Eliminating classroom hunger across India

India has experienced significant economic development over the past two decades, yet many are still struggling to provide food for their families. For too many children in India, hunger is a barrier to education, keeping millions locked in a cycle of poverty.

13-year-old Bishnu Naik’s mother was killed by a wild elephant two years ago, while she was collecting sweet potatoes for dinner in the forest near their home in Bisra Tehsil, a small rural community in India’s north-east.  Not only is he missing a mother, but food is harder to find - the family no longer enters the woods.

“We are scared for our lives now,” says Bishnu’s grandfather, Surju Naik. “It is not uncommon to see a herd of wild elephants in the area.”

After Bishnu’s mother’s death, his father and elder brother took extra jobs to feed the family, but they are still barely earning enough. His elder sister had to drop out of school to look after the household.

But Akshaya Patra’s Midday Meal Scheme has enabled Bishnu to continue his studies at primary school, providing one square meal a day. It’s enough to give him hope for the future. He wants to become an engineer.

“I will earn enough to keep everyone happy. We will have a good household and nobody will have to do labour,” he says.

Bishnu is one of around 2 million young people who are being fed by the Bengaluru-based initiative, the largest NGO-run school lunch programme in the world.

The scheme provides nutritious meals to almost 15,786 schools across 12 Indian states, giving children a reason - and the sustenance - to continue to go to school.

Akshaya Patra CEO Shridhar Venkat says they have a simple goal.

“We hope to have a positive impact on enrolment, attendance and retention rates in government and government-aided schools,” says Mr Venkat.

Despite India being one of the world’s largest food producers, the country is still home to a quarter of the world’s hungry people. More than 190 million are undernourished, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

The Scheme is run as a public-private partnership, with each meal partly funded by the government.

The NGO uses state-of-the-art technologies and modern data analytics in its kitchens, measuring productivity, scalability and cost efficiency. They can use the technology to analyse different sets of data to help improve the overall speed, security and responsiveness of the programme.

The kitchens also have top-of-the-line equipment to cook meals on a large scale. Their cauldrons can produce up to 3000 litres of dal and 500 litres of rice, while the roti-making machines produce up to 200,000 of the flatbreads at a time.

“Our mission is to serve hot and nutritious midday meals to 5 million children on every school day by 2020,” Mr. Venkat says.

“With an effective public-private partnership in place and extensive support from the government for the implementation of such a large-scale initiative, the school feeding programme can be replicated in other countries to tackle issues related to hunger on a large-scale”.

Mr Venkat believes while the Government has a critical role to play in eliminating classroom hunger, so do individuals.

“Citizens should do their bit for society - being socially responsible can be the easiest way to contribute. An individual’s engagement can merely be in the form of awareness of an issue, such as malnutrition and classroom hunger,” he says.

Bishnu’s grandfather is hoping his grandson will be able to have a career that will lift the family out of poverty. While his elder siblings had to cease their studies, Bishnu is going to school. “Thanks to these midday meals,” he says, “Bishnu’s case will be different”.

This article was written with the support of Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network

Former Police Officer marks WoW with NZ’s first fashionable high-vis clothing brand

Former Police officer and award-winning fashion designer Fiona Pohlen has launched New Zealand’s first fashionable high-visibility clothing brand “Lumen Clothing” in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the World of Wearable Art (WOW).

Inspired by her work as a police officer, the Wellington based designer is creating sophisticated reflective wear to keep people safe and stylish on the streets of the capital.

“My aim is to create a city where pedestrians are all visible in low-light conditions, and still look fabulous, wearing sophisticated, locally made clothing,” she says.

Lumen Clothing uses 3M Scotchlite© highlights on their garments, which is the same product used on high-visibility safety workwear.

The illuminated designs are on show in the window of the iconic Wellington store Cranfields as part of the WOW Window Dressing Competition.

Ms Pohlen says, “We have created a whimsical ‘Alice in Wellington’ theme, with flying candelabras, spoons and forks, along with showcasing a Lumen coat in the blue reflective theme of WoW this year.”

Aware of the negative impact that fashion brands can have on the environment, Ms Pohlen has created an ethical and sustainable clothing brand.

She says, “We are about reducing the negative impact our clothing brand has on the environment, and if we can keep people safe in low-light conditions whilst doing it; even better.”

Ms Pohlen was the winner of the Lux Luminance Award in Project Glow Wear 2016.

Kiwi company launches new children’s line to educate kids about ethical fashion

Kiwi clothing company Little Yellow Bird has launched a new baby and kids’ line designed to educate the next generation about ethical clothing.

Sustainably made and ethically produced, the new line featuring baby onesies and kids’ t-shirts comes as New Zealand celebrates the birth of its first baby.

Little Yellow Bird founder and CEO Samantha Jones says, “It’s vital there are affordable options for ethically made kids clothing, and even more so, that we are teaching the next generation about conscious choices and the impact these choices can have.”

The clothing is all organic rain-fed cotton, holding the same values and method as Little Yellow Bird’s current range, which includes corporate uniforms & business basics for individuals.

Jones says,  “While we make clothing, we’re really about demonstrating how business can be used as a force for good. All of our clothes are made with respect for the people, the environment and communities in which we operate.”

Little Yellow Bird, which sources cotton from India and makes clothing products from organic fabrics, has an ethical supply chain from cotton seed through to manufacturing. Many workers are still not provided with a living wage or access to safe working conditions in most garment manufacturing. Little Yellow bird is dedicated to changing this.

Little Yellow Bird is a certified B-corp, meaning the business went through a rigorous assessment process which determined their impact and dedication to social and environmental issues.

Little Yellow Bird is committed to creating a healthy bottom line and proving that good ethics doesn’t have to come at the expense of profit. The clothing brand has experienced an incredible 800% growth in website sales in the past year.

Little Yellow Bird's latest impact report 2017-2018, demonstrates how the kiwi businesses is alleviating poverty and saving the environment one garment at a time, providing 20 thousand hours of fair trade labour, saving 12, 200,000 litres of water, eliminated the use of 12,200 Kgs of toxic chemicals and educating up to 10 thousand people about sustainable and ethical fashion.

Q&A: Donielle Brookes, founder of Designer Wardrobe

Tell us a little bit about what you do

I started a company called Designer Wardrobe. It is an online market place which sells second-hand designer clothes for women. We started on Facebook, and after reaching 15,000 members in a short time I asked my friend Aidan Bartlett to join the team.  Together we created a website and app that now has 48,000 members.

What inspired you to start Designer Wardrobe?

I had a wardrobe full of designer clothes and my passion was finding designer items online that I had missed out in stores. I found the experience really uninspiring and wished I could cut out the non-designer clothes. For years I wanted this to exist and it wasn't until three years ago that I was pushed to create this by myself.  I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and while off work and in debt with no savings, I was forced to sell most of my clothes to get on top of things. I really felt I wouldn't get value for my clothes by listing them on other auction sites,  so I decided it was time to make my dream come true! 

What do you consider to be your biggest career achievement to date?

I think the whole process from the beginning of Designer Wardrobe until now is a great achievement. 

What has been the biggest challenge starting a company?

I think there are many challenges in starting a company, but the truth is even if we did everything by the book, we can't control one thing and that is growing a network of users that believe in our company. At the beginning, the biggest challenge was growing a network of women who loved Designer Wardrobe as much as I did.  It wasn't easy and if that part was easy - I guess everyone who wanted a market place would have one.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

I get out of bed every day feeling blessed to be on this earth and as healthy as I can be! 

How do you start your day? 

I start my day by picking up my phone to accept posts on the Designer Wardrobe Facebook page. I reply to any urgent messages that I received while sleeping. I then check in with my business partner Aidan Bartlett, take all my health supplements and normally do some cleaning or go for a walk. 

Who keeps you grounded? 

I am naturally grounded.  If I need support, I'll go to my family.

How do you pick yourself up when you fail?

I don't view anything in my life as a failure. As long as I am good to others and I follow my values, I view everything as part of my journey and growing as a person. 

What philosophy do you live by? 

The most important things in my life are health, happiness and love. My family and friends are my number one always! 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

"If you're doing things the way everyone else is, you're doing it wrong. " This quote is from Casey Neistat.  I don't do things the way most might, and I have learnt some people can't quite understand that. If I did it their way, Designer Wardrobe might not be here today.

What book has influenced your life?

I loved #GirlBoss. 

My top five style tip for the winter season is:

1. Leather jacket for winter - so classic and it will keep you warm!

2. Basic long sleeve thin jumpers that are natural tones, olive greens, greys, soft pinks.

3. Black boots are the best!

4. Stocking up on coconut oil for your hair to revitalise it after the summer. I sleep with this in my hair and wash it out in the morning.

