Boh Runga
Boh Runga’s one-off jewellery pieces are helping to fund music therapy for special needs children.
Deborah Foreman
From property to photography - a change of image.
Flexible Working Arrangements
New workplace-flexibility legislation is proving controversial.A new, limited edition lovebird pendant created by rock chick Boh Runga is helping to fund music therapy for special needs children.
her inspiration
songbird - Boh Runga 
Boh Runga, the gifted songwriter, musician and frontwoman of Kiwi band Stellar*, can now add jewellery designer to her long list of creative talents.
In 2007 Boh collaborated with the New Zealand Mint to create Birdland, a beautiful range of gold and sterling silver charms, necklaces and bracelets inspired by New Zealand’s native birds. A special edition of Diamond Eyed Lovebird pendants has recently been added to the collection. Only 500 necklaces have been made and each comes with a tag (numbered 1 to 500) making every piece unique. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the pendants is going to the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre – a charity close to Boh’s heart.
The centre is the first in New Zealand to provide music therapy for special needs children of school age and younger. It was established by singer and songwriter Hinewehi Mohi and her husband, George, after they spent time at the Nordoff Robins Music Therapy Centre in London in 1999 with daughter Hineraukatauri, who has severe cerebral palsy.
“I’ve never been as involved with a charity as much as I have with the centre. I was an assistant in the therapy of two autistic boys for a time. It made me a better person,” says Boh from her current base in Los Angeles.
Boh is now the centre’s patron, thanks in part to the encouragement of her husband, Campbell Smith, who first took her to visit the Nordoff Robins Music Therapy Centre in New York. She says she loves to witness the joy that music therapy can bring to the children and their parents. “They are able to communicate in an environment that is completely geared for them. They relax. Music is their freedom.”
Although she toyed with jewellery design ideas and made a few pieces of beaded jewellery when she was young, Boh says she had no real experience in jewellery-making before the Birdland venture. It was thanks to a fortuitous meeting with people from New Zealand Mint that she was given the opportunity to create the collection, which initially featured five native birds – the tui, fantail, kiwi, black robin and kakapo.
She recalls that seeing the very first samples of her jewellery designs was a huge highlight. “I felt the weight of the samples, saw the curves in the metal and how they were polished. They were the only examples of my designs in existence at that time. I was a bit lost for words.”
The sweet, plump little birds seem in contrast with Boh’s rock chick image, but there are some darker pieces of jewellery to come, she says. “One of the new ranges I am working on is definitely not as cute. It’s very rock and roll, but very wearable. It’s called Metal Rocks – it’s going to be good!”
Boh is in LA at least until the end of the year, but says she would love to stay longer. She is collaborating with some other well-known songwriters and writing music for a solo record, which she says is a “bit of a departure, but very liberating”. She is still performing – she played a gig with Brooke Fraser at the Troubador in early June and is planning a gig at the Largo Theatre, which is the new incarnation of the world-famous Coronet Theatre.
So just what is a typical day in Los Angeles like for Boh? “I reluctantly wake up at 8.30am and drag myself to go for a hike up Griffith Park – but only every second day, as I’m not a morning person. Then I check Craigslist because I’ve been looking for a new car, check eBay to see what new fun things have been listed, and go through my emails.” After coffee with her friend Pelle, one of the guys she is working with, Boh says she will start writing or sorting through song ideas or pieces she already has. “Then I’ll check Craigslist and eBay again, do some grocery shopping and have dinner. Of course, this would change if I had any friends over from New Zealand – and there are always restaurants and bars to fit in somewhere.”
The eldest of the three musical Runga sisters, (younger sister Bic has a successful solo career, while Pearl has been in several bands), Boh is also well-known for her personal style and love of New Zealand fashion. “I’m lucky in that many of my friends are involved in the fashion industry and I have an opportunity to see what exciting new looks are coming out. I love drama in clothing. I like quirky pieces that also nod to the classics of the past. We have creative minds in New Zealand that can combine all of that.”
Boh adds that while she didn’t take much from home with her to LA, she can’t live without her Kathryn Wilson Jimmy Boots. “I love them. I wear them with absolutely everything and I also thrash the green linen Zambesi jacket that my sister gave me.” She hasn’t really dabbled in fashion design herself, apart from designing the dress she wore in the Stellar* video for their hit song Violent. “It was fun to have the dress made for me. I still have it.”
