Focus magazine issue 16 by focus Magazine

PUBLISHER Align Publishing (an n-Gon Group facet) EDITOR Dee Collins dee@focusmagazine.co.nz CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alex Spodyneiko ONLINE EDITOR Kseniia Spodyneiko kseniia@focusmagazine.co.nz SALES advertising@focusmagazine.co.nz COVER IMAGE Vanessa Laval-Glad Indigo Moon Films & Photography FEATURE WRITERS Millie Freeman Rebecca Tereu Kinsa Hays PRINTING Sanyati Print CONTACT DETAILS 62 10th Avenue Tauranga 3110 (n-Gon Group Head Office) P O Box 14004, Tauranga, 3143 Tel: (07) 578 6838 Mobile: 021 535 770 focusmagazine.co.nz facebook.com/focusmagazinenz DISTRIBUTION 5,000 free copies are delivered bi-monthly to high traffic areas such as high-end cafés and restaurants, hairdressers, fashion boutiques, waiting rooms and professional offices across BOP, Hamilton, Cambridge and surrounding areas. DIGITAL focus is available to view online and is supported by social media sites including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. focus is a free magazine (subscriptions are available) and is published six times a year by Align Publishing (a facet of the n-Gon Group). focus is subject to copyright in its entirety. All rights are reserved and reproduction in whole or in part, without the written consent of The Publisher (Align Publishing), is prohibited. Align Publishing and all its related companies and officers hereby disclaim, to the full extent permitted by law, all liability, damages, costs and expenses whatsoever arising from or in connection with information or other material in this magazine, any negligence of The Publisher, or any person’s actions in reliance thereon. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information contained within this magazine and inclusion of any copy must not be taken as an endorsement by The Publisher. Views expressed by contributors are personal views and they are not necessarily endorsed by The Publisher. Any dispute or complaint regarding placed advertisements must be made within seven days of publication. All material sent to focus (whether solicited or not) will not be returned unless otherwise agreed beforehand, and all rights, including copyright in such material will be assigned to Align Publishing upon receipt. The Publishers presume all letters and other material submitted to focus and related social media sites are intended for publication unless clearly labelled “not for publication”.

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Sharyn Butters, Kseniia Spodyneiko, Steve Chadwick, Dee Collins, Vanessa Laval-Glad

his edition of focus was so much fun to put together and, as always, I was blown away with the calibre and guts of so many women who are out there breaking barriers and doing such amazing things. Mayor of Rotorua, the Honourable Steve Chadwick is one such woman. From her early activist years to her 12-year political career, and now as Mayor, Steve has tirelessly and patiently campaigned for social change, and successfully led communities and the country through numerous crusades – in particular, the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003, which banned smoking in all workplaces, including pubs and restaurants. Why does she do it and how? We’re delighted to share her story. Lynne Herring, who races sidecars with her partner, and drag-racer Karen Hay are two incredibly gutsy women and, in my opinion, have nerves of steel. I couldn’t imagine ever trying either of these sports! We also meet Emma Cronin, a role model for environmental lable at focus are avai FREE copies of fice. our of e, Tauranga p, 62 Tenth Av ou Gr n Go nst) la s ck (while sto

sustainability; Vee Niederer who finds her artistic inspiration in ancient and contemporary architecture, and we briefly touch on business topics, such as Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and overcoming fear. Kseniia Spodyneiko and her husband travel The Forgotten Highway, which I’ve now put on my bucket list, and of course, there’s a fantastic selection of prizes on offer. To all the mums out there – we wish you a very Happy Mother’s Day for the 12th May. With gratitude

Dee

Editor & Founder dee@focusmagazine.co.nz

focus LIFESTY LE AND BUSINE ABOUT SS MA WOMEN . FOR WO GAZINE. MEN.

Bay of Plenty

and Waika to

ISSUE 16 APRIL MAY 201 9

FORGOT WORLD TEN HIGHW Scenic journ AY

through

ey the past

KAREN

HAY

Fastest woman in drag raci ng

F.E.A.R.

WIN

What wou if you kne ld you do you cou w ldn’t fail?

FANTASTIC PRIZES

MAYOR OF

Ste ve Ch adwic k ROTORU A

An activis t with pa tience

Take me home I’M FREE

Image: Vanessa Laval-Glad, Indigo Moon Films & Photography

focus

Editor’s Welco me

S K focus PIC

PICKS | focus

What we’re reading Words DEE COLLINS THE REVIVE CAFE COOKBOOK 7, JEREMY DIXON

THE GLOVEMAKER, ANN WEISGARBER

I love Jeremy Dixon’s cookbooks and have copies of most of them so I was delighted to receive his latest creation to review. Jeremy is the founder of Revive Cafes – healthy food havens found in Auckland – and the creator of frooze balls. His latest cookbook is totally plant-based/vegan and includes delicious recipes using fresh produce with virtually no processed sugars or flours. Many of the recipes are gluten free and there’s the added bonus of 13 vegan cheese recipes. The cookbook includes a good selection of recipes for salads, hotpots, main meals and sides, as well as a few sweet treats. The Cauli & Quinoa Balls with Masala Gravy and the Green Vege Cakes with Smoky Aioli are already a big hit in our home.

Winter, 1888. In the inhospitable lands of Utah Territory, glovemaker Deborah Tyler awaits her husband’s return home after months working as a wheelwright across the state. But as his due date comes and goes, Deborah faces a future alone. Deborah lives in a small settlement of families who don’t conform to all the rulings of the Latter Day Saints Church. When a desperate stranger – a devout Mormon who practises polygamy – arrives at her door in the middle of winter, her life is turned upside down. A federal marshal is in hot pursuit but when he is critically injured, Deborah and her husband’s best friend are faced with life and death decisions that question their faith, humanity and both of their futures. A great weekend read.

What we’re

LISTENing TO Many people don’t like to fail but, often, we need to fail to find success. Gimlet Media’s CEO, Alex Blumberg, is the host of Without Fail. He interviews people who have failed – people from business, sport and culture who have risked everything to try something

WITHOUT FAIL gimletmedia.com/without-fail new. He finds out what worked for them, what didn’t and what they learned from failure. In the first two podcasts Blumberg interviews Andrew Mason who founded Groupon and was then fired.

focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | CONTENTS

COVER STORY 14

STEVE CHADWICK The Mayor of Rotorua the Hon. Steve Chadwick is used to seeing the ‘big picture’ and works steadily and patiently towards making things happen

REGULARS 6

Out & About

What’s On?

Ask the experts Questions answered by our experts

Product Reviews Multifunctional makeup and skincare

Style Pages The boyfriend look

Recipes Get creative with limes and lemons

Creativity in the Bay Of Plenty It was a given that Vee Niederer would inherit the creative gene

Travel Kseniia and Alex explore the Forgotten World Highway

Competitions Four fabulous prizes on offer

The Last Page Five quick questions for Paula Lines from The Law Shop

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CONTENTS | focus

LIFE

Mother’s Day gift guide Treats for your mum!

Sidecar flyers Lynne Herring on the thrill of sidecar racing

Queen of speed Karen Hay – the fastest female drag racer in New Zealand

Influencer in action Dr Emma Cronin doesn’t see barriers – she just gets out and does what she has to

BUSINESS

Just Listen Listen. Decide. Do. Rebecca Tereu writes about the winds of change

F.E.A.R. What would you do if you weren’t afraid of failure?

NLP – your success in business! Neuro Linguistic Programming tips from business coach, Hayat Berkaoui

Business quotes Get inspired!

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focus | OUT & ABOUT

GEORGE BRYANT 5

had a double celebration at Daniels in the Park last month – the awarding of his QSM, and launch of three new booklets about the big questions of life: Why are we here?, What is the meaning of life? and Where are we going?

Images NIKKI SOUTH PHOTOGRAPHY 1. Jim and Laurelle Wallace, Joan and George Bryant, and James Clark 2. Gabrielle and Ronnie Miller 3. Ivan and Sue Scarfe 4. Gaynor and Brian Schiff 5. Geraldine Leenders, Danielle Lister, Chrissy Yang and Tiffany Clements 6. Mersius and Marnel van der Spuy 7. Stephen, Lyn and Peter Kerse

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OUT & ABOUT | focus

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BA5 NETWORKING FUNCTION Bay Venues hosted a Chamber of Commerce BA5 networking function at Trustpower Baypark where guests had the opportunity to watch stockcars practising for the New Zealand Championships. Images HELEN CHAPMAN PHOTOGRAPHY 1. Nico de Jong, Stan Gregec, Cheryle and Mike Everard, and Jeff Baker 2. Aroha Bates, Sarah and Philip Vaudrey, Kelly Cranstoun and Diana McIntyre 3. Hannah Goodhue and Wanita Wood 4. David Porter, Alan Neben and Sharon Giblett 5. Peter Marks and Annabel Beets 6. Renee Duncan and Tina Harris-Ririnui 7. Charles Peters, Maria and Philipp Wilkens, and Erica van der Meer

4 1 5

Background design by Creative_hat / Freepik

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focus | WHAT'S ON?

