Anya and Frank Walkington, founders of Shamarra Alpacas:
I would say find something unique, different and quintessentially New Zealand. Just find a special little corner and just go for it. Customer service is also huge. We find that so many people are blown away at how nice the staff are, because thereâs a lot of places you go that maybe that isnât the case.
Bridgit Sissons, founder of Vaso:
Youâre never too old to start something new. We get scared about change and being judged, and we get scared about doing what weâre supposed to do. My real advice is if youâre not enjoying what youâre doing, itâs okay to say I donât like this, I donât want to do this anymore and to start your own thing. Itâs scary, but also quite liberating.
Dr David White, inventor of Goodair Nosebuds
I would say connect with the right people and reach out to the community. It doesnât matter how good you are at whatever youâre doing, working in isolation is going to constrain you, so reach out to all these enablers.
Iâve discovered that, certainly within the Auckland ecosystem and nationally, thereâs many good people who will give you good advice for free that will help you connect. So reach out to the wider community and engage.
Thomas Capdevielle, director of Coromandel Chocolate:
Find something you love and fight for it. People will try to put you out of it and say it wonât pay off, but just respect it as you do with yourself and go hard. Patience is also something Iâve got the most feedback on. If youâve got the luck to find patience for something in your life, just go hard for it.
Jon Foote, founder and chief executive of Axon Perform:
I think the advice for people that are trying to get into entrepreneurship or into business is to build a community first. Get out there and challenge yourself to become known on social media.
Marketplaces like LinkedIn and Instagram donât reduce you to your local environment. If you can get out there, expose yourself and let people get to know you first, then the chances of building relationships and building networks get easier.
Cate and Mike King, founders of King Bees Honey:
Youâll need to become a jack-of-all-trades to survive. At the start of the business, you donât have a lot of resources or connections or time, so being able to do as much as you can yourself can be a lifesaver. Be prepared to put the hard work in, the rewards do come.
Also find a mentor. Our mentor was a massive help in supporting us to find our way and learn what we needed to do, so donât be afraid to find someone who can help.
Former Olympic swimmer Willy Benson, founder of PortaSkip:
Just do your homework initially and make sure that everything lines up, and then just work hard and trust yourself. There are times when growth is pretty slow going, but if itâs genuine and you trust yourself and youâve got a good plan behind you, youâre most likely going to come out the other side where you want to be.
Mathew Watkins, co-founder of Apostle Hot Sauce:
If youâre really passionate about making a thing, then youâre going to do that regardless. If youâre really passionate about just starting a business and making money, youâre going to do that regardless. The difference is going to be in the product that you end up producing.
Dane Fuller, founder of Fuller Overnight Oats:
When I look back at what Iâve done in my life and the process of going through this business, itâs been really purpose-driven. I think itâs easy to fall into a career path, particularly listening to your parents about chasing money and being financially secure. Be willing to risk that financial security to chase your dreams.
Do you have a small business story you want to share? Send your pitches to tom.raynel@nzme.co.nz.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.