Boh believes that the Birdland jewellery range will appeal to anyone who enjoys fashion, but also to those who want something to remind them of New Zealand. She is enjoying the opportunity to have another creative outlet outside of music. “I love being involved in music, but wearing something that I’ve helped to create is exciting, and seeing someone else wearing one of my birds is even more of a thrill.”
The Diamond Studded Lovebirds designed by Boh Runga are available through Redcurrent stores nationwide or online from NZ Girl at www.nzgirl.co.nz
By Jo Bailey
her insight
Deborah Foreman 
When The Joneses Real Estate company unexpectedly collapsed at the beginning of this year, Deborah Foreman, one of its most successful and experienced realtors was left reeling and unsure of what the future would hold.
Real Estate is one of those careers which always get a reaction when people ask you what you do for a living. People usually have more stories of woe about real estate agents than good stories. People tend to see them as totally overpaid for the work that they do and most definitely undeserving.
“I can quite categorically say that it is one of the most stressful careers I have ever followed – on call 24 hours, 7 days a week, helping people to achieve their dreams and handling the mental stress that most people experience when going through the sales process. The job required extreme diplomacy, a hard-work attitude and a thicker skin than anyone could imagine. You are legal expert, valuer, sales and marketing expert and psychologist all rolled into one.”
Even though job offers were prolific for both Debbie and her colleagues, she felt disillusioned with the New Zealand real estate industry and the thought of going back to a non-salaried position was not appealing. Deborah decided it was time to re-assess her work life.
“The Joneses worked because I felt that I could do the job without the extra stress of worrying about where the next dollar was coming from. Having seen a large number of colleagues within the industry suffering from stress-related illnesses, The Joneses made extreme sense and, wow! what an amazing experience. We seemed to have the whole of New Zealand behind us. It was like working back in central London again, gaining the respect of vendors and purchasers alike for what we were trying to achieve.
“However, when we failed, I felt it would be hypocritical to return to the New Zealand way of selling houses. I would like to say that I have the utmost respect for anyone practising here. Like all professions, there are the odd few who give agency a bad name, but I am proud to say that I have worked with a great bunch of hard-working experts.”
Originally from the UK, Deborah’s roots are in photography, having trained extensively in art, design, digital and film photography. Photography has always been Deborah’s passion, a passion not just limited to her.
“My father used to do wedding photography when I was a child. I can remember being fascinated by the darkroom and him teaching me how to develop pictures. It was like magic to a child, the picture slowly appearing on the page, and then hanging them up to dry. My sister and business partner, Kate Morrison, is also a respected journalist and photographer so you could say photography is in my blood.”
Deborah decided that going back to the grind of real estate was not what she wanted to do and that this would be a good time to take the plunge and set up the photographic business that she had always dreamed of. With the support of her sister, Kate, they set up Three Little Wishes Photography.
“I am a creative person, and photography gives me the medium to express myself, whilst creating images which give pleasure to others. I love the interaction with people and I get a huge buzz out of creating that perfect image. This career opens an enormous number of doors and allows me great variety.
“Kate and I have been in business for a couple of months now and already acquired a number of commercial contracts, weddings and other projects. I have been surprised at the diversity of the commissions we have already had. My sister loves to take pictures of food and has a real flair for it. Having trained originally as a chef has probably helped her as she has an extraordinary eye for detail.
“I really enjoy taking architectural shots and of course my years in real estate both here and abroad are invaluable for this. In London, I spent many years working for auctioneers taking photographs of some of London’s most beautiful homes. Weddings are something we both enjoy and I think it’s rather unique having two photographers to cover your event from two very different angles.”
Launching the new business has been a huge undertaking, and marketing the company on a small budget has needed great ingenuity.
“We realised early on that the need for a website was paramount, but became totally overwhelmed by the cost of this. We were really fortunate that Kelly Burnett, an emerging graphic and website designer from the UK, took our project on pro bono. A website is such a major tool in your marketing arsenal, but costs can make it prohibitive to many, so we were really lucky. We are really pleased with our site. It has a really contemporary feel to it and we feel it captures the essence of our business and our personalities.”
Networking is also a huge part of Three Little Wishes marketing plan and something that Deborah does not shy away from. “It’s hugely important to get out there and talk to people about your business. I don’t think there is a more powerful marketing tool than word of mouth. Last week, for instance, I was chatting to someone in a coffee bar about the business and the following week we were doing a shoot for their company.”
Although starting Three Little Wishes has had its stress attached, it pales into insignificance up against the long hours, endless phone calls and high stress of being a realtor.
“It’s been so nice to be able to spend more time with my family, especially my daughter, Hannah. She is so supportive of the new business and is a great little helper too. Work balance has always been important to me – something that is now far easier to achieve.”