? N O S ' W H APRTIL/MAY A

Sun to surf half-marathon

SUN TO SURF HALF-MARATHON 6 April Whakatāne Heads, Whakatāne suntosurf.nz

57TH NATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 18-21 April Tauranga jazz.org.nz

TAURANGA HOME SHOW 3-5 May Trustpower Arena Baypark, Tauranga taurangahomeshow.co.nz

This idyllic half-marathon route runs from Whakatāne all the way to Ōhope, which was recently voted as New Zealand’s most loved beach. The twilight start makes this run even more picture-perfect! 10km and 5km routes are also available.

Celebrate Easter with jazz! For four fabulous days it will be heard all over Tauranga. Jazz sunset cruise, jazz high tea, jazz at Tauranga airport, performances by Hollie Smith, Allana Goldsmith and other legends – which ones will you choose?

This year the Tauranga Home Show is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the biggest expo so far. Spread across two halls, with over 275 exhibitors, there will be a live cooking theatre, as well as exclusive show specials and giveaways.

GOD OF CARNAGE 5-13 April The Meteor, Hamilton themeteor.co.nz

CATS – THE MUSICAL 30 April-1 May Baycourt Community and Arts Centre, Tauranga ticketek.co.nz

ROTORUA MARATHON 4 May Energy Events Centre, Rotorua rotoruamarathon.co.nz

You might have seen the movie starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet. It was actually based on a Tony-awarded Broadway play. And now you can see Hamilton’s finest and feistiest performers playing it right here, in New Zealand.

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One of the world’s most loved musicals is touring New Zealand. Broadway’s iconic show tells the story of a tribe of cats that have to decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn.

Will you accept the challenge to run a lap around the beautiful Lake Rotorua? Shorter distances include a halfmarathon through Redwoods forest, as well as 10km and 5km options.

WHAT'S ON? | focus

2019 Craigs Investment Partners and Cooney Lees Morgan Regional Business Women’s Conference

Rotorua Marathon

THE GREAT NZ FOOD SHOW 4-5 May Claudelands, Hamilton greatnzfoodshow.co.nz The best in food, wines and innovative kitchen products. Discover a world of deliciousness through cooking classes, a cooking theatre and beautiful dining settings created by well-known Waikato designers.

Waste-Free Living Workshop

The Great NZ Food Show

Tauranga Home Show

2019 CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS AND COONEY LEES MORGAN REGIONAL BUSINESS WOMEN’S CONFERENCE 17-18 May Trinity Wharf, Tauranga bwn.org.nz The biennial conference, celebrating women in business, is back! This year’s theme is Forging Your Own Path, with a focus on showcasing speakers whose pathway to success has involved

WASTE-FREE LIVING WORKSHOP 24 May Omokoroa Community Church, Omokoroa katemeads.co.nz Kate Meads travels the country delivering waste minimisation seminars. Take control of your household’s impact on our future! Your $28.62 entry fee includes a free pack of waste minimising goodies.

bucking trends and defying stereotypes. focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | SOCIAL

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focus | GIFTS

Mother’s Day

GIFT GUIDE

Treat the best mamas you know with these cool little ‘thank yous’.

Gin and Tonic Chocolate Bonbons HONEST CHOCOLAT $17.00 Roses Candle DIPTYQUE Available at Mecca Maxima $97.00

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This pint-sized Bluetooth speaker would make a great companion for mum. Nine pretty colours to choose from. Because it’s waterproof, there’s no risk of accidentally drowning it in the kitchen sink!

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Ceramic Utensil Holder JS CERAMICS Available at Paper Plane $49.00

This necklace has sand from Piha beach embedded into the sterling silver. Want to make your gift extra special and to preserve memories of a holiday spent with your mum? Timmy Smith can use sand from any beach in her jewellery!

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Connective Kina Necklace TIMMY JEWELLERY $195.00

GIFTS | focus

Stem Cellular Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment JUICE BEAUTY Available at Mecca Maxima $79.00

A new launch to Mecca Maxima, Juice Beauty is a Californian brand of organic skincare products backed by powerful science.

Leaf Supply LAUREN CAMILLERI $49.00

Sterling Silver Rose Swarovski Drop Earrings STEWART DAWSONS $89.00

I Love You Mom Socks Gift Box HAPPY SOCKS $55.00

Zodiak Notebook AN ORGANISED LIFE Available at Paper Plane $18.00 focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | COVER STORY

Steve Chadwick crusader for change

Words: Millie Freeman Images: Vanessa Laval-Glad, Indigo Moon Films & Photography Hair & makeup: Sharyn Butters Hair and Makeup Artist 14 | focusmagazine.co.nz

COVER STORY | focus

Mayor of Rotorua the Hon. Steve Chadwick is an activist with patience. She’s used to seeing the ‘big picture’, campaigning for change, and then working steadily and patiently towards making it happen.

erhaps always two steps ahead of her time, Steve – Stephanie is her given name, but she’s been ‘Steve’ from an early age – has never been afraid to stand up and fight for social change when she sees a better way forward. Even as a school girl in Hastings she was ‘outing’ old-fashioned norms, though likely with less patience back then. Why? “Because it’s the right thing to do,” she says, and this has always been her driving force. At primary school she ran a successful petition to get rid of “stupid” berets, and at Karamu High School she continued her crusade against social injustice and fighting for what she wanted – this time collaborating with fellow students, David Butcher (former Labour MP) and (the late Sir) Paul Holmes to form “a political arm” in the school to put their arguments to the Board. “I could always see the bigger picture and was always challenging the school, getting everyone involved and driving the principal crazy. We campaigned for a seniors’

common room, and felt the choir could be more funky so we got our own tutors.”

SHAPING HER FUTURE Despite causing a few grey hairs for staff, Steve was marked for leadership early on and became head prefect in her final year. But impatience got the better of her as the bigger picture beckoned. Her boyfriend, and later, husband – the late John Te Manihera Chadwick, NZOM – had started law school in Wellington and Steve was miserable, so she left school a few months into the year and moved south to join him. Initially she lived at the nurses’ residence at Hutt Hospital where she had begun her nursing training, but in her second year, in 1968, she challenged the board for an exemption to get married (unheard of for a student nurse in those days!) which it eventually accepted. The activism didn’t stop there. She petitioned to get rid of nursing

As Minister of Conservation on Mitre Peak, Queenstown

At her desk as Minister of Conservation, Minister of Women’s Affairs, Associate Minister of Health

In Argentina as the NZ Whaling Commissioner on a rally to Stop Whaling Internationally focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | COVER STORY

caps, and won, and lobbied for longer breaks, inevitably becoming the Nurses Organisation representative. As a teenager she learnt that one of the most important things in creating social change is to share your vision and gather support around you, and she continues to operate that way today. “It doesn’t matter what the issue is that presses your button; find the others who also enjoy that space and develop an approach. Never do it alone; build a group around you, widen the vision and bring people on board.” Staying faithful to the bigger picture certainly worked out well for Steve, even though her impulsive teenage decision to follow her dreams shocked her parents and the school at the time. She and John stayed together, “madly in love”, and enjoyed a very long and happy marriage together, with three children – two sons who live in Rotorua, and a daughter in Auckland – and now eight grandchildren.

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She also completed her nursing training and went on to do post-graduate qualifications in midwifery to advance professionally – always with a big picture eye on future leadership roles. As freedom of expression and activism gathered more energy during the 60s, living in Wellington paved the way for Steve’s interest in politics to really take off in earnest, predominantly with her involvement in the anti-apartheid movement. But by the early 70s, an OE beckoned, and with a new baby now in tow, Steve and John headed to London, once again to the chagrin of her parents. A sixweek stopover in Papua New Guinea to stay with her sister turned into 12 months, with Steve wasting no time in setting up a birthing unit for women in Lae, the second largest city, and upskilling the birthing attendants. In 2002, she returned to Lae as leader of a parliamentary group, and, seeing the unit in a state of disrepair, donned her activist hat once again to get it rebuilt.

