Ceres Organics.
She now consults to some of New Zealand’s leading food and wellness companies, helping people incorporate a more plant-based lifestyle with achievable eco tips along the way. Sarah’s a firm believer in the power of connection, and of spreading a message with passion. Embodying what she does, she is warm, engaging, lively, articulate and bubbling with enthusiasm.
“Choose what you love first,” she says. “Keep exploring and don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to succeed first time. It’s the trying that’s fun!
“Say yes to everything if it feels in alignment. Apply yourself, but also be adaptable. It’s great to build a brand but you also need to be able to pivot if economic or market conditions dictate.” Providing the curtain-raiser for the event was an animated and engaging display by Year 13 business studies students who exhibited their Young Enterprise projects, products and innovations. The Market Day exhibition underscored the importance of sustainability, health and wellbeing. David Holmes, Teacher in Charge of Business, said the students kept their. themes front of mind when creating and designing their products.
“The Market Day provides an excellent opportunity for the students to simulate bringing their products to market in a familiar and supportive environment way,” he says. “Students are able to test their products with family and friends, and gather valuable feedback that they can incorporate into further product development and marketing.”
Products and projects included recyclable coffee pods, suncatchers to promote mindfulness, organic perfume balms, sustainable haircare products, jewellery that promotes and encourages the use of simple Te Reo phrases, a clothing range to promote body confidence, paleo slices, and a nail care range that uses environmentally friendly glues.
The Year 13 students are participating in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), which is an experiential programme where students set up and run a real business. There are 20 Dio companies participating in 2021 and each YES business creates its own product or service and brings this to market. Students learn about business planning and operations, develop a range of personal and business skills, and consult with and create networks in their community. Each company or group takes its idea from validation, through to pitch, promotion, sales and finally the annual review.
Young Enterprise IN ACTION
Left Happy Feet makes tie-dyed socks – the colour of each dye represents a different cancer and cancer charity to which we will donate a portion of our profits. Daisy is a survivor of a rare brain cancer called anaplastic ependymoma and that is what has motivated her to create a business that brings awareness and provides support around child and teen cancers.
Above CyclePod is a group of young women seeking to make a change in our environment by producing recyclable coffee pods that people can recycle at home and in so doing, support sustainability.
Above Get it Nailed has created an at-home nail kit that can be reused time and time again, and is biodegradable. “We enjoyed thinking creatively as we were challenged to create a product that is unique, on trend, environmentally friendly and something consumers demand. Above LJ’s Delights is a solo-run business by Lauren Jackson that makes chocolate self-saucing pudding mixes in a jar using a favourite family recipe – ‘making delicious dessert, and memories with love’.
Above Totally Totes has a focus on sustainability and fabric wastage, giving discarded scraps a second chance by turning them into useful tote bags that are 90% recycled fabric.
The Women in Business event was introduced and chaired by Year 13 students Phebe Mason and Allegra Wilson. Their company, Period, aims to prevent period stigma by creating products that start discussion surrounding menstruation and protecting the environment by minimising plastic waste. It also gives to those in need by donating one package of period products for every item sold. The company, which was started in February 2020, also includes Kate Wellington and Sarah Young as directors. As part of their involvement in the Lion Foundation’s Young Enterprise Scheme last year, Allegra and Phebe picked up the bronze award and the Most Sustainable Business award for the Auckland Central region. Phebe was also recognised with the Auckland Central Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2020 prize-giving. They have big plans for 2021!