5. Make sure your brows are in check - if your make-up is minimal, at least they will frame your face. 

Check out the Design Wardrobe website and App for access to New Zealand's greatest collection of second hand designer clothing:

www.designerwardrobe.co.nz 

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/designer-wardrobe-buy-sell/id1062469450?mt=8

9 Podcasts Every Entrepreneur Needs for 2018

With more than 250,000 podcasts (and counting) in more than 100 languages, how do you find the gems?

Here’s our list — non-fiction, tailor-made for entrepreneurs. Curated, critiqued, ranked and categorised — for your mind, business and soul. (in order)

1. The Tim Ferriss Show

(for your mind)

Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and bestselling author. He is most well known for The 4-Hour Work Week. In his podcast, he deconstructs world-class performers from eclectic areas including — business, investing, chess, sports, acting and beyond .

He gets into the nitty gritty more than any other interviewer out there, probing for details and often uncovering things his guests haven’t previously discussed publicly.

Why listen?

He asks unusually detailed questions revealing insights you won’t find elsewhere. His impressive list of guests includes names like Tony Robbins, Jamie Foxx and Malcolm Gladwell, but the lesser known interviewees are even more interesting, including   a one-handed concert pianist and a man who climbed everest wearing nothing but shorts.

What else to know?

They’re longgggg so make sure you have a long walk or car ride ready.

You’ll love it if…

• You’ve read the 4-Hour Work Week or Tools of Titans.

• Your brain craves logic, tactics and clear methods to achieve results. 

• You get excited by varied perspectives and are detail oriented. 

• You apply the 80/20 principle to your life.

2. Startup Podcast

(for your business)

A podcast in a podcast — Startup Podcast starts as an inside look at Alex Blumberg launching a podcasting business (later named Gimlet Media). It begins with an idea and follow the founders (and later, the other team members) for months, gathering recordings of the most vulnerable and private details of their journey. The result is a raw, inside look at what it’s really like to start a business — how to split equity, dealing with co-founder conflict, what your first pitch shouldn’t look like, how to name your company and how to craft a powerful vision.

Why listen?

High production quality. Plus it’s funny, intimate and highly relevant if you’re starting a business. The scenes they capture are often awkward and uncomfortable — difficult situations, where a recorder would typically never see the light of day.

What else to know?

The first season follows Gimlet Media, while other seasons pick a single company - or jump from startup to startup. The most recent season takes an inside look at the controversial ex-American Apparel founder, Dov Charney.

You’ll love it if…

• You’ve struggled with splitting equity, pitching, valuing a startup or hiring for growth.

• You liked Alex’s work on This American Life.

• You’re a fan of Seth Godin.

3. Invisibilia

(for your mind)

Latin for “invisible things”, this is one of NPR’s many choice podcasts. It dives into the invisible forces that control human behaviour — ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions. The hosts weave narrative storytelling with scientific research in a way that easily connects the principles to your own life, while providing delightful entertainment.

Hear the story of a man trapped inside his head for 13 years with no motor ability and thoughts as his only companion. Uncover what would happen if you couldn’t feel fear, as told through a striking (and rare) case of a woman with no sense of fear. You’ll also meet a woman with Mirror Touch Synesthesia, who can physically feel what she sees others feeling in an exploration of the ways in which we are all connected — more literally than you might realise.

Why listen?

The stories are highly unusual, intriguing and each episode leaves you drawing questions about your own life.

What else to know?

The later episodes aren’t as punchy as the earlier ones as the narratives become harder to follow.

You’ll love it if…

• You’re a fan of Hidden Brain but enjoy longer narratives.

• You have an interest in unusual case studies from behavioural psychology.

• You enjoy learning new things through exceptional storytelling.

4. Hidden Brain

(for your mind)

Another NPR gem, Hidden Brain helps curious people understand the world and themselves. The podcast links psychology and neurobiology with insights from art, music and literature. Using social science research and storytelling, they uncover the unconscious patterns that drive human behaviour, the biases that shape choices, and the triggers that direct the course of relationships.

Hidden Brain features more scientific research than Invisibilia.

Does the way you park your car say something vital about you? Why disorders can be a good thing? How our framing of events can change the way we experience our lives. Explore the myth of coincidences and why we search for their meaning. Hear from Allan Lichtman, a man who has correctly predicted the last 9 American elections (including Trump!) using 13 “keys”.  And the most fascinating part — only two of the keys have anything to do with the candidate.

Why listen?

The goal of Hidden Brain isn’t merely to entertain, but to give you insights to apply at work, at home and throughout your life.

What else to know?

The early episodes are less anecdotal with a stronger grounding in scientific research.

You’ll love it if…

• You like the science behind psychology, human interaction and behaviour.

• You find Freud interesting.

• You know and love the details of The Marshmallow Experiment.

4. The School of Greatness With Lewis Howes

(for your soul)

Lewis Howes is a lifestyle entrepreneur, high performance business coach and former pro athlete. Launched in 2013, the goal of his podcast is to share inspiring stories from the most brilliant business minds, world class athletes and influential celebrities on the planet; to help you find out what makes great people great.

He mixes short 5–15 minute solo, food-for-thought episodes with longer 1–2 hour interviews.

He also helps to break the stereotype that men need to be the “rock” at all times by openly discussing sensitive issues, where men may be perceived as vulnerable, including his own rape.

Why listen?

He offers a powerful mix of business strategies and mindset fundamentals.

What else to know?

You can also find the video version of all of his podcasts on YouTube, which means the podcasts have little editing.

You’ll love it if…

• You’re building a purpose-driven business and know that personal development is just as important as the business fundamentals.

• You have burned through all of the Tim Ferriss episodes and are looking for something similar.

5. Traction: How Startups Start

(for your business)

From early-stage venture capital firm, NextView Ventures, Traction is all about the creative, clever, unusual, and downright brilliant ways entrepreneurs achieve early results. These are stories you don’t often hear from founders, startup execs, media members, and investors, despite being crucial to the world of a startups.

With topics like how smart founders vet tech talent, how to grow the supply side of a marketplace and how most startups fail due to co-founder conflict — you can be confident you’ll come away with clear, actionable ideas.

Why would I listen?

Their shows offer tactical, clever and executable strategies for building and growing startups. 

What else to know?

Being produced by a US VC firm means that it’s very Silicon Valley-focused.

You’ll love it if…

• You run a tech startup.

• You’re on Angel List or Product Hunt.

• You want to be more in touch with the world of Silicon Valley.

6. Aubrey Marcus Podcast

(for your soul)

As an entrepreneur (founder of Onnit), athlete, and consciousness explorer Aubrey Marcus uses the podcast as a venue to bring forward the life lessons learned from triumph and disaster. He chats with world class guests in search of a deeper understanding of how to turn resistance to assistance, harness the potential of your mind and emotions, and cultivate spirituality without all the BS.

He asks profound questions and goes beyond business into the deeper side of life.

Why listen?

Intellectual interviews mixed with spiritual insight about life in a way that pushes boundaries and blends the quest for high performance and enlightenment into a single, beautiful journey.

What else to know?

He’s a big proponent of psychedelics as a vehicle for personal growth. And he swears a lot.

You’ll love it if…

• You’re open-minded, you want to challenge your concepts of reality and are open to spirituality.

• You know what ayahuasca is.

• You like Lewis Howes and are ready for something deeper but still relatable.

8. How I Built This

(for your business)

One of NPR’s latest: 30 minute interviews with innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built. Each episode is a narrative journey marked by achievements, failures, serendipity and insight — told by the founders of some of the world’s best known companies and brands from Kate Spade to Richard Branson.

Why listen?

No sugar-coating here. It’s the highlight reel, but you get to see just as many ups as you do downs.

What else to know?

It’s less tactical and more inspirational.

You’ll love it if…

• You want some inspiration and enjoy hearing the journey of successful entrepreneurs.

• You like short, punchy podcasts.

9. The Tony Robbins Podcast

(for your soul)

Tony Robbins shares proven strategies and tactics to help you achieve massive results in your business, relationships, health and finances. The podcast includes excerpts from signature events and insightful interviews with the most prominent masterminds and experts on the global stage — Charles Duhigg (Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author), Tom Bilyeu (founder of Quest Nutrition), and Peter Diamandis (founder of the X-Prize Foundation).

This podcast follows the theory that 80% of success is psychology and 20% is mechanics. His approach advocates that there will always be challenges and obstacles, but none are insurmountable.