CREATING COMMUNITY CHANGE Campaigning for social change continued upon the family’s return to New Zealand in 1975. In Rotorua Steve held management positions at the former Lakeland DHB and established the first family planning clinic in Rotorua. She was also involved in setting up the first Women’s refuge

in Rotorua and the Rotorua School for Young Parents. She entered parliament in 1999 as the Labour MP for Rotorua and over the course of the next 12 years spearheaded a number of high profile legislative changes as Minister of Conservation, Minister of Women’s Affairs and Associate Minister of Health. Dedicated youth health funding into all DHBs and newborn hearing screening were some of her major achievements, and she is also proud of the work done around sexual health, HIV and AIDS, and youth services for contraception. However, the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act 2003 is perhaps what she is most wellknown for. Despite being one of the most challenging things she has taken on – incurring vindictive letters and death threats – it is among one of her proudest legacies; that and securing $72 million in funding for the clean-up of Rotorua lakes. “As a health practitioner I could approach it from a pragmatic angle because I had seen the effects of smoking and second hand smoke on babies. We had the empirical evidence and knew it was the right thing to do at that moment. But you have to bring the community with you or you’ll never get something through and the moment is lost. “Now of course the country asks, ‘what’s the next step?’ and it’s good to see the current government picking up the smoking in cars issue. At the time, however, it was an incredibly long journey; I had death threats and absolute hatred expressed. It didn’t scare me because I knew I was doing the right thing but I was advised to stop walking to work at parliament. We know that societal change is slow; there’s always going to be a period of antagonism and that’s a good thing.” Sometimes, as Steve found out with her abortion law reform bill, society is just not ready for change. She firmly believed abortion was a woman’s choice and should sit in the health act, not the crimes act but was not allowed to put it into the ballot on advice that it would not be supported by the public. It’s the community that tells you when the time is right, she says.

COVER STORY | focus

focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | COVER STORY

TREASURING THE PEOPLE Steve sensed the time was right for her to campaign for the 2013 mayoralty, even though she hadn’t been planning a return to politics and public life. She saw an opportunity for Rotorua to reinvent itself and worked with the community and business leaders on a plan based on sustainable growth (care for the environment balanced with economics) and treasuring the people. That big picture plan is called Vision 2030 – The Rotorua Way, and with the backing of the community, the city is quietly driving change and making Rotorua “a place for everyone”. Now, population and economic

On New Chum beach (Coromandel) – Working to Save New Chum growth have had a dramatic turnaround, with the local economy consistently performing above the national average. The inner city has a lively vibe, and innovation, opportunity, enterprise and diversity are celebrated. “One of the strands of our Vision 2030 is growing community resilience, not just economic success,” she says. “That’s been my whole value system, still is, and will never change. I hate inequality so I want to find ways to give others hope and opportunity – that’s what we’re trying to inspire in this community. “It’s social change, and will take time, but it’s exciting to see things starting to happen at grass roots level, like the volunteers who work every day at the community gardens. By connecting people back with the land, growing food and feeding the people, you’re going to make a profound difference in a community’s resilience.” Central to Vision 2030 is the Council’s formal partnership with Te Arawa – formed in 2015 – which has strengthened the true meaning of biculturalism in the city. Even though it was seen as radical at the time, Steve says she knew absolutely it was the right thing to do. “It’s been said that leadership is not a popularity contest, it’s about doing the right thing, and following through your principles. I had lived with biculturalism, so to me the question

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COVER STORY | focus

was how do you make it happen at a council table? We used to have an advisory board that sat in another room; well we changed that into a true governance entity, Te Tatau o Te Arawa. They now sit at the Council table and really strengthen and change our views, and we’re working on some wonderful initiatives together. “Change doesn’t happen in a vacuum, it happens with a plan and that plan needs leadership to implement. I came in to Council to implement that vision and I’ll know when to go.” So, she’ll be standing again? “Oh yes, we’ve got to nail the things we’ve started – getting the funding for the museum restoration, finishing the lakefront development, the Whakarewarewa forest plan, upgrading Kuirau Park and more things I’ll announce when I launch the campaign. There’s a massive workload and I still love the work, but I will know when to stop. “I love Rotorua. It’s been particularly generous to us. My husband was Ngāti Kahungunu, Tūwharetoa, so when we moved here it was very deliberate to raise our children to be bicultural and Te Arawa has been very embracing to both of us. When he died 18 months ago, I learnt the generosity and kindness of this city – why would you ever leave this connectedness with the place and the people?” 

Don't miss the behind the scenes video on focusmagazine.co.nz/steve

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LIFE

22 LYNNE HERRING

SIDECAR FLYER

24 KAREN HAY

QUEEN OF SPEED

38 FORGOTTEN WORLD HIGHWAY SCENIC JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAST

Plus STYLE PAGES, RECIPES ... AND MORE

focus | BREAKING BARRIERS

FLYERS For someone used to monitoring and mitigating risk for a living, the idea of hanging off a sidecar as it tears around a racetrack is bound to raise a few red flags. Words MILLIE FREEMAN

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Images SUPPLIED

BREAKING BARRIERS | focus

uring the week, Lynne Herring is Health and Safety Advisor for Western Bay of Plenty District Council. Come racing weekends however, risk takes on a whole new meaning, as grit and mettle leave care and caution in the pits. To the uninformed, sidecar racing is a motorsport where two people – a rider and a passenger on the side – go as fast as possible around a track, or street circuit. Negotiating corners is the tricky part and that’s where the passenger, or ‘swinger’, becomes invaluable. Lynne’s job is to swing from side to side to distribute her weight as the sidecar rider – partner Darren Pate – takes a corner. A right corner means standing up over the rear wheel; a left, leaning out horizontally mere centimetres from the ground. There are handles, of course, but a wrong move at the wrong time is likely to spell disaster – not much fun at speeds of up to 70km/h around corners and 170km/h on the straight.

FROM SPECTATOR TO SWINGER When Lynne, 56, met Darren 15 years ago, she quickly realised she would have to enjoy riding pillion because he owned four motorbikes. Luckily she did and loved the speed, as long as someone else was driving; she never had any interest in riding a bike herself. She would go to events and support Darren racing a modern sidecar with a friend but wasn’t particularly interested in the whole racing scene. In 2015 some women swingers encouraged her to have a go. Three days later Lynne and Darren had bought their own sidecar, a classic (slower than a modern), and she was committed. Facing her fears however was another thing entirely. “I was really nervous and scared the first time we raced,” says Lynne. “Darren said he would take it easy round the track, but he went ballistic. I was so scared I couldn’t move and was screaming at him in my helmet to slow down but he couldn’t hear me. I just hung on.” Lynne was grateful for the support and encouragement from other women swingers as she learnt the ropes, and says the close-knit group of racers look after each other. “I would talk to the other women if I was struggling with something physical or emotional. It’s a dangerous sport, so I’d be stupid not to. “Even now, though, the adrenaline kicks in before a race. I start to feel a bit dizzy and lightheaded and I know it’s my body getting ready to go out and do something dangerous. As we do our warm-up lap, I tell myself, ‘This shit’s getting real’, and then we’re off. All of that nervousness and all the ‘what ifs’ just go and I’m focused on the job I have to do.”

THRILLS AND SPILLS A year after that first shaky start, Lynne and Darren were back at Hampton Downs to enjoy their first win. For Lynne it was also her first ever medal in the sporting arena, yet despite

feeling exuberant by their success, Lynne admits she didn’t love the thrill of racing initially. Last year however they moved up a gear, as confidence, skills and speed improved. Battling against other competitors during the five minute races is now all part of the thrill and she loves it. “When I’m leaning out over the track it’s like the sensation of flying, and battling with other sidecars just inches away from you is really exciting. As soon as the race ends we jump out and talk with the other competitors about what happened; it’s awesome.” Last year Lynne and Darren also made some significant life changes – fitness programmes and healthier eating meant they lost a combined 37 kgs of weight between them, making a huge difference to the speed of their sidecar. Improved core strength also helped Lynne’s agility as a swinger – lurching from left to right in a heartbeat certainly requires a level of fitness, but as she was soon to discover, using your head is even more important. “As a learner you’re fighting against the bike because your timing is out, but as you get more confident, you learn what the bike and your rider are going to do. So if I’m doing my job correctly, the bike throws me where I need to be and I use less strength. I still feel exhausted after a race but a lot of that is the adrenaline, because it’s pretty full on.” And yes, things do go wrong sometimes, despite good planning and intentions. In 2017 Lynne was lucky to walk away unscathed after she was flung from the sidecar and thrust down the track. “It was a wet day and we were trying out a modern sidecar which is faster and wider and a completely different set-up to the classic so I was having trouble getting over. Darren went slow on the first qualifying lap, then took off. I missed the handgrip on a corner and went for a slide. My helmet was damaged but luckily I had no injuries.” Hmmm, men and their toys! I wonder whether there are a few post-race domestics back in the pits? “Not arguments,” says Lynne, “but discussions, especially in early days when I was learning because it was about racing to our ability, not his ability. He had to slowly bring me up to speed, literally, rather than scare the pants off me. “And I think because it’s so challenging it automatically brings us closer together. We have to trust each other; if one of us stuffs up it’s going to put us in a compromising position. When I was a spectator I didn’t really enjoy it, but now it’s so exhilarating when we finish a race, and if we win a trophy we know we both worked hard for it.”  focusmagazine.co.nz

Image by Colin Smith, Bay of Plenty Times

focus | BREAKING BARRIERS

Karen Hay QUEEN OF SPEED The fastest female driver in New Zealand’s history and the first woman to power into the Kiwi elite 5-second club, Karen Hay breaks all possible barriers in drag racing. focus sat down with this queen of speed to talk cars and the advantages of being a woman in a male-dominated sport. Words KSENIIA SPODYNEIKO Where does this passion for chasing new records come from? I think I got it from my dad. He used to compete in jetboating. His goal was to become the first person to get all six jetboating class records. And he did that! When I started to compete in drag racing, I wanted to do the same. I wanted to break records! In 2010, a friend of mine imported a 1927 Ford Roadster from the United States. Gorgeous but not really a quick

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Images SUPPLIED

car – its best result was more than 9 seconds over the quarter-mile. Typical Kiwis, we tried to make it go faster and faster. I’m lucky that my dad is such a great mechanic! In 2014, I crossed the finish line at 6.61 seconds and became the fastest female driver in New Zealand’s history. Last year Russell Christoffersen offered me to pilot his dragster at Meremere Dragway and I nailed a 5.993 sec run and became the first woman in the country to ever finish in the ‘fives’.

