ESTABLISHED BUSINESS CATEGORY Nurture Change top 12
Out of hundreds of entries, a dozen special Kiwi businesses shine out, writes
There was huge passion in the hundreds of entries for the four Nurture Change Fairfax scholarships. It was a real challenge for my Nurture Change business partner Steve Pirie, Fairfax and I to choose a top 12. We will be announcing the very deserving winners next week and we wish you all the best of luck in your quest to be at www.nurturechange.com.
Speakers including Sir Graham Henry, Sir John Kirwan, Frances Valintine, Kathryn Wilson and many others have so much knowledge to offer.
INNOVATION CATEGORY Menilik Dyer of Hectre
Menilik launched Hectre two years ago, and his product has been a total game changer. Hectre is orchard management software for apple growers. It focuses on boosting the efficiency for the teams picking apples. You even find out what parts of your orchard are the most productive.
Anya Anderson of RedSeed
Anya runs a Christchurch-based innovative tech company that helps retailers sell more stuff – up to 12 per cent more over the past three years. They have started doing business in Australia and aspire to be in the UK and USA.
Mark Wallace of Fiordland Travel
Mark and his wife Christine started with one business, but being very innovative, they now have 3 different tourism businesses in one of the most beautiful and remote parts of NZ. They live and breathe continuous improvement and we have noticed their innovation in making the most of tourists who come their way.
UNDER 25s CATEGORY Jessie Wong of Yu Mei
In 2015, Jessie won an AMP scholarship and developed her brand that produces luxury leather goods. Jessie now has 15 staff and her bags are sold in 32 retail boutiques in NZ and internationally. All the beautiful bags are made from Yu Mei’s base in Wellington.
James Perham of Where’s Woolly
James decided to make his school project (which was awarded the prestigious Young Enterprise Scheme Company of the Year for 2016) into a full-time book business, so changed his career plans. Sales have been made to over 28 countries. We look forward to watching ‘where’ Where’s Woolly is in 10 years time and beyond.
Jeremie Hogan of Opex Labs
Whilst cycling for NZ U19s, Jeremie suffered a traumatic brain injury, which obviously changed her life. She established Opex Labs and focuses on how businesses can manage the interdependencies between cost, revenue and profit. Sounds really smart to us. We reckon you are a great analytical and creative thinker Jeremie.
EMERGING BUSINESS CATEGORY Gray Borrell of Novii
For a business only 2 years old, Gray and his Novii team have done outstandingly well. Sales growth is impressive and clients include Glassons, Hallensteins, Barkers, Rodd & Gunn and GreenCross Health. Their range of LED lights is world-class and is seriously disrupting the local retail and commercial market.
David Maxwell of Eighth Wonder Travel
David and his business partner Samuel St George are innovating their way to success and are giving discerning luxury travellers from the Northern Hemisphere luxurious and creative experiences across NZ and Australia. They showcase NZ to powerful, influential people who tell their friends ‘‘I had the most surreal experience of my life in NZ!’’.
Gene Turner of Law Hawk
Gene and Law Hawk are disrupting the legal and procurement industry by offering legal documents that are in the cloud and make the whole process a lot more efficient, meaning consumers and businesses can receive quicker and more economic legal documentation. Gene has started to innovate direct to the public offering documents at very good rates.
Jeroen Jongejans of Dive! Tutakaka
Jeroen is hugely passionate about Northland Tourism and the environment. He and his team have made Tutakaka the dive capital of NZ. They even sank 2 ex-Navy ships to create artificial reefs. Dive Tutakaka has up to 60 staff and 7 boats, a luxury lodge and even electric cars and bikes on offer. Jeroen really goes the extra mile to deliver a great worldclass experience and protect the local environment.
Marina Hirst Tristram of Tasman Bay Food Group
Marina’s parents started Tasman Bay Food over 40 years ago. Marina has taken the business to the next level with over 50 people and winning multiple food industry awards. They invented ‘Juicies’ which all parents know. We loved Marina’s drive to continuously improve and inspire excellence.
Geoff Cranko of Strategy Creative
Geoff has built Strategy Creative to be a design firm of over 100 people and we thought the business model that has them operating in 5 locations including Japan and Australia stood out. They’ve won countless awards with design work for clients.
We will be announcing the four deserving winners of our scholarships next week!