By Katherine Armon
her inform
Flexible Working Arrangements 
What do you want? What brings you to life? If no one could disapprove of you, what would you really, really want? And if you totally believed in yourself, what would you do next? What is your special purpose and your gift to others?
In my coaching practice, female clients outnumber men by at least two to one. I have no firm evidence for why this is, but I have a hunch. At the risk of over-generalising, I think that women have more balls than men when it comes to re-evaluating where they are and what might come next in their busy lives.
The type of coaching work that my female clients sign up for is, to say the least, adventurous. It is typically intensive, ultra-challenging and deeply searching. It gets personal, almost soulful, and is almost always aimed at helping the client redefine who she is and what she wants her purpose to be. We then convert this energy into practical achievements. This is a courageous way to create the life that clients want. Interestingly this applies equally to powerful corporate women.
My male clients sometimes choose this route but frequently opt instead for coaching toward specific and measurable targets, such as the next promotion or career challenge.
I wondered if women’s social capacity to juggle many priorities means that they are more comfortable in ambiguity and creating new meaning than men, who, to extend these crude stereotypes, chase down their prey in true single-minded hunter style.
A principle of coaching is that the client’s work and life will be shaped by their limiting beliefs. These limiting beliefs create blind spots, feelings of profound stuck-ness and keep people in a trance. One particular trance could be labelled ‘I’m not worthy of success’. Such feelings of unworthiness activate our deepest fear – that of ego obliteration.
Many female clients, including senior leaders, are haunted by a sense that they are impostors, or not up to the job, despite evidence to the contrary. As a result they think, feel and behave in ways that undermine their potential.
An example is ‘Mary’ who ran a division with a turnover of $24m and 250 staff. Mary was a capable leader but felt intimidated by others who she assumed were brighter than she. Mary shied away from taking risks because she thought she was unworthy of success and simultaneously was scared of losing what she had achieved so far. This is very common. Mary compromised her creativity, developed an inconsistent leadership style and failed to achieve her potential. She was immobilised because she was creating a meaning that reinforced her limiting belief of being unworthy.
As the ‘I’m not worthy’ syndrome eats into the client it produces self-doubts with the appetite of piranhas. Because these fears are non-rational, they don’t respond to rational interventions such as logic, debate, comparison and argumentation. They do respond to non-rational and creative interventions such as re-storying.
Some would say that we could never know if we have a purpose. This may be true. But if we choose a purpose that fits with our values and our signature strengths it can change lives. When clients consciously model this purpose through their work, they outgrow their fears and excel.
There is a wonderful story about a woman who arrives at heaven’s Pearly Gates. An angel congratulates her on making the grade and offers to show her around. The angel leads her along beautiful corridors with interesting rooms. As they pass one particular door the angel says, “I am not capable of lying to you so I won’t even try, but I recommend that you pass that room by and don’t ever go in.” The woman was surprised and asked why. The angel said, “I would rather not explain but please believe me, if you go inside you will regret it for eternity.”
The woman was curious and she opened the door and stepped into the room. She was amazed because inside there were all manner of wonderful things: her family, who were all happy, fulfilled colleagues, loving and fulfilling relationships, satisfying experiences, astounding adventures, riches and love. “Why this is a wonderful room!” said the woman. “It is the best yet. Why didn’t you want me to go in?” The angel looked sad. “Because these were all the things you could have had in your life if only you had believed in yourself!”
When we are gripped by a purpose that resonates with our deepest values, we live, love and perform better and we’re more resilient. I read an account of a children’s cancer ward. When the children worked to a common purpose, that of redecorating their ward, they were happy and their white blood cell count increased. Purpose is the queen of motivation.
Through our sessions, Mary chose a clear purpose to guide her work and life, that of helping to transform people around her. Consequently she rose above her feelings of inadequacy and once more motivated her teams. She took risks, partly so that others could learn from her actions. She challenged and contributed with less fear and settled into her role, empowering others wherever possible.
When clients become serious about their purpose, they operate from a different place, or a different Ba. In Japanese Ba means ‘place’. But more than that, it’s a physical, psychological, emotional and social creation – a dynamic place where meaning comes alive and then delivers on our purpose. Who could ask for more?!
Marianne Williamson wrote, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.” In all my coaching this rings true. So, happy is she who embraces her purpose and invites her light to shine.
By Tim Roberts
Executive & Senior Team Coaching.
Email Tim@TimRobertsLtd.co.nz