His views help you train yourself to focus on what you can control, achieve the right mindset and obtain the skills you need, to give you the best shot at taking your life to the next level  - in a move from ordinary to “extraordinary.”

Why listen?

He provides proven tactics that are easily applied to life and his energy will give you the motivation to take it all the way.

What else to know?

Not all of the podcasts feature Tony, which can be disappointing as he’s clearly the secret sauce.

You’ll love it if…

• You find meditating hard because you have too much energy.

• When it comes to personal development, you crave clear lists, methods and frameworks.

• You watched I Am Not Your Guru.

Can’t find the time to add podcasts to the chaotic list of life activities? Grab some headphones — listen at the gym, on a run or walk, while you’re driving, cooking dinner or knocking off house chores, grocery shopping, or swap a little Tim Ferriss for the episode of Master Chef tonight.

Kristen Wonch - OHUDDLE

www.ohuddle.co.nz 

https://www.facebook.com/OHUDDLENZ/ 

Kiwi entrepreneur raises $1 million for a 'world-first' ethical fashion tech platform

Kiwi businesswoman Samantha Jones has raised $1.2M to develop a tech platform which will verify the origins of apparel in the garment industry in a quest to end modern-day slavery.

At only 28 years of age, Jones is already an accomplished entrepreneur with a number of accolades, including being named as New Zealand’s Young Innovator of the year in 2017.

Jones’s latest endeavour, Origins will utilise NEM blockchain technology to track their products from origin to point of sale. "Just like I did with Little Yellow Bird, I’m actually trying to solve a problem that I’ve faced firsthand and one that I can see impacts people and businesses across a range of industries," says Jones.

Little Yellow Bird, which until now was one of Jones’s most high profile projects, was dreamed up in 2014, after she left the military and saw a gap in the market for ethically made organic and fair-trade apparel. Jones credits her early success partly to her experience and time working as a Supply Chain Manager in the military and her time living in developing countries as a child.

Consumer pressure for increased visibility of a garments supply chain is part of the reason why Little Yellow Bird has been so successful, but Jones also recognises that her business is unique and ultimately wants this to become the norm.

"As we’ve become a more established business, my focus has definitely shifted to differentiating our brand based on product, and helping other businesses to implement the traceability and ethics that are now ingrained in the Little Yellow Bird ethos," she says.

Jones became the second New Zealand venture and first woman globally to have a project funded via the NEM community fund proposal process. The NEM platform is a blockchain solution that aims to simplify the development process with a specific focus on impact projects.

Expansion Director for Australia and New Zealand, Jason Lee, said, "the supply chain industry is one of best areas to develop a real world blockchain use case and we are excited to support Origins in utilising the NEM blockchain technology which will be a great showcase globally. This also aligns with NEM’s aim to support social impact project like these across the region."

Lack of visibility within the garment sector is a global issue with consumers increasingly demanding brands to provide greater transparency. Many brands are unable to track where their garments are made and Jones believes she has a solution that will help other brands solve this issue.

Jones and her team are heading back in India in August to setup phase one of the Origins implementation plan, before Jones heads to Edinburgh to represent New Zealand at the Social Enterprise World Forum as a guest speaker presenting her learnings and impact journey.

First 6 steps to starting your own business

So you’ve taken a leap of faith by sticking it to The Man and handing in your notice. You’ve decided to go it alone! Become self-employed! Start your own business! High fives all round!

Then reality smacks you in the face and you realise you have no idea what self-employment looks like or where to even start. Fortunately, there are plenty of people who’ve gone before you, so here are six things you should think about when you decide to go it alone.

Ask for help
No woman is an island, and this is especially true when it comes to starting your own business. Admit that you don’t know everything/anything, and connect with a business owner or three that does. You’ll be surprised at how many entrepreneurs want to help budding business owners out because they’ve been there, done that at some point in their lives too. But don’t waste their time. Prepare some well-thought-out questions that show you’re serious about this business malarkey and are prepared for the hard yakka that comes with it. Don’t ask things like “What are your secrets to getting rich quick?” They will shake their heads and think you’re stupid. Do ask questions like “What does your business journey look like?,  “What mistakes have you made along the way, or do you have any regrets?”, “What has been the best thing about going it alone? The scariest? The hardest?", “What have you learned most about yourself?”, “What do you know now that you wish you’d known back then?”, “What do you do to unwind?”, “What software or apps do you use to make your life easier?” But most importantly, make sure you pay for lunch.

Get a website
It doesn’t matter if your business idea is very tangible (crochet dinosaurs anyone?), if it’s not online, no one will find you (with the exception of your mum). A website doesn’t have to cost much; if you’re technically-savvy you can even make your own on platforms like WordPress. If you’re looking for something a little more professional, be prepared to pay for it (cheap doesn’t usually mean the best). If you’re broke, think outside the box. When I first started out, a guy made my website in exchange for 24 articles over a year for his own website, plus two articles a year to keep my website on his server.

Get an accountant
“An accountant is a waste of money!” they said. “Just do it yourself!” they said. Then they got a $30,000 tax bill in the mail because they charged GST on their invoices and never passed it onto IRD. I’m not even kidding. I’m a copywriter. Writing is what I do best. And I like to think that when someone needs content for a new website, they’d prefer to ask someone who knows what they’re doing, rather than attempting to do it themselves and making all kinds of apostrophe-related crimes in the process. I feel the same way about my accountant. He gets numbers. He’s done this for a very long time. And at the end of the financial year he does my taxes in a fraction of the time it would take me to fiddle around with them and realise I’d put two numbers around the wrong way at step one, and have to start all over again. Hire professionals to help you with the things they do best. Yes, it’ll cost you. But it could also save you far more in the long run, especially when it comes to figuring out confusing stuff like if you should be GST-registered, whether you need to become a limited liability company (say what?), or what stuff you can claim tax back on.

Get dressed
When I first told my friends I was quitting my job and working from home, the first reaction from many of them was, “Awesome! You can stay in your pyjamas all day!” Do not stay in your pyjamas all day. The act of getting dressed for work, even if you’re not planning on leaving the house, will help you mentally get into the swing of things. Pyjamas are for after work. And maybe the occasional casual Friday. (Disclaimer: I have worn my giraffe onesie a couple of times when I was sick.)

Create a dedicated work space
Home is meant to be a sanctuary, but that’s very hard to achieve when you work from home too. In much the same way as getting dressed helps you get in the mood for work, an office space that is totally dedicated to your job will help you switch on mentally for work, and off again when you’re done for the day. My office used to be in my bedroom. The first thing I saw when I rolled over all bleary-eyed searching for the snooze button was my computer. The last thing I saw as I switched my lamp off for the day was my computer. My computer was a constant reminder of unfinished work, deadlines and rejections, and it became very difficult to relax, unwind, sleep and participate in other bedroom-related activities, simply because I was also still technically at work. Do not perch on the edge of the dining table either. Dedicate a space to just work, and keep work out of your other spaces. If working from home is too claustrophobic, think about a shared space or camping out for the day at your favourite café. 

Find someone who’s on your team
Going it alone is one of the scariest things you will ever do. You will need sounding boards, hugs, high fives and alcohol at various stages of your business career, so make sure you’ve got at least one person who can be your go-to shoulder to cry/whinge/vomit on. It could be your partner. It could be your bestie. It could be the dude from your local alcohol shop just downstairs who knows your favourite tibble when you need a stiff pick-me-up and he’ll even deliver. Bounce business ideas around with them. Complain about your imbecile clients with them. But most importantly, celebrate your wins with them. When I got my very first self-employed paycheck, Husband and I blew it all on a nice dinner. At Christmas time I was sad that I wouldn’t have an end-of-year party, so my husband suggested that the Chief Boss of All Things (me) and Chief Ideas Officer (him) go out for dinner on the business. And when Lingo turned 365 days old, my friends threw me a surprise first birthday party, complete with balloons and cake. You cannot travel this journey alone – and it’s much more fun when there are people around you who are supporting you along the way.

Erin Reilly: Writer by trade, dreamer of travel, most at home at the beach, lover of giraffes, runs a words business called Lingo – www.getthelingo.co.nz.

Surviving the winter ahead - health tips for the busy entrepreneur

With winter fast approaching, it is even more important to keep the focus on nutrition, sleep and exercise to avoid the winter blues (and bulge...). Here are some easy tips to follow this winter:

Diet can often take the back seat in the cooler months; cold foods like salads and smoothies, both low in calories and packed with nutrition no longer appeal and the heart may crave ‘gruntier’ warm food. While this may be true, there is no need to stop eating nutritional food. Aim for two servings of fruit and non-starchy- vegetables (2 fruit per day max) in each meal. Poached fruit with porridge, leftover soups, curries and casseroles and baked dishes with low starch veggies are all great options.