Your dad is obviously a big part of your career. You used to be in his team when he was racing, now he helps you. What was the best lesson you learnt from him? When I was new to racing I was really worried that because I lacked experience I might harm the car or would get into an accident and completely destroy it. Dad said, ‘They wouldn’t give you the right to drive it if they didn’t believe in you.’ That was really cool to hear!

BREAKING BARRIERS | focus

Wise words from dad are sometimes all you need to win, right? Mentally it helps a lot but technically this sport is so demanding. I had my licence but still had a lot to learn and made quite a few mistakes before mastering my skills. For example, at my first race in Tokoroa, I over-powered the track and ended up on two wheels. I thought the car would roll! I guess I just had a bit of a ‘male mentality’ back then. What do you mean? Well, what most guys want to do on the track is beat someone else – especially when there’s a girl in the next car. As a result, they put too much pressure on themselves and can, for example, jump the gun at the start and get disqualified. That’s it, I won the race before it’s even started! I was a bit like that at the beginning.

“

I love beating guys, it’s exhilarating. But I also love beating myself, my own challenges.

Are there other benefits to being a woman in this male-dominated sport? The reason we do so well is because we’re great listeners. I listen to my crew, I listen to the car, I then go back to my dad and share what I’ve heard. It helps to improve the final results a lot! I don’t think men really like to be advised. It’s really surprising to see the ‘I don’t want to lose to a girl’ type of thinking in drag racing, when it’s the only racing category where women were competing side by side with men

right from the start. You’re right, drag racing never had separate competitions for women but it’s still men who were winning the races, constructing the cars and ruling the teams. Even when I had just started, there were no more than three women on the track. And no one really believed in us. I was told that I would never run a car past the men! But things are getting better. I do have a lot of respect now and people are no longer questioning a woman’s ability to win. More and more girls are coming into this sport as well. I’ve seen a lot of amazing junior female drag racers aged 8-16 and they are doing really great. How do you train for races? We don’t really train. We train and test car updates on race day. That’s the hardest thing about our sport – you never know if your mechanical improvements are for better or worse. But you probably have your own ritual for getting race ready? I just try to stay focused. In the pits, there are always lots of people trying to chat to you, but my crew know I need time on my own at this stage and they’re really good at keeping people away. I put on my fire suit and once I’m in the car, I’m in my world; I know exactly what to do. There is a lot to think about in those 5-6 seconds on the track!

‘After I ran that 5-second record, my dad had a tear in his eye and gave me a hug. He never shows emotion; obviously that was a special moment for both of us.’

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focus | BREAKING BARRIERS

Can you break down those seconds for us? At first, you need to get the burnout right (*spinning car wheels to heat them up – Ed.). If you don’t warm up your tyres they won’t stick to the track properly. I’m known for my burnouts; learned them from my father! Then you need to react as quickly as possible to the track lights at the start. After that it all comes down to keeping an eye on a gauge and feeling the time. It’s not that easy to go straight! You need to hold onto your steering wheel like crazy. And finally, you have to remember to open your parachute in time, otherwise you’ll have problems stopping.

Have you ever thought about trying a different type of racing? I would love to have a go! I love adrenalin, but after racing in straight lines, I’m not even sure I could go around the corners! Still, I’d be keen to drive a saloon car at Baypark one day. 

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Image by Colin Smith, Bay of Plenty Times

OK, you’re already the fastest female driver in New Zealand and the first woman to drive within the five-second zone. What’s next? If I’m lucky to have another run in Russell Christoffersen’s dragster, I want to go even quicker. The goal is to reach the 5.7 sec mark. In the meantime, I will just keep on racing in my own Evil II Roadster.

BREAKING BARRIERS | focus

ALL-FEMALE LEGAL TEAM that understands your needs Women who work in legal professions deal with all sorts of challenges, from low retention rates to under-representation in leadership roles, not to mention bias. But that’s not the case at The Law Shop. With offices in Tauranga and Rotorua, this is a law firm comprising all women, and the work environment they have created together is nothing but positive.

t wasn’t a deliberate move from director Paula Lines, who took over the then Rotorua-based legal firm in September 2008. There was no plan to keep it women only; it just happened. Since then, two other directors have come on board, Stephanie Northey and Sarsha Tyrrell. With their teams, they work on a full range of property, business, personal, and family law matters. “The three of us are equal partners and, professionally, we

complement each other perfectly. “People often ask if it’s hard to work with only women, but it’s not at all – everyone in our frim gets on really well and genuinely likes each other. The firm was originally managed by two men and we’ve had a couple of male lawyers work with us in the past, but now we’re back to being all female again.” The Law Shop’s key point of difference is bringing a holistic approach to legal matters, without talking jargon. Every situation is different, so the team listens carefully to the person behind the issues; they ask lots of questions, and then look at what it is they need. “For us, it’s important to offer people personable advice. We take their whole life situation into account. Our culture is down to earth, informal, no-nonsense and friendly. The team genuinely cares about our clients, and we provide timely and accurate legal advice at a fair price,” Stephanie says. The Law Shop has an ongoing focus on clear and open communications, and they work with businesses, families and individuals, from youth to retirees. Feel free to visit www.thelawshop.co.nz or contact them to discover their way of working and how they can help you. 

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focus | BREAKING BARRIERS

EMMA CRONIN influencer in action She’s an adventurer with the stickability to do four years’ work achieving a PhD in the obscure subject of ‘Respiration in Giant Cuttlefish Eggs’, Sepia apama, the one that changes colour, all the time wondering whether this topic was likely to get her exciting jobs in amazing places. Words KINSA HAYS Images SUPPLIED A couple of jobs later she was in the furthest place from the sea in New Zealand – Turangi, in the central North Island. “I went from marine molluscs to monitoring terrestrial molluscs,” she grins. I imagine that looking for land snails (Powelliphanta spp. the giant flesh-eating sort) in a beech forest must be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. “I worked with volunteers,” Emma continues. “There was only helicopter access. We camped out in the bush. Sometimes we were searching in the snow. Being out there was amazing.” I understood – alone amongst that silent expanse of trees, it’s like looking at a starlit sky, feeling your size and vulnerability. Working in bush or marine places

The Boffa Miskell Tauranga team left their desks and computers behind, and headed out to spend the day getting hands-on in the forest

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Scott using the drone technology; Emma readying herself to do a bait trail

and meeting amazing people is another part of her life that Emma enjoys. Volunteering in a survey on Great Barrier Island monitoring a seabird species (the black petrel, Procellaria parkinsoni, Taiko), led her to break some barriers in Peru, South America. Hard to see the connection, isn’t it? The backstory: Emma realised just how endangered the black petrel was. The bird is a slow breeder and its habit of following fishing boats and taking bait exacerbates the problem. It is likely to become extinct within 30 years. She isn’t having that! Emma can be stubborn. If she wants something, she does everything in her power to make it happen, she says. She decided she was going to advocate for

The notice board with information for volunteers. Emma is pointing to the mapped trails

Background design by Freepik

rom the degree gained in Adelaide, and preferring practical stuff to theoretical work, the first serendipitous job appeared. A mining development company required an environmental impact statement as it was considering the development of a desalination plant in an area that happened to be a major breeding location of the giant cuttlefish. What Emma likes best is to get people involved in something in the environment. They develop awareness and the realisation there’s work to be done, then take ownership; a long process for some. She’s an influencer, an advocate, someone who speaks for something that has no voice. Her skills are transferable.

