You’re the Co-Founder of Product Tree NZ. Can you tell us what lead to you creating this company?
I started my first technology company at the age of 23. Fast forward six years, and after closing the chapter on two businesses, I found myself burnt out and ready for a more sustainable pace of life. I was advising a few New Zealand founders and noticed the impact of an all-too-common story. Many of these founders were quick to invest money, energy, and time into growing their business, without thoroughly testing their business ideas with customers. This prompted my co-founder and I to create our product design studio, Product Tree. Drawing upon our experiences as product founders, we help tech companies in New Zealand with their product strategy, design, and development. Ultimately de-risking their products before committing to significant spending.
What excites you most about Product Tree NZ and where do you hope to see the business moving to in future?
My co-founder (also fiancée) and I are currently living and working in Japan. After our wedding was postponed by covid, we decided to take advantage of having a fully remote team and business. Product Tree has allowed us to strike a balance between professional pursuits and personal experiences. As for the future, I must admit that I'm not entirely sure where the business will go, and I guess that is part of the excitement. However, I am grateful for the amazing clients we work with and the fulfilling lifestyle that this business enables.
Before Product Tree NZ, you also co-founded Squawk Squad. What was your inspiration in creating this business, and were you expecting to be nominated for the 2020 Young New Zealand of the Year in relation to your work with this?
Squawk Squad was driven by the desire to empower the next generation of kiwi kids to become environmental leaders. Our vision was to be a leading digital environmental educator, and we successfully delivered environmental education to 50,000 kiwi kids. The nomination for the 2020 Young New Zealander of the Year in relation to my work with Squawk Squad was a complete surprise, but it was a heart-warming recognition of the impact our team had made.
Tell us about your role as a part of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship. What does this involve?
The Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) finds, selects, and supports visionary entrepreneurs, investors, startup teams and leaders to create scalable, and positive global impact from New Zealand. I am humbled to have been accepted into the fellowship in the 2018 cohort. The EHF community has provided me with invaluable support, connections, and opportunities. It's a place where you get out what you put in, and I've been inspired by the passion and dedication of my fellow Fellows in making a difference on a global scale.
What brought you to study Engineering at UC?
To be honest, I was young, and I was conforming to what I saw around me. Despite not entering the engineering industry, my degree provided me with sound critical thinking skills. This served as a valuable foundation for building technology products and working towards a meaningful purpose that I believed in. If I had the chance to choose again, I might have considered studying a combination of Computer Science, UX design and Languages, which align more closely with my current curiosity. Nonetheless, every step in my journey has shaped who I am today.
We see you were involved in several clubs and societies while completing your studies, any fond memories of your time at UC?
My second day at university was the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. A lot of my fond memories were the result of how tight our year became from the impact of the earthquakes. With less to do in town, club culture soared and Canterbury’s great access to mountains, beaches and nature provided many memorable adventures.