Ensure you are having a palm sized serving of good quality protein with each meal. Remember, protein doesn’t have to be from animal sources only. Whole foods like chickpeas, quinoa, beans and lentils are great sources of proteins, low GI carbohydrates and micronutrients.

Simple changes like swapping white rice for brown rice or quinoa, potatoes for kumara or pumpkin, and sugary cereals for oats can markedly reduce the glycemic load of your meal. The digestive system will have to work harder, for longer to break down the foods, therefore giving a longer lasting feeling of fullness.

Several studies have shown that exercise is not only beneficial for healthy weight management and cardiovascular health, but also helps relieve stress, improve mood and allow a positive outlook on life. So... why wouldn’t you? For exercise to become a lasting habit, find something you enjoy and can commit to at least 3 times a week. Whether it is going to the gym, heading out for a run or going for a walk after dinner. For those who need an exercise option at home, there are some brilliant YouTube exercise videos on everything from chair barre to yoga.

Ask yourself this, when you wake up in the morning how do you feel? Ready to start the day or sluggish and tired? Good sleep habits (along with diet of course) play a vital role in how energy levels may peak, crash or maintain throughout the day.

Ethical Clothing Company Little Yellow Bird makes its biggest impact yet

New Zealand ethical clothing company Little Yellow Bird is alleviating poverty and saving the environment one garment at a time, providing 20 thousand hours of fair trade labour and saving 12,200,000 litres of water in the past year.

Little Yellow Bird has made its biggest impact yet, as highlighted in the latest impact report 2017-2018. It provides a model for how New Zealand businesses can change industry practise for the better.

The clothing brand, which sources cotton from India and makes uniforms and workwear products from organic fabrics, has an ethical supply chain from cotton seed through to manufacturing.

Little Yellow Bird founder and CEO Samantha Jones says: “We carefully monitor our supply chain from cotton farm to factory floor, regularly visiting every stage of the supply chain.”

Many workers are still not provided with a living wage or access to safe working conditions in most garment manufacturing. Little Yellow bird is dedicated to changing this.

Jones says: “What if you could equip someone to not just survive, but flourish?”

Conventionally grown cotton uses an extraordinary amount of water, and the dyeing process can be damaging to the environment. This report shows how Little Yellow Bird is not only saving millions of litres of water, but also eliminating the use of 12,200 Kgs of toxic chemicals.

The clothing brand has also educated up to 10 thousand people about sustainable and ethical fashion through various talks and presentations at schools and organisations throughout New Zealand.

The company is committed to creating a healthy bottom line and proving that good ethics doesn’t have to come at the expense of profit. The company has experienced an incredible 800% growth in website sales in the past year.

Little Yellow Bird is a certified B-corp, meaning the business went through a rigorous assessment process which determined their impact and dedication to social and environmental issues.

The company has  received numerous awards, and Jones recognised as New Zealand’s Young Innovator at the 2017 New Zealand Innovation Awards.

Q&A: Kristen Wonch, founder of OHUDDLE

Tell us a little bit about your business? 

OHUDDLE is an online matchmaker for NZ entrepreneurs to find affordable & quality professional services. We vet and interview lawyers, accountants, web designers and graphic designers and then find the best-suited professionals for entrepreneurs when they visit the site. We have a 48-hour turnaround and it’s free to use.  

What made you decide to start it? 

OHUDDLE was created to solve my own problem. I have a wholehearted appreciation for how tough things are when you’re starting out in business, when so much is uncertain. You have no money, even less time and you’re trying to do everything yourself. When you finally decide that you need professional expertise, it’s difficult to know where to turn. Google and personal recommendations are the two most common ways we’ve found that people search for professionals - neither of which are efficient or effective. If we can help provide a little direction for those early days and create some confidence (even a small amount) in the process, I’m happy. That’s what gets me up in the morning.  

What challenges have you faced? 

Believe it or not, my biggest challenge is more personal than business (though there are more than enough of those to go around)! 

I moved to Auckland early last year. I had a crazy idea and was on a mission to figure out how to make it work (I’d like to note that OHUDDLE today is very different from the idea I began with). I’ve always been a bit of a thrill seeker and was excited by the idea of experiencing a completely new country and culture. But building a new network of friends and business contacts has challenged me in ways I never imagined. You take for granted that at 31 it’s slightly more complicated than showing up on a playground, playing jump rope and asking the girl (or boy) who sits next to you in class to be your friend. In retrospect, I was blessed with just enough naivety about what I had decided to do that it hadn't occurred to me it would be such a big leap.  

What have you learnt in the process? 

You don’t need to have it all figured out. And anyone who acts like they do is probably full of it. Pushing boundaries and learning means that you will inherently spend a lot of your time in a space where you feel like you know very little. This is good. It’s usually a sign that you’re making progress. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Be kind to yourself.  

What has been the most rewarding? 

It’s easy to be so focused on moving forward that you forget to look back at how far you’ve come. I love the time I get to spend talking to other startups, particularly those who are at an earlier stage in their journey. I’m still VERY early days, but there are more and more moments now where I find I have valuable tidbits from my own learning to help another founder. It’s absolutely the most rewarding part of my day.   

What is your long-term vision for your company? 

The vision for OHUDDLE is to be NZ’s most effective online support for early stage businesses - the go-to for startups in NZ (and then globally)! 

What advice would you give to others hoping to enter the startup space? 

Don't doubt yourself. Particularly early on, it’s easy to be pulled in a dozen directions as you seek ‘expert’ advice and mentorship. My advice is to trust yourself. The more time you spend thinking about the vision and values you hold for yourself and your company, the easier it will be to recognise when something doesn’t quite fit.  

What you value and stand for is such an important part of the lens through which you approach life. Don’t be afraid to be who you are and own it. I spent a long time being an expert chameleon - and was very good at it. I hit a turning point in my journey when I realised that every expert had a completely different view of me and my business. Each new piece of advice was often in conflict with another and, more importantly, with the direction I needed to go with OHUDDLE. One of the most important skills you will learn is the ability to eagerly seek mentorship - without letting it push you of course.  

How do you find balance in your busy life? 

I’m lucky enough to not have the same craving for TV that most people do, which can be a huge waste of time. I also don’t have kids, so I probably have it easier than most. Regular gym time, surfing and yoga keep me sane, so they’ve become my non-negotiables. 

 I’ve also become unapologetically selfish with my time. This is important. I tend to only spend time around those with whom I have a real connection - people I love, who are positive and with whom I can laugh like crazy.  

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? 

My elementary school teacher in Year 8 gave me a book with the words “Never stop asking questions” written on the cover. I’m fairly certain that my never-ending stream of questions tried her patience at times, but I believe that there are few things as valuable in life as fervent curiosity. 

Who keeps you grounded? 

My parents. They’re back in Canada and are very far removed from the business side of me. To them, I’m still the little ball of chaos that can never seem to find her keys and would lose her head if it weren’t attached. My step-dad bakes an amazing cherry cheesecake and my mom would win an Olympic medal for organising if that were a thing. For them, things are simple - it’s all about love and family. I love that. 

What do you do to relax? 

'Relaxing' isn’t soothing for me in the same way most people think about it. My brain loves to be active (I’m a hopeless meditator), so I try not to fight it. Activities I use to de-stress - journaling, running and my guilty pleasure - Les Mills Bodyjam.  

What is your top life hack? 

Audiobooks and podcasts. I’m the world’s slowest reader, so audio is the easiest way for me to consume new information and learn new things. The best part: it keeps you entertained when you’re cooking or driving. Tim Ferriss and The Startup Podcast are two of my faves.  

 If you could invite three people to dinner who would they be? 

Josh Waitzkin, the young chess prodigy about whom the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer was based. His views on elite training and the practice of mindfulness are profound. A few hours with him would be life changing.  

Richard Branson, founder of Virgin & Lisa Messenger, founder of The Collective Hub.  

I’m absolutely in love with people who have built successful empires, yet remain wholeheartedly down-to-earth. I have an undeniable admiration for those who are brutally honest about the struggles of their own journey. Learning about the details of how they’ve overcome these challenges energises me like nothing else.  

www.ohuddle.co.nz 

https://www.facebook.com/OHUDDLENZ/ 

Q&A: Kaila Colbin, New Zealand Ambassador for Singularity University - inspiring technology leaders

Kaila Colbin is the New Zealand Ambassador for Singularity University (SU). SU is by no means your standard university.  This corporation was set up to educate, inspire and empower leaders to apply exponential technologies to address humanity's grand challenges. 