BREAKING BARRIERS | focus

the black petrel. The bird is migratory. It breeds in summer on Great and Little Barrier Islands in the Hauraki Gulf, flies across the Pacific Ocean and overwinters in Peru, along the coast of South America. She’d go there and tackle the problem from both ends. She’d raise awareness of the black petrel in Lima and the fishing community, go into schools and educate the children (and teachers). She learnt some Spanish (inadequate as it turned out), applied for a Churchill Fellowship* and got it. “I worked in close liaison with Pro Delphinus, a not-for-profit group in Lima that is committed to the conservation of threatened and endangered marine fauna. They were fundamental in making the work in Peru happen. Without their input I couldn’t have done it.” Collating some resources and ideas, off she went! People were amazed at her willingness to spend time and money coming all that way out of concern for a bird. They were most receptive, and with the help of Pro Delphinus, Emma travelled north along the dry barren coast, spreading word of the plight of the black petrel in remote places and fishing villages where no tourist set foot. This trip won Emma her next job in the playground of the Hauraki Gulf. Imagine it: islands, sparkling waters, dolphins, boats and birds. She got a contract with Forest and Bird doing seabird advocacy work, connecting with the fishing community and wider public for awareness to reduce the impact of fishing-related activities on seabirds. She worked with groups from other cultures, such as the Chinese Conservation Education Trust, to raise awareness of seabirds within their communities. “Good fishermen know a lot about seabirds and do the right thing,” says Emma. “It’s when people who don’t know a lot get annoyed with the birds that incidents can happen.” I met Emma up in the local bush. I’m a volunteer with the Aongatete Forest Restoration Trust. This Trust was set up

to ‘Bring Back the Birds in the forest’. Emma is Project Manager. “The degree of responsibility on volunteers was too much,” she told me. “The Trust got some funding and I got the job to help manage the project and take the pressure off the volunteers.” Over the 12 months she’s been there, I’ve watched the system become streamlined; with plenty of maps and volunteers, baiting days run smoothly and mostly stress-free. There’s a Volunteers Wednesday once a fortnight. In February Emma had Boffa Miskell, an environmental planning and design company, help complete the baiting job begun by the Saturday volunteers. Emma would have been in her element: exposing people to the forest and letting them experience the phenomenal amount of work that goes into pest control, of which 99% is voluntary. “Some really keen people are involved with care groups, but they get bogged down with details they didn’t want,” she says. “It’s like running a business without paying anyone.” The Aongatete forest is located at the top of Wright Road, Aongatete, 10km before Katikati. Easily accessible, it’s a playground in our own backyard, suitable for families, and has a good swimming hole as a bonus. “You can connect with nature for free or go shopping at the mall and spend money,” Emma comments. “If you’re interested, we’re always delighted to have new volunteers. The tracks are for all levels of fitness and there are jobs for all capabilities, from minding the kohanga (hut) to admin to walking the harder bait lines.” Emma doesn’t see that using a hammer or emptying possums from traps is a barrier but acknowledges that some women wouldn’t care to do it. “Women tend to be less confident outdoors,” she comments. “My experience is that there is role division, with women more likely to look after the kids, and so become better at those tasks and not at, for example, using a hammer.” She’d like to see herself as a role model. “I believe people ought

*Churchill Fellowship: a once-in-a-lifetime grant ‘Helping people to travel overseas to learn from others and study topics that will advance their occupation, trade, industry, profession or community and benefit New Zealand’. (Wikipedia)

to do whatever they want and not be constrained by the expectations of society, though I do have barriers,” she grins. “I’m hopeless at curling my hair or putting on makeup.” Married to Scott Sambell for 14 years, they have an 11-year-old daughter Pippa. Their company, Ethos Environmental, recently won two national awards for Scott’s environmental successes developing and applying geospatial technology to the conservation industry. “Behind every good man is a good woman,” we agree. Scott’s work makes the concept of a Predator-free New Zealand by 2050 quite possible. Neither have 9-5 jobs and are away a lot so they must juggle family commitments. “Pippa has had to become quite used to entertaining herself, but she is often engaged with what we are doing,” says Emma. Indeed, I watched Pippa and her father work a drone, mapping the hillside on which the kohanga is situated to create an experimental 3-D image. Emma has a wardrobe of other hats she swaps around: volunteer Chair for Glenfern Sanctuary on Great Barrier Island; mother; volunteer with Pippa’s school for environmental groups; flipperball coach; mountain bike rider; and has recently joined a waka ama team. Dr. Emma Cronin, PhD, Churchill Fellow, doesn’t even see barriers – she just gets out and does it. 

Kinsa Hays writes children’s stories, advocates for birds and the environment, meets interesting people and interviews them, and has had her poetry and fiction published. She also paints. Find her at kinsahays.com focusmagazine.co.nz

ASK THE EXPERTS

focus | ASK THE EXPERTS

HOW DOES BELKYRA™ WORK AND HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS LAST?

DR ANUYA DESHPANDE doctoranuya.nz Porcelain Skin, Papamoa 07 542 4505 Tauranga Specialist Centre 07 541 5548

WHAT CAN I DO TO LOSE WEIGHT? Many of our customers say they have tried everything but nothing seems to work. The truth is that a solution for one person doesn’t necessarily work for someone else. A hormonal imbalance, with symptoms such as PMS, water retention, painful or irregular periods, can be responsible for excess weight and should be addressed along with a realistic weight-loss programme. Supplements for appetite control and cravings, plus meal replacement smoothies can kick-start weight loss but, ultimately, establishing healthy food habits, being physically active and setting realistic goals are the only way to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. And then we have menopause. Hormonal fluctuations – both elevated and low levels of estrogen – can lead to increased fat storage, and elevated cortisol, from stress, is associated with increased abdominal fat. Too little sleep can result in lower levels of leptin (the fullness hormone)

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which can also lead to weight gain. Our staff are available for consultations to discuss hormonal issues and we will recommend a programme to relieve symptoms. Supplements to assist with cravings, sleep issues and stress will also be discussed, as well as meal timing and meal sizes, which are factors with weight loss and subsequent maintenance. Lastly, an exercise programme, even a daily walk along the beach, is recommended. There is a solution, but it’s not a quick fix. It has to be a programme you can stick to. You can do it! 

LINDA MACNAMARA plumorganics.co.nz Plum Organics Papamoa

Belkyra™ is a prescription-only injectable treatment to reduce ‘submental fullness’, or ‘double chin’. This is frequently exercise-resistant fat which stubbornly remains, even as we sweat at the gym and persevere with diets. The active ingredient in Belkyra™ is a synthesised deoxycholic acid – a naturally occurring bile salt that breaks down dietary fat in our digestive system. A doctor trained in its use can assess if a patient is suitable for Belkyra™. If appropriate, it is injected into the area, usually under local anaesthetic. Fat cells around the injection site then break down over the next six to eight weeks. Approximately 20-25 per cent reduction in fat volume is expected with each treatment. Treatments take 15-20 mins, and patients can return to work straight away, although some swelling is expected in the first week. For best results, two to four treatments may be required four to six weeks apart. Once an individual’s course is completed, retreatment is not expected for at least four years. With so many people asking about options to fix double chins, Belkyra™ is an exciting new tool to balance facial features and help patients look and feel better about themselves, non-surgically and with minimal downtime.

BEAUTY | focus

Multipurpose

BEAUTY PRODUCTS These one-stop makeup or skincare products will save you time, money and space in your purse.

Background design by rawpixel.com / Freepik

ORIGINAL BALM, BEEKAWA $10.80

HAYFEVER & SINUS REMEDY SPRITZER, ORA AROMATHERAPY $35.90

From treating eczema to healing burns, Beekawa balm does wonders for your skin. But its long list of abilities isn’t limited to emergencies. Created from natural ingredients, hand-picked by the founder of the brand, it can also be used to gently remove makeup and is an amazing skin moisturiser.

Besides being effective for natural hayfever relief, this product is also great for spraying on to linen to give it a lovely aroma. The oils in this spritzer are reported to improve brain function, ease headaches and are antiinflammatory – the perfect bottle to keep on your bedside table and in your office drawer.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC LIP & CHEEK CREAM, INIKA $44.00

FLAWLESS LIP & CHEEK CREAM, DESIGNER BRANDS $17.99

This silky-soft cream is perfect for both cheeks and lips and is ideal for everyday use! Although the product looks quite shimmery and intense in the packaging, the result is a subtle touch of colour that gives a very delicate healthy glow to the skin. The cream is infused with hydrating almond oil and Vitamin E.

This 2-in-1 cream in a tube has a soft texture that makes it extremely convenient to apply. But our highest accolades go to its blending abilities. This product can be blended into the skin equally well with fingers, brush or sponge. Easy as!

CUCUMBER + LETTUCE JUICE TONER, OKANA $14.99 We used Okana’s best-seller throughout summer – primarily to refresh and hydrate our skin – but autumn has opened up lots of other ways to use this product. It’s a perfect primer to apply under foundation or as a finishing step after your evening cleanse – a great moisturiser, as well as controlling acne and balancing the pH of the skin. focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | STYLE

The Boyfriend Look

Lanu Blouse TWENTY-SEVEN NAMES $370.00

Just like women are succeeding in male-driven industries, we’re smashing it with the ‘boyfriend style’. Be it oversized T-shirts with baggy jeans or tailored suits, we know how to look fab in typically male outfits.

Pleat Suit Pants WITCHERY $169.90

Glasses I LOVE UGLY X BAILEY NELSON $295.00

Longline Blazer WITCHERY $299.90

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Tiger Sneakers ASICS

STYLE | focus Magic Tee LEO+BE

The Force LE SPECS $69.00

Erin Pants TWENTY-SEVEN NAMES $295.00

Heidi Hi-Top KATHRYN WILSON $369.00

Sterling Silver Onyx Oval Gents Ring PASCOES $199.00

Classic Shirt KOWTOW $179.00

Skagen Gents Watch STEWART DAWSONS $275.00

Chocolat Slip Knot Hoodie MAGAZINE CLOTHING Noah Leather Derby WITCHERY $179.90 focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | RECIPES

Lemons and limes provide so much versatility. in recipes. Loaded with healthy antioxidants. and vitamin C they lift familiar flavours to a. whole new level. Give these zingy recipes. a go and lift the humble lemon and lime to. something more than a decorative sideline.

Lemon Bliss Balls • 2¼ cups sugar-free desiccated coconut • 4 Tbsp Lemon Fresh lemon juice • 2 Tbsp coconut cream, chilled • 2 Tbsp coconut water • 3 Tbsp honey

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Method:

• Line a tray with baking paper and set aside. • Add all ingredients to a food processer and process on high until well combined. • Roll mixture into small round balls (approx. 1 Tbsp each) and place on the prepared baking tray. • Set in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

Images by @wholesomepatisserie

Ingredients:

RECIPES | focus

Lemon Fresh was created in 2008 in Kerikeri, the citrus capital of New Zealand. 100% squeezed juice in a convenient pack. One pouch contains the juice of 5 lemons or 10 limes.

Moscow Mule Ingredients:

• 30ml Smirnoff vodka • Mac’s ginger beer • 2 Tbsp Lemon Fresh lime juice

Method:

• Add vodka and top your glass up with ice. • Add Lemon Fresh lime juice and top up with ginger beer. • Enjoy!

focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | CREATIVITY

y in t i v i t a e ty r n e l C P f the Bay o

VEE NIEDERER With a father who loved European history and could play instruments by ear and a mother who had a flair for cooking, gardening, sculpture and sewing, it was a given that Vee Niederer and her siblings would inherit the creative gene. 36 | focusmagazine.co.nz

CREATIVITY | focus

er father was also a skilled and self-taught draftsperson and his talent intrigued Vee as a child. She watched as he transformed waste land near Whakatāne into family housing. As a high school exchange student Vee spent a year living near New York City in 1970. The Humanity Class proved enriching, and frequent visits to the Big Apple exposed Vee to different creative influences in the city. She started painting in 1992, and although busy in a business with her husband, she found time to travel to Europe to do art courses. A trip to Italy in 1996 was life changing – she fell in love with the slumbering sonorous beauty as part of daily life, the cadence of the language, and the careful conservation of living space. She was also inspired by the architecture, both ancient and modern, and studied the construction and longevity of buildings and whether things needed to be repaired or not. She found that making art was a way to share these reactions. Experimental work with heavy 300gsm watercolour paper directed Vee’s ‘buildings’ to become more tactile within her paintings. She found she

could rip paper to roughen column edges and stitch parts of her ‘paper’ buildings with copper wire to ‘repair’ them. Vee would visit the local auto electricians and glass companies to procure wire, shattered windscreen glass and pieces of scrap metal to help create her assemblage paintings. Finding ways to recreate this medieval architecture was a 20-year path and the influences of Italian frescoes, carvings and statuary in churches and the piazzi encouraged her vision. Another course in 1997, this time at the Verrocchio Art Centro, near Siena, under maestro sculptor Nigel Konstam, opened her eyes to sculpture. He tutored life drawing classes each morning, which helped Vee with her study of the human form, and made three miniature bronze figures of Vee ‘the swimmer'. Both her mixed media paintings and sculpture use asymmetry, imperfect scale, aged textures and tactile surfaces. Her sculptures feature houses with gaping walls and wirestitched spaces, conveying a sense of being under continuous repair. Her themes are often about restoration

– the wonder of the edifice and of a person being able to renew, be reconditioned, as well as the respect for people living in small ancient spaces with narrow alleyways. Soaring buildings show optimism and hope. More recently, a Welding for Art course at the former Bay of Plenty Polytechnic in 2016 revealed new opportunities. After 20 years painting mixed-media European architecture, she made a lateral shift to 3-D art using recycled metal, however, themes of deterioration and restoration/optimism continue to appear throughout her work. “Rough sharp edges, odd angles, no smooth welded seams – these all suited my theme and the material enforced the power of restoration,” she says.  Vee lives at the Mount and finds pleasure in the changing shadows of the Papamoa Hills. Her work can be viewed at Ōhope Art Gallery, Ōhope Beach and the Flagstaff Gallery on Victoria Road in Devonport, Auckland. She has exhibited in London, Noumea, Sydney and New Zealand cities.

‘Cathedral’ – aged wood block from old Tauranga wharf, perspex, glass, copper 22 x 44 x 10 cm.

Working with copper wire and recycled glass

‘Kiosk’ – recycled metal 30 cm x 15 cm on custom-made plinth

Trimming metal after welding

Stitching wire on ‘Kiosk’ focusmagazine.co.nz

focus | TRAVEL

Forgotten World Highway Scenic journey through the past

We gaze in disbelief at the giant sign that says ‘Forgotten World Highway begins’. After almost a year of wanting to do this trip, we’re finally here! Our car is fully loaded with gas and snacks, Spotify road trip playlists are predownloaded and we even have a paper map of Taranaki in the glove box. This is getting real! Words KSENIIA SPODYNEIKO 38 | focusmagazine.co.nz

Images ALEX SPODYNEIKO

TRAVEL | focus

WHY IS IT FORGOTTEN? While the Forgotten World Highway doesn’t have as much buzz around it as Hobbiton or Milford Sound it’s the oldest heritage trail in New Zealand and one of the country’s most scenic routes. This remote area used to be very prosperous with hundreds of farming families moving here at the end of the 19th Century to help build the roads. In the early 20th Century the second wave of settlers started to arrive; this time to build the railway line. Everyone looked forward to the large-scale coal mining that would bring money and a new vibe to the region … all it needed was a proper railway line first! It soon became clear though, that the geographic isolation of the area would never allow it to become the coal mining capital. So, for the last century, State Highway 43 faced nothing but an outflow of locals. Former bustling towns with populations of over 1,000 people now barely accommodate 40. Renaming State Highway 43 into the ‘Forgotten World Highway’ in 2012 was a stroke of genius. Abandoned houses became motels and the failed railway line turned into a popular attraction for tourists wanting to

explore the area in quirky modified golf carts.

MAY I SEE YOUR PASSPORT, PLEASE? The road is only 155km long but many people prefer to spend a whole weekend exploring it. There are over 30 points of interest along the way and seeing them all in one day is simply impossible! We don’t have two days, so we have to prioritise. Taranaki Pioneer Village? Maybe next time. Strathmore Saddle with views of Mt Taranaki on one side and Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe on the other side? Yes, please, but only for five minutes. Bridge to Somewhere? We’ll pass on this one. An hour and a half later we reach Whangamomona, a self-proclaimed republic, nestled cosily in the very middle of the route. Now that’s a place worth stopping off for a while! In 1989, local boundaries were redrawn and this part of the Taranaki region became Manawatu. Whangamomona citizens weren’t happy with the decision and refused to accept it, declaring themselves an independent republic instead. Every

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: ••• THERE ARE NO GAS STATIONS ON THE ENTIRE FORGOTTEN WORLD HIGHWAY. YOUR TANK SHOULD BE FULL!

•••

AND NO CELL COVERAGE. MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE.

•••

WHANGAMOMONA HOTEL AND LAUREN’S LAVENDER FARM (CLOSED IN WINTER) ARE THE ONLY SPOTS SELLING FOOD SO MAKE SURE YOU TAKE SOME SNACKS WITH YOU.

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focus | TRAVEL

visitor can now get a customs stamp in their passport or even purchase their own Whangamomona passport! In January the town celebrates Republic Day and elects a new president. Although it hasn’t been recognised as an official republic, Whangamomona became the first ‘country’ in the world to be ruled by a woman president! At one stage it was also ruled by a goat – Whangamomona citizens are free from any stereotypes! The central building of this town is Whangamomona Hotel. It’s also the only place on the highway to grab lunch. We park the car and walk inside. Suddenly we’re transported back in time. Washed-out newspaper pages decorate the walls, as well as black-and-white photos of first settlers, men with their tools and families in front of their homes. There is even a framed photo of the last passenger train that came through Whangamomona in 1983! A lonely barefoot guest is drinking beer and watching a rugby game; his gumboots resting outside. We buy passports (of course!) and order fish ‘n chips. The hotel is located beside the road but not a single car passes by … until the peace is interrupted by a dozen roaring motorbikes. Bikers love testing their vehicles on the deserted highway.