Since its inception, SU has empowered individuals from more than 85 countries to apply exponentially growing technologies, such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence and neuroscience, to address humanity’s grand challenges: education, energy, environment, food, health, poverty, security, space and water.

Tell us a little about what you do?

I'm the New Zealand Ambassador for Singularity University, co-founder and Chair of the non-profit Ministry of Awesome, and the Curator of TEDxChristchurch. I'm also Chairman of the Board of the New York-based Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, Deputy Chair of CORE Education Ltd, and a member of the Advisory Board for Te Pūtahi - Christchurch centre for architecture and city-making.

 What are you currently working on? 

 I'm working on the upcoming SingularityU New Zealand Summit happening November 14-16, and on TEDxChristchurch coming up in October.

Tell us more about your role as the New Zealand Ambassador for Singularity University

 I attended their executive programme, and was so moved by what I learned there, and so overwhelmed by its importance to our lives, that I wanted to share it with as many people as possible in New Zealand.

 In the past year and a half, I've given dozens of public talks to introduce people to the concept of exponential technologies. Now we're bringing a Summit to New Zealand - essentially a condensed version of the exec programme I did - so hundreds of people can get the kind of deep immersion in this content we need to be able to act on it.

 Why did you decide to bring the Singularity University Summit to New Zealand?

 I came away from Singularity University with a sense of profound responsibility and urgency to bring this to New Zealand. I like to say I swallowed the red pill and washed it down with Kool-Aid…

 Humanity is kind of unprepared for what lies ahead, and we can't get prepared until we start to grasp how much we're going to be impacted by these technologies, and how quickly.

 What can we expect to see at the Summit?

 The Summit will be a three-day exploration of a future that is already here. We'll go into a range of accelerating technologies: self-driving cars, biotechnology, networks, artificial intelligence, and more. We'll also do some deep dives into "So what?", with sessions on the future of crime, the future of work, the future of education, the ethics of technology, and the grand challenges that face humanity.

 The aim of the Summit is to give people a robust enough immersion in this content that we can start to have the really thorny conversations: what are the ethics of self-driving cars?  What kinds of policies and regulatory framework do we need? Do we need to adopt a Minimum Basic Income to deal with technological unemployment? And if so, what are the philosophical implications of a world without work? 

 How important is it that we start learning about exponential technology – artificial intelligence, robotics, and nanotechnology, for example – to solve global problems?

 It's essential. Not because technology can solve every problem, not by a long shot. But I think anyone looking to solve problems has to understand the surrounding context and available resources. Thanks to exponential technologies, our context is changing rapidly and so are the resources available to us.

 What advice would you give entrepreneurs hoping to enter the exponential technologies space?

Get started! Nothing is holding you back.

 What book/s should everyone read?

Not a book, but I highly recommend Wait But Why's two-part series on artificial intelligence, and his four-part series on Elon Musk. 

 Who keeps you grounded?

 My partner! Thank goodness for him. And my stepsons. Recently I was having a conversation with the youngest -he's just turned 3. I said, "You're cool." He replied, "YOU'RE cool." So I said, "You're awesome." And he replied, "You're dumb." Hard to maintain an ego in the face of that kind of brutal honesty.

 What do you do to relax?

 I watch US late-night political comedy. Although Trump is so horrible that it hasn't been particularly relaxing.

 If you could invite three people to dinner who would they be?

 Elon Musk, John Oliver and Samantha Bee. And Barack Obama. And Justin Trudeau. 

 What is your top life hack?

 It's not a "life hack" in the sense of a shortcut, but I find that forcing myself to have conversations I'd prefer to avoid is one of the most productive, powerful things I can do.

How to get unstuck in 13 hours

• Sell everything you own. Maybe not your laptop or phone. And keep some clothes. But get rid of everything else. It’s cluttering your house and your brain.

• Buy plane tickets for a country half way around the world 3–6 months in advance. This deadline is critical and immovable. It’s important to choose a country you’ve never been to before and have no connections to.

• Quit your professional job. The pay may be decent, but you can always get another one. You’re moving half way across the world! Who needs security?

• Get on a 13 hour flight. Mildly panic. Realise you’re leaving everything behind. Panic a bit less mildly. Make a pledge to yourself that you’ll manage to figure everything out when you land.

• Land. Hustle like you’ve never hustled before.

  The startup movement is contagious. If you have a friend who is self-employed, the bug will bite. If you follow “lifestyle entrepreneurs” on Instagram, the bug will bite. As Gary Vaynerchuk stated in a recent article:

  Entrepreneurship is hard and it’s not for everyone….. We are absolutely living through the greatest generation of fake entrepreneurship that we’ve seen in a long time.

  While I agree with Gary that entrepreneurship is hard, I do think that it is for everyone. There  are many people out there running startups that have no idea what they’re doing. Isn’t that a part of the process? We attempt to solve a problem and either succeed or fail and learn a lesson. Some of the people that have no idea what they’re doing happen to create some of the best ideas. The true issue is motivation and inspiration.

  Since starting a business, I’ve had quite a few conversations with acquaintances. Many people have dreams of being their own boss. There are two big excuses:

1.     Waiting for the right idea

2.     Not having enough ambition

Both of these excuses are either a lack of motivation or inspiration. You’re “stuck”.  So how do you get unstuck? While you don’t have to move across the world and start from a clean slate, it will light a fire under your butt. You’ll read hundreds of blogs that tell you to quit your job and take the plunge. Yes, that will work, but what if you’re not there yet?

A more reasonable approach to being stuck is to take a small risk. Take a project on at work that is outside of your comfort zone. Maybe you’re not 100% confident that you’ll succeed. You’ll need consequences for failing (nothing too drastic though). Go on a weekend away by yourself where you’ll know no one. Don’t bring a detailed schedule and map. Get lost in a new city. Start surfing. Put yourself in a situation where you’ll feel embarrassment. The most important thing is to take yourself out of your daily schedule of safety and comfort.

Inspiration and motivation will strike if there’s a bit of fear. Get out there and make yourself uncomfortable, and you’ll immediately get unstuck.

Samantha Piane CEO Otto + Reid
 ottoandreid.co.nz

Staying healthy while busy - tips from Renee Sexton

Tell us a little bit about what you do

I’m an Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach. I help women live their best life. I do this by firstly boosting their diets with whole foods, such as greens, legumes, beans, fruit, veg, nuts, seeds and super foods. I also help them to develop exercise programs and gain confidence in the kitchen, so they can have fun with food. I run cooking classes, group coaching programs and monthly wellness talks,  to ensure that there is a good range of resources for my clients.

What inspired you to pursue a career in heath and wellness?

I live and breathe wellness, so it seemed only natural to spend my days helping others to try and find that perfect balance - so they can feel their best. I also absolutely love working with my clients and seeing the positive changes that they make to their diets and how amazing they feel afterwards. It’s definitely rewarding.   

What has been the biggest challenge starting your own practice?

I would probably have to say doing it all yourself. Its very time consuming and you have to be very dedicated and put in the hours and constantly try new things to see what works best. I’ve loved the journey and grown a lot over the last two years. You can't be afraid of making mistakes. Instead, you should focus on growing, learning and figuring out the best way for you to do things.  What works for someone else might not necessarily work for you, and so until you give it a go, you wont know.

How do you start your day? 

I generally start my day with lemon water followed by a small green smoothie (which I make the night before) and have on my way to yoga (3 x a week).

On the other mornings I will make some porridge, a chia pudding or some bircher muesli and enjoy this while I sit and relax before my day really beings. I will then normally do some form of exercise (like yoga), shower, look over my to-do list and right before I get started for the day I will whip up a matcha latte, which I’m loving at the moment. Then it’s straight into my work, which might be client meetings, adding to my blog, recipe testing, taking photos, or replying to emails.

What is your health philosophy?

Always listen to your body. I am amazed at how many people are so out of tune with their bodies and the subtle messages it is always sending. Every day from the time you wake till you go to bed, your body is giving you lots of little bits of information, that you can use to figure out what you need to be at your best. For example, some morning you might wake up exhausted and with a headache; which is telling you that you need to take it easy. Have lots of lemon water, skip the coffee that day and have an early night. Another example would be that if you are bloated or uncomfortable after a meal -  figure out what caused your discomfort and how you can avoid that food in the future. Being aware of these messages is something that I try to teach all my clients, so that they gain confidence in their bodies and feel more in control.

What do you see to be the biggest health challenge we are currently facing?

I think not making enough time for ourselves is one of the biggest challenges. We all have 24 hours in a day but often it feels like we can’t possibly fit everything we want into the day. I work on breaking down the days and figuring out little tips and tricks to save me time. I also work on ways to boost my health,  by developing morning routines, batch cooking once a month and meal planning. These little tips have such a significant impact on our health and the pressure in my day.

I also love to get my clients to schedule time every day for themselves. This is so important to reduce stress and to bring them back into balance. We can be so stressed, with a million things on our to-do list, that we forget to nourish ourselves. It doesn’t have to be long, but if you can dedicate 10-20 minutes each day to yourself, you just watch the transformation that will occur with your moods, energy levels, and ability to tackle the day without loosing the plot.

Health often becomes a second priority when we are busy juggling work and family commitments. What do you do to keep on top of your health when life gets busy?

I have a list which is called “my daily non-negotiable list”. This is a list that has 5-10 things on it that I have to do each day to be my best. When I’m crazy busy I just go through my list and make sure I’m able to do everything. If I can’t, that’s when I get really stressed, anxious and out of balance, so it’s really important for me to stick to it.

Some of the things on my list include lemon water in the mornings, getting 8-9 hours sleep, having down time, stretching, meditating or moving my body each day and having a green smoothie. Everyone’s list is different but it’s such a great way to show you what’s important and what you need to focus on even when busy. I am also really strict with my meal planning for the week, so that I’m not having to stop at the supermarket every evening, which is such a time waster.

Where are some of your favourite places to eat around Auckland?

I love going to The UnBakery on the weekends with girlfriends (normally after yoga), The Raw Kitchen, Sip Kitchen and Mimosa in Takapuna. 

What are your top five tips to get in shape and feel great this summer?

1.     Start having green smoothies every day

2.     Move your butt 5-6 times a week and mix it up

3.     Cut the sugar from your diet and replace it with natural sugars such as medjool dates, maple syrup (A grade) and coconut sugar.

4.     Home cook as often as possible so you are in control of the food in your diet. I aim for 90% home cooked and 10% eating out.

5.     Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Start each day with lemon water and then make sure to be drinking 2-3 liters of water every day.

For further advice email hi@reneesexton.co.nz for a free 30 minute initial consultation. 

Any recipes you would like to share?

At the moment I am loving my Bircher Muesli Recipe, which is my staple that I make each week on a Sunday evening. You can make a huge batch of it for the week and then your all set for a quick and easy breakfast. I hope you like it.

My Bircher Muesli:

Makes enough for the week (8-10 serves)

Ingredients for Bircher:

·       2 1/2 cups of oats

·       ¼ cup of desiccated coconut

·       ¼ cup of chia seeds

·       ½ cup of nuts

·       ½ cup of seeds

·       ½ cup of dried fruit chopped roughly

·       1 tbsp of cinnamon

·       water- 3 1/2 cups Or nut milk

 Extras + Toppings:

·   raglan coconut yogurt (1 tbsp per serve)

·   maple syrup

·   bee pollen

·   buckwheat

·   strawberries (chopped up)

·   1/2 lemon

·   1/2 green apple (grated)

·   sliced almonds

·   golden kiwifruit or orange

 Method

•  Place all the ingredients in a bowl or container and mix well with the water until covered. You can also soak it in nut milk for a creamier texture.
• Stir well and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 2-3 hours
•  In the morning scoop out a few tbsp. and place in a bow
• Add 1 tbsp of coconut yogurt, ½ grated green apple, ½ organic lemon and stir well
• Serve with fruit, sliced almonds, bee pollen, and a drizzle of maple syrup

 You can also heat this up on the stove with nut milk and turn it into porridge.

Leaning-in through mentoring & networking

Shirin Ahmed and Simrin Ahmed, Co-Founders, WOMENTOR 

One just has to visit their local bookstore or start a Goodreads account, to gauge the rising popularity of books on women’s leadership and support for other women. If Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In does not inspire you to lean in, then you’ll probably identify with being a Sophia Amoruso’s Girl Boss. Otherwise, you’ve probably found inspiration in the videos of famous YouTubers, or just talking with inspiring women around you.  

Womentor was born out of community outreach-talks at schools, which Shirin attended on behalf of Vodafone New Zealand. Engaging with schoolgirls developed the passion to build something that was sustainable and addressed an important issue. Having participated in youth projects and conferences since we were young, we found that there was a need that was never met for us, at school. A need that even today, is not being met for many schoolgirls. As soon as they finish their NCEA exams, young people are expected to make a serious decision about what they do after secondary school – a difficult decision to make at the age of 16-19.  

Having spent at least an entire decade in school, with subjects/class streams based on a generic format; to decide within a short time frame what one will do after school – which can affect a major chunk of one’s life - can be a massive gamble.  Especially in this economic climate, where tertiary fees are on the rise, scholarships limited to those who excel and very few first/second chances are available.  

As soon as they finish their NCEA exams, young people are expected to make a serious decision about what they do after secondary school – a difficult decision to make at the age of 16-19.  

How does one go about setting and achieving goals?

Can someone achieve them through multiple career-pathways? 

What are the skill-sets one requires to achieve their goals, and more importantly how transferable are these skill-sets in each industry? 

Are there various ways to get a degree or qualification? Will a degree be useful at all in the first place? 

Students should know the answers to these questions before investing in 3-4 years of further study, and most likely incurring some form of student loan or debt. Womentor set out to try and answer these questions for schoolgirls, in the form of mentoring, and creating networking platforms for students to engage with women from various fields and industries. The exposure to different professionals would not only encourage students to find a potential career-pathway of their interest, but also ascertain the various skill-sets they wish to develop, in the future.  

Furthermore, we also wanted these professionals to share their life lessons and what they thought of their occupations, to better inform students of the challenges and opportunities they encountered. This may seem like anecdotal advice one shares over a coffee with a friend. But if schoolgirls had a platform where they could network and talk with inspiring women - and more importantly, be exposed to realistic advice - it would further aid help them in making invaluable choices about their futures.  

So what are some of the lessons we have learnt since Womentor was born? Over the course of two and a half years of running the programme, we were exposed to important experiences, all of which have undoubtedly become the biggest contributors to our growth and learning.  

Passion and flexibility is critical 

Passion is critical to run a voluntary organisation. Without passion for gender development and giving back to the community, neither the drive for this project nor the resilience in the face of challenges would exist. The diversity of perspectives and experiences of women we have met and had the pleasure of working with - through Womentor - definitely contributes to this passion. Another lesson we learnt is that flexibility is key to succeeding. Many a time events do not go according to plan, spanners are thrown in the works unexpectedly; and mentors have their own professional lives, all of which requires us to be flexible.  

If you are not making mistakes, you are not learning 

Like most start-ups, Womentor did not grow without making mistakes. Mistakes are almost as important as passion. They not only taught us what not to do, but also what can be done better. We found some fantastic professionals who were very inspiring, but also realised that professional success does not necessarily equate to being a good mentor. Looking at the model of our programme, we also found that while there were merits in one-to-one mentoring, it was not necessarily what schoolgirls needed. We found group mentoring to be more beneficial. Such mistakes only helped us to improve and make the programme more effective. 

Network, network, network! 

Networking can be difficult. It can be daunting for some, to approach and engage with unfamiliar people at conferences and workshops. It requires practice. But networking is important for success in any venture. Building and maintaining relationships with people is necessary to create successful organisations. If one wants advice or different perspectives, one needs to become comfortable approaching people from various fields and walks of life. One also needs to cultivate the mind-set that networking never ends. In the case of Womentor, we found that networking not only helped us in finding potential mentors, but we also gained invaluable insight and guidance from other professionals. Giving students and professional women opportunities to network reinforces the importance of this skill.  

As a result of some of these lessons, it has become obvious that the process - rather than the end result of the project - has been the driving force and the biggest contributor to the development of Womentor. While Womentor cannot provide all the answers to gender development and equality, we also realise that success does not transpire overnight. It requires a lot of passion and hard work. Fortunately, many like-minded young women in New Zealand share this passion, and we hope that - with their help - Womentor can continue to grow in the future.  

http://www.womentor.org/

Balancing a career & life passion

I grew up with a love of adventure and the outdoors, and a life indoors was never going to gratify me. This led me to train for my Ski Instructor's Level One in my last year of high school with dreams of immediate travel, adventures and skiing.

When I passed my ski instructor exams just before my high school finals, it was difficult not to just drop out of school then and there! I had a job offer in Austria, and was all set to pack up and leave, but I also knew that I wanted something to ground me. I needed to be in an industry where I was constantly challenged cognitively, and had the opportunities for ongoing development.