SO, WHERE TO NEXT? Rushing through the first half of the highway means we have enough time to properly explore the most interesting part – from Whangamomona to Taumarunui.

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TRAVEL | focus

We enter the 180m single-lane Moki Tunnel and emerge on the other side in what looks like Jurassic Park: high hills tower above us, massive trees unique to this area are growing everywhere, there is a river somewhere down below and, what’s more important, no more asphalt! The 12km of unsealed road winding through the lush Tangarakau Gorge is certainly the most spectacular part of the whole route. We take a quick detour to visit another outstanding place – Mt Damper Falls. At 74m, this is the North Island’s second highest waterfall, although perhaps not the most breathtaking. It’s a narrow veil type of waterfall, hidden modestly behind greenery, so you can only see a part of it. What makes it so special, however, is the one kilometre walk to get to the waterfall, firstly through private farmland and then through a magical forest. We meet a lot of friendly sheep and goats along the way – it feels surreal to walk through this area, surrounded by so many animals that aren’t behind a fence! Lauren’s Lavender Farm is the last major stop on the Forgotten World Highway. Located 15km before Taumarunui, this rustic old farm house (now a café and gift shop) greets us with a calming lavender aroma, pastel colours and romantic interior. There is no better way to unwind after an intense trip than to sip hot tea with homemade muffins on a huge outdoor deck overlooking magnificent lavender fields. It’s not the biggest lavender farm we’ve been to but its cosy, welcoming vibe is second to none. Bliss! 

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BUSINESS 44 JUST LISTEN!

REBECCA TEREU FOLLOWS THE WINDS OF CHANGE

46 F.E.A.R.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

Plus INSPIRING BUSINESS QUOTES ... AND MORE

48 NLP FOR SUCCESS! HAYAT BERKAOUI SHARES VITAL BUSINESS TIPS

focus | BUSINESS

JUST LISTEN

The start of 2019 has been a whirlwind for me already. I’ve moved house, enrolled Mr 8 into a new school, fundraised my heart out to help get Miss 18 to Hong Kong where she will be volunteering in an orphanage for a year, set up an amazing Wellness Studio, launched a new business, and rebranded an old one. If the last month or so is any indication of how the rest of the year is going to be, I guess I better strap on that seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride! Words REBECCA TEREU

ou may, or may not, have noticed the change in my details below. There’s a story to that which I want to share with you today. It’s a story of crippling fear, suffocating doubt, and a bunch of other overdramatic emotional baggage that most of us experience, but not all of us like to admit. For those of you who have been following my articles, you’ll know that I like to put it ALL out there. Better out than in I always say, and if one woman can admit it then it makes it

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that much easier for more women to get real, be brave, and link arms with the rest of us in solidarity. That’s my humble opinion anyway. For a long time now I’ve been pushed, prodded, pulled and even shoved in a new direction by the winds of change. For the longest time I pretended I was the Kikazaru monkey (without the wisdom part) and tried my best to ignore it all. I dug my stubborn heels in, pretended I didn’t hear what those winds were whispering, and stuck steadfastly to what I’ve

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always done, even when the whispers turned to roars. The winds of change had met their match! Or so I thought. If I could offer up some advice at this point: Ladies….don’t bother! Take those heels off, kick that monkey to the curb, tune your ears in and LISTEN. Listening is the first step to being brave. The next step is deciding you’re going to do what you heard. The final step is actually doing it. Taking just one step at a time in the right direction will answer the deep cry in your soul. You know that cry? The one that quietly begs to be heard. The one that often gets drowned out by the busyness of our everyday task-driven lives. The one that would tell you it’s possible to do the thing(s) you really want to do, if only you would take those steps. Do you even know what that voice sounds like? Maybe you hear it faintly as you force yourself to walk into that job you hate every morning. Maybe you hear it when you start thinking ‘there has to be something better than this’. Maybe deep down, you know that what you’re doing now is not what you really need to be doing with your life. Listen. I wasn’t even stuck in a boring 9-5 job that was silently killing my spirit every day when I finally decided to listen. I had been doing Life and Insights for YEARS and had built my whole life and sense of purpose around it. It wasn’t making me rich but it fulfilled me in ways far greater. I thought I had found the thing I was supposed to do for the rest

of my life and never once did it occur to me that this was just a pit stop – a season that I was fortunate enough to discover and enjoy, but a season that ultimately needed to change like all seasons do. Friends, letting go was HARD. For so many reasons, but let’s just chat about a few. Stepping into the unknown – or into something that may seem left field to those in your world – is not a walk in the park. Excuse the clichés but that road may not even be built yet, let alone be smooth and easy to walk on. FEAR, whether obvious or hidden, is always a contender. Fear of failure, fear of what others might think, fear of being rejected, fear of the unknown, and my personal favourite, fear of not being good enough. I’m just scratching the surface but you get the point, right? And then something happens to validate your fear and you’re back to square one again. Obviously, I’m speaking from experience! Here’s just one painful example: I was asked to run a workshop last year around something I am extremely passionate about, and pretty good at too (or so I’ve been told). This was something I had wanted to do for this particular group of ladies for as long as I could remember, so I was pretty excited. I then received an email rescinding the invitation because I wasn’t ‘qualified’ and didn’t have 20-odd years of experience. Needless to say, I was devastated and my fears were firmly realised in that moment. It took me a while to pry stubborn

hands away from those ears again, but I’m so glad I did. Because now as I sit here writing this story just for you, I do so in my very own Wellness Studio, surrounded by the things that make my soul sing and a door that is wide open to women everywhere seeking advice and support for natural wellness. Not only am I good at this, I love it! Medical letters next to my name or not, this is what I’m called to do in this season and life cannot get any better! Or maybe it can...watch this space ;-) The point I want to make is that there will always be obstacles and convincing reasons to slap those hands over your ears and pretend you didn’t just hear what your soul tried to tell you. The question really is: are you going to let anything other than your heart/soul/ spirit dictate to you what you can and cannot, should or should not, will or will not do with YOUR life? Your one and only life? Don’t get to the end of it with any reasons for regret! My final words of encouragement to you: If it is indeed time to make a change, then be brave enough to listen and make that change. As usual, I will be your biggest cheerleader, and I can honestly say that it is completely worth your courage. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it! Feel free to check out my brand new website here: www.crearewellness.com And you are officially welcome to come and say Hi at the Creare Wellness studio. Email me before you come so I can make sure I’m around: crearewellness@gmail.com 

Rebecca Tereu is an Author, Wellness Advocate & Educator and Business Advisor. www.crearewellness.com FB/Insta @Crearewellness focusmagazine.co.nz

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F.E.A.R. Words DEE COLLINS WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? Public speaking? Stepping out of your comfort zone? Taking the next step in your business? Failure? What would you do if you weren’t afraid of making a mistake, feeling rejected, looking foolish or being alone? The truth is, whenever you’re on unfamiliar ground you’ll experience fear, and that little voice in your head that heralds doom, drama and misfortune will chatter away and instil doubt and uncertainty. Everyone experiences fear – even successful people – but some have learnt to tame and control it. Notice I said tame and not eliminate. So, if everyone feels fear then it’s really our interpretation of what could go wrong that is the issue. For some people, fear creates a state of paralysis and inaction; for others, they face the fear from a position of power and take action regardless. Common fears today have more to do with the impressions we make and how another person's judgment affects our selfworth. This hyper focus on image is exacerbated by the rise of the social media culture. Too many of us are so afraid of failure and looking silly or being embarrassed as a result, we often don’t take risks or seize opportunities. We think failure is a bad thing, but it isn’t. Fear is a vital response to physical and emotional danger. Our brains are wired for fight or flight, which, in our ancestral world, helped us quickly evaluate life or death circumstances. Its aim is to keep us comfortable and stable so, in today’s world, any step into the unknown can cause us stress. When you decide to leap into a new business venture, for example, your brain starts sending out signals … whoa!

STRESS RESPONSE Just thinking about some future worst-case scenario can activate a stress response that makes your body believe it’s actually in that experience. However, it is reported that over

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90 per cent of what we worry about doesn’t actually come to fruition. That means there’s a less than 10 per cent chance of the imagined calamities that play out in our heads actually happening. The actions you take each day create the results of your life. And since every action you take has been preceded by a thought, what you focus on does drive your reality. You will never act in a way bigger than your thoughts. Dream big and your behaviour will follow. Think small and you’ll play small. And what you dwell upon will most definitely determine your destiny. So, what’s the secret to moving yourself from a position of fear and inaction to one where you are in control and in a position of power? One of the first things to understand is that there can be no success without failure. It’s just part of the process. Life’s most painful experiences are sometimes the very circumstances that introduce us to our best self. During easy times we can get caught up in shallow pursuits and pleasures. Hard times cause us to dig deep. Remove the fear and you’ll move full speed ahead. There are two acronyms for FEAR that I love: False Evidence Appearing Real Finding Excuses And Reasons It can be amazing when you encounter a situation that makes you feel uneasy/insecure/scared, and instead of heading for that metaphorical exit, you stay focused and strong and do that thing you know you should do. Not only do you realise your

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If you want to conquer fear, don’t sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Dale Carnegie

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“

HOLLYWOOD

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

Nelson Mandela

You’ll never know if you don’t even try. All too often our internal chatter prevents us from taking the steps needed to get us to our own unique form of greatness. Our inner thoughts keep us small. Authors and screenwriters get to write their own stories – so do you! Although we can’t predict how our lives will unfold, by writing our stories and then doing our best to act them out daily, we can get a lot closer to our own Hollywood endings than those who don’t. Many of our professional and personal desires really can come true – if we write the script. Daily affirmations, mediation and visualisation can all help with this.

YOUR STORY fear was mostly a hallucination, you also get an unexpected reward for your bravery, because on the other side of every fear lies personal growth, confidence and wisdom. Everything that has happened to you in your life – the good and the difficult – is actually a source of growth and is necessary to help you become the person you are now. Just don’t make the same mistake more than once. That shows you’re resisting the lesson available to you.

NO MORE EXCUSES “My job is too hard.” “I don’t have time to exercise.” “I can’t do this project because it’s too hard/scary/impractical.” It’s only human to justify and fight for your excuses, and the more you fight for them, the more they will own you. Don’t feed what you don’t want. Step into your power. Successful people don’t make excuses. They do what they have to do and create results. Most excuses are self-created delusions, designed to help you avoid doing the things you are afraid to do. Beneath every excuse lives a fear – a fear of the unknown, of change, of failure or success. Let today be the day you burn the bridges that lead to your excuses. Step up to the possibilities that lie just off the beaten path and find your greatness.

THE MIRROR TEST Just hoping you’ll get to great is nothing more than magical thinking. Look into the mirror and ask yourself the following question: “What one small thing could I do today that would make a positive difference to my professional and personal life?” Then think about that one thing. Visualise executing that step superbly. And go out and do it. Act with courage. Remember, small daily improvements over time lead to stunning results. You may have heard the expression that ‘you can’t fly with the eagles if you hang around with the turkeys’. You become a lot like the five people you spend most of your time with, so it’s important to surround yourself with people who inspire and uplift you. People who see the world through a different set of eyes will challenge and push you.

The greatest growth can come through crises, and often the only thing keeping you from getting what you really want is the story you keep telling yourself. If you want to change your life, change your story. As long as you continue to push out into the world and stretch your capabilities, you will experience fear, but as you build confidence your relationship with fear will dramatically alter. Expand your comfort zone. For each of us that level is different but we make choices from the confines of our comfortable space. If you widen that space every day by doing something small that pushes that ‘fear’ button, it will give you that thrill of completion. Keep doing this and newer and braver patterns will start to take hold. As Susan Jeffers says in her book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, the only way to get rid of the fear of doing something is to go out and do it. Here’s to being bold and fearless. 

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Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

Steve Jobs

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NLP focus | BUSINESS

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YOUR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS

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What on earth is NLP? In short, Neuro Linguistic Programming is a method used to influence your brain through the use of positive language. It is said that over 70 per cent of our communication is non-verbal, so, if you think about it, a roll of your eyes or a simple flick of your hand can give a whole new meaning and dynamic to the story you’re telling. Words HAYAT BERKAOUI

e tell stories through gestures, eye movements, posture and facial expressions all the time. Try being sarcastic without any facial expression and you’re most likely to miss the mark! When relating to others, it’s invaluable to learn simple techniques that can help you connect with other people. In NLP, this is called ‘building rapport’.

PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE EACH OTHER, TEND TO LIKE EACH OTHER Think about that for a moment. By subtly mimicking someone’s posture or gestures, outside of the other person’s conscious awareness, you create a connection. Building rapport with one another happens unconsciously all the time. Remember that the keyword in building rapport is subtlety. If a person realises you are mimicking their behaviour, you’re likely to achieve the opposite outcome, meaning you are pushing them away. Being genuine is another very

important factor. The outcome of building a connection should always be a win-win situation. When you’ve mastered the technique of building rapport, establishing networks and having clients return will happen effortlessly.

KNOW YOUR CLIENT’S MODEL OF THE WORLD Another way to grow successful affiliations is through understanding your client’s model of the world. You’ll understand them better if you know how they best relate to the world – are their learning styles visual, kinaesthetic or auditory? There are key words and phrases for each style that can be used so that you are speaking the same language with your client. This can be especially helpful in business management, sales, coaching, relationship counselling and other fields.

BREAK THROUGH BELIEFS THAT ARE LIMITING YOU What I love most about coaching with NLP techniques is that with the help of using Time Line Therapy, which is an active visualisation technique, we can break through the five negative emotions: Anger, Sadness, Fear, Hurt and Guilt. And after letting go of these big five negative emotions we can work on breaking through limiting beliefs and instil positive beliefs with anchoring techniques. With hypnotherapy we can imprint positive future events – in a way, the possibilities are limitless. Some easy tools that I always recommend to my clients to use at home include making a vision board of your ideal life in terms of health, wealth, career, happiness and peace of mind. You deserve to take some time out of your day to create a vision board that really appeals to you and hang it somewhere where you can always see it. Stick it on the fridge or on your desk or mirror. Frame it! Next, write a business plan for each important item on your vision board and turn this into workable goals.

Organise and plan by urgency and importance and start achieving them one by one. To give yourself that extra boost of confidence while working on your goals, write down a mantra and repeat it to yourself every single day for at least 30 days. A habit only really starts to form when you do something consistently for over 28 days. “I’m capable, confident and I have what it takes to achieve …” Henry Ford used to say: “If you think you can, or you think you can’t, either way you’re right.” This sparked in me the drive to really work on my mindset over the past eight years. Bob Proctor famously says: “If you can see it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand,” meaning that we can materialise our thoughts. That’s why I value vision boards so much – I’ve used them to turn my own dreams and goals into reality. Last, but not least, a very easy way to start your day positively is to keep a gratitude journal. Wake up, have your journal ready to go and write down five things that you are grateful for. Hard to think of five things? How about the fresh air we breathe here in the beautiful Bay of Plenty or having the ocean at our doorstep, food on the table and a roof over our heads? The list is endless. The question is, when was the last time you acknowledged them? 

Hayat Berkaoui is a life couch and hypnotherapist. She helps people to reach their goals in business, to overcome fears and overall live happier and healthier lives. info@hayatcoaching.com www.hayatcoaching.com 022 527 5709 focusmagazine.co.nz

BUSINESS QUOTES DON’T WASTE A SINGLE SECOND.

JUST MOVE FORWARD AS FAST AS YOU CAN, AND GO FOR IT

REBECCA WOODCOCK

IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOUR PASSION IS,

REALISE

THAT ONE REASON FOR YOUR EXISTENCE ON EARTH IS TO FIND IT

OPRAH WINFREY

I WANT EVERY LITTLE GIRL WHO’S TOLD SHE’S BOSSY, TO BE TOLD INSTEAD SHE HAS

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

SHERYL SANDBERG

IF PEOPLE ARE DOUBTING HOW FAR YOU CAN GO,

GO SO FAR

THAT YOU CAN’T HEAR THEM ANYMORE

MICHELLE RUIZ

NOTHING WILL WORK UNLESS YOU DO MAYA ANGELOU

SUCCESS

ISN’T ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE, IT’S ABOUT

THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES

MICHELLE OBAMA

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IF YOU PUSH THROUGH THAT FEELING OF BEING SCARED, THAT FEELING OF TAKING RISK,

REALLY AMAZING THINGS CAN HAPPEN

MARISSA ANN MAYER

Image by Freepik

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PAULA LINES COMPANY: The Law Shop Limited POSITION: Lawyer and Director Our business provides legal advice to businesses and individuals regarding property, business matters, estate and asset planning, relationship property and family law. We have offices in Rotorua and Tauranga and a team of ALL women!

What advice would you give to your younger self? Slow down and take time to enjoy the little things. At school I did extra papers and worked part time. At uni I worked between classes, after classes and throughout the weekends and holidays. I’ve worked full time ever since (only dropping to part time when my babies were little) and bought a business when my youngest was only two. I’m not sure why I was trying to cram so much into my life! What would you study if time and money allowed?

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For my current career, I want to study immigration. For my personal life, cake decorating! And for my ‘if I was starting all over again’ life, medicine. Where would you love to visit one day, and why? I haven’t travelled so would love to go to all the touristy places – the Eiffel Tower, Great Wall of China, Niagara Falls, etc. But definitely Alaska! I prefer the cold and it just seems so beautiful. What is the most pressing issue facing the Bay of Plenty? Roading and traffic. This is my fourth

year in Tauranga and in that time, the traffic has become horrific. The roading projects take a ridiculous amount of time and there seems to be no logic to the planning. What is the most pressing issue facing humanity? Humans! We take our environment for granted. We throw too much away and we are not kind to one another. 