Physiotherapy was actually a career that my Mum had suggested, and it made sense immediately. It was a job which was easily transferable to different places, and even different countries. It incorporates sport in most aspects, and is also a career where you don’t have to be in an office. Four years of study was a huge sacrifice for me, but looking back, I know that there is nothing else I would rather have pursued. It also allowed me to travel in the university holidays and get some exposure to world.

I went to America and Japan and fell more in love with the snow and skiing. I qualified with my Physiotherapy degree, and returned to America straightaway.  When I came home, I applied for a job in my local ski town, and started there in the winter. I would work either morning or evening shifts in town and spend the day up the mountain skiing. My clients even didn’t mind if I cancelled their appointments on a powder day!

I have since worked in numerous different areas, including other ski towns and in the Ski Patrol up Cardrona, where my office looked directly out to the slopes. I have spent time working with rugby teams and high performance sports teams – there are plenty of opportunities to travel in this area of physiotherapy! I have also taken time out in between Physiotherapy jobs to focus on my skiing, including a season in Japan and a season in America where I was concentrating entirely on skiing. This time out hasn’t affected the development of my career at all, and I am able to return to the industry and pick up where I left off.

While I was travelling, I would work as a locum – meaning I would take contracts that would last between one and four months. The last three years, I have also been working towards my Masters – I am currently 1/3 of the way there, and it definitely lives up to the challenge I was after! I am able to do this part time while I continue to work and travel, and it fits into my lifestyle perfectly.

I feel like I have settled a bit in the ten years since I trained as a ski instructor! I now have a permanent job – however I do get two months off per year to allow me to spend winters in Wanaka. I absolutely love my job, and I love the opportunities it has provided for me in the last ten years. I am looking forward to where it will take me, but one thing I know, I will continue to spend as much time exploring, travelling and adventuring as I can. 

Jade Leung on how to become a kick-ass entrepreneur

Anyone who is or has talked to an entrepreneur will know that entrepreneurship is hard slog. It might seem exhilarating on paper – but in the flesh, it can be exhausting and demoralising.

Despite this, I can guarantee you one thing – entrepreneurship will teach you a lot about yourself, and a lot about the world. As a fellow budding young female entrepreneur, I’d love to take a moment to share what I’ve learnt through my journey in the hopes that some of it will resonate as you go through your very own. And if you’d like, I’d love for you to share in return!

Before we jump into this dialogue, a bit about me:

I describe myself as a ‘social and environmental entrepreneur’. Pressing wicked problems are what drive me to wake up and stay up; entrepreneurship is the vehicle through which I am committed to generating, facilitating and scaling (attempts at) solutions to these problems.

To date, my training ground has been New Zealand’s not-for-profit landscape and fledgling social enterprise sector. I am: co-founder and board chair of education social enterprise The Learning Collaborative; a trustee and former CEO of youth anti-poverty movement P3 Foundation; a former senior manager at Engineers Without Borders NZ; and a trustee of the Aotearoa Youth Leadership Institute.

I’m 22 years old and still can’t cook to save myself (but I’m damn good at washing dishes, if I may say so myself). I inhale coffee and tea, and am that person that everyone always sends articles to on ‘why sleep is important’. I’ll be the first to admit that I am inordinately inadequate for most roles that I take on – ‘fake it until you make it’ has just about gotten me through, but I have tripped up and failed in more weird and wonderful ways than you would care to read about.

But enough with the babbling. The following are 5 of the most surprising / useful / relevant learnings that I’ve picked up on my entrepreneurial and leadership journeys so far. Hopefully this is of some use to you wonderful humans out there!

[1]: Work hard to know your stuff (but be comfortable with what you don’t know)

As an entrepreneur – and a young, female one at that – the reality is that you’re going to find yourself in a position of needing to prove something to someone. The power dynamic plane doesn’t tend to tip in your favour – more often than not, the person you’re meeting, negotiating with or pitching to will consciously or subconsciously doubt the value that you can bring to the table.

Don’t be put out when this happens, or fret about why this happens – otherwise you’d never get anywhere. Instead, there are two key things you can do to build their confidence in you.

Firstly, and rather simply – know your stuff. Study up on the people you’re meeting with; put thought into your opinions on discussion points; premeditate how you’d like to frame a particular conversation and what objectives you’d like to achieve. Go in well-prepared – there’s no excuse for you to not be.

Secondly – and crucially – acknowledge and be comfortable with what you don’t know. This took me a while to get used to – I tried to fudge my way through areas where I lacked the experience or knowledge, convinced that this was better than appearing ignorant. I’ve since learnt that it is, in fact, far more convincing (and honest!) to be upfront about gaps in your knowledge or skill-set. Self-awareness is far more important and respected than any given expertise.

[2]: Surround yourself with people who are better than you

My personal take on what makes an effective entrepreneur is that they are, more often than not, strategic generalists. Their expertise isn’t that they’re a specialist in [insert substantive field here] – it is that they are phenomenal at attracting and seeking specialists who can do a particular job far better than they ever could. The job of the entrepreneur thus becomes one of weaving together skilled individuals into agile teams that create value, and delivering this value to those who want and need it.

A quick tip: mould your hiring process to spot genuine talent (instead of ‘CV’ talent). I’m a fan of being at the forefront of recruitment where possible, and tend to stylise interviews as a strategy chat with a potential co-founder. This means that instead of following traditional interview questions, I tend to do things like: lay bare a strategic challenge and soundboard solutions with the candidate; coach the candidate through a personal insecurity or goal; or run a rapid brainstorming session in response to a recently identified market gap. It’s in these genuine, raw settings that I find it easiest to spot the talent and personality that I want on my team, far more so than in a standard interview setting.

[3]: Prepare to react to the unforeseen

I love well-laid plans as much as the next micro-attentive structure freak. Frankly, spontaneity makes me uncomfortable, and my risk tolerance tends to be moderate on good days, conservative by default.

One of the things that I thus find most challenging yet inevitably necessary in entrepreneurship is reacting to the unforeseen. When I say the ‘unforeseen’, I mean unplanned events that come in all shapes and sizes – from classic ‘market’ problems like a dearth of demand to more left-field surprises like the sudden resignation of a team member. They may be opportunities, threats, disappointments, or sheer confusions – and they will undermine your plans slightly if you’re lucky, conclusively if you’re not-so-lucky.

Before you ask – yes, the unforeseen is inevitable, and yes, you have to react to it. My best advice on this front is twofold. Firstly – assume that it’s going to happen, and get pumped. Unforeseen events are almost always invitations to pivot your venture to a better position by revealing unknowns that you now know – and given that they’re inevitable, you might as well embrace them with open arms. Secondly – plan how you’re going to react to the unplanned. Don’t laugh – this isn’t just because I love planning (maybe only a little). By having in place a pre-meditated process by which rapid assessment and decision-making can take place, you’ll be in a better position to react in a calm, collected and effective manner.

[4]: Be aggressive about seeking feedback

This point really applies to any area of your life, whether personal or professional. My belief is that feedback is one of the best gifts one can ever receive, so we should be stoked at every opportunity we have to receive it. A couple of rules of thumb have guided my personal feedback seeking process:

-       Seek it habitually: make it a habit to follow-up after notable conversations, key presentations or significant interactions. The more frequently you do it, the less awkward it gets and the more valuable the cumulative results.

-       Reflect before asking for feedback, and be specific about how you ask for it: before sending that email off to request for feedback, spend some time thinking about how you personally felt during the occasion. What did you feel insecure about? What unexpected reactions did you get that you couldn’t explain? Based on this introspection, frame your request for feedback within these targeted themes to make it of maximum value to you, as well as easier to deliver for them.

-       Be conscious about what you take on board: The flip-side to consistently seeking feedback is that one can often get overwhelmed – I certainly was, particularly when feedback from different people conflicted or demanded distinctly different behavioural shifts. It’s important to learn which pieces of feedback to take on board, and how to interpret feedback with a healthy grain of salt.

[5]: Start somewhere (but remember that somewhere doesn’t mean you’re ‘there’)

When it comes to tackling wicked social and environmental issues through entrepreneurship, thinking about what you’re trying to achieve can often be overwhelming. How on earth are you going to be able to address all of the root causes of the issue whilst quenching all of the symptoms and all of the collateral repercussions – all on a shoestring budget and within a financially sustainable model?

I know this feeling well, and can sympathise with those of you who feel inklings of paralysis every so often – it can be exhausting just thinking about the scale and complexity of the issue, much less trying to devise a meaningful solution to tackle it. To overcome this, my personal mantra is crudely reductionist: just start somewhere. Pick a low-hanging fruit solution and operationalise it. Starting somewhere helps you get into the market and familiarise yourself with the dynamics of the problem – therein enabling you to move towards incrementally better strategies, products and/or services to tackle the issue more effectively and efficiently. Don’t wait for the perfect solution to emerge (it won’t) – but also don’t forget to continue to strive for better solutions, continuously and tirelessly. Whilst a starting point is better than none, remind yourself that your starting point is not your end-point.

That’s it from me! Final note: I am always eager to hear from new and interesting people (i.e. you) so if there’s anything you want to chat about, ask of me, or give me feedback on, you’re welcome to reach out anytime.  

How to balance mummyhood & businesshood

Stranger: “Hi, I’m [insert name here]. What do you do?”

Me: “Ummmmmmm … Woof.”

So, not a great first impression then.

No, I’m not unemployed. I’m not embarrassed by what I do. I don’t make meth either. The reason I can’t tell you what I do with my life is because I’m not actually sure anymore.

12 months ago, it was easy. I was a self-employed copywriter. Full stop. These days I wear a lot of hats. I’m a mum. I’m a housewife. I dabble in freelance television production. Oh, and I’m still a self-employed copywriter.

Some days I wear all my hats all at once, precariously balanced atop my head like a weird art installation of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Some days I juggle my hats like an amateur clown who wasn’t told that juggling balls was far easier. Some days I wear one hat more than I should, then wonder why it has more holes in it than the others. And other days I don’t have time to wear some of my hats at all, so when I finally do find the time I forget they’ve been sitting in my wardrobe for yonks and wonder where they came from.

Working mums live in a constant state of worry that they’re not wearing their hats well enough. When they’re being a mum, they’re neglecting their work. When they’re doing their work, they’re neglecting their kids. When they’re being a housewife, they’re neglecting everything. Whatever they do, it’s just not enough.

The fact is, working mums aren’t one person anymore. The day they fell pregnant wasn’t just the day a small human started growing in their tummies; it was also the day multiple clones of themselves took up residence, all occupying the same limbs and brain but only one of them being able to use them at once.

Mummyhood has completely changed the way I operate. I’ve only been juggling my hats for nine months so I’m certainly not what you’d call experienced, but I’m becoming more aware of how dropping my hats affects me.

Firstly, health and wellbeing is paramount. If you’re not happy and healthy, nothing else in your life will be. You need time out for yourself. Stop to eat, and make good decisions when you do. Get moving. Make the time for date nights with partners and wines with the girls. Go to the beach at least once a week. Read. Watch Grey’s Anatomy. Get your eyebrows done. Do whatever you need to do to retain the essence of yourself – because neither being a mum nor working defines you.

Secondly, be in the moment – every moment. When you’re wearing your mum hat, be the best mum you possibly can be. Switch off your devices and get down on your kid’s level, giving them all of your attention. When you’re wearing your work hat, shut the door, log out of Facebook, and be the most productive employee/boss/freelancer/self-employed person you can possibly be. There are only 86,400 seconds in a day; try to use at least a third of them well.

Thirdly, be realistic about what you can and can’t do. I’m a notorious over-committer; I like making people happy. But I need to make myself happy more, and if that means saying ‘no’ more often, then so be it.

Fourthly, ask for help. Working mums are super women, but there’s only one Superwoman and she’s busy fighting crime. If someone wants to lend a hand, take a moment to seriously consider if something on your never-ending Things I Needed to Do Yesterday list could be given to them. If there is, thankfully pass it on and be proud that you have such an amazing army around to help you out. If there isn’t, thank your support team profusely anyway and be proud that you’ve got everything under control (but carefully file that offer away for another time when you will undoubtedly need it).

Finally, be kind to yourself. You are a miraculous being. You’ve birthed a child, fed it, kept it happy, (hopefully) got it to sleep, and still managed to find time to have a shower and earn some money. Be proud of your achievements – and be OK with the days when you don’t get out of your pyjamas until 4:30pm. 

Because the kinder you are to yourself, the more capacity you will create within yourself to do more.

Erin Reilly: Writer by trade, dreamer of travel, most at home at the beach, lover of giraffes, runs a words business called Lingo – www.getthelingo.co.nz

My Story: Erin Reilly, founder of Lingo

During high school I had quite a few career aspirations. First I wanted to be a teacher (until I remembered I wasn’t really a fan of children). Then I wanted to be a lawyer (until I realised I’d end up with a student loan on par with the debt of a small country). Then I wanted to be a policewoman (until I discovered my inability to do press-ups). Finally I settled on becoming a writer, although back then I had no idea what that might look like.

When I was growing up, it never occurred to me that owning my own business was even a thing. My parents come from a generation where you got a job and stayed there forever. I did not grow up with an entrepreneurial spirit; I was not a child who sold lemonade on the side of the road. But as I type this at one end of my dining table while my six-month-old gleefully screeches in his Jolly Jumper, I’m proud to say that I don’t work for The Man; I work for myself.

In a nutshell, here’s how it happened. Studied English at uni because it was my favourite subject at school. Discovered Media Studies so double-majored in that because … watching movies … enough said. Finished a BA but had no idea what English-related jobs were out there, other than journalism and teaching (no thanks). Went to film school to put off making a decision about what to do with my life. Got my First Real Job as a presentation director at Sky TV. After six months, became a director’s assistant at 3News (now Newshub). Did a smattering of blogging on the side to quench my writing thirst. Decided that was what I really wanted to do. Tried to move into television producing, to no avail. Took voluntary redundancy after four-ish years to pursue writing. Didn’t know how, didn’t know where, just knew that I needed to write. Freelanced as a director’s assistant at various places while I worked on the writing thing. Finally landed a job as the very first copywriter at GrabOne. Loved writing, loved creativity, loved job. Moved into management and marketing after a few years which was good for the CV and bank balance, but after a while, not so good for the heart. Started getting itchy feet because I felt trapped in management. Spent more time moaning about my job than doing anything about it. Kept dreaming of ‘being a writer’ but still didn’t know what that looked like or how to make it happen. Was seriously challenged by the sudden death of my friend, aged just 25 years, who didn’t have the opportunity to do the things he really wanted to do. Finally quit my job after four-ish years to set up a copywriting business called Lingo. And here we are.

Going it alone is bloody scary, particularly when self-employment has never crossed your mind before. I remember telling a successful businesswoman I really admire, “No! I don’t want the pressure of running my own business!” then sheepishly telling her just a few months later that I’d quit my job and was going it alone. When I took voluntary redundancy from TV3, Dad was like, “Follow your heart”, but Mum was like, “Whatareyoudoingjobsecurityareyoucrazy.” It all worked out though, so when I quit my job the second time they were both like, “Sweet as. Pass the wine? Cheers!”

For me, quitting my job (both times, actually) was about taking control of my own destiny. It was about taking a risk and taking back ownership of my life, rather than letting life just happen to me. It was about feeling fulfilled and being happy in an occupation that took up more of my time than my family, my friends, my sleep, my life did – all the good stuff that I found I often compromised because of work. My ovaries were also ticking so I figured doing my own thing might be helpful when the time came to multiply. And the death of my friend who had so much vision but no opportunity to do anything about it reminded me that life is too short to muck around with stuff you’re not that passionate about.

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"Going it alone is bloody scary, particularly when self-employment has never crossed your mind before."

I had no office. I had no money. I didn’t have much, actually. But I did have a computer, and I had a lot of people. In my past life as an employee for The Man, I’d made a real effort to establish great relationships and develop a great reputation, so when it came to Lingo I knew I’d be able to find at least a handful of people who’d hire me. I emailed friends and strangers every day of the week. I hired an accountant because there’s a reason why I majored in English and not anything to do with numbers. I took business owners who’d been doing their thing for far longer than I had been out for coffee, and absorbed any kind of advice they could offer me. I started attending a weekly business breakfast with men who were old enough to be my dad. I took a genuine interest in what anyone around me did, so I could try to learn something off them. I worked my arse off during that first year of self-employment. And in that first year I earned just short of what I’d earned working for The Man the previous year.

Working for yourself is not easy. In fact (with the exception of having a baby and trying to be a great mum while finding the energy to also be great at my job), it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And if I’m totally honest, I’m still not sure what ‘being a writer’ looks like. Sometimes my day is filled with writing words for other people. Sometimes it’s filled with writing words for me. And sometimes it’s filled with Netflix (I call it ‘looking for inspiration’; my husband calls it ‘not having any work’).

But the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is one I’ve poached from Nike and turned into my personal mantra. Just do it. Just do something – anything. Because everyone has the right to own their own life. Because what’s the worst that could happen? Go and find another job?

Because YOLO. Literally.